When Hurricane Harvey tore across the Gulf Coast in 2017, CW and Nicole Mallery found themselves among the thousands of families whose lives were upended overnight.
The storm swallowed their Texas community in floodwaters so deep that even tractor-trailers disappeared beneath the rising tide. With drinking water contaminated, supplies cut off, and streets transformed into rivers, the Mallerys were forced onto their rooftop to survive.
It showed us how vulnerable we really were,” CW later reflected.
For weeks, access to food and necessities was nearly impossible. Stores were bare, boats were needed to navigate neighborhoods, and animal carcasses floated through the floodwaters. In the chaos, one truth became painfully clear: their survival hinged on a system that could collapse in an instant.
That harrowing ordeal became the catalyst for a profound transformation. Instead of rebuilding in Texas, the couple left behind what little they could salvage and set off in an RV, determined to find a new home where they could grow their own food and never again face such dependency.
Their journey spanned California, Oregon, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, and beyond, until they landed in El Paso County, Colorado. There, on 1,000 acres of ranchland, they planted the seeds of a new life and a new mission.
Building a Future Through Agriculture
In 2020, the Mallerys launched Freedom Acres Ranch, a sprawling livestock operation grounded in the philosophy that “Farmers Save Lives.”
Nicole, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Indiana, and CW, who grew up around agriculture in Louisiana, had no illusions about the challenges ahead. But they saw farming not only as a path to self-sufficiency but also as a way to serve others.
Their ranch produces grass-fed beef, lamb, goat, pork, chicken, and turkey, feeding families locally and shipping across the country. They made their food accessible to low-income households by accepting EBT and donating regularly to community food programs.
The couple’s vision was simple yet urgent: ensure that no family would have to experience the food insecurity they endured during Harvey.
“I never imagined I’d fall in love with growing food and being in control of what we ate,” Nicole said. “But after the hurricane, and then with COVID hitting, it only reinforced that we were on the right path.”
The timing was fortuitous. As the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered supply chains and left shelves empty, the Mallerys’ direct-to-consumer approach became a lifeline for neighbors who could no longer risk crowded grocery stores.
Their farm-to-door deliveries provided fresh protein to senior citizens, families, and even entire communities that otherwise faced scarcity.
Healing Veterans and Communities
Nicole’s military service infused the ranch with a second mission: helping veterans reconnect with purpose and peace. Freedom Acres has become a sanctuary where former service members can interact with animals, work outdoors, and rediscover the healing power of nature.
“One veteran just cradled a baby goat, and it was so therapeutic for her,” Nicole recalled. “In many ways, it feels like the same mission as the military, saving lives, just in a different form.”
The ranch also opens its gates to school groups and retreats, inviting children and adults alike to learn where their food comes from. Mornings often begin before sunrise with chores, but by mid-afternoon, visitors might find themselves chasing piglets, feeding cows, or marveling at grasshoppers in the fields. For many kids from urban environments, it is their first real encounter with agriculture, a tangible lesson in food, land, and resilience.
Innovation on the Move
Determined to expand access to fresh food, the Mallerys converted a school bus into a mobile farmers market. Stocked with meat from their ranch and honey and produce from other local farms, the bus became a rolling solution to food deserts.
It parked at community centers, food banks, and parks, ensuring that even those without reliable transportation could buy directly from local farmers.
“Creating access was the biggest part,” CW explained. “People want fresh, local food. The question is: how do we bring it to them where they are?”
For consumers, the mobile market was more than a place to shop. It was an introduction to the farmers themselves, a chance to see the human faces behind the food system. “Knowing your farmer, knowing your food, that’s love being put into your plate,” CW said.
Trials Beyond the Farm
But Freedom Acres Ranch has not been without controversy. In recent years, the couple became entangled in a civil rights dispute that drew national media coverage and attention from lawmakers.
Allegations of harassment, racism, and property disputes with neighbors escalated into criminal charges, all of which were eventually dropped.
Despite these challenges, the Mallerys pressed forward with their mission, leaning on their tight-knit support network of family, veterans, and community members.
Nicole’s involvement with the Marine Corps League and the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post reinforced their connections and brought more people to the ranch, eager to learn about farming and ranching firsthand.
Thriving Amid Industry Challenges
While many agricultural producers have struggled with the ripple effects of tariffs, animal disease outbreaks, and supply chain shocks, the Mallerys have remained relatively insulated thanks to their direct-to-consumer model. Still, they are not immune to inflation.
Rising fuel and input costs, Nicole noted, have forced them to adapt and diversify their crops to keep prices manageable for customers.
Small towns, she added, feel these spikes more intensely than urban centers, making careful planning an essential part of ranching life. Yet the work remains worth it, especially when it ends with a horseback ride to a ridge at sunset, surrounded by the quiet chorus of crickets and birds.
A Mission for the Future
The Mallerys’ story is one of survival transformed into service. Hurricane Harvey may have destroyed their past, but it also revealed a path forward rooted in agriculture, community, and resilience. Today, their ranch is more than a business; it is a statement about the essential role of farmers in sustaining society.
“We can be all kinds of things in this world,” CW said, “but agriculture is the backbone of America. Our mission is farmers save lives, and we live that every day.”
From disaster to determination, the Mallerys have shown that agriculture is not just about food production, it is about survival, healing, and connection.
Their Freedom Acres Ranch stands as proof that when systems fail, the land and those who work it can rebuild not only livelihoods but communities themselves.