Ree Drummond, commonly known as “The Pioneer Woman,” started a blog in 2006 that turned out to be the launching point for a multimillion-dollar empire, including books, a lifestyle magazine, a restaurant and retail store, and a Walmart home collection of kitchen, cooking, dinnerware and bedding products.
But those aren’t the only ways in which she’s distinguished herself. In addition to her fortune and fame, it turns out the Food Network star is also one of the biggest land owners in the United States. To be precise, according to a list released by the Land Report, Drummond holds the 23rd spot.
Drummond’s Among Some High-Rolling Company
Drummond’s inclusion on the list puts her in pretty lofty company, as it’s populated with some of the most-recognized and wealthiest people in the nation, such as Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos at No. 25 and media mogul Ted Turner, who holds the No. 1 spot.
Drummond’s husband’s family owns a whopping 433,000 acres in Oklahoma, the star’s home state. To put that amount of land in perspective, it covers just over 675 square miles, which is over half the size of Rhode Island and would be the seventh largest city in total area in the United States. And all that land pays—big time.
A big source of that cash comes courtesy of Uncle Sam. Since 2006, the Bureau of Land Management has reportedly paid the family $24 million in subsidies “to support animal protection” by allowing wild horses and burros to roam freely on their land. Drummond is passionate and vocal about her love for horses and frequently shares shots of them on her social media accounts:
“I’m Just A Wife And A Mom”
Despite her riches and fame, Drummond remains humble.
“I think people are drawn to ‘The Pioneer Woman,’ not because I am some fascinating person, but because I present things that a lot of people can relate to,” Drummond told the Daily Mail. “I’m not a chef, and I’m not an expert at anything. I’m just a wife and a mom.”
Want to check out Drummond’s home for yourself? Well, The Pioneer Woman does open up her home on a regular basis for fans of her show.
How To Visit The Pioneer Woman’s World
“Come to Pawhuska and enjoy The Mercantile for a whole day… or two!” she writes on her official website. There’s plenty to do (and eat) both inside The Merc and around Osage County, and we’d love to have you in our neck of the woods. Bring your sweetie, bring your mom, bring your cousins, bring a group of old friends. We want you to enjoy the heck out of The Merc and Pawhuska!
Each month, Drummond updates the dates she opens tours to the public, so keep an eye on that when you want to plan a road trip!
Anyone interested in visiting The Lodge must first head to Drummond’s store, The Mercantile. Then, according to the store’s official website:
“Ask a Merc employee for directions after you’ve enjoyed your time at The Merc, and they will give you instructions. (There’s no charge — we just want you to have fun!)”
OK, Pioneer Woman. That’s a pretty savvy way to get people to stop by your store!
The store averages about 6,000 visitors each day (with up to 15,000 some days.) Considering Pawhuska, Oklahoma’s population normally sits at about 3,500, that’s a lot of visitors for a small town to handle.
But they seem to do a pretty good job managing so far.
Want a sneak peek at what you can find at The Mercantile? Check out this behind-the-scenes tour offered by Drummond!
Despite the massive amount of property, the studio, the house and everything that Drummond and her family have, it’s important to remember, first and foremost, all of it is still their home.
About the Author
Kate Streit lives in Chicago. She enjoys stand-up comedy, mystery novels, memoirs, summer and pumpkin spice anything. More.
