How We Started Our Homesteading Journey at Sandy Patch Ranch
From College to Homesteading: Our Dream of Building a Ranch
For our first blog, we wanted to start from the beginning and share a bit about who we are and what our intentions are. Luke and I met in college, and from the start, we knew we wanted to build a ranch together one day. I grew up on a small homestead in Georgia, surrounded by chickens and horses in the rich, red clay. As a teenager, I competed in High School Rodeo, and my passion for the land and animals continued to grow. This led me to Kingsville, Texas, where I attended Texas A&M University-Kingsville, competed in the college rodeo circuit, and pursued a bachelor’s degree in Agri-business. It was there that I met Luke.
The Call of the Land: How We Found Our Passion for Homesteading
Luke grew up in Texas, and while he didn’t have the luxury of a homestead, he spent much of his youth exploring the woods, hunting, and hiking with his cousins whenever he could. The natural beauty and rugged terrain of the Texas landscape left a lasting impression on him. We both felt the call of the land from a very young age. It’s not something you can explain, and if you're reading this I would wager you have felt it too. As my friend likes to say, “I believe the land just calls to some people,” and it does.
College Sweethearts Turned Homesteaders: Our First Steps into Ranch Life
We dated throughout college, and after Luke completed his degree in Mechanical Engineering, our journey took us north to fields and snow of North Dakota. There, we started our small homesteading adventure in our first home—a modest ½ acre with my horse, some chickens, and a big Nubian goat named Bartholomew. We later moved to a second property with 2 acres, where we continued to grow our family and life. By the time we were married with two daughters and Luke’s horse, the chance to move south came up, and we jumped.
From North Dakota to West Texas: Falling in Love with Our New Ranch Home
Although we loved our time in North Dakota and often miss the snow, people, and wildlife, we knew we wanted to be closer to friends and family before starting our ranch venture. We came with some preconceived notions about West Texas, but we were pleasantly surprised! We love our little patch of sand in this desert and the home we’ve built here. God has blessed us not only with our third daughter in this new area but also with a loving community and the opportunity to make our ranch a reality.
Starting Our Ranch: How We Turned Our Homesteading Dream into Reality
After buying our house and small acreage, we sat down to discuss how we could grow into our dream and what we wanted to achieve. With the world becoming increasingly unpredictable and large companies dominating the land and production sectors, we saw an opportunity to make a difference. We decided to stand against mass production and lack of transparency by providing quality livestock and being open about our practices.
Our Ranch Journey: Launching Our Dream with Chickens, Ewes, and More!
We want to be a ranch that sells directly to consumers and shares the lives of the animals we love. We are here to make a difference for our family and yours. After a year of fencing and saving, we are finally ready to launch! Our chickens are happy in their spacious pens, our bred ewes will be joining us soon, and our dogs and horses enjoy the space. Our beautiful daughters get to play in all the West Texas dirt they want (except during sandstorms)!
Blessed Beyond Measure: Our Family’s Homesteading Journey in West Texas
We have been blessed beyond measure. Through God, all things are possible, and He truly wants His children to be happy. And so, we come to you from the start. Thank you for taking the time to learn about who we are and what we’re all about. Our family is forever grateful, and we hope you enjoy watching our journey as we learn and grow. For the land has called to us, and so we have answered.
"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it." Genesis 2:15
