Imperial Stock Ranch in Oregon: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Imperial Stock Ranch is a historic sheep and cattle ranch on the Columbia Plateau near Maupin, Oregon, founded in 1871. Travel Oregon reports it was the first ranch in the world certified under the Responsible Wool Standard in 2017, and Portland Monthly describes a ranch of about 50 square miles whose wool reached Olympic team clothing in 2014.
| Location | Near Maupin, Wasco County area, Oregon |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1871 (Richard Hinton, per Portland Monthly) |
| Sectors | Sheep; cattle; hay; grain; wool yarn and goods |
| Scale | About 50 square miles; once 70,000 contiguous acres (Portland Monthly) |
| Why it is elite | First ranch certified under the Responsible Wool Standard; historic headquarters on the National Register |
| Ownership | Dan and Jeanne Carver, fourth owners since 1988 purchase |
| Official website | Imperial Stock Ranch official site |
History of Imperial Stock Ranch
Portland Monthly reports that Richard Hinton began the ranch in 1871 on a 160-acre claim, and that at its peak the Hinton-era operation held 70,000 contiguous acres. The ranch has raised sheep and cattle and grown hay and grain since then, and its headquarters buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Dan Carver bought the ranch in 1988, and Jeanne Carver co-owns the ranch and its yarn business. Travel Oregon notes that the Carvers have won numerous awards in business and agriculture since the 1990s. Portland Monthly reports no-till farming since 1996.
What Imperial Stock Ranch Grows and Raises
The ranch runs sheep and cattle and grows hay and grain on the Columbia Plateau. Travel Oregon reports that it moved beyond selling raw wool into yarns, fabrics and finished goods, and that it sold lamb directly to restaurants.
Portland Monthly describes Imperial Yarn, co-owned by Jeanne and Dan Carver, and wool sourced for a designer collection and for the 2014 U.S. Olympic cardigan made by Ralph Lauren. The ranch worked with local knitters and weavers in Central Oregon and a New England mill, and reported 18 value chain partners in 2013.
How Imperial Stock Ranch Makes Money
Wool, yarn and finished goods
The ranch turned a commodity fleece into branded yarn and products, which Portland Monthly describes as a deliberate effort to rebuild a domestic wool supply chain.
Lamb and beef
Travel Oregon says the ranch sold lamb directly to restaurants. Cattle remain part of the ranching enterprise.
Hay, grain and certification premiums
Hay and grain complement the livestock. The 2017 Responsible Wool Standard certification gives buyers third-party proof of animal welfare and land stewardship.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Imperial Stock Ranch
Capture more of the value chain. Moving from fleece to yarn and finished goods gave the ranch more control over pricing and brand than selling raw wool would.
Certification can be a sales tool. Third-party standards like the Responsible Wool Standard help a ranch reach buyers who need documented practices, and a USDA grant of $300,000 helped fund the ranch move into fashion, per Portland Monthly.
A sheep ranch that dressed an Olympic team is the sort of thing a sheep dog would put on its resume, if sheep dogs had resumes and fewer opinions about fences. If you like farm satire that respects a good flock, farm.FM serves up farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes with a wool-gathering twist.
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How to Contact Imperial Stock Ranch
Website: https://imperialstockranch.com/
Address and phone were not verified from the ranch's own site in our research, November 2026. Use the official website for current contact, product and visit details, and confirm before traveling to the Maupin area.
Imperial Stock Ranch Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Imperial Stock Ranch - The ranch's official website
- Travel Oregon profile - History, certification and products
- Portland Monthly feature - Scale, owners and wool supply chain
- Oregon Department of Agriculture statistics - State commodity data
- Oregon Farm Bureau Century Farm and Ranch - Program honoring long-running operations
Imperial Stock Ranch FAQ
When was Imperial Stock Ranch founded?
Portland Monthly says Richard Hinton began it in 1871.
What does Imperial Stock Ranch raise?
Sheep and cattle, plus hay and grain, according to Travel Oregon and Portland Monthly.
Who owns Imperial Stock Ranch?
Dan and Jeanne Carver, who bought it in 1988.
Is it certified?
Travel Oregon reports it was the first ranch in the world certified under the Responsible Wool Standard, in 2017.
Imperial Stock Ranch proves that a 150-year-old ranch can keep its land and reinvent its markets. Read the Oregon farms guide for the wider picture of climate, water, markets and programs that shape operations like this one.