Country Lifestyles
Wild Horse Mountain Fudge Factory: A one-of-a-kind place, for a one-of-a-kind experience
By staff writer Jessica Bartel
With an eye for possibilities, a creative side and an entrepreneur mind, Mike Hughes is a man of many trades. As a young man on family trips, Hughes remembers traveling through North Texas and stopping along Highway 82 at a gas station just west of Nocona. Years later, Hughes stopped off at that old gas station to find it vacant and run down. He and wife Tammy managed to get information on the piece of property and bought it. Today the site is unrecognizable. Adorned with Mike Hughes Ranch signs, the two have made it a comfortable home.
Five years ago, Hughes stumbled upon his, “next great idea” while at a flea market when an unknown, shiny object caught his eye. Without knowing its identity, Hughes offered the seller $100 and took it. The large, stainless steel, heavy object looked to Hughes like a paint mixer.
After getting it home and making a thorough investigation, the two found a serial number, manufacturing number and address from Amityville, New York. After one quick phone call the mystery object was determined to be a fudge maker capable of making 32 pounds at one time.
The fudge making machine works as a double boiler with the bottom portion filled with water that cooks and stirs the decadent mixture up to 160 degrees. Through some homework, Hughes found out a new machine at the time sold for $4,750, which today would be $5,200.
With no formal training in how to make fudge, Hughes and wife Tammy enlisted the help of the folks in New York for questions, samples and recipes. Tammy had grown up making the dessert with her mother so the task was not completely unfamiliar to her. After several trial batches Tammy came to find the essential flavors that went over well: chocolate, chocolate pecan and a brown sugar fudge called Penuche. To read more pick up the April 2014 issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch.
By: Martha Crump
Most cattle producers can tell you quite a lot about balancing cattle diets for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals based on the specific needs for their herd and type of operation.
A key factor, and one that is often overlooked, is that how your animals perform is also directly affected by their water intake.
Now many of you may already be thinking “well of course water is necessary, anybody knows that!”
In many years, as September marches into October, we are beginning to experience some return of rainfall. But as many of us know, that is not always the case. Often we are still experiencing hot and dry weather, and water supplies are dwindling.
When we find ourselves experiencing those types of fall conditions, it is critical to not only understand the daily water requirements for cattle, but also the impact that the quality of water can have on herd health and development.
To read more, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Annette Bridges
A friend and I were recently talking about our husbands. She made a comment that I felt also perfectly described me and my hubby.
“He slows me and I hurry him. I’m sure that is why we do well together,” she said.
“Precisely!” I thought. Why?
Because when two different worlds collide, it can be magical.
No matter what those two different worlds are- a man and a woman with very different personalities, beliefs, or backgrounds, two partners with contrasting passions, strengths, or talents, or when a country boy marries a city girl.
To read more, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
Watauga, Texas, a suburb of Fort Worth, is known for its rich history as a railroad stop, but over the course of the last year, one teen girl has put it on the map for agriculture as well. Emma Harvey has lived in Tarrant County her entire life. Despite being highly involved in her local 4-H chapter, she still felt there was more she could do. In the spring of 2023, she stepped up to the plate to take over the title of Tarrant County Teen Miss Agriculture USA.
“It all started when I put in an application for the teen title here in Tarrant County,” explained Harvey.
The Miss Agriculture USA program is a national non-profit, age-inclusive pageant program that offers both competition and non-competition titles to women dedicated to the promotion of agriculture.
Read more in the October issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available online and in print. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive NTFR in your inbox each week.
Photo by Hannah Claxton.
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