Better Equine Ranch

Better Equine Ranch Ranch & Farm Established 1987 here. Offering education for growing small crops, raising bees, livestock and more!

You'll find Aronia berries, Elderberries, Livestock including an Apiary (Honey Bees), various Herbs, BETiree natural tinctures and products.

The 2 hives I have in my apiary now are from swarms gathered. One my neighbor Courtney and her husband gathered a few ye...
03/15/2026

The 2 hives I have in my apiary now are from swarms gathered. One my neighbor Courtney and her husband gathered a few years ago and it’s doing super good! The second one is from a swarm I gathered out of a bush last summer at Erika Tanney’s place. After I shook the “ball” of bees into my box, it is so fun to watch them “march” right in to the hive boxes to be with their Queen!

Last year I purchased a nuc and it was doing well and then boom all gone… a bee professional came out and said it’s possible my queen died Ugh… the hive also showed signs of wax moths. I’m going to assume when my queen died and the hive was weak and the wax months came in. I removed the frames and put them in a the freezer…. So disappointed because just weeks before I had checked the hive and it seemed to be ok But I couldn’t find the queen… Love learning about Bees… 😃

I’m anxiously awaiting my nuc of bees coming in April and May ❤️ ❤️❤️ Their new spot is ready for them!

Better Equine Ranch

My peach tree now… and it’s snowing and going to be 17 tonight Ugh I wanted some of those yummy peaches this summer!! 🌱🌱...
03/15/2026

My peach tree now… and it’s snowing and going to be 17 tonight

Ugh I wanted some of those yummy peaches this summer!! 🌱🌱 🍑🍑🍑

Better Equine Ranch

03/15/2026

Thanks to Greg and Bill the Shed spring cleaning project is Complete!!

Just in the nic of time because NOW it’s snowing here!

2 day old Baby Goats - Mary and Marty are inside with their mom under the heat lamp

The chickens are happily bedded down in the fresh clean straw and the rest of the adult goats are in their huts 😎

Of course PJ, snowflake and Fabby are in their sheds

Burr! Welcome to Kansas babies 😳🐐🐐😂

Better Equine Ranch
Miami County Kansas Agritourism & Farm Tours

Temporary panel fence went in today. This will help my PJ horse and his pony not be in too much grass and founder. (Than...
03/14/2026

Temporary panel fence went in today. This will help my PJ horse and his pony not be in too much grass and founder. (Thanks to my Hubs ❤️and Greg 😎)

It also keeps the horses 🐴 out of the elderberry 🌱and apiary (honey bees) pasture we are putting in this year.

Better Equine Ranch
Miami County Kansas Agritourism & Farm Tours

03/14/2026
We have BABIES!! Nigerian Dwarf - Meet Marty and Mary! Put us on your Miami County Kansas Agritourism Spring Farm Tours ...
03/14/2026

We have BABIES!!
Nigerian Dwarf - Meet Marty and Mary!

Put us on your Miami County Kansas Agritourism Spring Farm Tours stop on Mothers Day weekend!! 🌱🌱

Neighbor Sheila Tappan will be looking forward to helping everyone hold the baby goats and chickens!🐐🐓

Howard John Wenger our young Ranch Tour guide will help you with the horses, cattle and our pony! 🐴🐮

Better Equine Ranch
Miami County Kansas Agritourism & Farm Tours
Sheila Merckens Tappan

Mark your calendars for the Miami County Kamsas Agritourism Spring Farm tours!! Jana Harrington Barcus and Sheila Tappa...
03/11/2026

Mark your calendars for the Miami County Kamsas Agritourism Spring Farm tours!! 

Jana Harrington Barcus and Sheila Tappan look forward each year to seeing all of our farm guests!! We should have some New goat kids - babies born for all to see too!

Better Equine Ranch
Miami County Kansas Agritourism & Farm Toursead

Another bale out… grass is coming on strong! Better Equine Ranch
03/10/2026

Another bale out… grass is coming on strong!

Better Equine Ranch

Pretty nice day today I took some time and cleaned a few things up from winter around here. Made a pretty good pile of s...
03/08/2026

Pretty nice day today I took some time and cleaned a few things up from winter around here.

Made a pretty good pile of sticks to take to the ditch too!

I installed the cattle panel this year to plant my cantaloupe and squash starts on. I’ve never used a trellis for cucumbers, beans, cantaloupes or anything. I see people doing it so we’ll see how it goes.

I’ve got some beautiful cantaloupe that have already started popping on the dirt… Actually it happened alittle too soon and they are getting tall fast! I have to wait until May to put them outside in the ground... But see how it works. 😃🌱

03/02/2026

If you come across honey bees swarmed in a bush or low tree this spring / summer , let me know as I would love to come try to gather them up.

Just with our area maybe 30/40 miles out from us. 😃✅

Keep me in mind as I want to put more honey bee hives here at the Ranch and Farm. Thank you!

Last fall I had a vine I think it was called cucumber something…  that just showed up and took over it had a little bit ...
03/02/2026

Last fall I had a vine I think it was called cucumber something… that just showed up and took over it had a little bit of creamy yellow flowers on it, and the bees went wild. After it died off, it killed all of the thick Brome grass that was on this hillside.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Better Equine Ranch

Small bags great for trying FRESH, Local Grown this summer!Better Equine RanchBETiree Pure & Natural Boutique
11/24/2025

Small bags great for trying FRESH, Local Grown this summer!

Better Equine Ranch
BETiree Pure & Natural Boutique

Address

29545 Pleasant Valley Road
Paola, KS
66071

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Join us at Better Equine Ranch

Our Ranch is a registered Agri-Tourism destination. Enjoy learning about daily livestock management, see the animals, hold a chicken or goat, take photograph’s in our fun western photo booth too! Shop the Better Equine Store where you can purchase gifts, farm fresh eggs and homemade products in season when available. Make your own Stick Horse in our craft area to ride around the ranch!

Better Equine Ranch is conveniently located between Paola & Ottawa, Kansas, just 2 Miles south from K-68 Hwy on Pleasant Valley Road, Paola, Ks.

Stop by the Better Equine Ranch during business Mon - Fri 9:00 am - 5:00 pm & Sat. 9:00 am - 1:00 pm and event extended hours listed on our Ranch Event Calendar at: https://betterequineinc.com/event-calendar Some of our Ranch events charge a small admission, so check our calendar and notice the FREE or PAY event.

Come on out to our Ranch and Enjoy the Ride!