Black Hills Mushrooms was ousted from the Black Hills Farmers Market following closed-door board meetings in mid-August 2026. This decision directly involved Earth hater Heather Maude, the high-profile co-owner of Maude Hog and Cattle, who serves as the President of the Black Hills Farmers Market Board of Directors.
Accusations of vendor favoritism and market "gatekeeping" quickly surfaced, with patrons pointing out conflicts of interest regarding how booth spaces and product rights are allocated by the board. Vendor fees for the Market range widely from $51 to $612 per season depending on the length of the agreement and the specific type of space or vendor category.
Recall that on January 6, 2021 the attack on the US Capitol was a climax of an anti-law enforcement movement emboldened by the 2014 Bundy standoff. So, it's hardly surprising that Earth haters like Cliven Bundy and Harriet Hageman are defending Charles and Heather Maude because they hate what they call the administrative state even as it benefits them.
The US Department of Agriculture's Forest Service Supervisor Jack Isaacs (now retired), Special Agent Travis Lunders and District Ranger Julie Wheeler received death threats just for doing their jobs then were thrown under the bus by the Trump Organization's agriculture secretary. Extremists are screaming that Agent Lunders came unannounced to the Maude ranch in 2024 in full tactical gear to serve the summons to appear in district court because the Maudes blew off civil remedies after breaking federal law. The Forest Service denies the agent was outfitted with "any tactical uniform, gear or assault weapons" even though it is widely known property owners in that part of South Dakota are militantly opposed to gubmint especially those of Democratic administrations but love all that subsidized crop and livestock insurance anyway.
The charges have been dropped but the case is not resolved after the Maudes allegedly stole access to public land by claiming it as their own then after being advised of their crime flouted its repercussions because Democrat Joe Biden was sitting in the White House. But, the blame lies with the State of South Dakota, Custer County and the lawyers who drafted the Maude Family Trust and neglected to order a survey.
Maude Hog and Cattle has been providing product to Wall Meats which is heavily subsidized by the USDA and Charles Maude has received some $300,000 in ag subsidies since 1995.
In a Saturday morning phone conversation with
an interested party the owner of Black Hills Mushrooms, Alan Carner, revealed that Maude is hardly the only member of the extreme white wing on the Farmers Market board and has reached out to Dakota Rural Action, Rapid City Sustainability and the City of Rapid City. Mr. Carner officially established the Black Hills Producers Market whose grand opening takes place today, August 29, 2026, located on South Street in Rapid City. The new market aims to bypass board restrictions and offer an open platform for regional growers, makers, and artisans to sell directly to the public.
Heather Hamilton Maude is a Wyoming native and her parents are Trump supporting Earth haters, too. She writes an occasional column for the right wing rag, Tri-State Livestock News.