Crunchy Mama Farms

09/06/2026

Tribe Day Weekend - November 6-8.
Mark your calendars!

07/05/2026

Shawn asked me to write a 4th of July post and I’ve been trying to find the words the last couple of days. I was going to find a funny meme, but none felt right. They felt dividing, not humorous. And I’ve never written a 250th birthday message before, so I wanted it to mean something and not just fill the scroll.

Since I couldn’t find the right words, I just stayed in the moment of the 4th of July with my family. We went to the beach and got some Vitamin D, I sat on the bed and we giggled as I let Mia tell me all the fun details of the camp she just returned from, we ate yummy pizza piled high with toppings and finished the night watching the fireworks.

Shawn asked if I had a specific picture of him this afternoon, so I was looking through my camera roll at all of the things we had created together…our kids, funny memories, sweet friendships, the building of the house, our animals, the multiple businesses through the years, people we have met through the homesteading classes. As I sat there waiting for the fireworks to begin, I reflected on how I felt and one word just kept repeating in my head. GRATEFUL. Beyond grateful. ❤️

We are living the American dream. Two young adults who met while traveling, started a business right before they got married with very little money, learned to work through ups and downs, received a patent on the flipbook business, had 3 kids, paid off the debt and a house, moved from the suburbs to the country, and launched more products and businesses along the way. It’s been a wild ride!

But if we didn’t have the freedom to make our own decisions, we would not be where we are today. The Founding Fathers started the ball rolling and the veterans and elected officials since then have made sure that we stay free.

No country is perfect. We have people of all walks of life, religious backgrounds, political beliefs, income levels and race come through our doors for the butchery classes. By the end of the weekend, we are all on the same team. No beliefs have changed. However, respect and teamwork transcend our differences.

My wish for America as she blows out her candles on her 250th birthday is that we can get back to a place where we truly listen to other opinions and realize that we don’t have to be cookie-cutter people to accomplish wonderful things as a team! Break some bread together. Have some heart-to-hearts over a campfire. Help a neighbor on a project and he’ll come help you next time. It’s time to get back to our roots.

Happy 250th Birthday, sweet America! 🇺🇸 I’m so grateful for those who paved the way so we could celebrate today. ❤️🤍💙

And please, God, continue to bless America. 🫶🏼

05/27/2026

BRING HOME THE BACON!

One more harvest class before summer. We've still got 4 spots available for our Father's Day Weekend Hog Harvest Class. June 19-21.

05/08/2026

**GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS!!** 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
I got the best Mothers Day gift EVER! Our wayward cows are back home, exhausted but happy and healthy!! (Oh, and Poppy hasn’t popped yet! Still preggo!)

We met a sweet neighbor Dawn through fb who found them on horseback in the Grasslands on and alerted us. 🥹😍 Dear friends (Love you, Parisi crew! 🫶🏼) and neighbors came over today to help us get them home and Shawn walked them at least a mile home like a pied piper with cattle cubes. 😂

Things I’m reflecting on:
1.) My heart goes out to all of the people who have had cattle stolen. The stories we heard through all of this were so sad. I hope they are recovered or God restores what you have lost. 💔
2.) The amount of shares and prayers and concerns over our little herd was sooo kind. 🥹😭 We received so much information in such a short time and it was very valuable. Thank you for sharing your encouragement and knowledge.
3.) Guess who is researching branding?! It honestly had never crossed my mind, but now I understand the reason for it. Hot branding, freeze branding, tags, AirTags (🤣)…lots to research! We are always learning and I now have the time to read through all of your suggestions to protect them better.
4.) Most of all, I just want to give praise to God. He is not a genie in a bottle where we just list our wants and He grants them. But He IS a loving Father who hears our prayers. And we are so grateful! Our goal has always been to be good stewards of what He has entrusted to us.
5.) THANK YOU, thank you, Thank You!! 🩷 Time to put my feet up and have Shawn grill up a steak dinner. Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there!

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It is with heavy hearts that we share that all 7 of our cattle have vanished. 😭 Even the very pregnant Poppy and baby Flash. We are still holding out hope that they will turn up wandering the LBJ Grasslands, but my gut is telling me with the high cattle prices, they might have been stolen. A neighbor’s bull disappeared a few days before this.

Locals and friends who are hunting on the Grasslands or who go to cattle auctions or are in the market to buy cows, can you be our extra set of eyes? We have contacted the sheriff and they are looking as well. I have dear friends who will be at cattle auctions even in surrounding states and have eyes and ears all over. Please contact me if you know anything or can help keep an eye out. We take such good care of our animals and they need to be back home with us. 💔

We are located off of Unit 3 of the LBJ Grasslands in the Alvord, TX area.

