The Roberts raise a variety of vegetables that are sold at farmers market. Here, Patricia shows off some of this year’s garden production. -- Staff photo by Kramer

May 4, 2006 - Patricia and Jim Roberts moved to their northern Smith County property from Houston five years ago.

The couple who are 53 and 58 years old were ready to start a different style of life after spending 30 years in the hustle and bustle of a city.

Weve always enjoyed the country, said Patricia. She said they always wanted to garden, despite the fact that the two of them had very little experience with gardening (Patricias family raised cattle when she was a child).

When her husband took a job working in Tyler, she continued her career as a bookkeeper until she was laid off. She said she and her husband realized they could live on his salary if she was able to bring in a little extra income. The pair was already experimenting with gardening and growing vegetables, but Patricia said after she lost her job, she went full-force into their projects.

Patricia Roberts cuddles one of the LaMancha goats at the farm she shares with husband Jim in Smith County. Patricia has learned as much as she could about all the various profit-making ventures that can be achieved from the farm ... from goat milk to gardening. -- Staff photo by Kramer

The two joined the East Texas Beekeepers Association before they ever had bees. Then, when a swarm infested her husbands place of work, he called someone from the association and they came, captured the bees, and set them up on the Roberts property.

That was one of this first things we did, said Patricia of the bee project. I love honey.

The two began selling the honey online and have already sold out of their honey supply for this year. Now they are waiting for the bees to get busy again.

After beginning the honey projects, the Roberts began considering other ways to draw an income. It was during this time, two years ago, that Patricia attended a small landowners seminar hosted by Texas Cooperative Extension. Patricia said the seminar gave her some good ideas about what to do with and plant on their 14 acres.

I thought it was great. It was a very helpful seminar, she said. They had a lot of resources and there was a lot of people there - you make a lot of contacts.

In addition, Patricia said the Extension agents discussed several varieties that do well in the area. They did give me some ideas of things to plant, she recalled.

Also at the seminar was information about the GO TEXAN program. Patricia picked up a brochure and enrolled in the program, something she is very glad she did. GO TEXAN is a program (sponsored by the Texas Department of Agriculture) that helps promote good produced in Texas.

It has helped, even as small as I am, she said of her operation. Since enrolling in GO TEXAN, Patricia said she has sold more honey and other products online, especially around the holidays. She said many Texans want to send relatives and friends in other states Texas products, and the GO TEXAN program helps those people track her and others like her down.

In addition to the honey and bees, the Roberts now have English Angora rabbits, LaMancha goats, some chickens, geese (who roam the landscape like living art), a berry patch, tomatoes, peppers, peas, gourds, squash, okra, corn, cantaloupe, watermelon, and a soap- and lotion-making operation.

Patricia has four English Angora rabbits. She said she hopes to take a spinning class so she can learn to make fiber from their hair. And while she loves the rabbits, she admitted that grooming them is a lot of work.

The couple just recently began working with the LaMancha goats. Patricia said she bought seven goats from a lady who was moving to Missouri. Some of the goats were already bred, and with the new babies, the goat herd has nearly doubled in size. Patricia said it was the goats milk that first attracted her to owning goats. Then, she read up on the uses for goat milk.

I just love the goats, she said. Goats are so smart and so fun and curious.

While Patricia enjoys the goats, she said her husband really enjoys working with the chickens.

He enjoys the chickens more than I do, she explained. Jim, according to his wife, wants to begin selling the chickens eggs (right now they just give them to friends and family), but Patricia said she has mixed thoughts about selling fresh eggs. People selling eggs in Texas have several stipulations they must meet.

As for the berry patch, the couple is in the process of moving their blackberry and raspberry patches from one location on the property to a more suitable, sunny location. They have just started working with the berries, so Patricia sees much room for future changes in that area.

Tomatoes and peppers were the first things planted on the land when the couple began attempting gardening.

We had so many tomatoes the first year, recalled Patricia. With an overwhelming excess of tomatoes, she and her husband began selling them at the Farmers Market in Tyler. What was still left was taken to a food bank. She said her husband continues to plant several tomatoes every year.

Thats his big thing, she said. He loves tomatoes.

The couple continues to sell the tomatoes, peppers, and several other vegetables at the market each summer from approximately June through August. The market is usually open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located on West Front Street in Tyler.

The soap- and lotion-making side of the business began with the goats milk, which Patricia, who is a member of the Texas Soapmakers Association, still uses in her products. In addition, she grows gourds for crafts, which she admits is just for fun.

The couple, who call their property Renegade Ranch, spends nearly all year in some type of agriculture-related project. Patricia said the spring is spent working hard to get everything planted, summer is spent harvesting, and in the fall she takes her soaps, lotions, and crafts to trade shows. In winter, though it is the slowest time, their income is supplemented with gift sales from their website.

Patricia admits it is not always easy.

Keeping everything watered is probably the hardest part, she said. To help with that, the Roberts have recently began installing irrigation systems on some of their crops.

In addition, she said it can be hard to turn a profit with the vegetables. Its a timing thing, she explained. When local stores have sales on their vegetables, she said she has to try to remain competitive, despite the fact that she believes her product is fresher and better.

She said the honey has been the easiest means of making a profit. Weve made pretty good on the honey, she said. And, the bees are not a lot of work. Though she did admit they have to keep an eye out for mites, and the beetles that devastated their colony a few years ago.

Patricia hopes to take the things dearest to her heart and begin making a profit. She has big plans for her goats. Im hoping to expand those, she explained. In addition to using the goats milk for her skincare line, she wants to breed and sell the goats.

In addition, she and Jim are planning to start a pick-your-own berry patch and expand their pond so visitors can fish.

Its just a big mix of stuff, she said. So, youre not doing the same thing all the time.

Thats one aspect of the many aspects of the job that Patricia said she will continue to enjoy.

Its just such a relief not having to go in to an office and sit at a desk all day, she said.

Hoping never to return to a desk, Patricia said she will continue to work on improving and beginning new projects. Theres always new ideas, she said. I like trying new things.

Though she never imagined she and her husband could accomplish so much on such a small amount of land (she said only about two acres is devoted to production), Patricia said she realizes now that it is possible, even without large tractors and equipment.

You can start small. If its a failure, its no big deal, she said. Just go try something else. If it dies on you, you can just plant another one and go again.

Luckily for the Roberts, they have yet to see much failure, but still, Patricia said the projects take a lot of time. I think its something you really have to enjoy, said Patricia. Im thoroughly happy with what were doing now.

When Jim retires, the two plan on taking what Patricia has started and making it their primary income. In addition, Patricia said they will remain members of the GO TEXAN program and hope to continue selling at the Farmers Market in Tyler.

More information about the Roberts ranch can be obtained at www.MyRenegadeRanch.com.