October 16, 2025
1 min read

STAT+: In Texas, ex-vegan restaurateurs put MAHA’s vision for farming to the test

BANDERA, Texas — You could be forgiven for thinking Ryland Engelhart is religious. 

“This is very me,” the 45-year-old says as he maneuvers his golf cart past a massive, three-dimensional heart he carved out of wood using a chainsaw. Like his forearms, the heart is emblazoned with two words: be love. Across from it sits a wooden cross Engelhart says his family erected on a Good Friday without realizing the day’s significance. They are “spiritual seekers,” who dabble across traditions. 

“The heart is the vessel in which we receive messages,” Engelhart says as he turns the wheel, heading deeper into his 200-acre property in central Texas. This place, Sovereignty Ranch, is his message received. 

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