A Working Ranch at a Winery: The Unique Nature of West Sandy Creek Winery
West Sandy Creek Winery is more than just a winery, it’s also a working ranch. With cattle roaming the back pastures, a friendly camel named Sadeeq, dogs, ducklings, and more, this menagerie is a perfect complement to a family-friendly, award-winning winery.
Two distinct breeds of cattle may be found at the ranch. Many are familiar with Angus, but the Corriente, a Mexican roping breed, is less common. Corriente cattle all have horns, even the females! Every year, 15-20 head are trailered over to Navasota for live auction sales.
Keeping this many cattle on the ranch requires quite a bit of work and planning, including fertilizing a 75-acre hay field to ensure winter feed. Water tanks and lines keep the herds hydrated, a challenge that’s made worse by summer heat when natural ponds aren’t sufficient.
Fence maintenance along the national forest boundary is also challenging, as heavy rains often damage fencing. And while our cattle occasionally venture onto forest service land (the rangers usually call to let us know when this happens), cows typically return on their own for feeding time.
It’s also vital to fence our vineyard to protect it from cattle who don’t eat grapes, but love to pull up entire plants.
Goats are one of the most fun and memorable features of our working ranch. Our American Kiko goats (the name comes from the Maori word for “meat”) are bred in late summer and early fall to deliver in April. Goats usually produce twins with occasional triplet births. Sometimes, the mother goats pass away during childbirth (always sad), so we will bottle-feed the babies. They grow so trusting that they will eagerly approach visitors at the fence.
Cross-fencing allows us to rotate herds between different areas, though this system demands constant water line maintenance. Our goat barn features specialized birthing corrals, and two Great Pyrenees named Amin and Ibin dutifully guard the corrals.
While we are often asked about producing goat cheese, we do not. Milking a goat is challenging!
Our chickens are amazing friends who help in many ways. They provide us fresh eggs year-round, help control insect populations naturally, and love our food scraps; the last point eliminates the need for traditional composting. We provide them with a safe place to live, though their wire-roofed coop occasionally is invaded by chicken snakes.
The chickens have recently been joined by two turkeys, making for an interesting dynamic.
Finally, our duck population has grown recently! There are approximately 15 charming ducklings currently visible across the property who help with pest control.
One of the most memorable and exotic members of our team is Sadeeq, our three-year-old white dromedary camel. He is more pet than working animal, and believe it or not, he has a life expectancy of 40-45 years! Sadeeq should be a long-term resident, requiring special winter protection during freezes.
We also have unbroken American Paint horses who enjoy a safe retirement space, where they have mastered the art of begging for carrots. We also have a palomino-colored horse who simply wandered onto our property, and his owner allowed us to keep him because he thought he seemed happier here.
Our donkeys are greeters who have trained our visitors to bring them carrots, loudly calling for attention. They are joined by zebronkeys (zebra-donkey hybrids), who are more skittish and sound different than their donkey relatives.
The ranch also includes Bluebonnet Hill, the second-highest point in Walker County. We have seeded native bluebonnets around the pond area, providing essential grazing space for our livestock.
Overall, managing this ranch requires constant adaptation and problem-solving: coordinating annual veterinary visits with Walker County Vet Hospital, maintaining miles of fencing, ensuring functional water systems, and managing specialized facilities for different species.
We love the tangible benefits of fresh eggs, successful cattle sales, and natural vineyard pest control. What we find truly amazing is being able to provide sanctuary for rescued horses, see the smiles on our guests’ faces when goats approach them, and enjoy the response Sadeeq gets when he seeks attention.
A winery is a resource-intensive business by itself. When you add a wide range of animals to the equation, it creates a unique, memorable experience for our staff and guests not easily replicated anywhere else.
