Our History
From Scotland to Utah: The McKinnon Legacy and the Vision of Eden Sky Ranch
Archibald McKinnon Sr. (1837–1915)
A PIONEER’S JOURNEY
Born on June 20, 1837, in Argyllshire, Scotland, Archibald McKinnon Sr. was the youngest of nine children. Like many of his countrymen, he emigrated to the United States seeking religious freedom and opportunity, eventually joining the great westward migration of Latter-day Saint (LDS) converts. In 1875, he and his family were called to settle Randolph, in Rich County, Utah, as part of the Church’s effort to build new agricultural communities.
Archibald would go on to father 12 children, one of whom—Robert McKinnon Sr.—carried the pioneering tradition into a new era. His son, Robert McKinnon Jr., my great-grandfather, fully embraced this heritage of resilience, independence, and connection to the land. His pioneering spirit propelled him to Carbon County.
Robert McKinnon Jr.: A Veterinarian in the Age of Industry
Robert Jr. pursued veterinary science at a time when the American West was rapidly industrializing. His skill set placed him at the heart of a major transformation when he accepted a position as the company veterinarian for the United States Fuel Company, which had just established coal mining operations in what would become Hiawatha, Utah.
To support this mining community, U.S. Fuel built one of Utah’s most modern agricultural facilities—a dairy farm west of the mines, now remembered as Dairy Ranch Road. The farm’s purpose was to provide dairy products, food security, and work animals for the coal town’s growing population.
Upon accepting the job, Robert Jr. moved his family to the company-owned farm. There, he was assigned several hundred Holstein cattle and took charge of both food production and the health of draft animals—primarily mules and horses critical to mining operations. His role was pivotal in making Hiawatha a self-sustaining town, where life and labor were deeply intertwined.
A Life On The Land
My grandfather, Robert Francis McKinnon, was raised on that very farm. Alongside his siblings, he lived the rugged rhythm of ranch life: everyone worked, everyone contributed. His brother would tragically die on the land they called home. Though Robert fulfilled his duties on the dairy, his true identity was clear to anyone who knew him: he was a Cattleman.
He was never happier than when he was deep in the canyons of the Gentry Mountains, horseback under the open sky, or scouting the 'flats' in search of lost cows. On one of these excursions, he discovered a Native American burial ground, and the artifacts from that sacred find are now preserved in the Utah State Archaeological Museum.
Robert’s passion for the land and his cattle was rivaled only by his devotion to his family—and to my grandmother—and his love of vodka. But sadly, the latter would claim him too soon. With his passing, the McKinnon farm began its slow unraveling.
Loss and Dispossession
In the days following his death, while the family gathered to plan his funeral, the superintendent of U.S. Fuel abruptly revoked the family's 50-year lease on the farm and reassigned it to his son. When my father asked why, he was met with a silent but chilling answer—a Winchester .30-30 laid across the table, warning of confrontation.This ended my fathers aspiration of taking over the family farm.
After that, the farm passed between various leaseholders and ultimately fell into disuse. Today, it is largely abandoned, its buildings left to the wind and time. The entrance is now marked by offices of the ConocoPhillips oil and gas operation, a symbol of yet another industrial chapter layered over a once-thriving agricultural homestead. The land itself, like Hiawatha, has begun to return to its pre-industrial, native state—a quiet ghost of a vibrant past.
My Parents
Mother, Janis McKinnon Gitlin, and my father, Robert Gitlin, later established a small farm in South Price, where I grew up after leaving Hiawatha at nine years old. Their lifetime of dedication to agriculture, land, and family formed the foundation of our Eden Sky Ranch operations today. Their unwavering work ethic and love for Carbon County became the bedrock for the vision we now carry forward.
My mother, Janis McKinnon Gitlin, was a dedicated teacher who spent 30 years shaping young minds in the Carbon County school system. My father, Robert Gitlin, had a remarkable journey—beginning as a teacher, then working as a coal miner and later at the local power plant, before returning to education later in life. Through it all, my dad remained 'Farmer Bob' at heart, deeply committed to his hobby farm, his family and his animals. Their lifetime of dedication to agriculture, land, family, and education formed the foundation of our Eden Sky Ranch operations today. Their work ethic and love for Carbon County became the bedrock for the vision we now carry forward.
My Journey
Began on the farm — I once loved as a child — later carried me far from Carbon County for college on an athletic scholarship, like many young people raised in rural communities shaped by job loss, economic instability, and industrial accidents that took the lives of friends and family working in the coal mines and supporting industries. It was my daughters who kept my connection to the farm alive. Through their frequent visits and deep love for the land, they reminded me of the freedom and grounding that farm life offers. My bond with the place was rekindled through memories shared, keeping me tethered to its rhythms even when life carried me elsewhere.
Yet life has a way of coming full circle.
I still remember the joyful days exploring the “flats” with my grandfather, and the tight-knit community of Hiawatha — where the American melting pot was alive, and the early settlers from around the world looked after one another. That spirit of neighborly care left a permanent mark on me. It echoed forward into adulthood, quietly guiding me back to my roots.
After years of working in various industries, seeking stability, purpose, and place, I found that what I was looking for had been here all along. The land — and the community — were calling me back.
Our Vision
Eden Sky Ranch was born during a conversation with my beloved Alicia Moonbeam. One evening she asked, simply, “Why aren’t we harvesting from your family’s ranch?” That question planted a seed that grew into something much bigger: a shared vision of land stewardship, regeneration, and rural revitalization.
Eden Sky Ranch emerged from that vision — not just as a ranch, but as a commitment to give back to the land, the people, and the legacy that shaped us.
Reviving Legacy and Land
At Eden Sky Ranch, we carry forward the McKinnon legacy—not only in name but in spirit. Our mission is to revitalize these forgotten lands with forward-thinking conservation and regenerative agriculture. While we are no longer on Dairy Ranch Road, the echoes of that place inform everything we do.
Carbon County is now our home. Many McKinnon descendants continued to live, work, and thrive here. In fact, the largest private employer in the county today is led by a McKinnon descendant, a living testament to the family’s enduring influence.
Eden Sky Ranch is about more than bison or land restoration. It’s about reconnecting with a way of life that values land, family, integrity, and the wisdom of those who came before us. Through this project, we seek not only to reclaim a physical landscape—but to rekindle the values that once made it a thriving, self-sustaining community.