Keri Brandt Off and David Off
Professor of Sociology, Fort Lewis College, Colorado : Rancher and Owner of Off Ranch
Del Norte, CO
October 22nd - October 25th, 2025
On a cold and frosty morning, we file into the warm workshop at the Off Family Ranch in Del Norte, Colorado. Keri Brandt greets us with a kind and friendly smile as she holds a large paper bag of freshly baked bread for us. As we sit down on crates, five-gallon buckets, and sofa chairs, Clementine, the ranch’s work dog quickly attracts our attention. We immediately feel at home in Keri and Clem’s warm and welcoming presence. Throughout our time at the Off Family Ranch, we explored some of the complex issues that exist in the basin including concerns about water, ranching, and farming.
Keri is a professor of Sociology and Gender and Sexuality Studies, at Fort Lewis College. Additionally, she works tirelessly on the Off Family Ranch. Keri first found Fort Lewis College as an undergraduate student before getting her Ph.D. at the University of Colorado. Along with her incredible wealth of academic knowledge, she shared her passion for the Off Family Ranch, where she lives. We learned about the complexities of ranching in the modern era. For example, Keri explained how people criticize small producers about market prices instead of the commercial food system as a whole. Keri argues that the commercial food system needs improvement because for a small generational ranch like the Off Family Ranch, they have little to no control over the prices set on their beef. Keri also explained some of her research on the ways in which animals create connections with each other and humans. This passion came alive when Keri and Clem worked the cows with flawless communication. With one swift sound from Keri, Clem would run at the cows, herding them through the small opening into the nearby pen. We all stood spread out along the fence line with eyes wide open in amazement.
We were also lucky enough to learn from Keri’s husband, David Off, who grew up on the ranch. David attended Fort Lewis College as an undergraduate studying education. He was later drawn back to his family ranch and now plays a huge role in the success of it. David explained how water rights work in the upper Rio Grande Basin. David helped us better understand the value of water and how deeply it affects the productivity of the nearby ranches and farms. For example, the Off Family Ranch relies on this water for growing hay whereas other farmers need it for growing potatoes. We left the Off Family Ranch not only feeling incredibly grateful for David and Keri’s time, but also for sharing their beautiful property with us during our three days in Del Norte.
by Ashley Hagen