Category: Small Town Life

Down Home Ranch

2 Comments

There are many reasons to love my adopted hometown… notably the local artisans, volunteers, warriors, and businesses that make Elgin a better place.

As I write this post I realize that today, March 21st, is World Down Syndrome Day… Serendipity indeed.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Dhrlogo-c

INSPIRATION & CREATION
I recently had the opportunity to visit with Jerry and Judy Horton of Down Home Ranch, a working farm and ranch community for people with special needs. The Hortons’ daughter, Kelly, was born in 1984 with Down Syndrome, and they soon found themselves wondering about her future, and ultimately the adult lives of others with intellectual disabilities. As educators, their quest for knowledge and understanding drove them to learn all they could about Down Syndrome. Among their inspirations were L’Arche communities, founded in 1964 by Jean Vanier in France. The Hortons dreamed of a working ranch where adults with intellectual disabilities could work and live in a community of love, support and opportunity.

DSC01758

Staff member Travis Luker and Alaina haul bags of mulch

DSC01761

DSC01762

Many of the community members commute on the many bikes and adult-size trikes found around Down Home Ranch.

DSC01765
A small cove of community group homes nestled in the trees.

DSC01756

Volunteers working at one of eleven greenhouses

TODAY
Down Home Ranch is a working farm and ranch community of about 40 adults and children, with and without intellectual disabilities, live and work together in their many greenhouses, gardens and pastures growing food, raising livestock and the daily chores that this requires of everyone. The Horton’s are working toward this being a self sustaining community… feeding themselves and others.

DSC01735

DSC01739

Plant label reads, “Grown with love at Down Home Ranch.

Locally, seasonal poinsettia sales are a source of revenue for DHR, as are year-round plant sales.

ANNUAL EVENTS

Golf & Gala

Summer Ranch Camp

Texas Chainsaw Manicure

Swim Fest

TAKE A DAY TRIP
Anyone within driving distance should hop into the car and visit Down Home Ranch to shop for drought tolerant plants.

For those of you that are not close enough to visit in person… I encourage you to watch this video

Ink on paper (and cow poop on the street)

Leave a comment

DSC01690

The other day at lunch with one of our print sales people, we were all talking about how while we all may embrace digital content online, on a tablet or our phones, we are still drawn to holding a piece of actual printed material. That we're still attracted to the tactile experience of flipping through pages. I think most of us are. One of us mentioned being on a flight and watching a teenage boy wrapped up in his ipad tuck it away eventually and pull out a magazine to flip through.

Most of you know that I work in publishing, so of course am keenly aware of the impact digital content has on the printed word. I know that those of us who work in production and are involved on a day to day basis with printers have had some worries over this, but when it comes down to it… someone has to produce the content, whether it's for print, web, tablet or phone. 

The reason I even bother to bring this up is that while we were having this conversation over lunch, I was thinking about how I was still waiting to savor this book I'd received earlier in the week. I'm seriously one of those people that will not crack open a book or magazine until I have a proper moment to do so. This usually means a weekend morning with a strong cup of coffee and, if not outside, in my favorite red chair in the living room, in the corner with the perfect light. You see, it's still all about the whole tactile experience for me.

Oh, and by the way, if you have not ever seen Tif Fussell's blog Dottie Angel, you need to PDQ, or your day will be pants. 

Today is Elgin's Hogeye Festival, and I will be hawking tickets for Cow Patty Bingo. Don't know what that is? Google it. I know you're jealous.

Sharp Goat Ranch

Leave a comment

Yesterday a couple friends and I visited a local goat ranch that is days away from opening their dairy facilities to the public…

DSC01586

DSC01590

DSC01595

DSC01605

DSC01617

but first we needed to maneuver our way past the front line of terriers. Initially, they will be selling milk and possibly feta, kefir and yogurt in the future. Apparently they cannot sell chevre because of the pasteurization required, so they will be selling chevre making kits to interested customers. Yay. They plan to teach cheese making classes in their commercial kitchen.