Dust, Cattle & Conservation: The Last of the Florida Cowboy
When most people think of Florida, they picture beaches, palm trees, or spring break chaos. But there’s a side to Florida that rarely makes it onto postcards—wide open pastures, citrus groves, and cattle ranches that have been around for generations.
That’s the Florida we stepped into when we met up with Nathan Smothers.
Nathan’s not just a cowboy—he’s a third-generation rancher, photographer, reality show alum (Farmer Wants a Wife), and most importantly, a guy who really cares about the land he lives on. We spent the day out on his family’s property filming for an episode of Chasing Passion, and it ended up being one of the most memorable shoots I’ve done.
Now, let me back up for a second.
Like a lot of kids who grew up watching John Wayne films on repeat, I always dreamed of being a cowboy. I even spent time as a wrangler at a camp once, but never got to fully chase that version of the dream. So getting to spend a full day in the boots-and-hat version of that lifestyle? Yeah—safe to say I was grinning the whole time. Just ask Ryan Tuttle, who was second shooting with me. He couldn’t stop laughing at how excited I was.
We met Nathan early in the morning, and he took us out into the pastures to check on the cattle. His land still looks like old Florida—oak trees spread wide across open fields, cattle grazing, egrets standing in shallow ponds. You can feel what’s at stake when he talks about it.
“If you're grounded in what you're passionate about—and for me, it's keeping the land alive—maybe money’s not the biggest thing in the equation,” Nathan told us. “It's about being good stewards of the land.”
That hit home.
Ranchers like Nathan are facing massive pressure from developers. Land that’s been in families for generations is being sold off for subdivisions and strip malls. But Nathan isn’t budging. His love for this land runs too deep.
We spent the day fixing fences, herding cattle, and riding out across the property. He even let us tag along on a canoe ride across one of the ranch’s lakes—a mid-day pause that made me realize how rare this kind of peace is.
Toward the end of the day, we talked about his horse. Old, loyal, and nearing the end of its riding years.
“A horse isn’t just a tool,” he said. “It’s a partner. A friend. Someone you trust.”
That kind of relationship with your environment—with the animals, the weather, the work—it leaves a mark. It’s the kind of life that moves slower but holds more weight.
We wrapped the shoot the cowboy way: a fire, a grilled steak, a beer, and a sunset that made it hard to leave.
This wasn’t just a story about cows and land. It was about legacy, values, and holding on to the things that matter—especially when everything around you is changing fast.
Nathan’s story reminds me that passion doesn’t always look like movement or growth. Sometimes, it looks like standing your ground.
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Watch the full episode of Chasing Passion: A Day with a Florida Cowboy → https://youtu.be/AhhTCP5x3wg?si=2I05jFfwX8ahmU6n
Support Florida land conservation and sustainable ranching →