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7 Arrow Ranch
Eat Chicken. Nourish Your Body. Restore the Land.
Boots and Roots Blog
Faith. Food. Farm wisdom.
Your exit ramp from life in the fast lane.
Welcome to Boots & Roots — your quiet place on the internet to breathe deep, slow down, and reconnect with what matters. Here you’ll find a blend of gentle devotionals, ranch stories, simple homegrown recipes, outdoor skills, and homestead-from-anywhere tips that make life feel a little less rushed and a lot more intentional.
Whether you’re here for the stories, the skills, or the spiritual encouragement, I’m so glad you found your way to my back porch.
Pour a cup of something warm. Or cold. Or boozy. Whatever floats your boat.
Kick off your shoes or dust off your boots.
Let’s grow something beautiful together.
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Welcome to the Boots & Roots Blog
If you’ve found your way here, chances are you’re craving something slower, simpler, and more meaningful than the fast-paced rhythm the world keeps trying to drag you into. Same here, friend. Boots & Roots was born on a dusty 20-acre tract of Texas dirt (couldn't even call it soil yet), a pair of well-worn hiking boots, and a longing for a life that actually felt like… life. In 2017, our family traded in suburbia’s schedules for something with a little more soul. We didn’t
7arrowranch
Nov 182 min read
The Feral Farm Kid
According to Merriam-Webster, "feral" is defined as "not domesticated or cultivated: wild." This term perfectly encapsulates my 11-year-old son, Noah. He embodies the spirit of untamed energy and raw determination, making him an indispensable part of our farm's daily life. Ok, all 3 of our youngest kiddos are feral. But...Noah takes the cake. As the oldest boy in our household, Noah naturally shoulders responsibilities that go beyond his years. He has an innate ability to pr
7arrowranch
Jun 243 min read
Is Pastured Poultry Right for Me?
So you’ve been hearing all the buzz about pasture-raised chicken and eggs, huh? Maybe your foodie friend won’t shut up about it, or maybe you’re just tired of eating chicken that tastes like damp cardboard. Either way, you’re probably wondering— is this just a crunchy, MAHA trend, or is it actually worth the switch? In this blog post, I’m laying it all out: what pastured poultry really is, who it’s best for, and how to tell if it fits your lifestyle, your values, and your t
7arrowranch
Jun 137 min read
Pasture-Raised Turkey Lunchmeat That’ll Ruin Store-Bought for You
We made homemade turkey lunchmeat, sans curing salt or added nitrates, and it was so good, everyone was fighting over the last slice!
7arrowranch
Jun 62 min read
When the Chickens Are Gone and the Pastures Are Poppin’
May is such a busy month around here, I half expect it to come with a soundtrack, some pyrotechnics, and a fog machine to announce each new to-do. It’s the kind of month that throws glitter in your face while yelling “SURPRISE!”… every single day.
7arrowranch
Jun 14 min read
The Heartbeat of Our Farm
There’s a word that captures the essence of my 10-year-old daughter, Charlie: moxie . Charlie and Pluto According to Merriam-Webster, "moxie" means energy, pep, courage, and determination. Charlie embodies all these qualities and more. Born between two brothers, Charlie is the youngest girl in a family full of strong wills and opinions. She takes karate and horseback riding lessons, learning to assert herself and command respect. Watching her handle a 2,000-pound horse is a s
7arrowranch
May 312 min read
Hard-Knock Life
The Day Our Brooder Hit 140°: A Painful Lesson in Farming, Loss, and Paying Attention I don’t know that I’ll ever forget the sight. Tiny, lifeless bodies. Empty waterers. Silence where there should’ve been peeping. Just three days old, and already gone. Eighty chicks. Dead. And it was my fault. Let me back up... The winter of 2023 was rough on our brooder. I didn’t lose chicks, but... I may as well have—the water froze, and the little birds spent most of their energy just tr
7arrowranch
May 193 min read
The Big Fat Lie
Fat is NOT the ENEMEY-- And Your Body is Begging for the Real Thing Did you know that consuming fat can actually make you less fat ? Somewhere along the way, we were taught to fear fat. Not just be mindful of it, but fear it—cut it out, avoid it, demonize it. Butter was swapped for margarine. Bacon became taboo. Egg yolks? Thrown out. Suddenly, our shelves, pantries, and fridges were filled with "low-fat," "no-fat," and "heart-healthy" products—engineered foods with little re
7arrowranch
May 123 min read
From Forgotten Freezer Turkey to Farmhouse Favorite
Have you ever cleaned out your freezer, and thought "Oh, THERE you are"? That was me the other day.....
