A FAMILY FARM
Lisa Peterson
Breeder and Animal Care Professional
Bon Temps Ranch is guided by Lisa Peterson, a breeder whose foundation is built on both academic depth and decades of hands-on stockmanship. She holds a BS and MS in Animal Science and has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications in the Journal of Animal Science, blending science with real-world breeding experience in a way that keeps every decision grounded in data, structure, and long-term breed improvement. Before fully dedicating herself to ranch life, she also spent years as an agricultural science and English teacher, shaping a practical, educational approach to animal husbandry that still shows up in how she raises, evaluates, and explains her program today.
Her breeding program spans more than 30 years across species: Quarter Horses since 1994, Australian Shepherds since 2004, and rabbits since 2014. She is an active member of the American Quarter Horse Association AQHA, the American Kennel Club AKC, the Australian Shepherd Club of America ASCA, and the American Rabbit Breeders Association ARBA, with a registered rabbitry and program rooted in accountability and standards. At Bon Temps Ranch, animals are bred first for the breeder’s own program goals, with buyers as the second priority—ensuring every generation genuinely moves the needle on health, structure, and temperament. All dogs and horses are fully health tested, and every dog is temperament tested by two AKC judges. Across bunnies, dogs, and horses alike, temperament is never an afterthought—it is the starting gate. 🐇🐎🐾
Lisa gives back to her local community by proudly serving on the board of Directors for The Happy Tail Rescue, Hibernia Irish Society, and Mississippi Gulf Coast Rabbit Fanciers.
Lisa gives back to her local community by proudly serving on the board of Directors for The Happy Tail Rescue, Hibernia Irish Society, and Mississippi Gulf Coast Rabbit Fanciers.
Byron Peterson
Mechanical Specialist
Bon Temps Ranch is also supported by Byron Peterson, the steady hands and practical force behind Black Cat Roadside Assistance, a locally owned and operated roadside assistance business serving the Mississippi Gulf Coast. His world is built around engines, recovery work, and getting people safely back on the road, but that same work ethic carries straight into ranch life. Whether it is a stalled vehicle on a dark highway or a stubborn fence line that refuses to cooperate, Byron is the kind of person who shows up with tools, time, and the determination to get it done right.
While his first language is horsepower of the mechanical kind rather than the four-legged variety, he has become an important part of the animal side of Bon Temps Ranch. He has spent countless hours building fences, clearing land, hauling horses, and stepping in where heavy work meets real need. He also plays a quiet but meaningful role in puppy socialization, helping young dogs get used to new sounds, movement, and handling in a calm, grounded way. Beyond the ranch work itself, he keeps all vehicles and farm equipment operational and ensures that the AC, electrical systems, and anything mechanical across the property stay in working order. That behind-the-scenes reliability keeps daily life running smoothly, from comfort in the home to function in the barn. At Bon Temps Ranch, that blend of roadside grit and ranch support adds another layer to a program built on stability, structure, and temperament across every species.
Wayne Earl
Blueberry Expert
Bon Temps Ranch also carries the quiet backbone of experience from Wayne Earl, Lisa Peterson’s father. Raised on a working farm, he grew up in a rhythm where animals, land, and responsibility were not hobbies but daily life, and that foundation helped shape the deep respect for livestock and stewardship that runs through the ranch today. With over 75 years of hands-on farm experience and a long career as a retired state insurance agent with State Farm, he brings a rare blend of practical agriculture knowledge and calm, methodical problem solving to everything he touches.
Retirement never really slowed him down. Wayne is still actively involved in the ranch on a daily basis, moving between tasks with the ease of someone who has done it for decades. He can be found cleaning blueberry bushes, helping dump and manage rabbit fertilizer, setting fence posts, or lending a hand wherever steady work is needed. His presence is part of the ranch’s rhythm, reinforcing a hands-on, no-shortcuts approach that keeps Bon Temps Ranch grounded in tradition, consistency, and real working-farm integrity. 🫐🐇🛠️