Evolution of the Farm

Five Fridges Farm was originally known as Red Wing Ranch. Earnestine and Walt Williams owned this acreage from the 1930’s to the mid 1990’s where they raised steer, hogs, chickens, and later goats.

In 2010, Amanda Weaver, urban agricultural researcher and instructor of geography at CU Denver, began working with then-owner Louise Turner, a long-time Wheat Ridge resident and farm neighbor. Louise raised generations of milk goats on the Farm from Earnestine’s original herd.

In 2011, as the new owner of the Farm, Amanda began renovations on the old farmhouse. During this time, refrigerators of all ages and sizes were removed from every room of the 800 square foot farmhouse. Thus, the Farm name was changed to 5 Fridges Farm.

Since Earnestine’s time at the Farm, the city has grown up around it, creating a truly unique opportunity for “urban agriculture” as apartments, houses, condos and a school, surround the farm. Yet, a pond, a year-round creek, the fields with beautiful views of the mountains, the rich soil, the beaver, coyote, and birds of prey continue to make this place very not-urban at the same time.

Upon her death in the early 1990’s, Earnestine established a conservation easement on the land, know as the William’s Wildlife Preserve. Seeing the future of development around the farm, she wanted a way to conserve a place she loved for generations ahead to enjoy. Managed by Colorado Open Lands, the farm is protected for agriculture use and wildlife habitat forever. The land cannot be subdivided or built upon outside of the envelope of currently existing buildings. Though it is privately owned, it is monitored every year to ensure that the conservation values are maintained.