A Century of Stewardship: Karrie Menz Carries on Her Family’s Ranching Legacy
For Karrie Menz, ranching is more than a livelihood—it’s a family legacy that spans generations. Nestled in the rolling hills of Doss, Texas, Diamond E Ranch (formerly Ellebracht-Menz Ranch) is a 472-acre cow-calf operation that has been part of her family’s story for a century. While the ranch has been on its current property since 1926, Karrie’s roots in the area reach back even further. Her ancestors were among the founding families of Fredericksburg, settling nearby in the late 1860s and establishing a tradition of farming and ranching that continues today.
Karrie is a fifth-generation rancher on her father’s side and a sixth-generation rancher on her mother’s side. Both sides of her family made their living raising cattle, sheep, goats, hay, and row crops. Her father also spent 50 years working at the local John Deere dealership while continuing to farm and ranch—a testament to the dedication that often defines Texas agricultural families.
Today, Karrie, her husband Shane, a former K9 police officer, and their two children continue that tradition while balancing careers away from the ranch.
Weekend Ranchers with Full-Time Commitment
Diamond E Ranch produces quality calves for livestock auction markets while also growing hay for their own cattle and neighboring ranchers. Because the family lives away from the property, most ranch work happens on weekends, holidays, and vacation days, with trusted local help checking on the livestock during the week.
“Living remote and not being able to be on the property every day is probably our biggest challenge,” Karrie says. But, even so, ranching is truly a family effort.
Karrie manages the books and works closely with the local conservation district and agricultural offices to support ongoing conservation projects. Shane and their daughter oversee wildlife management, monitoring the deer herd while promoting healthy wildlife populations. Their son inherited the family’s farming talents and helps maintain improved grass fields for hay production. Together, the family manages the cattle herd and makes decisions about breeding, replacements, and future growth.
One of their biggest priorities today is restoring the land by reclaiming acreage overtaken by mesquite and cedar while improving habitat for both livestock and wildlife.
Stewardship That Runs Deep
Although Diamond E Ranch is relatively small, Karrie believes its greatest value can’t be measured in acres or herd size. “The land is somehow a part of who we are,” she says.
Her family often repeats the phrase, “It is what it is.” What once reflected life’s challenges has evolved into a reminder to stay resilient and trust the journey.
“When things don’t go our way, we’ve realized God probably had a plan for us to go down a different path or try a new way,” she says. “We try to laugh even when times are hard and just enjoy the gift we’ve been given to be stewards of a little piece of heaven.”
The ranch also comes with its share of memorable moments. For example, the family’s retired police K-9, Czyko, has discovered an unexpected second career helping locate feral hogs.
“He may not chase after them,” Karrie says with a laugh, “but he’ll definitely tell you exactly where they are.”
A Career Dedicated to Beef
Karrie’s commitment to the beef industry extends far beyond the ranch gate.
After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from Texas A&M University, she built a career focused on food safety and quality. Today, she serves as Vice President of Food Safety & Quality for Surlean Foods, one of the nation’s leading ground beef patty manufacturers.
Her role allows her to work closely with beef suppliers, helping ensure product quality while maintaining strong connections with cattle producers throughout the supply chain.
One of the highlights of her professional career was meeting renowned animal behavior expert Temple Grandin.
While working for Owens Country Sausage, Karrie hosted Grandin during a facility visit, where she evaluated livestock handling systems and recommended improvements that enhanced animal welfare and facility design. Over the years, Karrie continued to see Grandin at industry conferences and even introduced her family during one event.
“She is a wonderful human being and is truly all about helping the livestock and the people who care for them,” Karrie says.
Looking Ahead
As both a rancher and a leader in the beef industry, Karrie is encouraged by growing consumer interest in protein and nutrition.
“I love that protein is being talked about so much,” she says, “especially for healthy aging and active lifestyles.”
Serving on the Board of Directors for Texas Beef Council, Karrie believes one of the organization’s most important responsibilities is educating consumers about beef’s role in a healthy diet while also helping producers understand the value the Beef Checkoff brings to the industry.
Around the Table
When it comes to enjoying beef, Karrie prefers to keep things simple. Her favorite cut is a New York Strip grilled over hot coals, although smoked Brisket is always a close second.
Her favorite burger comes from Whataburger—a fitting choice since Surlean Foods manufactures the restaurant’s beef patties. For barbecue, she recommends Pecan Grove near her North Texas home and Backwoods BBQ whenever she’s back in her hometown of Fredericksburg.
Outside of ranching, Karrie enjoys hunting white-tailed deer on the family property, processing the venison herself and experimenting with new recipes. She also loves tending a backyard vegetable garden, finding another way to stay connected to the land.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
For Karrie, the greatest reward isn’t measured by herd size or production numbers. It’s seeing each new calf born, watching her children embrace the responsibilities of ranch life, and knowing that a family legacy built over generations will continue well into the future.
“Our goal is to keep the rural way of life going,” she says. “Being able to share that with our kids makes all the hard work worthwhile.”
