Hidden Gems: Meet Zach & Lyndi Knowles of ZK Ranches

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach & Lyndi Knowles.

Hi Zach & Lyndi, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
At ZK Ranches, we take pride in raising premium, pasture-raised meats with a commitment to quality, sustainability, and ethical ranching. Founded in 2012 by sixth-generation cattle rancher Zach Knowles, our Tennessee-based operation delivers hormone-free, grass-fed, and grain-finished beef directly to consumers.
In 2018, Zach’s wife, Lyndi Adler-Knowles, joined the ranch, bringing her management expertise and 15+ years of horse and cattle ranching experience. Together, they oversee every step of the process—from raising and caring for our animals to harvesting and butchering—ensuring the highest standards of quality, flavor, and animal welfare.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Overall, we have been extremely blessed to have the opportunities we’ve had, and the Lord has definitely had his hand guiding us. But, just like starting and growing any business, it has taken a ton of work and had its fair share of challenges. As is usually the case, finding the right employees was one of our biggest challenges but we have the best team possible in place now and absolutely owe our success to the job they do on a daily basis.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My wife Lyndi and I own and operate ZK Ranches. We’re deeply involved in all aspects of the cattle industry including raising beef that we process in our USDA inspected processing facilities and sell both online and through our local butcher shops. We’re known for producing high quality, clean beef that many families, both local and nationwide, depend on.
We are unique in the fact that we’re still a small , family run operation where my wife and I and one other person manage the cattle but large enough to have our own processing facility and be able to produce enough meat to have a consistent supply for our customers. By being vertically integrated, we’re able to control the quality from start to finish and can quickly pivot and make changes when needed.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The “farm to table” movement has exploded since 2020. The grocery store shortages during Covid made folks realize that just because there’s a grocery store down the street, it may not always have food on its shelves. Obviously Covid was a horrible thing that we all wish had never happened but if we’re trying to find some good in it, it made people go into their local communities and seek out alternative sources for various things, one of the biggest being food. Many people didn’t realize that their neighbors were producing things of much higher quality than they could buy at a big box store.
Although grocery store inventory has returned to normal, many people that found local food sources have continued shopping that way and I believe it will continue to grow exponentially.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Zkranches.com
• Instagram: @zkranches
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZKRANCHES/