Ranch Camps (Farm Camps) are for ages 7 and up (the occasional older 6 year old). It is an outdoor program in which kids learn leadership skills and life skills by way of working on the ranch. It is a learn by doing philosophy in which we do the actual work that has to be done on a daily basis to include but not limited to: basic horsemanship skills; feeding livestock; cleaning paddocks; building and repairing; sheering Beans the ewe in spring; handling Tommy the donkey; all about cows with Rudy our fun and funny steer; all about chickens; food prep for the livestock; gardening and soil preparation; basic care for animal injuries; farrier work; and the list goes on and on. There is always something to do on the ranch!

Within the work is a plethora of learning opportunities to include the work ethic, perseverance, initiative, cooperation, team-work, communication, problem solving, independence, to name just a few. From this a child’s sense of self grows as they learn, not only how to do stuff, but how to “be” with their peers and with me in a responsible and accountable manner.

When kids work on a ranch something positive happens as they learn to look beyond themselves while taking care of animals and the ranch itself. And that is the real gift of participating in the program!