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October Newsletter 2025

posted on

December 23, 2025

Hello October!

1 John 3: 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

šŸ‘€ Quick Happenings:

(Scroll down for the full scoop — this is for the quick-scanners!)

  • šŸŽƒ HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS! Haunted trails + snacks = fun for all ages!
  • šŸ‚ Gilbert is off visiting friends at another farm. Living his best life.
  • šŸ› ļø Barn Update: Getting a little glow-up inside.
  • šŸ‘©ā€šŸŒ¾ New Ranch Hand: Meet Breck — she's amazing!
  • šŸ„› Salted Caramel Milk: While supplies last — through mid-October.
  • 🄚 Eggnog!!! Coming October 20th!
  • šŸ“¦ Shipping is LIVE! If Southwest Airlines flies there, we can ship there.
  • šŸ”— LINKS! Anything underlined is clickable.
  • 🦃 Thanksgiving Turkeys: SOLD OUT!
  • āœˆļø Travel & Family Time: Nothing crazy — just fun!
  • 🌾 Texas Edition: New babies, chickens, eggs & homeschool adventures

    šŸŽƒ Halloween Happenings

    The spooky fun kicks off October 26th and runs through October 31st. Planning is already underway and this year is going to be epic ā€” with new features and creepy creatures!

    šŸŽŸļø Tickets are available now on our EVENTS PAGE.
    Pre-purchase isn’t required, but it helps us plan for food and drinks. We love leftovers, but… not that much. šŸ˜…

    šŸ‚ Gilbert's Adventure

    Our favorite fuzzy buddy Gilbert is visiting our friends at Windmill Acres Pumpkin Patch. He’s getting spoiled with treats, pets, and even has a new Highland friend to hang with. He’ll be back before Thanksgiving and we’ll be thrilled to welcome him home.

    šŸ› ļø Barn Makeover

    We’re tidying up and making everything more user-friendly inside the barn. Products are being reorganized, and the milk fridge will now be next to the freezer trailer for easier access.

    šŸ› ļø Gus is maybe turning the little loft into a man cave (finally). If it stops him from buying duplicate tools... that’s a win.

    šŸ‘©ā€šŸŒ¾ Meet Breck — Our New Ranch Hand!

    As Stanley heads off to new adventures with the U.S. Army (we’ll miss him so much šŸ’›), we welcome Breck to the team!

    She’s taken on daily chores, packing orders, and runs the show during open hours:
    šŸ•™ TUES & THURS: 10am–6pm | SAT: 10am–5pm

    She’s passionate about farming and dreams of running her own farm one day. We’re lucky to have her!

    šŸ„› Seasonal Milk Flavors

  • Salted Caramel Milk: Only available through mid-October ā€” get it while you can!
  • Eggnog: It’s baaack! šŸŽ‰
    ā° Available starting October 20th ā€” now open for PRE-ORDER for Thanksgiving in pint or 1.75L sizes.
  • šŸ“¦ Nationwide Shipping is HERE!

    Yes, we did it — and it’s awesome.

    We’ve partnered with Southwest Airlines Cargo to ship to most major U.S. cities. Here’s how it works:

  • Enter your ZIP code at checkout.
  • We’ll show nearby airport pickup options. Within 200 miles of your zip code.
  • Your order ships frozen to that airport’s cargo building with refrigeration.
  • You pick it up. Easy!
  • šŸ’ø Only $5 shipping ā€” no crazy fees.
     

    šŸ”— Clickable Links

    Anywhere you see underlined text, it’s clickable and takes you straight to the details on our website. Gotta love good tech. šŸ˜‰

    🦃 Thanksgiving Turkeys: SOLD OUT

    Thank you for trusting our small, family ranch with your holiday meals!

    šŸ—“ļø Pick-up dates: Nov 26–27
    We’re officially sold out for 2025, but pre-orders for 2026 open in January 2026.

    šŸ”” Heads up: We won’t be offering smoked turkeys next year so we can travel and spend more holidays with family.

    āœˆļø Travel & Family Time

  • Missouri: We’re heading there post-Thanksgiving to chill with the fam.
  • Texas: In November, we're off to celebrate our grandson’s 2nd birthday!
  • HLR TX Visit: Spending time with our southern crew.
  • While we're on the road, Breck will hold down the fort ā€” no closures expected.

    Other fam updates:

  • šŸŒ Nina is traveling, presenting her geology work in San Antonio and New Orleans. France might be next!
  • šŸ› ļø Niko is staying local and continuing his amazing journey in carpentry.
  • 🌾 Texas Edition

    🐷 Tammabelle Had Her Babies!

