Loving the ranching lifestyle
Parents establish Down Home Ranch

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Growing plants, such as these poinsettias, are just an ordinary chore at Down Home Ranch near Elgin. Ranchers Tyler, K.J., and Mark check the moisture level in the plants. -- Staff photo by Taylor

Nov. 25, 2004 - Tucked away off a country road outside of Elgin, there is a group of "ranchers" who have a lot to be thankful for - and not just on Thanksgiving day. It's a place born of necessity, love and learning, and all of the ranchers have mental disabilities.

Anyone visiting Down Home Ranch will see the evidence of friendships and hear the laughter ... it's a place not soon forgotten. It is a place where lives are changed, success stories abound and there is a feeling of home.

Here's how Down Home Ranch came to be:

When Judy and Jerry Horton of Elgin became parents of their fourth daughter, Kelly Page, on Sept. 18, 1984, their lives were forever changed. Born with Down syndrome, Kelly became the most important challenge for the Hortons, since they wanted to offer her the best opportunities available. (Down syndrome is the leading cause of mental retardation, due to an extra chromosome.)

After much research, they enrolled Kelly in the Infant-Parent Training Program in Austin, when she was only five-weeks-old. Working with this program, Kelly was able to learn how to turn over, crawl, stand and walk within the normal timelines. At 3-years-old, she was enrolled at the Austin Montessori Center and continued to make progress.

By this time, the Hortons were looking to the future and trying to map out a plan for Kelly's education and road to a happy, productive life. Judy and Jerry visited "village communities" all over the country, and after much thought, decided that in order for Kelly to progress the way they felt she would be able to do, the Hortons quit their jobs, cashed in retirement funds and purchased over 200 acres outside of Elgin. They named it "Down Home Ranch."

The chores vary at Down Home Ranch, including cleaning plant containers. Ranchers Jared (left) and Daniel were taking on the chore one day earlier this month. -- Staff photo by Taylor

The first few years were extremely hard, financially, since the Hortons did not want state or federal funding. Their mission statement pretty much says it all ... concerning why they wanted to offer Down Home Ranch to others. It reads: "Down Home Ranch mission statement is to build a rural, self-reliant community for adults with mental retardation, offering training, housing, recreation and dignified employment, as well as opportunities for growth in mind, body and spirit."

Funding has come from contributions from families, individuals, churches, businesses, service clubs and grants. There are fundraisers, too, and lots of volunteer help. Recently, they met the "Perfect Challenge" and brought in $1.6 million for capital expenditures, which include an in-ground swimming pool and more housing for resident "ranchers," as they are called, and an Enterprise Center for learning.

After the Hortons had been on the ranch for 14 years, the first resident arrived in November 2001, said Judy, and there are now eight "ranchers" who live, work and learn at the ranch. Along with the new pool being almost completed (which will offer ranchers the opportunity to train for the Special Olympics aquatics), there will be seven houses and one independent living home on the ranch, which now covers 267 acres and has a pond with its own boathouse, greenhouses where the ranchers grow spring plants, poinsettias and native, Texas trees, and various animals.

There is a big pavilion, complete with a full kitchen and dining facilities that is used by the residents, as well as being available for rental for small retreats, family reunions and church and school functions. It plays a large role in the six one-week camps offered in the summer to youth 13-years-old and older. Smaller, weekend camps are offered at various times of the year, too.

Judy said the "plan" is to have a total of 25 residents, after all buildings are completed. Each resident lives in a home setting with a staff member who cooks the meals. Individual rooms are furnished by the resident's family, with some choosing to repaint the rooms to suit the rancher! The biggest challenge to Judy is simply the "management of the village." Along those lines, the best part is seeing the resident ranchers work together to form a family, and learn new things while working and having fun together.

Jerry likes to call the ranch a "community of opportunity," and enjoys watching the ranchers learn things they might not have had the opportunity to learn, elsewhere. After working in the greenhouses or picking Mustang grapes for jelly in the mornings, the ranchers enjoy special field trips, and some are even learning to play donated guitars, led by Judy. There are speech and cooking classes, computer and voice lessons available, too. Several of the ranchers sing with the Austin Lyric Opera, and all attend theatre presentations available in the area.

Seeing the resident ranchers discover just how much they are able to learn, and watching them become individual successes is a "larger than life" experience for the Hortons. Provided with a "safe environment" and a "quality of life" empowers each rancher to strive for more.

What started out as a dream in 1984 is rapidly becoming the complete reality for the Hortons. They even got to watch Kelly graduate from Taylor High School and become a part of the "rancher" team. There will be more fund-raising and more work, but for the ranchers at the Down Home Ranch ... they are especially thankful ... life is good!

(Contact Down Home Ranch at: www.downhomeranch.org)