In Awe of Roxie: The Woman, The Dreamer, The Shepherd of Wooly Green Grazers

You ever meet someone who changes your life in quiet, beautiful ways? That’s Roxie for me.

We’ve known each other since 2016, but our friendship really took off when I signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon. Her husband decided to run it with me, and somewhere between training miles and shared encouragement, Roxie and I became best friends. I didn’t know it then, but that race would be just the beginning of a lifelong bond with one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met.

Roxie has a “see a need, fill a need” kind of heart. She doesn’t just talk about problems—she rolls up her sleeves and does something about them. She’s the reason I love chickens (she gave me my first two chicks!) and the reason I now have goats and sheep wandering around my own little homestead. Her influence is everywhere in my life, and I’m better for it.

What makes Roxie even more incredible is her deep self-awareness. She knows her flaws, owns them without apology, and doesn’t waste time pretending to be anything she’s not. She shows up fully and authentically every day—and she allows me to do the same. That kind of unconditional friendship is rare. She loves me for exactly who I am, and I love her right back for the beautiful force of nature she is.

Now let’s talk about Wooly Green Grazers, her dream-turned-reality.

Before I ever really understood what grazing even was, Roxie was already dreaming of using sheep to tackle overgrowth, promote sustainability, and care for land the way nature intended. This wasn’t a pipe dream or a passing hobby—it was her vision, her calling. And today, she’s one of the very few people I know who had a lifelong goal and actually made it happen.

This woman started with just two sheep. Now she’s managing a flock of more than fifty. Her days aren’t 9-to-5—they’re sunrise to sunset (and sometimes longer), in freezing cold or blistering heat. There are no sick days. No vacation time. Just endless dedication to the animals and the mission.

She makes it look fun. Graceful, even. But I’ve seen the hard days—the heartbreak when a sheep doesn’t make it, the tough choices of sending some to market, the rejections from people who think grazing is just a quirky little side hustle. They don’t see the long hours, the manual labor, the emotional weight of caring so deeply for something. I do. And I am in awe.

What Roxie has built isn’t just a business—it’s a movement. She’s out there teaching people about the value of living green, about the power of using animals to manage land naturally, and about finding joy and purpose in doing the hard things.

And me? I will always be her biggest cheerleader. I will stop everything I’m doing if she needs help. Because she has poured so much into this dream—and into me—that showing up for her is the easiest yes I’ll ever give.

So here’s to Roxie—the shepherd, the trailblazer, the woman who gives the shirt off her back but wouldn’t dare spend $35 on a new one. She’s unapologetically herself, and I am endlessly proud to call her my best friend.