Ruthie King grew up in Southern California before heading east to attend Columbia University, where she studied planning and design with a focus on ways to integrate sustainability into the built environment. After graduating with a degree in Architecture and Sustainable Development, she moved to Washington State to live and work on farms practicing alternative construction and natural building techniques. This included cob and earth structures, converted shipping containers, living roof structures and more. After working on sustainable building and barn restoration at several farms in the area, she landed at a beautiful historic dairy barn with a family hoping to bring dairy cows back to their land. She worked with the family to develop the framework for maintaining and milking a small herd of cows while selling the raw milk and cheese on site. Concurrently working for a veterinarian in town and substitute teaching at the public school gave her confidence working with animals and children. In 2013, she moved to the James Ranch in Colorado, a produce, eggs, pork, and grass-fed beef and dairy farm. There she studied integrated and diverse farming structures, and engaged in the daily milking routine and CSA operations. Finally, she joined the Grange School in early 2014 to help launch the program. Her diverse skillset has prepared her for the enormous, rewarding task of leading the operations for The Grange School of Adaptive Agriculture.

2016 Convergence Workshop: What is Adaptive Agriculture?