Our dream of living off the land in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia became a reality in October of 2020. We were fortunate to find a spectacular piece of property that exceeded what we had ever envisioned.
Help Us Help Others
Realizing that the blessing we had received through this piece of property needed to be shared with the wider community, The Refuge at Freedom Ranch, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (EIN 92-0328534) was founded in 2023.
Our Vision
The vision for The Refuge is to pair rescued horses (and other farm animals) with at-risk youth from the surrounding counties of southwest Virginia in a therapeutic environment. The natural beauty Freedom Ranch offers is an ideal setting for finding peace and restoration for those in need. Our desire is to cultivate an environment of healing through the profound bond between child and animal, learning to trust through the compassionate guidance of dedicated and trained mentors - all the while nurturing faith in Jesus Christ.
We are dedicating our 285 acre ranch to The Refuge, with the goal of building horse stables, a riding arena, as well as a spacious meeting facility. Miles of established trails crisscrossing the property for hiking and horseback riding will also be available to enjoy. One day we hope to provide cozy cabins tucked into the woods for overnight camping.
At varying times, apart from the work with the children, The Refuge will extend it’s warm embrace to parents and relatives who have endured the heart-wrenching loss of a child/sibling due to addiction, overdose, or other tragic circumstances. We desire to offer them a sanctuary and a safe haven for healing, where they can find solace in the company of kindred spirits and caring mentors. Hiking and horseback riding will be made available to them as well.
Growing Our Vision
One of the fundraising efforts to make The Refuge a reality is that we are proudly offering USDA-certified, antibiotic- and hormone-free pork for sale to the public. We are deeply committed to raising top-quality, forest-raised hogs, while giving them the best life possible. All net proceeds from our pork sales are dedicated to supporting The Refuge. In the future, we aspire to also provide pasture-raised beef and all-natural chicken meat to further support our mission. We are currently in the process of building a website where people can place orders and have the meat shipped directly to their homes.
Another fundraising juncture is the creation of our YouTube channel, Freedom Ranch Homestead, where we chronicle our journey in establishing a homestead from the ground up. By tuning in you can actively participate in our adventure over the years, which includes constructing a yurt, building a log home, as well as creating all of the infrastructure needed for the animals. You will also be able to witness firsthand the tender care we provide to our animals. This creates a unique fundraising environment, as people can watch our videos and in doing so, The Refuge receives income from advertisers. Every contribution from this channel are sent directly to support The Refuge.
Merchandise (hats, shirts, etc.) will also be available for purchase on our future website. All net proceeds will go directly to The Refuge.
Tax deductible donations will also be accepted (and appreciated!) for The Refuge.