    Tammy (Tammabelle) had her babies last month and they are absolutely thriving! They were housed in the backyard where there was existing shelter from the elements since we weren't quite expecting them so soon, as is always the case. They have since moved back out to pasture with their own sweet little set up. Momma and babies will stay separated from the others just a little longer but they have plenty of room to roam and root.

    🄚 New Egg Layers

    Our new hens are settling in beautifully — learning the lay of the land (get it? šŸ˜„). We’ll be rolling out fresh eggs soon, and pullet eggs are in season now — small but mighty!

    šŸŽ“ Homeschool Adventures

    HLR-TX is a homeschooling household, and this month we’re hosting the Henderson County homeschool group.

    šŸ—ŗļø Ranch tour + pulled pork sandwiches (because ranch walking = hungry).
    šŸŽØ Free HLRTX coloring sheets for kids.

    Need info? Call us at šŸ“ž 903-336-2522
    🚚 Delivery & Pickup Options in Texas are up and running! And we mean running! Orders are coming from Houston on up to Dallas! Monthly home delivery (check your zip code on our website) and two pickup locations are currently available. HLR - Texas Edition page

    🌱 Our Promise

    Real food.
    āŒ No pesticides
    āŒ No toxins
    āŒ No antibiotics
    āŒ No GMOs
    āŒ No corn or soy

    Just the way God intended. šŸ’š

    šŸ›’ Visit the Website

    Check out all the goodies we have in-store for you!

šŸ’Œ Share the Love. Get the Bonus.

Referrals literally pay off!
āœ… Your friend gets $10 off
āœ… You get $10 credit
Everyone wins (especially your freezer).

Just log into your Happy Life Ranch and click Referral in the top right. Don't have an account? Go create one and get an instant $10 credit use anytime, no expiration. Thanks for helping more families discover clean, local, ranch-raised food! PLEASE NOTE: This Also applies to Happy Life Ranch Texas Edition!

šŸŽ Bundle Boxes = Best Gift Ever

Our Rancher’s Choice Bundle Boxes make the perfect gift. Who doesn’t love giving (and getting) the gift of health? We list what’s inside on the site, and if something’s out of stock, we’ll sub it with something just as good.

Honestly, these should be as normal as giving a spa day.

🄩 Catering? Yep, We Do That.

Proteins and sides for your next shindig. Give us a call.

šŸ•’ Hours of Operation

Pickups, visits & high-fives:
Tues & Thurs | 10 AM – 6 PM
Saturdays | 10 AM – 5 PM
Need another time? Call or text — we’ll make it work.

šŸ™ Thank You!

Thanks for letting us into your inbox — and for trusting us with your family’s food. That’s a big deal to us.

Got feedback? Shoot us a note at info@happyliferanch.com
Love what we do? Share us with a friend: Happy Life Ranch Website

From our barn to your table,
The Happy Life Ranch Crew

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Realize the interconnectedness of everything ~ author unknown
Click here to see our recipes. We will add to it regularly.
Happy Life Ranch Illinois team
Happy Life Ranch Texas Edition Team

Ordered and picked up delicious food , eggs, milk and meats and was able to see the ranch and how they treat the animals ethically and with compassion ~ Google review from Tom



This was my first experience buying fresh lamb from a ranch to cook on the spit for Greek Easter. The ordering process was made easy with their website and the communication after the order was placed was impeccable. And above all, the lamb was DELICIOUS! Will be coming here for fresh meat from now on. ~ Jason
 

