Intentional Ranching

WITH SO MANY choices for farm-fresh meats at the Texas Farmers’ Market at Mueller on Sundays, one in particular drew me in: Hackamore Ranch, owned by Albina and Cody Fowler. Their booth, which you’ll find inside, features artisanal soaps and jars of affordable skincare products arranged on a burlap-topped table. It turns out they offer natural skincare products made from beef and lamb tallow, in addition to the food products they sell.

I picked up a jar of the whipped tallow balm on a whim, and I’ll be buying more for those dry January days when my hands and face need an extra boost of protection. The rich, luxurious soaps and balms are handcrafted in small batches, many infused with locally sourced herbs and essential oils.

Albina, who hails from a beekeeping family in Uzbekistan, was there to sell me the balm along with some ground lamb. She told me, “Our best-selling products are ground beef and ground lamb, followed by steaks. Then comes everything else.” She added, “We sell out every week. Customers love all the cuts, and they love to experiment. They get ribs, shanks, and roasts.”

I wasn’t surprised to hear this, as the line of customers kept her busy during the few minutes I was there.

I learned that Albina met Cody, a native Texan raised in the cowboy tradition of the Big Bend region, in Afghanistan while working in international development. Their unique backgrounds bring a blend of rugged independence and sustainability practices to Hackamore Ranch. In 2019, the couple purchased land in Thorndale and began transforming it into a working ranch nestled on approximately 800 acres.

BLENDING OLD AND NEW

Hackamore Ranch is a family-run operation that blends old-world traditions with modern regenerative agriculture. The ranch is not just a livestock producer. It’s a combination of diverse heritage, environmental stewardship and local food accessibility.

From the beginning, their goal was to create a self-sustaining ranch that raised high-quality meat while restoring the land through regenerative techniques. They started by dividing the land into pastures, planting native grasses, digging ponds, and installing fencing and shelters. Their work has created a habitat that supports not only livestock but also native wildlife and plant diversity. This practice goes beyond sustainability by actively working to restore and improve the health of the land. The ranch uses rotational grazing techniques that mimic natural grazing patterns, allowing grasses to recover, preventing erosion, and enhancing soil fertility.

By focusing on soil health, Hackamore Ranch also contributes to carbon sequestration, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. They avoid synthetic inputs and chemical fertilizers, opting instead for a natural cycle that enhances biodiversity and supports a balanced ecosystem.

Lamb is one of their specialties. Their Dorper lambs, a cross between the Blackhead Persian and Dorset Horn breeds, are prized for producing meat that is tender, mild, and slightly sweet. This is ideal for people typically turned off by the gaminess of traditional lamb. I noticed the difference in the lamb I bought from them: it was mild and tender, and I’m choosy about lamb. The way they care for their animals really shows.

The animals are raised without antibiotics, growth hormones, GMOs, or animal by-products. Similarly, their Wagyu cattle are managed on pasture and finished with care to yield high-quality marbled beef. 

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

The emphasis is on quality, not quantity. Hackamore Ranch aims to raise healthy animals in humane, natural conditions, believing that ethical treatment and clean pasture translate to better meat for consumers.

It’s no wonder Hackamore Ranch is a favorite among marketgoers looking for clean, local meat with transparent sourcing. They also make their food more accessible by accepting SNAP benefits at the market. This allows families using food assistance to purchase high-quality, nutrient-dense meat that is often out of reach in conventional stores.

Additionally, Hackamore Ranch offers online preorders for market pickup, and has launched a home-delivery service, bringing their pasture-raised products straight to customers’ doors. This emphasis on direct-to-consumer sales supports the local economy and shortens the supply chain, giving customers more confidence in the origin of their food. It also allows the ranch to maintain quality control and strong customer relationships, something increasingly rare in the commercial meat industry.

In a world where industrial agriculture often dominates the narrative, Hackamore Ranch truly

stands out as a reminder that small, intentional, ecologically minded operations can thrive and enrich both the land and the community.

If you plan meals with beef or lamb, or you want to try a rich, natural skin product, I suggest you stop by their stall inside the pavilion.

Learn more at www.hackamoreranch.com and follow the ranch on social media @hackamoreranch.

BY CARMEN GRAY