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Rain Frog Ranch, 5513 Rain Frog Lane, Plant City, FL (2026)

08/25/2026

One more from Gainesville today 💚 So glad I finally got to meet Meghan Foos in person and enjoyed meeting Rob Griffin with Collier County Soil & Water Conservation District!

My dearest friend Kaylyn “Gladeswoman” Glenn couldn’t make it today, but I know there will be many meetings ahead. I’m so proud of her and excited to see her joining the Collier County Soil & Water Conservation District and bringing her passion for conservation to this work.

Grateful for the people across Florida working together for agriculture, conservation and the future of our working lands.

Let’s go save Wild Florida! 🐸💚🐴

08/25/2026

I walked into the Florida Farm Bureau state office in Gainesville this morning excited to see familiar faces and learn from conservation leaders across Florida.

I left thinking about my grandchildren.

I was honored to represent Hillsborough Soil & Water Conservation District at the Association of Florida Conservation Districts Annual Meeting alongside Chair Terri Parke of Parkesdale Farms.

Audrey Kuipers of Okeechobee was recognized as a Florida Hall of Fame inductee after 29 years of service. Michael Brown of Gadsden County was named 2026 Outstanding Conservation District Official, and Ann Bishop of Marion County was named 2026 Outstanding Conservation District Professional.

It was wonderful reconnecting with Kayla Dickerson, meeting Joni Sapp, Rob Griffin and Meghan Foos, and so many others throughout the day. Celebrating with Ann and the Marion team was especially meaningful after working together through Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, Horse Farms Forever® at Corridor Connect+ earlier this year.

We also had hard conversations about the future of Florida’s Soil & Water Conservation Districts. AFCD leadership shared their advocacy for our districts in Tallahassee. Chair Parke and I were proud to have done the same during Florida Cattlemens Association Boots on the Hill, advocating for agriculture and working lands.

For me, this is personal. My family has been on this piece of agricultural land for 53 years. I’m 47, and it’s been home my entire life. I know what it means to grow up connected to the land, and I want future generations to have that opportunity too. That’s why protecting Florida agriculture matters so deeply to me.

Agricultural lands protect more than acreage. They protect our food, water, wildlife, rural communities, heritage and a way of life worth carrying forward.

I left encouraged by people willing to do something about it. Boots on the ground.

Thank you to Florida Farm Bureau President Jeb Smith for hosting us, AFCD and NACD for their work, and Fifth Generation Farms for a great lunch.

Wherever God plants our feet, we have an opportunity to make a difference.

Ours are planted here. 💚

08/17/2026

Last week, fittingly on 813 Day, I sat in a room full of people who understand agriculture is more than an industry in Hillsborough County. It is part of who we are.

This is the only picture I snapped, with my friend Bea. Two multigenerational Hillsborough families with deep agricultural roots, celebrating a way of life we both love.

We also watched a special viewing of A Land Remembered. Surrounded by families still living Florida’s agricultural story, I couldn’t stop thinking about that title.

Is that what we’re allowing Florida to become?

USDA’s latest Census of Agriculture reports 1,992 Hillsborough farms covering 201,712 acres, about 15% of the county. That’s 12% fewer farms than in 2017. They sold nearly $704 million in agricultural products in 2022.

2022 is still the latest countywide agricultural census. I won’t speculate about today’s numbers, but look around Hillsborough. You tell me, what do you think the next Census will show?

More importantly, what will we do between now and then?

Y’all, our food doesn’t begin on a grocery store shelf.

Working lands feed us and support our economy. They can overlap with wildlife habitat, connectivity and water recharge areas. They aren’t empty land waiting to be developed.

Growth is coming, but good planning and agriculture do not have to be enemies.

Tomorrow is Election Day.

Rain Frog Ranch will never tell you who to vote for. We WILL encourage you to be informed and vote.

Look beyond social media. Don’t mistake the loudest voice for the most informed one. Ask farmers. Ask landowners. Read the records. Pay attention to public meetings. Make your own decision.

Change isn’t made by fighting online or arguing with our neighbors. We show up. We participate. We vote.

A lot of prayers went into this one, y’all, and more than a few tears. I love this place deeply.

Maybe our children will read A Land Remembered and understand what was lost.

But let’s make sure they can also walk outside and see what we chose to save.

Florida’s future hasn’t been written yet. It’s going to take all of us.

May God give us wisdom to protect what He entrusted to us. 🇺🇸💚🕊️

08/15/2026

There was something really special about standing on a farm in Myakka surrounded by women who all care about the same thing: keeping Florida land working.

