Macala Wright

Macala Wright is the founder and self-described “overly optimistic, woo-woo loving, woke cowgirl,” of Grace, Grit, and Wit (GG&W), a women's farming collective and horse ranch, in Snohomish, Washington. She also helms Macala Wright Consulting, which builds data and analytics-based business strategies, for farmers and agriculture companies.

In 2020, after many years studying health, nutrition, and farming, Macala embarked on GG&W eager to weave together her data analytics know-how and her love of food, farming, and horses. Her mission, alongside a multicultural group of female ranchers, is to help women explore their relationships with themselves, their food, and the land that feeds them. The foundation for this work is immersion into real-life farming, which Macala sees as a solid step towards combating the misinformation about food and nutrition that's regularly bandied about. There’s also yoga and meditation, and Macala is happy to answer any and all questions about how our bodies actually process what we eat. When it comes to meat (pigs, poultry, and goats), GG&W is focused on breeding, raising, and processing animals sustainably. When asked about her animals, Macala explained, “They are allowed to move freely, on either grass pasture or forestland, and we regularly rotate their locations, so our land isn’t overgrazed or over taxed by having them on it.” Currently GG&W’s meat is only for family and friends, but Macala is looking forward to expanding soon. Macala also serves as Good Meat Breakdown’s digital marketing guru. To learn more about (and from!) Macala, we highly recommend her blog.

How do you define your Good Meat® values? 

My definition is broad because I've met so many producers, of many sized operations, raising meat in varying conditions. It's not one size fits all. So, while it's broad, it's simple: Someone raising livestock in a way that the animals are well taken care of, have space to move, and are being raised by people who are doing the best they can, to be caretakers of the land they use.

Why do you raise Good Meat?

It brings me solace. Working with all animals keeps me in the present moment. It naturally calms my nervous system and it makes my heart happy.

How did you become a Good Meat® producer?

It started at an Air BnB in Northern California, where I was staying to try to get over city life.The host had livestock and I asked her if I could stay on, bring my horses, and help her work the farm. I started buying animals from her that I would finish raising, so I could feed my dogs. Because I didn’t have to pay rent for the land, raising meat for my dogs was more affordable than kibble. When I saw how much healthier they were, there was no going back! I realized it might be good to raise meat for myself, in addition to my four-legged companions.

How do you describe your farming philosophy?

We act extremely mindfully and with conscious intent. There are many ways to farm, produce food, and raise livestock. I take into account what I'm able to do on the ranch I'm on (which is rented), what I have access to, and how that may impact neighbors. I go from there. When it comes to fertilizer, I get very creative with composting and use what's available.

What is one thing you wish more consumers knew about raising livestock for food?

I wish they knew the high standards so many farmers and ranchers hold themselves to, when it comes to the quality of life they give their animals. There’s often the misconception that people who raise animals for meat only see them as a commodity. That’s simply not true. I think there’s a lot of confusion right now about the difference between animal welfare and animal activism. People seem to be forgetting that farm animals can have a good life.

What meat, or meat dish, do you eat most regularly and what do you eat for a special occasion?

I eat meat as a charcuterie board. Prosciutto, smoked/cured anything, bacon (which is a food group in itself), all kinds of sausage, and of course, chorizo. A plate of meat, from a well raised hog, solves all of life's problems.

What is one of the biggest challenges you are currently facing, as a Good Meat® producer?

In the meat industry, being a woman can be hard, being someone of color adds challenges. Affordability of land, and of course, funding is also a challenge. But I'm taking those things one by one. Doing well and loving the journey.