My husband is the kind of guy who is hard to buy for because most of the time, if there’s something he wants or needs, he just goes and gets it. Doesn’t wait around or add it to his wish list or anything. It might be a guy thing but when holidays or birthdays roll around, he has me stumped! Anyone else have this problem with their husband or dad?

This birthday wasn’t a milestone or anything but I wanted to surprise him. He’s a farmer and works outside all day so on his off-time he usually prefers the a/c so my idea was incredibly risky. It was outside and hot and we would be around animals…all of which we already have at home.

Could I pull it off? Would he be surprised? More importantly, would he like it?

ROAD TRIP WITH THE FARMER

Our destination wasn’t in our town, but just a short hour-long drive down the road. Doable. I insisted on a blindfold while I drove…and lost. So I ended up giving him the destination address in the driveway. Spoiler alert.

Our “hot date” was at the Wagon Tails Ranch Ride at Andalusia Cattle Ranch.

My husband didn’t know Jenny and David Cowart, owners of the ranch, but he’d heard me mention them when they graciously donated a couples ride for The Farm Wyfe’s 12 Days of Christmas. My man was excited though! He’s a pretty good sport about everything so I knew there was a good chance he would love it and he did. We both did!

THE RANCH – WAGON RIDE AND ROMANTIC SURPRISE BIRTHDAY DINNER

What is so fun about the Cowart Ranch rides is that they cater to you and whatever you’d like to do, so I chose a private ranch ride and steak dinner for two. Other options are available depending on your group size and needs.

The wagon ride begins at a cute little cabin where they’d poured chilled, sparkling grape juice for us to enjoy on the porch. Then Jenny drove the horse and wagon through their 1,000 acre working cattle ranch down to the lake where they’d restored and beautifully decorated a cracker cabin. They gave us the rich history of the ranch from the 1940’s until now which thoroughly interested my farmer husband. While we have a small herd of Dexter cattle, it was fun to learn about a much larger herd of Beefsteak cattle.

Fun fact: Dexter cattle are smaller-framed, friendly, docile creatures and perfect for dairy or meat while Beefmaster are a much larger but equally docile meat breed. In short, as far as looks go, the Dexter next to a Beefmaster is comparable to a smart car next to a semi truck.

We wandered around, inspecting the cracker cabin and admiring the rustic decor. Jenny has the gift of hospitality combined with an eye for antiques and it makes for the most charming date! Even the bathrooms were so cute!

We sat under the new barn, perfect for a wedding and other special events, to an incredible steak dinner,  cooked by David Cowart-local grillmaster. With such attention to detail, they managed to impress us at every turn. The beautifully decorated table set for two, the peaceful meal by the lake, and the quaint wagon ride made for a memorable birthday surprise.

FROM ROW CROPS TO CATTLE RANCH

We felt we had so much in common with another agriculture family, after the meal, Wesley couldn’t help but take his turn to grill. This time it wasn’t meat. This was the perfect opportunity to interview the Cowarts for our new YouTube channel, That’s Just Farming. Assuming viewers were just as interested as us, they compared growing row crops to raising cattle. While at first glance, it doesn’t seem similar, both families are passionate about raising a quality crop in the healthiest manner, taking the best possible care of our animals and land, as well as investing into our families and legacy to one day pass that on to future generations. You can learn all about that on That’s Just Farming.

PLANNING YOUR OWN SURPRISE HOT DATE

Got a special date or birthday surprise coming up? This would be such a great couples night, or better yet, a family affair! My kids would’ve loved everything about this from the wagon ride to the delicious food to the s’mores around the campfire. In fact, we are planning on taking them soon! And if you’re recently engaged, be sure to check this out as a possible wedding venue. It’s gorgeous!

For more information, you can visit their website at Andalusia Cattle Ranch. Tell them Amanda and Wesley sent you!

For even more pictures, visit me on Instagram and check out the “Hot Date” story highlights. ❤️