Four Generations, One Ranch
The Fess Parker family is building a legacy around the land and each other
Written by Hana-Lee Sedgwick
Photographs by Sara Prince
“The Home Ranch seems to be the thread that’s binding things together.”
Children run between tables and laughter fills the air as several generations of the Parker family cook, pour wine and beer, and settle in at a dinner for 30 among the olive trees and vines, sharing stories over a meal largely sourced from the land around them. It’s land many of them have grown up on. For the Parkers, this biannual gathering at the Fess Parker Home Ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley isn’t just a nice tradition. It’s a chance for their ever-growing family to reconnect with this place, with one another, and with the legacy they continue to build together.
When actor Fess Parker, known for his portrayals of Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, purchased the Foxen Canyon property in 1988, he envisioned a place to raise a few cattle, plant vines, and build a small winery his children could one day be a part of. What grew from that vision is something far larger: a working ranch, where his children have expanded the family’s pursuits in wine, hospitality, and stewardship; his grandchildren have built new food and beverage enterprises of their own; and his great-grandchildren are growing up among it all.
“Although the family’s diverse endeavors weren’t necessarily part of some grand plan, the goal is to continue finding thoughtful ways for the land and individual businesses to support one another,” says co-owner Ashley Parker Snider, who, with her brother, Eli Parker, represents the second generation of the family business. “We’re building on what my parents, Fess and Marcy, started.”
Today, the 714-acre ranch directly supports three of the family’s companies: FP Ranch Beef, Third Window Brewing, and Fess Parker Winery. Founded by third-generation Katie Parker McDonald and her husband, FP Ranch Beef raises American Wagyu for steaks, burgers, and barbecue. Third Window Brewing, launched by third-generation Kris Parker, uses estate-grown grain and hops for its beer, as well as ranch-grown ingredients for its kitchen. Even wood from fallen oak trees on the ranch is gathered and used to fuel its grills and ovens. Anchoring it all is Fess Parker Winery, established in 1989, which produces small-lot Rhône and Burgundian varietal wines, many sourced from Rodney’s Vineyard, the ranch’s SIP Certified and organically farmed estate vineyard. Recently, Third Window began serving food at the winery on weekends, showcasing FP Ranch Beef, further weaving the projects together.
While several family ventures began independently, their paths have increasingly intertwined. “The Home Ranch seems to be the thread that’s binding all these things together in a cohesive way,” Parker Snider says. “We encourage family members to go out and explore on their own, but more often than not, we see them come back to the land—it’s both a literal and metaphorical thread that connects them.”
“The goal is to continue finding ways for the land and businesses to support one another.”
The freedom to forge their own paths also means giving younger family members a voice. The decision to transition to organic farming at Rodney’s Vineyard was championed by the third generation involved in the winery. “Our children, nieces, and nephews are willing to ask why certain decisions were made, and they expect a good answer,” co-owner Eli Parker says. “Carrying a legacy forward also means allowing the next generation to shape it.”
Four generations of Parkers
Today, seven members of the third generation are actively involved across the Fess Parker Family portfolio, along with several spouses. The fourth generation—16 members and growing—is already pitching in, helping at family events and taking summer jobs on the ranch as they become old enough.
As the next generation finds its place, the Parkers have become more intentional about staying connected. “Instead of asking, ‘How do we keep the family business going?’ we’re increasingly asking, ‘How do we keep the family close?’ says third-generation Amanda Parker White, general manager of Fess Parker Wine Country Inn in Los Olivos. “If we want to maintain a successful multigenerational family business, we have to maintain a close, connected family.”
It’s an important characteristic of how the Parkers approach business and heritage. Continuing what Fess and Marcy began doesn’t mean preserving everything exactly the way the couple left it; rather, it means preserving the values that allowed the enterprise to grow: hard work, a respect for the land, the freedom for each generation to make its mark, and a commitment to one another.
“Carrying a legacy forward also means allowing the next generation to shape it.”
“Our parents believed in putting in a good day’s work, having fun doing it, and spending time with friends and family,” Eli Parker says. “They taught us that if you don’t get up every day looking forward to what you do, you should reexamine what you’re doing. It’s about enjoying life and leaving something for the next generation to be proud of.”
A fourth-generation Parker finds a chance to cool off.
“We’re all appreciative of what Fess and Marcy gave us to work with,” Parker Snider adds. “With each day, with each generation, we’re learning to be better stewards of the land, understand agriculture more deeply, and find new ways for our businesses to support one another. It’s not always easy in practice, but this land and this family are absolutely worth it.” fessparker.com
