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Intentional Community

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As a society, we can all do better at getting along and helping each other. What does this have to do with Dream River Ranch? Like many other intentional communities, we are dedicated to discovering ways in which to do so. During our 11 years in discovery (8-1-18), we found that conflict resolution is the key and the glue to improving quality of life. It’s like attending a self improvement seminar full time. The beautiful thing is that we have great teachers in nature to remind us on a daily basis about nurturing relationships. It’s what it’s all about, while experiencing the solace in wide open spaces.

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We are pioneers and settlers creating change

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Dream River Ranch, LLC, has created an intentional equestrian and co-housing community practicing co-operative and sustainable living on 80-acres in SW Idaho. We call it the high desert prairie. Elevation is 3,200 ft, with rolling foothills of the Danskin Mountain Range harboring wildlife and shallow ponds. The historical Oregon Trail and the Stagecoach King Ben Hollady's Overland Stage Route is within riding distance. Take in the beauty of glorious mountains, lakes and hot springs no more than an hour or two away. Idaho is a sportsman's paradise. The City of Boise is 30-min to the west of us and the small neighboring town of Mountain Home In Elmore County is 15-min to the east. Internet is good, and we feed the power company with our own array of solar panels. Solar power begins the first step in our future building projects... Tiny House Town for travelers, glampground for guests and energy efficient smaller homes made of hempcrete for our members.

 

​Our pioneering spirit finds us living like the homesteaders and prospectors who came before us. Sometimes we have hardships, and we discover the reasons, purposes and how to reuse that energy for the good. We have endured and can now say we are ready for the settlers who will come, those who are seeking a change and dedicated to making that change their lifestyle.

 

Dream River Ranch, LLC, holds 80 acres with 10 acres in infrastructure for our common grounds and 70 acres cross-fenced for animal containment and husbandry. We have a couple of ponds and 21 acres of irrigation rights. Our drinking water comes up through layers of ancient lava rock; and the water is splendidly delicious. DRR is not a land startup. We are well-established and have room for 6 small energy efficient homes. Membership applications are available upon request. Begin a conversation by filling out the Contact form on this site.

 

Our foremost vision is to develop an equestrian community devoted to living in harmony with the herd and all that mother nature provides. Horses are a link to our human civilization, and how we arrived in the modern world. They provide a connection with spirit that reminds us to be humble and compassionate with others, while teaching us to find the leader within. Their community/herd is an important piece to our permaculutre gardening practices. Other ranch animals contribute too, all waste gets recycled. Not all of us are equestrians, yet all of us are leaders. We all have skills that benefit the community and gifts that bring us together
 

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Back to Nature

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If you’ve ever heard the phrase “make hay while the sun shines”, you’ll come to appreciate its meaning when living with the natural order of seasons. The season of growing our own food has its obvious rewards, and it takes devotion. We take great pleasure in watching the life cycle of plants and animals (some of us are carnivores) and nurturing them along the way. We enter each year with great expectations also knowing there is limited time in this season. As the Summer Solstice nears, there is a great push to make it all happen. Focus is a requirement. The work is hard and time consuming, and there can be failures. However, out of all this effort, nurturing relationships with fellow dudes is the best reward. The season of sharing our harvest through Winter Solstice and into the new year makes it worthwhile. It’s all about relationships.

 

Relationships

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Don’t skip over this part. Relationships can be hard and many people avoid the conversation. Re-connecting with nature can help soften the blow. Take horses for example. Try to imagine yourself in a herd. It’s easy. Humans are hard wired to live in communities/herds. So are horses. That’s how they survive in the wild. Our horses provide great examples on a daily basis.

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Our horses also teach us about living in community. They naturally know that it takes the herd to survive in the wild, and they learn social graces within that herd. Living in community is like living with the herd. Horses graze together and so do we, with one community meal per day prepared by alternating cooks. Horses gallop together with pure energy and glee; and so do we by enjoying our horse play time with passion, co-operative work and feasting time with joy; and the short walk through the gardens to home with appreciation. Find out more about the horses on our Services page here under Students and Horses Excel, a 501 c3 charitable organization.