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Many Hands Make Light(er) Work

Our Team

Willow-Witt Ranch team members share a love of the outdoors, farming, caring for the animals, off-grid living and environmental education.

Suzanne Willow, owner

Suzanne Willow

Owner

Suzanne is a third generation Californian and a chosen Oregonian. Born in Santa Cruz, she spent her younger years in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains and near Yosemite National Park, later moving to Eureka/Arcata near the Pacific Ocean. Open vistas with mountains and forests call to her.

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Suzanne’s wife and partner, Lanita Witt (August 26, 1950 to December 15, 2022), was born in the Texas High Plains with the vast horizon in all directions, a dark star-filled sky, and a vegetable garden. Her family roots were in German homestead farms in South Texas. Higher education included undergraduate at Texas Woman’s University, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, UCLA Hospitals and Clinics Residency in OB and Gyn, and a house building course in Bath, Maine.

Suzanne and Lanita met in 1979 and in 1984 searched out a place in a rural environment – not too deep in the woods, with a good school for their daughter Brooke. The 445 acres that is the land of Willow-Witt Ranch, and now the home of educational non-profit The Crest and The Forest Conservation Burial Ground, met those needs and more. Suzanne and Lanita learned about forest health and resilience through the Master Forest Manager course at OSU Extension in their first years on the ranch. Since 1985, they focused on restoring balanced working forests and wetlands, and improving wildlife habitat. Willow-Witt Ranch is committed to land conservation, restoration, and regenerative organic agriculture.

Laura Hardin, Business Manager

Laura Hardin

Business Manager

Laura joins our nimble team at Willow-Witt Ranch and The Forest as an experienced operations leader committed to developing and implementing sustainable business practices, people-first strategies and financially solvent solutions. With over 15 years experience at the intersection of business design, marketing and sales she is a savvy producer, project and people manager. Laura is an avid community builder, organizer, and event planner who will stop at nothing to curate the perfect evening, event, and workday for all who find themselves at Willow-Witt Ranch. 

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Laura is the proud mom of two young girls, a seasoned trail runner, mushroom forager, and music appreciator. Her newest hobbies include perfecting her pizza recipes, setting new PR’s on the ranch’s Turtle Trot loop, and finding her way into birding circles. She also promises some day she will learn to sew and write her magnum opus on the guitar.

Larry Lacerte, Ranch Hand

Larry Lacerte

Ranch Hand

Larry Lacerte recently moved to Oregon from Colorado. He was drawn to working at Willow-Witt Ranch by a desire to learn more about off-grid living, working with animals and market gardening. He enjoys hiking, biking, skiing and making music, and is looking forward to exploring his new surroundings.

Daniel Collay, Ranch Operations Manager

Daniel Collay

Operations Consultant

Daniel grew up on his parents’ farm outside of Eugene. There he gained an early appreciation for farming and the environment. In high school he enrolled in the Rachel Carson Environmental Science Academy where he learned broad sustainability concepts, practical restoration skills, and became a certified master recycler.

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He followed his passion for the environment into college, graduating with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies and a Minor in Outdoor Adventure Leadership from Southern Oregon University. During his studies, he learned about sustainable development, food systems, and environmental policy. For his Capstone, he designed, created, and implemented a botanical tour showcasing trees on campus. Daniel grew his farming knowledge while interning with the Berggren Demonstration Farm in Springfield Oregon. He also was Trip Leader for the SOU Outdoor Program in college.

After starting at Willow-Witt Ranch in January of 2018, he has found a lot to love here at the ranch. The land seems to offer endless opportunities to support the community, not only with the bounty of food but also with its wealth of knowledge, history, and beauty. He thinks the work here is an excellent way to grow his love of farming, environmental education, and leadership.