The Salt Ranch Adventures

I love to write! I kept a journal my entire life -  until we moved to Salt Ranch.  I guess the creation of this blog is the outlet that has replaced that habit - I’ve been documenting everything since we moved in!

I’m a mother and wife, business owner, sister and daughter on a daily basis… our cozy compound consists of eight of us including my husband, two children, my parents, brother and Manny (not pictured !) I have a small business in California, so I switch between those roles all day. It’s exhilarating! (and sometimes stressful, and overwhelming, and exhausting, but never mind that!)

Salt Ranch - a.k.a “The compound” - is a frenzy of ongoing activity. We have a lot of animals, a sizable garden, wood shop, metal shop and visitors all the time (we love to entertain.) We are not a Homestead. We don’t strive to live off grid or be self sufficient (although it’s kind of comforting to know that you could if you had to.) Our first goal is to create a magical environment for our family. Our second goal is to have the compound bring in just enough money to support its growing operational cost. To this end we dabble in all sorts of things. We sell eggs, we breed animals, raise food, and make craftsman level products. 

This blog is just a by-product of my need to chronicle our adventures, to share the research that I do, and the insistence of our friends that enough of you will be interested to experience it along with us! 

Enjoy!!

Salt Ranch Welcomes 2024!!
Andrea Varnai Andrea Varnai

Salt Ranch Welcomes 2024!!

Salt Ranch is excited for some big changes in 2024. See what our goals are for this year and some of our progress already!

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Farewell 2023
Andrea Varnai Andrea Varnai

Farewell 2023

2023 was an intense year for many, and the residents of Salt Ranch are no exception. As is tradition in our other business, I wanted to sum up the year with our accomplishments and some of our struggles.

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Our Kid Got Bit By A Copperhead
Andrea Varnai Andrea Varnai

Our Kid Got Bit By A Copperhead

Copperheads are a very real threat in Texas - this is our second bite in two years, and thankfully has been he animals for which a bite is not life threatening.

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Being Green - Salt Ranch
Andrea Varnai Andrea Varnai

Being Green - Salt Ranch

Being green sometimes takes an extra step, but we need to chose Mother Earth, because the cost of convenience is too high for our future generations.

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Edible Butter Slime
Kids Activities Andrea Varnai Kids Activities Andrea Varnai

Edible Butter Slime

Today was the second day of summer for us so naturally, we are looking for all kinds of activities to occupy the children. We experimented a lot and discovered this pretty awesome recipe for edible dough that feels like butter slime!

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Top 10 Backyard Ailments in Dallas Chickens
Chickens Andrea Varnai Chickens Andrea Varnai

Top 10 Backyard Ailments in Dallas Chickens

For those new to chickens, or those just wanting to brush up on their knowledge - knowing what common ailments to look for can help to prevent or detect things early enough that you don’t lose your whole flock. Here are the ten most prevalent backyard chicken ailments in the Dallas area.

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