A friend reminded me today that God knows where they are and He is still in control. This is not a surprise to Him. Cast all of your cares and anxiety on Him because He cares for you. God will take care of us, even if it’s not in the way we imagine. We only see a piece of the puzzle while he sees the entire picture.**

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UPDATE:
1.) WOW, oh WOW! We are so touched by the outpouring of love and shares. Thank you for showing our little farm so much love! This is why we adore our farming community! I’m sorry I haven’t been responding to each and every person. We’ve been doing lots of work behind the scenes!
2.) Yes, we have contacted the local authorities and they are also working on it for us. Thank you so much for the suggestions on all the different organizations and sale barns. If you’re going to auctions, please keep your eyes peeled. I have updated weights in the descriptions of the pictures.
3.) Unfortunately, they were not branded. We have a very small herd and honestly, previous to this, I had always thought about branding as being cruel. But now I understand the purpose of it, and will have to rethink my convictions and how to protect them. It is very hard for authorities to find cattle without a brand. I know that now and we are always learning. ❤️

03/20/2026

We’re kicking off a great Beef Harvest weekend with a safety briefing! We just did intros and learned what the students were wanting to get out of the class. I love that Shawn tailors each class to meet the needs of each group. 🥰 And we have some fascinating students - so excited to get to know them better!

03/19/2026

Have you ever wondered where the Sirfednard cut is on a beef?? Us too. 🤣🙄 Thankfully, AI isn’t coming for the butcher’s job yet. This is your sign to develop skills that can’t be computerized. Come discover useful life skills with us this weekend and learn the REAL CUTS.

03/18/2026

A couple of weeks ago, we had some very special guests come through a Beef Butchery Class at Crunchy Mama Farms. Operation Pay It Forward brought a second group of veterans for a weekend of camaraderie and brotherhood as they accomplished taking a beef from the field and transforming it into delicious cuts for meals and to feed their families.

But before I tell you about the weekend, I want to say a few things about Operation Pay It Forward. You know we love our veterans. We have had many veterans and first responders come through our classes through the years, and they are always capable and the first to pitch in when something needs to be done. They understand the value of teamwork in accomplishing a goal, but with a witty, slightly twisted sense of humor that keeps things fun. 😉

Operation Pay It Forward focuses on healing, connection and purpose through outdoor activities for veterans as they transition back into civilian life. But many veterans have such a valuable experience in these activities that they volunteer to come back and be an ambassador to take the next group of veterans on another opportunity for renewed purpose. And the cycle of mentorship and camaraderie continues. Love this!

So, back to our weekend! This OPIF team was full of capable men that blew through the tasks of prepping the area, cutting down the quarters into retail cuts and grinding it into ground beef. They were so efficient, in fact, that we took a field trip down the road to Biltong USA so Anton could explain how he cures his South African biltong.

The whole weekend was filled with teamwork, laughs, bonding and unbelievably delicious meals! Chef Brian Santiago and Chef Luca worked their magic by taking the fresh cuts from the students and creating mouth-watering mains and sides.

The students enjoyed a very special breakfast on Sunday morning of farm fresh eggs, cheesy grits, home-cured bacon and the famous Crunchy Mama Farms' Feast of Lesser Known Cuts! When you are the butcher, you get to decide if you want to spend the extra time to get the lesser known steaks that processers do not have the time to harvest and are instead turned into hamburger. This was a great way to start off our last day together!

All of that delicious food gave Shawn amnesia and the team worked together to break down the last quarter themselves. The meat was packaged and divided for them to take home and we finished the weekend with one last meal together. I got a little teary-eyed at the sweet handwritten notes they left for us. We love being a part of something bigger than our farm. Operation Pay It Forward, you are always welcome back to Crunchy Mama Farms!

**And I wanted to let you know that we have our LAST class of this season this weekend! We have 2 seats left, so make your move! Message us to snag one or both!**

01/24/2026

Young ladies, this is VERY IMPORTANT! As you look into your dreamy boyfriend’s eyes, I want you to fast-forward into the future. Would this guy walk over broken glass or through fire to save you? Or more likely, would he walk into the freezing cold to break the ice for the cows or deliver your warm homemade oatmeal + cayenne concoction for the sweet chickens so you don’t even have to go outside? If he passes that test, he can stay and move onto the next round. If he would choose to stay inside and play video games in the ice storm, end it. Find a different guy. It’s not about ability. It’s a mindset.

01/03/2026

Happy 2026! We started the new year off with a gathering of friends and a feast consisting of turducken, dirty rice, greens, cornbread, and black eyed peas. Turducken is one of those dishes that is much more technical than what it appears. Boning out a turkey, duck, and chicken without cutting through the skin is quite a feat. It is one of our favorite dishes, and well worth the effort for a special event.

12/18/2025

Chef Brian Santiago and I at ZestFest 2025.
It has been such a great year and what a pleasure it was to work side-by-side with my friend Chef Brian on the ZestFest Celebrity Chef Stage. This is only a small part of what you experience in our hog harvest class. If you are looking for the perfect Christmas gift you still have time to book spots in the March 20-22 Beef Class and the Father's Day weekend Hog Class

Shawn Kelly runs Crunchy Mama Farms in Texas. He’s described as walking “like someone who’s carried more than most… built from years of hard lessons, heavy l...