What started as a quiet retirement plan in California wine country has grown into a large family-owned farming and hospitality business. When actor Fess Parker bought the 714-acre Foxen Canyon Ranch in 1988, he planned to raise a small herd of cattle, plant a few acres of grapes, and start a small family winery. According to the official history on the Fess Parker Winery site, the former Hollywood star, best known for playing Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, wanted to build a lasting family business that could be passed down through generations. Decades later, that first land purchase in Santa Barbara County has grown into a diverse group of businesses run directly by Parker’s children and grandchildren. The enterprise includes award-winning vineyards, a high-end Wagyu cattle operation, boutique hospitality businesses, and a local craft brewery.
Estate growth and winemaking achievements
The family’s wine business began in 1989 at Foxen Canyon Ranch along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. Over the years, the family added more vineyards to support full-scale wine production from its own estate. In 1995, Parker’s son Eli Parker became head winemaker. In 2006, Eli Parker was named Winemaker of the Year at the San Francisco International Wine Competition for his work with estate-grown Rhone and Burgundian grape varieties. Today, the winery is still centered on its estate vineyard, Rodney’s, which received Sustainability in Viticulture (SIP) certification in 2020. According to official site documents, the family has also added solar panels at its winemaking facility to reduce its use of outside energy and moved toward more sustainable packaging across its wine brands. In 2022, Wine & Spirits Magazine named Fess Parker Winery to its annual list of the Top 100 Wineries in the world.
Grandchildren expand into cattle and hospitality
As the business expanded, later generations took on leadership roles in different parts of the original estate. Katie Parker McDonald, one of Fess Parker’s granddaughters, runs the FP Ranch Beef program with her husband, Rocky McDonald, a former professional bull rider. According to company history on the FP Ranch Beef website, the couple created a sustainable, grass-fed and sustainably finished Wagyu cattle operation on the family’s home ranch in Los Olivos. The Wagyu operation uses DNA testing and selective breeding to manage the genetics of the herd. It produces beef ranging from USDA Prime Plus to Japanese A5 standards. Katie Parker McDonald also manages horseback trail rides on the ranch. Other family members run related businesses under the same corporate group. Fess Parker’s daughter, Ashley Parker Snider, is a co-owner and manages sales and marketing with her husband, company president Tim Snider. Their adult children, Spencer and Greer, have also joined the marketing team. Granddaughter Amanda Parker is the general manager of the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn in Los Olivos. Grandson Kristopher Parker runs Third Window Brewing Company in nearby Santa Barbara.
Multi-generational stewardship on the ranch
Fess Parker, who died in 2010, spent his later years working with his family on the property after leaving the film industry in the early 1970s. By keeping active family oversight across every part of the business, from managing vineyard soil to planning cattle breeding, the Parker family continues to operate the 714-acre estate as an integrated and largely self-sustaining working ranch.
