Farm And Ranch Life at Our East Texas Oasis Offers Food For The Body And Soul

By Sarah Zubiate
Founder and Farmer at ZUBI’S

While everyone was hoping this New Year would bring new beginnings, new hope, and a new sense of unity, it appears that the stress and aftermath of 2020 are carrying over and catapulting 2021 into what already seems like a challenging, strenuous time.

Despite the circumstances, my family and I are putting forth our best efforts to approach all aspects of life with fresh and rejuvenated spirits. We find ourselves spending more and more time at our ranch in East Texas, where the environment is beautiful, quaint, and serene (unlike the images we see on the news and in social media).

I would like to share a little of our East Texas oasis with all of you, as I walk you through the beauty of the land and life on the ranch.  

A Majestic Oasis in East Texas

As you enter our property, the welcoming from the majestic trees, the luscious, rolling landscape, and the exotic animals allow you to enter a world away from city life and the chaos our country finds itself in. This “escape” truly allows me to find inner peace and comfort and to let go of despair and negativity.

As you drive down the dirt road to the main house (windows rolled down, of course), I find my spirits lifted and a sense of hope and peace. Our main ranch house is a dream and the perfect getaway.

As I mentioned in my prior writing, we are currently re-staining the exterior of our main home and seeing the progress is certainly encouraging! As for the interior, I am moving into the planning stages of our kitchen “facelift,” making it brighter, more well-lit, yet also warmer in design.

I am recording more and more content for my plant-based food company ZUBI’s in our lovely kitchen, so I’m so excited for this wonderful space to turn into this chef’s dream working space. As you know, I love cooking with wine so our bar and entertainment area is also undergoing several changes to coincide with the aesthetics of the kitchen. 

While our ranch is our “great escape” from the outside world, I also keep busy with the many other projects on our property. I work closely with our estate manager, Cody, who spends a great amount of time tending to the homes on property in addition to serving as Farm Manager to our farm (where we grow mini sweet peppers, jalapenos, onions, and garlic).

My most favorite endeavor and passion on the ranch is our 5-acre ZUBI Farms. As you may have read in previous posts, ZUBI’S is my third child and provides me with the ability to intertwine my love of soil, food, sustainable Organic farming, and my family.

My children see my farming operations and can appreciate a great deal of where our food comes from, all while learning how to maneuver within the great outdoors. Thankfully, with the hard work and dedication by Cody and Heidi, our farm has yielded quite the bounty for my ZUBI’s products. 

A Bounty of Flavor

Speaking of ZUBI’S and recordings in our ranch kitchen, I recently recorded this fantastic recipe of Plant-Based Buffalo Cauliflower. I am a “buffalo-style” fanatic and cannot emphasize how tasty, easy and delicious this recipe is!

Although I am not a vegan, I am dedicated to incorporating more of our harvested vegetables from our farm into my company as well as my family’s lives. There is nothing better than delicious and healthy food! I swear to you … men and women will LOVE this recipe dunked in my ZUBI’S Organic and plant-based queso. 

Nothing says Texas, in my opinion, better than food directly from the land, buffalo sauce, and a damn good dip. While what comes of 2021 is unknown, I do know that we can find our own “peaceful escape,” as well as enjoy wonderful, healthy food.