A Bitcoin farm in Missouri is cooking up a rare stew: ranching, Bitcoin, and a freedom-driven community. At the center of it is Ryan Cooper — a rancher, libertarian political candidate, and community builder who has become one of the key figures driving the orange signal forward in St. Francois County.
I had the chance to sit down with Ryan for a full-length conversation, which turned into an hour-long YouTube interview. In it, he opens up about his path to Bitcoin, his faith, his family, and the vision he has for the ranch. It’s well worth a listen for anyone curious how grassroots sovereignty really works in practice.
link to youtube
From Politics to Pastures
Ryan didn’t come into politics the usual way.
“In 2022 there wasn’t a single challenger to any political office in our entire Southeast Missouri county. So the last day of sign ups I put my name in to run for presiding county commissioner as a libertarian.”
That wasn’t about chasing power — it was about shining light where there was none. As Ryan says, politics can be an amplifier, but the real revolution comes from the soil up. Even a “losing” campaign boosts the signal.
Meanwhile, his family continues to live and work on the ranch, supporting local farmers and homesteaders, connecting with butcher shops and distributors, and weaving together a circular economy. Beef here isn’t just food; it’s sovereignty.
Lunch, Late Nights, and Honest Stories
I first met Ryan at the Bitcoin Hub and later hung out with him at the BTCHEL conference. We ended up sharing lunch, and as these things go, the evening turned into late-night conversations over drinks.
Ryan was easy to make friends with — charismatic, with a story that’s both deeply authentic and refreshingly candid. He shares personal stories of triumph and failure alike, which is rare in a space often dominated by bravado. It left me hoping I’ll get to visit the Missouri ranch one day and see this community experiment firsthand.
Homestead Breakfasts & Orange Pills
This isn’t theory. The ranch regularly hosts homestead breakfasts for Bitcoiners and newcomers to the ecosystem. Eggs, bacon, black coffee — and a side of orange pill. These gatherings are a real on-ramp, not another sterile conference-room pitch session.
And Bitcoin Conference – September 20th
On September 20th, the ranch will host the first “And Bitcoin Conference.” Forget corporate sponsorships and sterile convention centers. This is Bitcoin grounded in dirt, sweat, and food straight from the land.
If you can make it, show up. If not, you can still catch the full interview I did with Ryan — an hour-long dive into his journey with Bitcoin, politics, faith, and the community they’re building in St. Francois.
Join Texas Slim & other bitcoiners in Downtown Farmington at 11 N. Jefferson Street, 63640.
“This event will be during the Blues Brews Festival, but we have reserved our own patio to hang with other bitcoiners”.
Signal from the Soil
Ryan Cooper and his ranch aren’t just running cattle or nodes. They’re showing how Bitcoin ties into the essentials: soil, food, family, and freedom.
As Ryan put it to me one night: “God did not give me a flight response.” We laughed about how there’s a fine line between stupid and courage — but that’s exactly where real change happens.
Ryan is on X and Nostr
X: @RyanCooper116
Nostr: npub1j7ggarzcs6juvzfa567lkmdtxq3rgx4fww8uqpvm80d6lt3r5sqs82yt3v
And Bitcoin Conference on X: @AndBitcoinCon
Written by
VESA
Artist, Speaker, Consultant, Writer
All links to physical, NFTs, and more below
http://linktr.ee/ArtByVesa
