Myres Family – Liberty County, Texas

February 2020

Angela & Albert Myres

“We’re just the typical American family,” insists Angela Myres of A & A Land and Cattle Company of Raywood, Texas. Angela and her husband, Albert, purchased the land for their Liberty county ranch in 1993 as a young married couple, even prior to owning their first home. The foresight for this significant life decision came, in large part, on advice from Albert’s father, who himself was in the agriculture industry. “God already made all the land, he’s not making any more,” he said. “Even if you buy it and close the gates for a while, you’re ahead of the game.”

Well, the gates are open, and today the 800-acres of land is grazing ground a variety of cattle breeds including Angus, Wagyu-Angus, and Beefmaster. While the primary business model is a cow-calf operation, running about 200 mother cows at any given time, the ranch has also ventured into selling “beef on-demand,” or as the Myres explained, packaging various beef cuts themselves and delivering directly to the consumer.

Angela and Albert haven’t always lived on the ranch full-time, they made the move from The Woodlands a couple of years ago, when Adam, the youngest of their three boys, went off to college. Now Adam is 20 years old and a sophomore at Prairie View A&M, studying Ag Finance. Middle son, Alexander, is 23 and relocated to Pennsylvania after landing on the Pittsburg Steelers roster as a cornerback (previously playing at Ouachita Baptist on scholarship and then walking on the University of Houston football team). Their oldest son, Albert Jr., is 28 and works in the oil and gas industry while living fairly nearby in Richmond, Tx with his wife and their two children, Albert III and Autumn Sky.

The most challenging part of ranch life is “trying to get it all done 24/7” report the Myres. Although the couple no longer resides in the Houston area where they raised their children while Albert served in governmental affairs and as an executive for 25+ years in Shell Oil, Reliant Energy and, later, his own company, Octectet, doesn’t mean they have stopped juggling an enormous workload. Albert still serves as President and CEO for Octectet, an international business that furthers the technological development of oxygenated enhancements for diesel fuel in order to reduce emissions and improve fuel and operational efficiencies. He also serves in many capacities within the community including as a Regent to Texas Southern University, Executive Advisory Board of the University of Tulsa School of Business and the 100 Ranchers Board of Directors among numerous other organizations.

Angela mentions that no matter the job, her husband’s work ethic and tenacity are amazing. “Regardless of what life throws our way, the needs of the land and the ranch don’t stop,” says Angela. “Albert is 3rd generation in agriculture, but it was all new to me when we started. If anyone told me years ago that I would one day help deliver a calf, drive a tractor, or mend a fence, I would have laughed in their face. But I tell you what, I’m really good at it now, and love it.”

“Even though ranch life is different than city living, it’s indescribably amazing and rewarding,” Angela says. “Like today, I look outside and marvel at the beauty, the cattle grazing and the fog and clouds on the vista. It’s really meaningful to know our hard work and love for the lifestyle allows us to offer our best to the beef community and its consumers.”

If you’re ever in the Liberty county area, the Myres mention stopping by Jax Hamburgers for a good meal and as for BBQ, well, they smoke a mean brisket at home. In fact, Angela grew up in a family barbeque business that put her and her 11 siblings through college!