More from the blog

May 2025 Newsletter

MAY DAYS! TEXAS! RANCH HAPPENINGS! May has arrived, bringing cloudy skies to Illinois—but Texas is soaking up the sunshine, and so are we in this month's newsletter! IMPORTANT NEWS!Let's just get to the good stuff right off the bat. Introducing HAPPY LIFE RANCH TEXAS EDITION!!Until now, our ethically raised products have only been available to our loyal supporters in Illinois and Northwest Indiana. With shipping costs keeping us grounded, we’ve long searched for a way to expand without compromising our values. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our family in Texas—who have built a ranch designed for livestock to live happy, healthy lives—we’re finally ready to take the leap.Below, you'll find a glimpse into their inspiring journey and what this next exciting chapter means for all of us.Our BeginningIn 2021, Michelle, Anthony, and Alex sold their home and spent a summer living and working at Happy Life Ranch in Beecher, Illinois. That time reignited their passion for ranching and deepened their connection to country living. After relocating to Texas for work, they eventually settled in Kerens. With the help of Gus, Melissa, and close friends, they began building a 20-acre homestead—planting the roots for what has now grown into Happier Life Ranch.Growing Our DreamOur journey toward ranch life took root in 2023 when we expanded to 20 acres in Kerens, Texas. We never imagined that a few guinea fowl—brought in to help with pests—would be the start of something bigger. Before long, we added chickens, goats, and a growing variety of livestock, each deepening our love for ranching and our commitment to raising animals with care and purpose.Lessons from the LandThe lessons we've learned over the years, from building coops out of scrap materials to understanding the nuances of regenerative ranching, have been invaluable. We've been blessed to connect with multi-generational farmers who generously shared their wisdom, teaching us the importance of rotational grazing, humane animal care, and the significance of knowing where our food comes from.Our CommitmentAt Happier Life Ranch, we prioritize holistic practices. Our animals roam freely on clean pastures, nourished with organic, non-GMO feed. We abstain from using artificial fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, or hormones, ensuring that the food we provide is as natural and wholesome as possible.Join the FamilyAs we establish our presence in Kerens, TX, our mission remains steadfast: to offer ethically raised, high-quality products while fostering a community that values transparency, sustainability, and genuine connections. We invite you to join us on this journey—visit the ranch, share in our story, and become part of the Happier Life family. We here in Illinois couldn’t be more excited to take this leap and see where this new venture leads us all. Everything Texas-related will continue to run through our existing Happy Life Ranch website, and as I write this, we’re actively working out the logistics—for both product orders and transporting more of our established livestock down south to get growing.Orders for delivery in Texas begin June 7th, and just like in Illinois, we’ll bring them right to your front door.You can follow the journey and stay up to date by finding Happy Life Ranch Texas Edition on Instagram and Facebook. Please give them a like, a follow, and help spread the word to anyone you know in or around the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Let’s grow this community together—ethically, sustainably, and happily.FATHER'S DAY: Father’s Day is Coming—Let’s Fire Up the Grill!Sorry moms—we don’t do flowers, but we do deliver unforgettable meats. We’ve created two limited-edition Father’s Day boxes packed with premium cuts—because what dad doesn’t love grilling up a feast for his family? Not sure what to get the dad in your life? Check out the boxes now at www.happyliferanch.com an... make this Father’s Day one to savor. These specialty boxes are only available for a limited time, so don’t wait!RANCH HAPPENINGS: I think we are done for having babies for a little while. Some of our sows need checking but it doesn't appear we should expect any new births, whooo-we had a few there in the earlier days of spring.The latest lamb born (while we were away) was scooped up by Windmill Acres for care and keeping and now it appears she has been named Winnie and has found her forever home. She is bringing much joy to their kids and customers alike and we are so happy to see her thriving.All of our energy has been concentrated on building the Texas plan so not much else happening her other than watching everything grow and thrive.We are still looking for a ranch hand, if anyone is interested or knows someone, please have them give Gus a call 630-877-7718. We are looking for someone who has a valid drivers license and can potentially be available 7 days a week. A handful of interviews have been completed and some are very promising. Never hurts to keep it out there. THE FREEZER CONTAINER, We have made changes to the back of the yard so to speak to make way for the new freezer container that will come when it comes. We wont even speculate anymore as to a date but it's ALMOST ready to be delivered wea are told.  NEW CHICKEN HOUSE Here's another project that has been put on hold due to weather issues, and Niko working a full time job so not having time to finish it. There is a huge but cozy room for the new girls and they are adjusting beautifully. They are laying the little bitty eggs we have advertised on social media for a discounted price and they should be big enough to go outside very soon..Customize Your Box, Your WayWe’re excited to make your Happy Life Ranch experience even more personal—you can now subscribe to individual items! Choose the quantities and cuts that fit your family’s needs, and set the delivery frequency that works best for your schedule; weekly/every 2 weeks/monthly (depending on your delivery zone. Want to make sure your box always includes your favorites—or skips something you’re not loving? Subscribing to exactly what you want is the best way to do that. You’re in full control: it’s super easy to make changes to your cart anytime, as often as you like, right up to 3 days before your pickup or delivery. Flexibility, simplicity, and no surprises—just the products you love, delivered how and when you want them.REFERRAL BONUS: in your account  settings, top right corner, you will find a REFERRAL button. You can send this to friends and family and when they order, you get a $25 BONUS credit in your account and they get $10.HOURS OF OPERATION: This is new for us, a schedule!! We are now open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 10am-6pm for pick ups, visits, new customers, etc. Sundays will be by appointment. And we just picked up a new SIGN to hang out front with these hours listed! We will put it up after the 24th. TRAVEL: As mentioned above, we will be traveling to Texas for Easter and some much needed respite and family time.Thank you all for giving us some of your time and trusting us with your family's health. If you have any suggestions on ways we can improve please email us at info@happyliferanch.com. If you love what we're doing, please tell your friends and family and send them to our website at www.happyliferanch.com valign="top">You can't expect to feel like a million bucks if you keep eating from the dollar menu. Eat Clean