Meet Five Marys

With deep agricultural roots and a passion for small businesses, Mary and Brian Heffernan always dreamed of ranching with their kids in the country. So when they had a chance to buy the historic Sharps Gulch Ranch in 2013, Mary and Brian knew they found their land and moved their girls to Siskiyou County in Northern California. That's how Five Marys was born.

We can probably guess the first question you might be asking yourself: Are there really five Marys? (They get this one a lot.) And the answer is yes—all four of their daughters are named Mary, after grandmothers and aunts on both sides of the family, and each one goes by a nickname based on their middle name.

The ranch is always bustling with activities, like taking care of the livestock: Five Marys raises Black Angus cattle, Navajo-Churro sheep, Berkshire hogs, and a wide variety of laying hens. Their philosophy and ranching methods reflect their beliefs in respecting the animals, raising them with care, and feeding their family and customers only the highest-quality meats.

In our new video series, Raised on the Ranch, we'll get a glimpse of what daily life's like at the Five Marys farm—from their everyday ranching routines to family-friendly meals highlighting their humanely raised meat. Up first: Five Marys' favorite tips and recipes for creating a bountiful burger bar that can feed a crowd. Keep an eye out for episodes every other week here.

We asked Five Marys to select their can't-live-without-'em products from our Shop—check out their picks.

Grilling Must-Haves

Mary's Faves

Outdoor Essentials