Our Little Homestead Community
The new homesteaders at Our Lady’s Ranch in Grass Valley, Ca.
We have received many visitors here over the last 22 years. Some people come out for just a few hours, some for a few days, and some to live as neighbors for a while. The ones that stay include a wide variety of people from college exchange students, to farming employees, to homesteading aspirants. We always enjoy their visits regardless of how long they stay, but there is something very special about the folks who are driven here from an inner desire/curiosity about homesteading.
We enjoy “Graced Friendships” with our fellow pioneers because of the kindred spirits that connect us together. We also relish the hours of meaningful conversations about the Catholic faith, an authentic family life, and our simple farming lifestyle.
Sometimes, short visits turn into longer visits, and sometimes shorter overnight stays turn into longer overnight stays, and sometimes weeks turn into months and then years. That is happening now with several amazing people who are currently living here at Our Lady’s Ranch in California. So we want to introduce them to you…
This is the White Family – Jason and Chelsee with five hilarious kids and one more on the way! Tea (11) Amaran (7) Viviana (5) Joshua (4) and Dominic (2).
We met them last year during their local search for healthy meat to purchase. Their inquiries lead to a farm tour, which then unleashed their inexhaustible desire for a farming lifestyle and family spirituality, which was already pressing on their hearts.
Their interests in faith, family, and farming were like seeds that received light, water and nourishment here at Our Lady’s Ranch. So, after a season of prayer, research, conversation, and discernment; these pioneering spirits came out here to homestead with us in an autonomous neighborhood setting.
The Whites are financially independent and simply share some basic farming tasks with us like working in the community garden, feeding the free-range chickens, and tending the pasture-raised pork. They also asked to grow free-range laying hens (In addition to growing their free-range kids). So they now own an enterprise that feeds us all with healthy eggs while their children learn the basic principles of business.
Then we have Isaiah and Stevenson, who landed here one year apart, but became instant friends through their common passion for farming and accelerated spiritual growth. And they both like to enjoy the fruits of their labor…
Stevenson is learning about the business and marketing of Family Friendly Farms, which includes collaborating with me for weekly sales ads, and corresponding with our growing customer base. He is also learning everything he ever wanted to know about growing healthy food.
Isaiah manages all the ranch work around here, which includes lots of fun jobs with power tools and powerful tractors. We have several new building projects in the works, including a few small cabins where visitors can stay for extended periods. We are also expanding the olive orchard and building a new pond for family fishing and more fresh food.
And then of course we have sweet Ali here… She really enjoys the serene beauty of the ranch while she accomplishes her pre-nursing degree at the local community college (Tammie is our family lab).
And me? Well, I suppose my role here is quickly shifting from Pa to Grandpa ☺ and from farming (physical exercises) to teaching (spiritual exercises) for the new people that God is bringing into our lives.
While Our Lady’s Ranch was once focused on raising the seven Zeiter kids, the most current focus has shifted to communicate the Spirituality and Lifestyle to all those who are seeking a more peaceful harmony with God, Nature, and One Another.
Blessings and Peace to You,
Philip J. Zeiter
Our Lady’s Ranch Ministry