Texas Land Dream Newsletter

Howdy and happy mid-October ya’ll! This newsletter celebrates our first donation to the Spirit of Giving’s Texas Floods Funds. We raised $9,002.74 for Texas Flood Victims and have sent our first check off to the Spirit of Giving!

In this newsletter, we talk about:

• The butcher date for our grass-fed beef is set for January 16, 2026!

• Our fall fermentation challenge update - one success & one failure

• A study showing how animal grazing results in better nutritional profiles

• The trap of trading humanity for producivity

• Why we chose the Spirit of Giving Fund for our donation

Butcher Date set for January 19, 2026

We’ve got a butcher date set for early next year for our meat cattle!

Wondering why it takes so long? It’s because we’ve got to grow our beef nice and slow as nature intended. Right now, our cattle are enjoying the pastures and open air, putting on weight naturally.

Another reason for the long wait is that local butchers are hard to come by these days. Small-scale butchering operations have dwindled in the recent decades as large feedlots and big slaughterhouses now dominate. So when our butcher told us that there was a three-month wait, we were happy to get on the list and support a craft that’s becoming increasingly rare. 

Butcher boxes will become available after the butcher has procesed the cattle. Time may vary depending on their schedule.

Fall Fermentation: Bean Dip Results

Update on our fermented bean dip experiment. Our first attempt was a FAILURE, but we tried AGAIN and succeeded!

Our first batch developed mold because we left too much headspace (air gap) in the jar. Oxygen is essential for mold to grow, and that excess air created the perfect environment for it.

For our second attempt, we left only about one inch of headroom in the jar, and it worked perfectly! The result is a briny, salty bean paste with a fantastic umami flavor that pairs incredibly well with fish.

You'll know your fermentation is on the right track when you see tiny air bubbles forming after about three days. Fermentation is a metabolic process where beneficial microorganisms convert carbohydrates into acids or alcohol. The bubbles you see are carbon dioxide, a natural byproduct of this activity. Their presence is a clear sign that the good bacteria are alive, healthy, and actively consuming the sugars in the paste.

Grass-fed Makes a Difference: Activator X

In the 1930s, dental researcher Dr. Weston A. Price conducted studies on the diets of isolated, non-industrialized people. He identified a crucial nutrient he called "Activator X," which he found was most abundant in the butterfat, organs, and fat of animals grazing on rapidly growing green grass.

His work suggested a link between this nutrient and robust health, particularly strong dental arches and cavity-free teeth.

Decades later, modern research lends credence to Dr. Price's observations. A 2010 study published in the Nutrition Journal, for example, confirmed that animals grazing on grass have higher omega-3 fatty acids, better fatty acid ratios, increased antioxidants, and higher conjugated linoleic acid.

Why Are We Trading Our Humanity for Productivity?

With taps on a screen, we can have groceries delivered and meals arrive at our door. Our education system primes us for the workforce. Our careers are ladders for status and security. Our primary metric for success is the number in our bank account.

In our relentless pursuit of more time, more money, more security, we've placed ourselves on autopilot. When every hour is a potential unit of productivity, life becomes a series of transactions. In this vacant hum of a so-called life, are we stripping the humanity out of our own existence?

The meditative process of chopping vegetables and simmering a sauce is replaced by a pre-packaged meal kit. A walk with a friend is swapped for a ride for the sake of saving time. How have we become so focused on the destination that we have forgotten about the journey?

The issue lies in how we measure value. When money becomes the common denominator in how we value everything, experiences that can’t (shouldn’t) be quantified by money are devalued. A moment feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin doesn't increase your net worth. The sensation of walking barefoot on cool grass doesn't advance your career. These moments are "unproductive."

This mindset subtly debases life to its lowest common denominator. It suggests that the highest purpose of our time is to be converted into capital. But our purpose is not to be a perfect cog in an economic machine; it is to live. The invaluable pleasures of being alive are found in sensory, unscripted moments. They are found in the intentional, sometimes "inefficient," act of being present. Cooking a meal is not just about producing food; it's about creation, nourishment, and connection. Taking a walk is not just about transportation; it's about observing the world and feeling the wonderful symphony that is your body.

This isn't a call to abandon modern life and its comforts. The reality is that we have bills to pay and responsibilities to manage. Modern life is demanding, and the security that money and status provide is real and necessary.

The danger isn't in seeking a comfortable life, but in allowing that search to become the only thing that matters. 

Why We Chose Spirit of Giving Fund for Flood Relief

As we looked for the best way to help our fellow Texans affected by this summer's flood, one organization stood out: H-E-B's Spirit of Giving Fund.

For us, this is personal. Katy's mom dedicated 16 years to H-E-B before she retired. We will never forget the security H-E-B's health insurance provided her as a single parent, a benefit that made a world of difference.

We witnessed how H-E-B genuinely cares for its employees, treating them with respect and integrity that isn't always common. This deep commitment to people is why we trust them completely. We know that same spirit drives their charitable fund and we are proud to support their efforts to help Texas communities hit by the flood.