Some were newer landowners. Some had decades of experience. One woman was newer to Florida, another represented 11 generations of Florida roots. Shelly brought her mom, almost 80, and I brought mine, 77.💚

Different generations. Different stories. A whole lot of wisdom in one place, y’all.💕

We were there with the Florida Women Landowners Association - FWLA touring Cynthia Ogden and Mindful Blooms Farm. Cynthia shared how she and her daughter Sophie have diversified their land through locally grown flowers, weddings and events, photography, farm experiences, goat milk and more.

And get this, y’all: nearly 80% of the flowers sold in the U.S. are imported.🤯

We can grow so much of that beauty right here in Florida. And every new way a landowner can make a living from the land gives that land another chance to stay working.🙌🏼

Over a farm-to-table lunch and goat cheese demonstration, the learning continued. One woman currently going through a conservation easement shared her experience and answered questions from other landowners.🫶

That may have been my favorite part.

No competition. No one pretending to have all the answers. Just women sharing what they know and helping each other find what might work on their own land.

Because keeping Florida’s working lands in working hands won’t happen one way. It may be conservation easements, cattle, timber, flowers, agritourism or an idea we haven’t discovered yet.

Whether you have one acre or 1,000, you can make a difference.

Florida is changing quickly. Sharing knowledge and helping another landowner hold onto their piece of it matters more than ever.

Sometimes protecting Florida means conserving thousands of acres.

And sometimes, it starts with a bouquet of Florida-grown flowers. 🌻💚💐🌸🌼🪻

08/07/2026

Long before cattle became a symbol of the American West, Florida was already writing its own cattle story, y’all. 🤠🐂

Across pine flatwoods, palmetto prairies, and open ranges, a remarkable breed became part of the identity of this place.

The third chapter of my Florida Cracker Heritage Series brings us to another living piece of Wild Florida history: Florida Cracker Cattle, sometimes affectionately called “Scrub Cattle.”

Their story traces back to 1521, when Andalusian cattle arrived in Florida with Juan Ponce de León. Over centuries, they adapted to Florida’s heat, humidity, insects, and rugged landscape, becoming uniquely suited to life here.

They weren’t created for Florida.

They became Florida.

🐂 Wild Florida Fact: Florida Cracker Cattle are a critically endangered heritage breed. Once common throughout the state, only a small number remain today. Protecting them means protecting a rare piece of Florida’s agricultural heritage, a breed shaped by centuries of adaptation to this land.

Think cowboys were born out West? Florida would like a word about that!🤠

Florida’s cattle tradition began centuries before the famous Western cattle drives. Florida cow hunters and Florida Cracker cowmen developed a unique way of working cattle through pine forests, marshes, and open ranges. Over generations, the term “Florida Cracker” came to describe the people, culture, and way of life shaped by this rugged Florida landscape.

I photographed these cattle while exploring different areas of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, and I’ve even heard that these historic Florida Cracker Cattle pictured may appear in the upcoming television adaptation of A Land Remembered, a story celebrating Florida’s ranching heritage.

From Florida Cracker Sheep, to Florida Cracker Horses, and now Florida Cracker Cattle, this series keeps reminding me that conservation includes the stories woven into our landscapes.

The wildlife.
The working lands.
The heritage breeds.
The people.

Because Wild Florida isn’t just a place.

It’s a legacy we protect.🫶

The Livestock Conservancy

http://www.floridacrackercattle.org/

The Livestock Conservancy

08/02/2026

🐴 Some girls dreamed of castles and fairytales.

I dreamed of horses.

From the very first time I laid eyes on one, I was completely captivated. While I love all of God’s incredible creatures, horses have always had my heart.

As I continue my series sharing the stories of Florida’s heritage breeds, today I’m sharing a living piece of Florida’s history: the Florida Cracker Horse.

Descended from the Colonial Spanish horses brought to Florida more than 500 years ago, these remarkable horses became trusted partners of Florida’s early cow hunters and ranching families. They were built for Florida, hardy, intelligent, sure-footed, and perfectly adapted to our unique landscape.

One of their most fascinating traits is their smooth four-beat gait, often called the “opossum shuffle,”which allows riders to comfortably cover long distances.

Today, the Florida Cracker Horse is considered a critically endangered heritage breed. Preserving them means protecting more than a horse, it means protecting the genetics, culture, and ranching traditions that helped shape Wild Florida.

Every photo and video in this post was taken by me in different parts of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation. That’s what conservation is all about: protecting not only wildlife, but the working lands, stories, and heritage that make Florida so special.

As a lifelong horse girl, I’m honored to share these stories. One day, I hope Rain Frog Ranch becomes home to Florida Cracker Horses and helps connect people with these incredible animals.

