Volunteer service has brought the Ranch to where it is today.

When we moved out to the Ranch in 1991, all we had was a mortgage and 215 acres full of mesquite, scrub oak, cactus, and rotten fences - plus a few mournful cows lounging in the front yard of our tiny mobile home.

Folks wanted to help, and they did. The first large group to come out was an Episcopal community from Manor, who showed up to demolish and clear away the remains of old shacks and repair our ancient barn, making it a little more serviceable for Blossom the donkey and Belle, our little hinney.

From there, our volunteer program has skyrocketed to the point that now we log well over 13,000 volunteer hours a year. Simply put, we could not do what we do without volunteers.

Spending time with family, working together to build something new, enjoying the outdoors - is there a better way to spend a day?

The Ranch provides many opportunities for families to work together. Children age nine and older can work with supervisors on a number of different projects and learn something in the process. Plan to bring your crew out and we'll try hard to have a project planned with their ages, skills, and interests in mind.

There's always something happening at the Ranch. From one person teaching a single class to 150 corporate or church volunteers spreading out over the landscape, we can use volunteers of all ages and skill sets. We supply the materials, plans, and tools (donations welcome, of course) - and our own skilled staff is on hand to lead the projects.

For groups working on large projects, we offer overnight lodging and plenty of good food, along with use of the pool and campfires at night. We might even be able to throw in a hayride through the pecan bottoms.

To learn more about our volunteer opportunities, email us at info@downhomeranch.org or call us at (888) 926-2253. We hope to see you soon!