Meet Kristin Navarro | Executive Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristin Navarro and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristin, what do you attribute your success to?
My name is Kristin Navarro & This is my husband , the chef , Eduardo Navarro. We are the power couple who took on something extraordinary & it changed us!

We moved to Texas in 2016 after the passing of my stepmother. We left everything & our law enforcement career to be with my Father, Allan Watt, when he needed us the most. We have no fairy tale story that lead us here. Rather we have a story full of faith in God & a long journey of finding peace.

In January 2016 we tragically lost Renay to suicide & our family was left heartbroken. My father approached us and asked us to help complete Oak Meadow Ranch, the place Renay loved the most, & I believe it was Gods journey to heal my family.

At that moment we really had no idea how amazing this journey would be or the people we would touch.

We started the journey in mid 2016 and after a family friend asked us to create their dream wedding we knew this was God speaking to us.

By January 2017 we opened our wedding venue to the public & had one wedding under our belt.

Not long after, in April 2017 , Eduardo opened his dream restaurant, The Whitehorse, on Oak Meadow Ranch after being a chef for over 20 Years and we never looked back!

About me…I served 12 years in Law Enforcement , received a bachelors in criminal justice & Master of Science in forensic science administration BUT had no business background! With God, a fantastic team, stellar support system; I was able to find inner talents & truly live a NEW dream. I was able to begin to heal and find inner peace.

The Ranch today …. all I can say is the tranquility & presence of God at Oak Meadow Ranch is truly beautiful. He has blessed us with over 70 beautiful creatures (both farm animals & exotic animals ) that guests can interact with, love & learn about. We added a total of 12 Airbnb stays that include cabins, glampers , & Conestoga wagons people can stay in & enjoy the ranch for a night or week. We have walking trails , prayer garden, hot tub, cowboy pool & fun swings to relax on.

What I realized 5 Years after the tragic event …. “ even through tragedy beautiful things will come”

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a working ranch that provides a unique experience. We have unique lodging options, Wildlife encounters, gourmet dinners with chef Navarro, and many other things to do on the ranch. We are located just one hour north of DFW.

We are a family owned and operated and have built this amazing place for Others to enjoy with family and friends.

We offer a one night stay or extended stays. And we take reservations for the dinner and the animal encounters 7 days a week. You must have a reservation to partake in dinner and an animal experience.

A little bit about our animal experience…

we have over 15 different species of exotic animals that have been hand raised by my family & I. You get to go inside the playgrounds and play with all our lovable animals. This is an experience you cannot find anywhere else! You get to feed the lemurs while they bounce around, Partake in a kangaroo kiss, hug a sloth, Play fetch with our Exotic cats, bottle feed camels & much more. It is an amazing experience and something we became known for.

Our ranch is over 20 acres of serene landscape & we have a prayer garden, along with a few other cute things to see & find!

Our Brand:
The History of branding animals dates back to 2700 BC and are one of the most interesting tools used by livestock people still today. Each brand is by necessity different than others & often conveys the character of the ranch owner. The Secret language of livestock branding is both intriguing and unique.

Our story of our brand:
after search and thinking for sometime about the ideal brand for our ranch it came instantly and prophetically one early morning. Our brand became the “cross arch over M”. It means “through the blood of Jesus, each of us receives a covering that makes us as strong , as an oak” . The reason for “M” meadow is plural and is based biblically on Matthew 18:19-20. We believe this ranch is our blessing to reach many people.

“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:19-20, NKJV)

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Definitely I would take them to Ft. Worth Stockyards, eat at XOXO dining because I love their outdoor patio. Spend lots of time at our ranch with our zoo. Day trip up to Winstar Casino to test our luck. Check out a local winery like Edge of the Lake Vinyard in Valley View Tx, Take them to the Lavender Farms & Tulip Farms. I love the Denton Square, LSA burgers for patio fun & burgers. Palm Tree Boutique is so fun to shop. I would also take them to Gainesville Square & eat at Sarah on the Square & shopping spree at Bungalow 123 in Gainesville Texas.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Father , Allan Watt, has been my best friend my entire life. He is the reason I am where I am today. He believes in me more then anyone in this world & is the founder of Oak Meadow Ranch. I was just priviledged enough to able to help him carry out his dreams & little did I know back then that this too would be my dream. He has big my biggest mentor my entire life. He is brilliant, hard working, & a man of God which I truly admire.

My husband, Eduardo Navarro, is my rock. He is my constant cheerleader & about the only who can handle my fast pass energy. He is the love of my life & I could not imagine this journey with anyone else. I love seeing his growth as a chef & he truly inspires me everyday.

Website: www.oakmeadowranch.com

Instagram: Oakmeadowranch_texas

Facebook: oakmeadowranch

Other: personal: instagram @lemurqueen2018 personal facebook Kristin Navarro