💡 Wild Florida Fact: Florida Cracker Horses and South Carolina’s Marsh Tackies share Colonial Spanish ancestry, but they are two distinct heritage breeds shaped by the landscapes they call home.

The annual Florida Cracker Gatherin’ & Sale takes place every October, bringing breeders and enthusiasts together to celebrate and preserve this living piece of Florida’s heritage. I hope to see y’all there!

Our history isn’t only found in museums, y’all.

Sometimes… it’s waiting in a pasture. 🐴💚

The Livestock Conservancy

https://floridacrackerhorseassociation.com

07/30/2026

🐑 Have you ever heard of a Florida Cracker Sheep?

I have to admit, throughout my recent journey learning more about Florida’s heritage breeds, I have been surprised by how many people, even within agriculture, have never even heard of them.

As a 7th-generation Floridian, I believe we have a responsibility to share the stories of the people, places, and animals that helped shape our Wild Florida heritage.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Manning’s Farm in Plant City and learn more about these incredible animals. Florida Cracker Sheep are truly living pieces of Florida history, y’all.🐑🫶💚

Their story traces back hundreds of years to the Spanish sheep brought to Florida in the 1500s. Over generations, they adapted to our heat, humidity, native forage, and challenging Florida conditions. They are known for their hardiness, heat tolerance, parasite resistance, and ability to thrive in a low-input environment.

Today, Florida Cracker Sheep are considered a critically endangered heritage breed, meaning preserving them is about more than livestock. It is about protecting the genetics, traditions, and agricultural history that helped shape Florida.

At Rain Frog Ranch, we are currently at our maximum capacity for animals, but one of our future dreams is to welcome Florida Cracker Sheep and Florida Cracker Horses here as God continues to guide our path.

I truly believe storytelling is one of the greatest tools we have for conservation. When we understand where we came from, we become better stewards of where we are going.

A huge thank you to Manning’s Farm in Plant City for helping preserve this incredible part of Florida’s heritage. 🐑💚

Stay tuned as I continue sharing the stories of Florida Cracker Sheep, Florida Cracker Horses, and Florida Cracker Cattle.

The Livestock Conservancy

https://www.floridacrackersheepassociation.com/

07/25/2026

Happy National Day of the Cowboy, y’all. 🤠

Did you know America’s first cowboys weren’t in Texas? They were right here in Florida. Yee haw! 🤠

I may be an independent cowgirl, but the truth is, I couldn’t do this life without my cowboy. Whether he’s leading my horse, carrying my saddle, fixing fences, tackling the hard jobs, or simply walking beside me, life is better because we share it. 🫶

To all the cowgirls out there, you absolutely can do it all by yourself.

But... if you’re blessed to have someone willing to share the load, celebrate that!

There’s something really special about building a life together.

Here’s to the cowboys who work hard, love deeply, lead with quiet strength, and never, ever ask for the spotlight.

We see y’all, and we love y’all!

Happy National Day of the Cowboy, y’all. 🐸💚🐴

07/24/2026

For many people, Hillsborough County is simply a place to build a home.

For us, it's home because of the land.

Last week, Chair Terri Parke of Parkesdale Farms and I had the privilege of speaking on behalf of the Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District about why agriculture and conservation belong in th same conversation.

Working lands do more than produce food and fiber.

They recharge our precious Floridan Aquifer, reduce flooding, and provide habitat for wildlife, including the Florida black bear and the Florida panther.

Every photo and video in this reel was captured right here in Hillsborough County.

• Farm security is national security.

• Food security is national security.

When we protect agriculture, we also protect our water, wildlife, our local economy, and the natural resources that sustain us all. That's why farmland preservation matters. Protecting working lands today helps ensure future generations inherit a Hillsborough County that can still feed us, recharge our aquifer, and support Florida's incredible wildlife.

Conservation doesn't happen by accident.

It happens when communities get involved.

We hope this reel plants a seed.

Because every acre conserved, every farm protected, every working landscape preserved, and every voice raised for clean water helps write the next chapter of Wild Florida’s story.

Whether it's supporting your local farmers, learning about conservation, or getting involved in your community, every one of us has a role to play.

If you're in Hillsborough County, we'd love to meet you.

Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District:

4503 Coronet Road

Plant City, FL 33566

(813) 707-1652

[email protected]

www.hillsboroughswcd.com

The future of Wild Florida isn't something we inherit.

It's something we choose to protect and pass on.

Now, let's go save Wild Florida, y'all!🐸💚🐴

Rain Frog Ranch

08/25/2026

08/25/2026

08/17/2026

08/15/2026

08/07/2026

08/02/2026

07/30/2026

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07/24/2026

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