7arrowranch
May 12 min read
The Pasture-Raised Difference: Why Your Chicken Should Come from Rotated Pastures
There’s something special about moving chickens to a fresh paddock! We usually move our meat chickens in the evening, before it gets dark, and we move our egg layers after dark, when they've already tucked themselves in for the night. We close up the back of their mobile coop. We take down the electric nets, and set up a new paddock for them. We move their mobile coop into the new paddock. Open the back door. Stake out their shade cloth that provides additional shade, a
7arrowranch
Apr 293 min read
🐔 Cheddar’s-Style Buffalo Chicken Wrap (Copycat Recipe)
Y'all, I love Cheddars Scratch Chicken. But there are 2 problems: I'm an hour away from any Cheddars locations. I'm convinced that all food at restaurants, and most food at most grocery stores is basically poisonous, or at least full of many more toxins than I care to know about (fecal soup or sprayed-on folic acid, anyone??) For me to go out to eat requires me to suspend reality. Which I do. Because I love people, I love food cooked by other people, and sometimes, I just wan
7arrowranch
Apr 242 min read
Legacy of Love: What My Parents Have Taught Me About Marriage
The Rancherita's parents I have a memory from my young adult years—probably when I was still in college—that’s stayed with me like it’s etched into my bones. My mom was sitting on the couch, her hand pressed to her forehead, trying to ride out a headache. I can’t remember if she asked for help or if he just noticed. But what I do remember is my dad coming into the room with a glass of water and some pain medicine. He didn’t just hand it to her from across the room or set it
7arrowranch
Apr 153 min read
Processing Day Mishap
This processing day was a doozie--one that I don't necessarily wish to repeat. But both the freezer--and the brooder--are full!
7arrowranch
Apr 64 min read
The Double-Yolk Delight: A Breakfast Surprise with a Side of Farm Wisdom
What causes an egg to have 2 yolks? Read on to learn more!
7arrowranch
Apr 42 min read
Processing Day: From Pasture to Plate
Every farm has its rhythm, a cadence that pulses through the seasons, shaping our work and our lives. Even animal processing has a rhythm.
7arrowranch
Apr 23 min read
Chicken vs 60 MPH Winds--Life on the Edge of the Great Plains
How we kept our chickens safe during wild North Texas windstorms—60 mph gusts, flying pen lids, and all.
7arrowranch
Mar 183 min read
Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
This delicious pasta dish pairs leftover chicken with the best alfredo sauce
7arrowranch
Apr 18, 20243 min read
Trough Feeders vs Gravity Feeders for Poultry--including a DIY plan
DIY trough feeder for meat birds, and why we prefer trough feeders over gravity feeders.
7arrowranch
Apr 17, 20244 min read
What Is Up With My Chickens??
For the last 2 years, our meat birds have been dismally small. This year has been even worse than last year. I got so frustrated last weekend when I went to process chickens, that after the first 4 were ready to gut, I told my husband to put the rest of them back. No more chickens got processed last week. I immediately sent an email to my customers explaining the fact that I was going to let them grow out for 2 more weeks. Experience, this year, has told me that it won’t make
7arrowranch
Apr 15, 20245 min read
Recipe Two-Fer
Well, folks, I have a two-fer for you today. TWO recipes are included here for you to download, follow, and enjoy! I grew up eating--begrudgingly, mind you--a fair amount of egg salad and chicken salad sandwiches. I didn't particularly care for either, but it was better than eating broccoli, in basically any form, so there's that! As an adult, I've come to really like egg salad and chicken salad-- especially if there is no celery in it. I even like pimento cheese sandwich
7arrowranch
Feb 1, 20243 min read
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