The country-style, agricultural feel of life in the Brazos Valley, is something that graduates of Texas A&M University take with them for the rest of their life. Students move on to their professional careers and families, and before they know it, the allure of that country feeling begins to draw them back. Many yearn for that same relaxed, Texas feeling on their weekends, as they become consumed by the hustle and bustle of life.

One Aggie at heart who is all too familiar with that desire is Dara Childs. Born and raised in College Station, his father is still a professor at A&M in the engineering department. Childs has spent the better part of his career working in Houston, but decided to move back to the country because he wanted to raise his children in a more bucolic, close knit environment.  Brenham’s strong school district, the stunning beauty of Washington County, and a home investment protected by carefully crafted deed covenants, were leading factors for choosing Gates Ranch.

The Childs family has moved to Gates Ranch on a full-time basis, and has now lived on their farm for close to a year. 

“Gates Ranch has such a nice layout and the property that we chose to buy was just more attractive than the other options that we looked at,” said Childs. “Our lives have slowed down and gotten a lot quieter since moving here. We feel that we have more in common with our neighbors that we sometimes did in Houston, and there is generally a feeling of shared values in Washington County.”

Meanwhile, another Aggie family, the Steins, are making strides on their new farm at Gates Ranch.  Kerry and Angela Stein are both A&M graduates, and they have many siblings, nieces, and nephews who are also Aggies. Working with San Antonio based Lake Flato architects, the Steins have just finished designing their dream house and barn for their new ranch. The family plans to make their farm a central hub for many future gatherings, as the group travels to College Station often to visit and to attend sporting events, including their tailgate parties prior to home football games.

Two young calves pose for a photo on North Pond, one of the two ranches the Steins purchased to assemble their dream farm. 

Finally, former Houston Mayor Bill White – who currently has a son attending A&M – purchased one of the last available ranches in Phase 1. The White family is looking forward to having a relaxing, country place to call home, that is in between Houston and College Station, where they can gather for years to come. As White explains, “our ranch is a family project, and our three grown children are debating how to best use the land.”

A beautiful sunrise on the White’s new 66 acre farm. 

We invite you to stop by for a visit to Gates Ranch, where we have sold 70% of the family farms in Phases I & II, and we encourage you to visit us soon to ensure your choice of the prime farm sites. For more information or to schedule your personal tour, please call Cyndee Smith with Oldham Goodwin Group at 713-816-3407.