Y’all, the next Woman of the West, is an effortless beauty, who is full of love, and has a passion for helping people. Meghan Gates is handy in the kitchen, grows a fruitful garden, loves her hubby, raises her baby, runs a company, plays an instrument, does ministry for the Lord, all the while doing it with grace and a laugh. Meghan is one of my personal favorites to follow on social media and was gracious enough to bless me with doing this interview! Check out below for more on Meghan…
What does homestead mean to you?
Homesteading to me is the practice of become self-sufficient. I feel like there are often so many
definitions of “homesteader” that are SO narrow and it saddens me to exclude people. Anything
from raising your own meat and veggies, to mending your own clothes, to composing, to a
simple herb garden on the window sill, I believe, can be included in homesteading acts.
Homesteading shouldn’t be limited to someone living off-grid on thousands of acres.
Homesteading is more of an attitude than a status.
Where do you live and how long have you lived there? Where did you grow up?
Currently, I live in Texas County in the Oklahoma Panhandle and have for over four years now. I
grew up in Castle Rock, Colorado.
What are some of your favorite things about living a western lifestyle (on a ranch or in the
country, small town living, with horses, farming, the community, etc.)?
I have lived in many different places and experienced many different cultures, but have never felt truly satisfied anywhere else but in a rural setting. The slower pace, fewer people, and agricultural culture makes this area just amazing. I’ve always dreamed of a “Little House on the Prairie” lifestyle and I get to live it every day. The community is so supportive of being self- sufficient and trying to incorporate as many homesteading things as you want, so it’s really nice to not feel like a complete outcast, as I have when I lived in more urban areas! My husband and I live in an area where the beef industry is very prevalent, so we are surrounded by people that share our same passions. With the constant attacks on the industry, it’s so refreshing to be able to talk and connect with others facing the same hardships from society.
In what ways do you see God in your homestead?
In the small, everyday things, He is a constant. I’ve had a tarantula hawk infestation in my
zucchini plants that has left me terrified to go near them. One day, they were all gone, not a
single one was left. When I went to investigate, there was a tiny bird sitting in the zucchini plant
that I’m pretty sure went in and ate all the wasps. It was such a neat thing that God even cares
about the littlest parts of our lives. My husband called the bird my “angel bird”. It’s the things
like that, that encourage my every day, make me sit back, and just be still in His glory.
Who did you learn the most about life from?
My dad and my grandma have taught me SO much. My dad is a very quiet and calm-natured
man. He really instilled in me a servant’s heart, a meek attitude, and the practice of thoughtfully
responding instead of letting my emotions get the best of me. My grandma taught me what a
strong, kind, and selfless Christian woman looks like. She embodies hard work and servanthood,
all while living for Jesus. They both developed my love for cooking, DIYs, and my “waste not,
want not” attitude!
What is your favorite memory involving horses?
I have only recently in the past few years gotten into horse ownership. My whole childhood was
filled with daydreams of one day having a horse of my very own; I waited and waited for that
moment.
The night of our wedding, my husband and I were talking in bed and he told me that it was late
and we should probably get to sleep. I responded that he was right and we needed to get some
rest because we were off to our honeymoon the next morning. He then said, “you need your rest
because that horse of yours isn’t going to take care of himself.”
Cody had gifted me my first horse and it was one of the best moments of my entire life.
What is a life challenge you have faced and how did you overcome it?
The first thing that comes to mind was when Cody and I experienced two miscarriages before getting pregnant with our daughter. It kind of flipped our world upside-down, but honestly, this life is constantly filled with challenges. The bible promises struggles and adversity, but also
promises peace through Christ. There will always be challenges, sorrow, hard times, and difficulties this side of heaven, but the answer to overcoming is always Christ. God shows Himself strong in our weaknesses and He is a constant comfort. I know I’m speaking to myself when I say that trusting Him is the only way to overcome those struggles. Letting go of the grip of control on our lives to trust Him and keep in the front of our brain that regardless of how much life can suck here, we have eternity to look forward to, are the things that can keep me going in any circumstance.
What is the biggest lesson you have learned from horses or from living in a rural place?
