Our family has been in the Farming and Ranching business for over 30 years and our grandparents before us were also in farming and ranching. You could say we have inherited our love for the land and its beauty. After a recent purchase of a twenty acre property full of beautiful pines and fertile soil, a vision was born. The following is a little bit of history to bring you to where Rustic Trails begins.
Over the years, Marquita has had a broad range of interest and is a developer at heart. After having children, she moved from Dallas to a small East Texas town, Mineola, and opened a vintage retail business. As a single mom, this gave her a little more flexibility as she could hire someone to work in the shop while she took care of her young childrens’ needs.
She sold all things vintage, provided little girl dress up tea parties, painted wall murals, decorated homes and events, and created custom lampshades. During part of this time she also ran a small bed and breakfast.
Marquita next moved into education and went back to school to receive her Master’s in Information Systems and Learning Technology. She has been able to participate in a variety of areas of education using her development passion and her technology skills and management skills, including helping to develop and running a large Outdoor Education program for 10 years at Sky Ranch, Inc. She is currently the student services coordinator for Mineola ISD where she shares her vast Instructional Technology knowledge with teachers helping them with the shift into digital learning. She has presented multiple times for TCEA, Region 7 and 8 Service Centers, and others over the years. Her hobby for the last 15 years has been foraging and wildcrafting herbs and editable plants, as well as growing domesticated herbs.
This venture could not be done without Marquita’s husband Don’s help. Don is generously sharing his building and ranching talents.
Don started building as a child, and his love for designing and building inspired him to go into the construction industry. He owned and ran a large construction and wood shingle roofing business that traveled across the United States until he semi retired a few years ago. In his “spare time” he also ran his ranch which consisted of horses cows, chickens, and a garden every year. Since he semi retired, he has devoted most of his time to the ranch and he takes on small contracting jobs that inspire his creativity. In addition, he is the pastor for a small local church, HIS Church.
Shelby brings her energy and desire to learn. She loves home cooking, gardening, and DIY projects. She was raised by Don on the ranch and has come back home to live the life. She will be helping with the online sales and guest services for the Bed and Breakfast.
Dustin decided to leave the oil field and put his energy, skills, and talents into clearing the land and helping build the structures we will need for the Bed and Breakfast buildings. He is sharing some great ideas as he works side by side with Don.
Lauren is probably the most creative of the group and is an artist, a podcaster, an author, and an educator. She will be assisting with writing a foraging book for Rustic Trails as well as other ideas and creations we come up with in this adventure.
With a love for land, farming, ranching, foraging, recycling, and repurposing, the vision was born for Rustic Trails. Originally the plan was to just start a small bed and breakfast. However, there were enormous provisions on the new piece of property and an expanded vision has begun to explode. We can’t wait to see where it is going! We will keep you posted on all things Rustic Trails as we travel down this amazing trail. We are glad you are going to join us in this family adventure!
We are a future Bed and Breakfast that are also selling
creations we make and nature related items.
23532 FM 462
Mineola, TX 75773
Genesis 1:29 – And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Genesis 9:3 – Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
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