Home Ranch Blog

Pinot Noir, Porcini & Brookies

August brings all the great activities of The Home Ranch back country.  The Zirkels are filling with mushrooms, the streams are filled with hungry Brookies, and I have a bottle of Marsannay Burgundy Pinot Noir.  They make for a fabulous meal!  The Porcinis harvested from the forest are cleaned, and then the Brookies are cleaned.  I sauté the mushrooms with grape seed oil and finish them with parsley, shallots, garlic and butter.  The Brookies are then drenched in flour and pan seared with grape seed oil, placed on a platter, and topped with a masterpiece of mushrooms.  Serve with a chilled Pinot Noir.

Voila, a treat from the forest.

Philippe Shapiro

One of the first horses to greet you as you approach our herd is Rigger.  Rigger is a four year old bay and a good representative of the Canadian Sport Horse.  For his age, Rigger is a very willing and reliable guest horse with a playful and curious personality.  True to his breed, he is very athletic and loves going out for trail rides.  Canadian Sport Horses are known for their ability to excel in Olympian disciplines including jumping, dressage, and three day eventing.  Rigger’s breed was first used in World War I and derives from a combination of the common Canadian farm horse and the Thoroughbred.   These magnificent horses are typically more muscular than Thoroughbreds, have thicker legs, and average about 16 hands tall at the withers (one “hand” is about four inches).  Like the sound of Rigger?  Check out the details of our Weanling Week and Canadian Sport Horse Sale where The Home Ranch purchased Rigger.  Weanling week takes place this fall September 11-18, and culminates with the sale, on September 17th.

We would like to welcome Tiffany Gillen, one of our new wranglers for the summer and fall seasons.  Tiffany is riding Rigger in this photo and is very excited to meet everyone!

In today’s world we move so fast and are so entwined with our BlackBerries and iPhones, that folks are caught off guard when they join us for our Wednesday Night barn dance.  It is truly a time of celebration.

Guests of all ages and the energetic staff gather upstairs in our old wooden barn.  There is a live band and an enchanting energy.

Dance has always played an important role in our country, especially in rural areas.  It truly is in the spirit of community, and you can feel it at our ranch on Wednesday nights.

Square dancing originated in New England.  It was a combination of many dances brought over from Europe.  A favorite at the ranch is the Virginia Reel.  Reels came to us from Scotland.  For more information on the history of square dancing go to www.dosado.com/articles/hist-sd.html

Come join us this summer for a unique experience.  As one of our guests who is a psychologist said “If there were more barn dances, I’d be out of a job.”

This article was originally published October 27, 1997 by our General Manager Johnny Fisher.  We would love to have your opinion on the subject.  Please look for another article on urination in the coming months.

Let’s not beat around the bush.  Why do you stand up in the saddle when your horse is urinating?  Although this question may sound humorous, what is probably more humorous is that I have developed an obsession with this question.
I operate a guest ranch in Colorado, so already my sanity comes into question.
It all started about 10 years ago. We had a new wrangler from Virginia.  This woman had an incredible resume with numerous credentials in the horse industry.  She was giving instruction to a group when one of the horses started urinating.  “Stand up! Stand up!” she cried.  The befuddled guest remained motionless.  “Stand up in the stirrups when your horse is urinating!” she demanded.

(more…)

As the days get longer and warmer, I find myself torn between wishing for more snow and praying for warm sunny days to melt the snow. I know it sounds like the answer should be easy after five months of winter, but it’s not.

There is nothing like a fresh groomed trail, or untouched hillside, when you stop and take in the vista in front of you and the beautiful tracks that you made behind you. Whether you are skate skiing around Lodwick Loop, making tele turns in the backcountry or cross country skiing around the ranch, new snow means great skiing and trail conditions – no one can argue with that. (more…)

Here is Kelly on his favorite horse, Reno.

Reno is a registered quarter horse that was born at the ranch.  He spent his early days on Kelley’s dad’s ranch – Sand Mountain Cattle Company.  Reno was used on the cattle ranch and worked hard in tough country.  When Kelly joined us here at the Home Ranch, he and his buddy reunited.

A Trio of Pancakes-March 2011

(Our most popular request)

Buttermilk

3          Cups All-Purpose Flour

4          teaspoons Baking Soda

½         teaspoon Salt

1          Tablespoon Sugar

4          Eggs

4          Cups Buttermilk

½         Cup Melted Butter

Sift dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Beat together eggs, buttermilk, and butter.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.  Stir together, don’t over mix.  (more…)

Cowgirl Tammy Pate and Equestrian Yoga teacher Janice Baxter have created an all inclusive Women’s Horse Yoga Retreat. This intimate and innovative retreat combines the centering practice of Janice’s Equestrian Yoga instruction with Tammy’s distinctive approach to teaching horsemanship. Previous yoga and horseback riding experience are not required to enjoy this retreat.

Tammy and Janice’s weeklong retreat is offered 4 times a year during exclusive weeks in May, June, September and October. In 2011, we will offer three Women’s Only Retreats. The dates for the Women’s Only Retreats in June are: May 31-June 6th follwed by the cesnd retreat from June 6-12. The fall retreat will be held Oct. 1-7. A fall Couple’s Retreat for men and women will be offered from Sept 25-Oct 1st.

Steamboat Springs — Dennis Lodwick offered a little race strategy at The Home Ranch on Sunday morning.

Figuring that if anyone knows how to get the best of Lodwick’s son, Todd, in a cross-country ski race, it would be the old man, so I slipped Dennis a $5 bill and whipped out my reporter’s notebook, preparing to take detailed notes.

“Start out slow, and then taper off,” Dennis whispered in my ear.

Click for Full Arcticle

February 15, 2011

As I skied yesterday, I was trying to compose this post, but I couldn’t decide what to write about…it is no different this morning. So I apologize if my thoughts are all over the place.

It was a beautiful day – the sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the bluebird sky, which meant that it was cold.   I thought that I would just enjoy the views from indoors, but then I saw the groomer making its way around the South Meadow.  Even a cross country skier can’t resist freshly groomed trails and the opportunity to make first tracks. Those that put on their skis and snowshoes and braved the below zero wind chill, were rewarded with pristine trails and breathtaking views.

As I scooted along the bottom of the meadow I was tempted to turn around and return to the warmth of the house and Grayson’s toothless grin. However, my guide had a different idea. He was in need of a workout, and truthfully, so was I. As we stopped for a moment, I was able to appreciate the breathtaking views of the Elk River Valley. When I see the valley under a fresh blanket of snow, I am reminded how lucky I am to call this home. The peace and serenity that settles over you can’t be described, it has to be experienced. (more…)