Tucker Brown – Throckmorton, Texas
Tucker has story after story about growing up on a ranch and it makes you want to sit down with a tall iced tea to hear them all. One memory that pops up is of him teasingly copy-catting his brother who was training his horse while they were both in the saddle, heading out to pasture.
“At one point, my horse tripped and rolled on top of me. After getting the horse off, my brother was yelling, ‘your leg is broken, your leg is broken’ – that scared me and I tried not to look at the damage,” says Tucker. “Seems turnabout is fair play, and I was just being heckled back. Since then, I haven’t made fun of his horse training . . . but he still loves to tell the story.”
After these wholesome good times and graduating high school, Tucker left the ranch to attend Lubbock Christian University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources Ecology and Conservation followed by the Ranch Management Certification at Texas Christian University, completing his studies in 2017.
“At that time, my parents, Donnell and Kelli Brown, challenged me to come back with a plan to grow the ranch to support another family,” explains Tucker. “I moved back and started at the bottom of the totem pole, working my way through all of the different responsibilities of the ranch. I currently oversee the cow/calf sector of the ranch which involves pasture rotations, calving, and breeding. My wife, Karley, and I have been marketing beef straight from the ranch, as well as growing the merchandise sales.
“We are continually striving to increase the efficiency and sustainability of converting God’s forage into safe, nutritious, and great tasting beef to better feed his people.”
This is the official mission statement of R.A. Brown Ranch and Tucker adds that they use sound science and data to make the best-educated decisions about the future.
Another family goal is to, “Keep the ranch in the family and the family in the ranch.” That’s why every generation has returned to the business to carry the torch, ensuring that operations will continue generation after generation.
It’s passion for the ranching industry and commitment to what has been previously built by his family that brought Tucker back to the ranch and continues to wake him up with enthusiasm every day.
“The older I get, the more respect I have for the generations that came before me,” explains Tucker. “I have large shoes to fill now that I have a two-year-old daughter of my own and another girl on the way in July 2023. The past has helped me begin to think ahead as well.”
Ironically, it’s family life that brings the greatest difficulties and greatest rewards to this lifestyle.
“It’s so hard to manage my time at work and my time with family,” he laments. “But nothing compares to watching my daughter learning responsibility and having a connection to livestock. I also really enjoy working side by side with my family. Whether it be my parents, grandparents, or cousins.”
Recently, Tucker was selected by the National Cattleman’s Beef Association as the 2022 Advocate of the Year, honoring him for his creative use of storytelling on social media. His posts on TikTok and Instagram receive millions of views per month and he uses this influence to help bridge the gap between the agricultural community and the general population so that his audience may learn something new in an entertaining and approachable way. In his spare time, he announces high school football and basketball games on The Tucker Brown Show, an online broadcast he started in 2014. He also announces at rodeos from time to time.
When it comes to enjoying beef on the dinner table, Tucker names a Ribeye and Filet as his favorite cuts, preferably grilled over a mesquite fire. And as a youngster, he has great memories of homemade burgers prepared by his grandparents.
And, he’s both thumbs up for dairy. “I love to put cheese on everything.”
Learn more about Tucker, his brother Lanham, and parents, Donell and Kelli in our video, The Story Behind R.A. Brown Ranch in Texas: Raising the Best
