Our Story

Originally hailing from Georgia, David Riley has worked providing mechanical services to the power and defense industries for over 40 years, and is Founder/CEO of Riley Power Group (RPG) and Great American Welding Company (GAWCO), in addition to founding and operating Riley’s Ranch in Carthage, NC. In that time he has never forgotten his brief exposure to farm life experienced in North Carolina many moons ago! When the kids had flown the nest, he approached his bride with the idea they pack up from South Carolina and head north…all the way up to Moore County, North Carolina to start a new farm with an emphasis on naturally raised heritage animals. After a few days of being interrogated by his wife for a possible sanity lapse, she enthusiastically fooled him into thinking she agreed it was a fine idea. Luckily, and with God’s grace, she has fallen in love with life on the farm, quite possibly eclipsing even his zeal for this wonderful, exasperating, rewarding and challenging lifestyle.

Melanie Riley is recently retired from 10 years of management at Riley Power Group so she has more time to help David manage the farm. She is also retired from 28 years as a Physical Therapist and has a Master Gardening certification, with a special love for growing perennial flower gardens.  She hails from Texas, Rhode Island, Virginia, Florida, Michigan and SC, moving so many times due to her Dad’s Navy career. The ability to pack up and move to new places helped her to jump in with both feet to this new sustainable farming adventure. It’s true, she really does enjoy this new lifestyle of trading in her high heels for cowgirl (and muck!) boots, and feels it is a wonderful blessing from God in many ways.