I am nowhere near as tough as my ancestors were! I adore living as self-sufficiently and simply
as possible, but I thank God that I live in a time where air conditioning, epidurals, and indoor
plumbing are a thing! I have become so much more appreciative of how easy we have it now
compared to then, and I think that’s something I really hope to instill in my children. An attitude
of simple gratitude can change one’s life dramatically.
Tell us one or two of your favorite stories about ranching, horses, or life in general.
The day my late grandpa taught me how to drive a stick is one of my favorites because of the
lesson I learned. I was a very quiet and cautious child. Every single time we had a parent-teacher
conference, my teacher would comment on how quiet I was, that I didn’t ask questions or wasn’t
involved in discussions; I would just sit and listen and take things in. I also wasn’t one to just
jump in and try something (I still carry that attitude towards certain things to this day). I’m not
sure if it was fear of failure, or getting hurt, or what, but I never asserted myself.
One day, we were all sitting around my grandparents’ house and my grandpa stood up and told
me to follow him, no further explanation. We got into their tiny old 4-speed “farm car” and
drove to the middle of one of the pastures. Without looking at me, he pointed to the pedals, “this
one’s the gas, the brake, and this is your clutch,” I stared at him blankly. He continued, “you
need to start in first.” I knew he was trying to teach my nine-year-old self how to drive and I
freaked out. My initial reaction was to just not do it. I didn’t know how to, I didn’t want to, it
was new and scary. I came up with every excuse in the books to get out of trading spots with him
and slipping into the driver’s seat. Finally, I said, “what if I run into something?”
He paused for a second, “what are you going to hit out here?”
We were smack in the middle of an open field. I was safe. I wasn’t going to hurt the car or
anything else. There was room for error, for failure, and for mistakes, and it would be fine.
I learned a lot about myself that day, and I still think about it from time to time.
What is your favorite recipe?
Pie. I love pie. I love my homemade crust with butter, lard, and sour cream. Selfishly, I love that
other people love my pies as well! It took me a lot of trial and error, terrible pies, and
adjustments to perfect this recipe, but it’s pretty darn great now!
Pie crust (makes 2, 9” crusts)
2 & ½ cups flour
1 ts salt
2 ts sugar
¾ cup cold butter
¼ cup cold lard
½ cup sour cream
Ice water
Mix flour, salt, and sugar in large bowl. Cut butter and lard into flour mixture until it resembles
crumbs. Make a well and add sour cream, mix until roughly combined. Add ice water 1
tablespoon at a time until dough sticks together, I usually use about 3-5 tablespoons (if the
dough is sticky, you’ve added too much water). Do not over-mix! Divide dough into 2 and form
into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and let set in the fridge for a half hour or so. When
filling is ready and dough Is chilled, roll out on heavily floured surface and bake according to
filling recipe.
(this is written out from memory, so sorry if it’s vague or hard to follow!)
What is the name of your all-time favorite horse?
The horse my husband gifted me, “Scofield”.
What is your best gardening tip?
Give yourself grace!!!!! This is my best cooking tip as well. It’s so important to realize that every
single thing we do is a learning process: mistakes will be made, things will get overlooked, and
growth will happen on a bumpy path, not a linear line. There is always something that could’ve
been done better, but grace allows us to have the attitude of accepting that things don’t have to
be perfect to still be good.
Do you have a hidden talent most people don’t know about? What is it?
Not many people know that I play the cello. I actually almost studied music in college after a
scholarship offer. Music is a big part of my passions and I wish I would devote more time to it!
Who is one woman who has inspired you?
Besides my grandma, as I mentioned above, my mom and mother-in-law have been so inspiring
to me. They’ve both overcome lots of adversity and had to be so strong to get to where they are
today. They’re amazing examples of how far hard work can get someone.
Meghan’s story of her husband gifting her a horse on their wedding night made me tear up, and her story of God’s consistency in the little things through her “angel bird” protecting her zucchini plants gave me chills. Thank you Meghan for sharing your story, wisdom, and your love of the Lord with us. Check out Meghan on Instagram for more homesteading tips, and check out her business Good Handle for some cute t-shirt and caps!
Thank you again Meghan for blessing us with your story!
Until next time friends, ride far, be safe, love lots!
xo,
Sara
Ann, I couldn't agree more! I have learned so much from all of the women who have been a part of this blog!
Love hearing about sisters in Christ on this amazing blog!!