The Real Reason Ree Drummond Loves Living On Her Oklahoma Ranch

If you know anything about Ree Drummond, "The Pioneer Woman," you likely know that she lives on a cattle ranch in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, along with her husband, Ladd Drummond, whom she refers to as Marlboro Man. They run the Drummond Land & Cattle Co. ranch, which the Drummond family has owned for generations, and can be traced back to Scottish immigrant Fred Drummond, who came to the area in 1886 (via Oklahoma Historical Society). Drummond regularly shares bits of her life with readers of her Pioneer Woman Blog and her Food Network show. 

According to Ag Daily, Drummond began her blog to share a bit of what life was like for her family. "I didn't set out to start a ranching blog or agricultural blog," she said during a speech at the 2018 Cattle Industry Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. "I just started sharing daily life around the ranch." Her blog took off in popularity, leading to a popular television show, a mercantile, restaurants, and a hotel in Pawhuska. It all happened a bit by accident too. After growing up in Oklahoma, Ree attended college in Los Angeles. She planned to move from Los Angeles to Chicago after college, but she met Ladd on a trip back home, fell in love, and married instead. "Before I knew it, we were getting married, and I moved to his cattle ranch in the middle of nowhere, it felt to me, in north central Oklahoma," Drummond said.

Although living on an Oklahoma cattle ranch wasn't Ree Drummond's initial life plan, she loves the life she and Ladd built together with their four children. "We love living on the ranch, we love being a ranching family raising cattle, and it's something I consider a gift and a privilege," she said (via Wide Open Eats). Before marrying Ladd, Ree had never lived in the country, according to Ag Daily. It took a while for her to begin to love her new life, especially after going a long stint without running water. Then, about a decade into the adventure, Drummond realized how much she enjoyed ranch life, despite never genuinely becoming a cowgirl.

She started her famous blog in 2006 with free online software, and through it, Drummond noted that she "started feeling gratitude that I was able to show people where beef begins and where it comes from" (via Ag Daily). Parade reported that Drummond said her "soul" needed the silence and clear view that the cattle ranch offers. It seems that her gratitude and authentic nature keep her fans coming back to her blog and television show for more glimpses into her beautiful ranch life. 

While she never intended to live her life on a ranch in Oklahoma, Ree Drummond and her husband of 24 years, Ladd, created a booming empire together (via The Pioneer Woman). In addition to raising five children, aged 17 to 23, together, the couple also owns several successful businesses near Pawhuska, Oklahoma, which is home to about 3,400 people (via Pawushka.org). Perhaps you've noticed her successful kitchenware line at Walmart, but you might not know she also owns several brick and mortar businesses. She started with The Mercantile, which consists of a general store, bakery, and restaurant. From there, Drummond opened a pizzeria and an ice cream shop (via KTUL).

Late last year, Drummond shared on her website that she opened a brand new store called The Pioneer Woman Collection. The store sells most of her line from Walmart with matching clothing and other housewares. According to a KTUL report, other business owners in Pawhuska credit Drummond's successful business empire for helping their success. "I wouldn't even have a business if it weren't for Ree and all her other businesses," said Barbara Jacques, owner of Pierce Arrow. "We have people from all over the United States, and all over the world. It's not every day you live in a little town of 3500 and you have someone from a little country in Europe visit your store."

According to The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond and her husband, Ladd, whom she calls "Marlboro Man," still enjoy relaxing evenings on their ranch after working hard all day. "Ladd and I always wind up together on the couch in the evenings, no matter how busy we've been throughout the day," she said. They seem to also share a love of several different film genres. "We both have a soft spot for old Westerns, any of 'The Godfather' movies and '80s flicks," Ree said. The couple and their children even agree on what they enjoy eating when they kick back and rest. "We're on the same page with snacks, too," Drummond said. As for what they enjoy eating? It's probably something you and your family also enjoy. "Queso for us and popcorn for the kids!" revealed the Pioneer Woman.

Of course, all the Drummond's children may not be around much these evenings given that their daughter, Alex, got married, and their sons Jamar and Bryce play college football. Overall, it seems The Pioneer Woman embraced her prairie lifestyle and made her mark on the ranch, Pawhuska, and the world beyond.