A Catholic Family Homestead Community…

  • Our Lady's Ranch, Grass Valley, CA. Flower girl, Ali Zeiter, retro photo, country kid.

    We Are Building

    A Spiritual Way of Life
    "A Way of Salvation"

    A Sustainable Lifestyle
    "A People Set Apart"

    A Catholic Homestead Community
    "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child"

  • Our Lady's Ranch, Grass Valley, CA. Gardening, happy kids, homestead, Catholic.

    We Are Preparing

    For a springtime of Christianity
    filled with peace & joy.

    For an age of good will
    protected under the mantle of Our Lady.

    For a future of goodness, truth, & beauty
    immersed in the presence of God.

  • Our Lady's Ranch, Grass Valley, CA. Young children helping each other, living a life of positive uplift, siblings.

    We Are Living

    In the center of Jesus Christ
    by centering our lives in prayer.

    In the school of Mother Mary
    by hearing & obeying her counsel.

    In the model of the Holy Family
    by following their example.

… In Grass Valley, Northern California

Participate in a Catholic Homestead Community by living at Our Lady’s Ranch.

LEARN MORE
LEARN MORE
Our Lady's Ranch favicon logo designed by Straight Creative.

Founding Principles

  • To live in Harmony with God, Nature, and One Another.

  • To live in peace and share it with others.

  • To live as Family.

  • To live and move and have our being in Jesus Christ.
    To Support one another in trials and difficulties.
    To serve one another as Christ serves us.
    To help each other grow in holiness.
    To help others grow in holiness.

  • To live in all that is of God and to exclude all that is not.
    To allow prayer to form our daily/seasonal routines.
    To pray, work, eat, play, and rest together.
    To enhance the beauty and production of the earth.
    To live and move with the flow of the natural environment.

A close-up view of a light-colored textured paper or fabric surface with small fibers and tiny imperfections.

Read Our Founding Documents

A group of Altar Servers and a Priest standing outdoors during Catholic Mass, with one of the boys holding a Crucifix and a table set with religious items.

SPIRITUALITY

“A way of salvation”

Members of Our Lady's Ranch working together in their community garden with raised beds, trees, and a blue sky.

COMMUNITY

“It takes a village”

A group of people gathered outdoors under a wooden pavilion at Our Lady's Ranch, with the rural landscape of trees and rolling hills found in Northern California in the background, enjoying an Catholic retreat.

LIFESTYLE

“A people set apart”

In a world where morality is subjective, children are left to their own devices, and the divorce rate is fifty percent, it is time for a new way…

The seven Zeiter children standing in a field surrounded by cows and bigs, with a large cross and oak trees in the background and a blue sky overhead.
READ THE HISTORY OF OLR
READ THE HISTORY OF OLR

Testimonials

  • “Dear Zeiter Family ~ Thank you so much for opening your heart, home, and farm to our family last week. To say we learned a lot would be an understatement. I can honestly say that we have never met a farm like yours, but it’s what we’ve been looking for to emulate. The seven foundations of your spiritual life is something everyone can use to keep Christ in the center of all we do. We look forward to using your founding principles to help us to become a more Christ-centered family.”

    — God Bless, Sean, Liz, Cecilia, and John Paul

  • “Dear Zeiters ~ Thank you so much for sharing your day with us last Friday! It was a real blessing for us seeing God’s goodness through your ranch, your lovely home, and your family. We left with so much peace, and ideas of what we want to do with our life and our home. May God continue to bless you all.”

    — Love Bill and Fern

  • “Beloved Zeiter Family ~ With deep gratitude we would like to thank you for your hospitality, kindness, and generosity, and love. Sister Josephine and I were deeply moved by your warm welcome and sincere friendship. Please know that we will be remembering you in our prayers. Let us remain united in the most pure and Immaculate heart of Mary. May she guide us to know, love, and embrace the holy will of her Son, Jesus. We love you! Your little sisters in Christ,”

    — Sister Ines & Sister Josephine

Meet the Team

  • A man sitting outdoors near a small waterfall with rocks and greenery in the background, wearing a navy blue t-shirt.

    Philip Zeiter

    FOUNDER
    As an architect/builder and devoted father, Phil raised his family in the country, away from the confusion of the world. With prayer and perseverance, he has developed Our Lady’s Ranch Ministry to share the homesteading lifestyle of faith, family, and farming. He continues in the ministry by hosting visitors with his wife Karen.

  • Karen Zeiter with long black curly hair, wearing makeup, jewelry, and a blue dress, smiling, standing in front of a bamboo plant.

    Karen Zeiter

    HOSPITALITY
    From industrial engineering, wine consulting, and event planning, Karen now organizes all of our on-site gatherings. Her devotion to our Lady shines forth in her tireless service to all the visitors who arrive here at Our Lady’s Ranch.

  • A woman with dark hair wearing a black hat and white shirt with lace details on the sleeves, sitting outside at a table, reading a book.

    Tyler Straight

    DESIGN
    The oldest of the seven Zeiter kids, Ty went from running the design and marketing of the family farm to traveling all over the country for missionary work and college. She’s now married with a little girl and boy and still participates from a far with OLR.

Schedule a Visit to OLR
Featured
How to Start Farming
How to Start Farming

The second most common question we get after “How to start homesteading?” is “How to start farming?” We created this journal entry to help you consider various farming alternatives while discovering what corresponds best to the values and dreams that are stirring in your hearts.

Read More →
Why Homesteading ?
Why Homesteading ?

The small family farm fosters common goals and generates opportunities to work together as a family to achieve those goals. This of course promotes unity between the family members, spiritually connecting them to one another and to God.

Read More →
A Way of Salvation - A Way of Life
A Way of Salvation - A Way of Life

The spirituality of Our Lady’s Ranch is intended for families, and has been designed to coincide with a homesteading lifestyle. The following guidelines describe individual, family, and community activities meant to nurture a common understanding of a common way of life.

Read More →
CHECK OUT OUR JOURNAL
CHECK OUT OUR JOURNAL

Our Lady’s Ranch Connections

  • Family Friendly Farms is a small family farm located in Grass Valley, CA.

    Family Friendly Farms, LLC

    Our farming business for grass-fed meats located at Our Lady’s Ranch in Grass Valley, California.

    WEBSITE
  • The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity was founded in 1958 by Fr. James Flanagan.

    Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity

    Missionaries that serve in ecclesial teams of priests, sisters, and laity

    WEBSITE
  • The Disciples of Jesus and Mary were founded by Fr. Santan Pinto, SOLT, and works to form the Lay Families and Single Persons of the Catholic Church to better grow in their love of God as his Disciples.

    Disciples of Jesus & Mary

    A lay association forming laity in prayer, discernment, and discipleship

    WEBSITE
  • Our Lady of Medjugorje, also called Queen of Peace and Mother of the Redeemer, is the title given to visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary which began in 1981 to six Croatian teenagers in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    Our Lady of Medjugorje

    The holy place chosen by Our Blessed Mother to give messages to the world as never before.

    WEBSITE
  • Catholic Rural Life (CRL) is a national, Catholic nonprofit organization dedicated to the vitality of the American countryside. Since 1923, we have been promoting Catholic life in rural America.

    Catholic Rural Life (CRL)

    An association of bishops, priests and laity who promote Catholic family rural life

    WEBSITE
  • Catholic Land Movement logo 2023

    Catholic Land Movement

    A community of Catholic Laity reestablishing traditional agrarian homesteads.

    WEBSITE