Egg-ceptional Stewardship: The Dellinger Family’s Mountain Legacy

April 9, 2025

Sometimes dreams become reality. Just ask Bill Dellinger, whose childhood 4H project has grown into a thriving pasture-raised egg business. What started as a young boy’s vision has evolved into Hicks Mountain Hens, an honor-system farmstand that is now a destination for weekend travelers seeking fresh eggs, honey, and butter.

For over a century, the Dellingers, part of the larger Corda family, have stewarded Hicks Mountain Belvedere Ranch, home to one of Marin County’s highest peaks. In June of 2024, the family protected the ranch with a MALT agricultural conservation easement, forever safeguarding this iconic mountain.   The family’s innovative spirit now extends to their most recent venture—the newly acquired Ledger Ranch near Tomales.

In the fall of 2024, they were awarded a $45,000 small grant from MALT to fund an ambitious water distribution project that showcases their commitment to regenerative agriculture. The new infrastructure will enable rotational grazing across ten paddocks, enhancing soil health, increasing carbon sequestration, and boosting the land’s productive capacity.

From pasture-raised chickens to brush-grazing goats, honey production to beef cattle, the Dellinger family demonstrates how modern ranching families can adapt and thrive while protecting the landscapes they steward. Despite the challenges of rising costs and the necessity of off-farm jobs, they’re showing that economic viability and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand—preserving both agricultural heritage and precious biodiversity less than an hour’s drive from San Francisco.

“MALT has given a strong family the chance to protect and care for two great ranches,” shared Angela Dellinger. “My late mother always believed that MALT was going to be the way we could protect our family’s ranches, and it turns out she was right.”

Key Innovations & Accomplishments:

Transformed historic ranch into modern sustainable operation
Secured MALT easement to protect land for future generations
Scaled 4H project into thriving enterprise – local farmstand
Implementing innovative water systems for rotational grazing
Built successful honor-system direct marketing
Proving environmental stewardship can drive profitability

Visit Hicks Mountain Hens Today!

Experience the Dellinger family legacy firsthand by visiting their charming honor-system farmstand on Hicks Mountain Belvedere Ranch. Treat yourself to farm-fresh eggs, local honey, and artisanal butter while supporting sustainable agriculture that protects our landscape for generations to come.

Your visit doesn’t just provide delicious local food—it helps preserve a century of agricultural tradition and environmental stewardship right here in Marin County.

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