Cooking up a meal for a branding crew, group of visiting dignitaries, or array of friends can be daunting for anyone, but when you live nearly an hour from town, it can be downright troubling. Yet Mackenzie Kimbro has learned that preplanning, keeping a good stock of ingredients, and always tackling a job head-on with a smile will get you through anything. The 28-year-old learned a lot about life growing up ranching on her family’s two ranches southeast of Douglas, Ariz., and watching her grandmother, Wendy Glenn, and mother, Kelly Glenn-Kimbro, juggle daily chores with household duties.
Today, she blends her family’s lifestyle into her own brand, also the name of the 2017 television show she had on RFD-TV, called Roots Run Deep. Kimbro embodies multiple titles: cookbook author, blogger, social media influencer, Western brand ambassador, television host, and sixth-generation rancher. When not working the J Bar A Ranch or the Malpai Ranch with her mother and grandfather, Warner Glenn, Kimbro makes it her mission to showcase how Western fashion can be for all shapes and sizes, as well as educate her followers on all things ranch life, including branding. This past December, she hosted Roots Run Deep, which aired on both the Cowgirl Channel and Cowboy Channel Plus app.
Here, Kimbro talks about her lifestyle and shares a favorite recipe that often graces the ranch table.
Western Life Today: Growing up on a ranch that hosted a lot of visitors, how did food factor into gatherings?
Mackenzie Kimbro: Good food is a unifying thread that runs through all our lives. We have hosted dignitaries from around the country and the world, politicians, agency personnel, environmentalists, scientists, lawyers, fellow ranchers and agriculturalists—people from all disciplines. No matter the goal of the conversation, the most productive ones seem to happen when people let their guard down and actively engage in conversations, which is something that inevitably happens around good food!
WLT: The Malpai Borderlands Group was started and led by ranchers, and it has protected more than 78,000 acres in New Mexico and Arizona. Why is conservation close to your heart?
Kimbro: From the start, my family taught me that ranchers are everyday environmentalists. We work to raise healthy cattle in a sustainable manner, keeping conservation mindsets at the forefront in order to better use available resources like forage, water, et cetera, and therefore preserve a working landscape. Growing up as a sixth-generation rancher, not only is it important to me to honor the traditions of our family’s legacy, but also to understand and embrace the concepts they built this livelihood on, mainly with “leave the land better than you found it,” and “be responsible in managing the health of our herd and our landscapes for future generations.”
WLT: How did growing up on a remote ranch shape your attitude toward fashion?
Kimbro: In large part thanks to my mom, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers, fashion has always been something I was able to embrace. Realizing now the importance of holding onto our history, I love to mix vintage pieces that will stand the test of time with contemporary elements that allow for me to dress my plus-size body confidently and in a flattering manner.
Little touches bring back the feminine flair to cowgirl attire, including the availability of pretty prints in our pearl-snap shirt selections or dainty earrings that don’t interfere with the jobs at hand. I love the motto, “look good, feel good, do good,” and if that means you want to wear some mascara with your full-face SPF for a long day in the saddle, then by all means, go for it girlfriend—I’ll be right there with ya!
WLT: Ranching is looked at as a manly job, or one where you don’t get to dress with a lot of flair. How is what you’re doing on social media helping to combat those stereotypes?
Kimbro: I was raised in a culture of cowgirls who embodied every bit of the lifestyle with grit, glam and grace, which is a concept I have tried to live by as well as build my business off of. These women were tough as nails, yet gentle enough to nurture orphaned calves and raise kids, cook for cowboy crews, and pull themselves together with some glam to walk into any function like the belle of the ball. The poise and inner elegance that comes with being a lady, mixed with the grit and determined attitude to get any job done—it’s a unique combination!
When it comes to social media, I try to share bits of it all. The ranching lifestyle and cowboy culture we cherish in the West go hand in hand with the fashionable finds that come together to outfit ourselves in pieces we feel confident in. Brands that hold the Western life at heart have been my favorite to work with because we share a common thread of loving this lifestyle. Thanks to social media, I can share their stories and their efforts to outfit.
WLT: How has your work with Western fashion brands changed your own fashion sense?
Kimbro: Over the past few years, I’ve been able to work with numerous brands that helped show me how the world of fashion and design, as well as buying for retail, works. As someone who doesn’t fit a “standard” size run, and is therefore categorized in the “plus-size” selections, it’s been really interesting to see what goes into designing pieces. Most recently, some of my experiences have brought me the opportunity to work with brands on the design table, breaking down the elements that I’ve found to be most flattering for size-inclusive pieces, and therefore expand the availability of styles for women of all sizes and shapes. Fashion design has never had one true measurement for size runs, so women can easily get stuck in the rut of only going by the size on the label, when in reality, we should focus more on the way clothing was made to fit and adjust accordingly, not letting the number/letter on the label define us.
WLT: You have produced content in print, online and on television. What drives you to promote the Western lifestyle across all platforms?
Kimbro: At the end of the day, my goal is to share our stories, showcasing shades of our Southwestern lifestyle! Learning how to pivot the way that I share those elements is critical to the success of my business, but also to the long-term conversations around our lifestyles. I strive to be a resource for people of all ages, from all backgrounds.
Some come to me for insight on ranching and raising healthy cattle that produce beef to sustainably feed the country/world. Others have come to me looking for inspiration on how to dress in a wardrobe that they feel confident in. The community of people who have chosen to follow along with my corner of the internet have been such a blessing for so many reasons, and the conversations we have are almost always productive or enlightening.
Really, I’m thankful for the opportunity to share everything that I love with people who take a true interest in any facet of it.
Mackenzie Kimbro’s Warm Caramel Applesauce
Mackenzie Kimbro often whips up fruit compotes to serve over ice cream or even biscuits. One of her favorites is this warm caramel apple sauce.
◆ 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
◆ 3 tablespoons cinnamon
◆ 1 teaspoon vanilla
◆ 1 small 6-ounce can of pineapple juice
◆ 1 cup packed brown sugar
◆ 5 large, red apples, peeled and finely chopped
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the pineapple juice, cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk vigorously until everything is well-mixed, then add the chopped apples. Gently toss the apples to coat, then bring to a simmer. Simmer about 35 minutes, or until the apples are nice and tender and the liquid almost syrupy. Serve warm!
Follow Mackenzie Kimbro on Instagram @kenziegk.
This article about Mackenzie Kimbro appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of Western Life Today magazine. Click here to subscribe!
