Have you ever wondered what a typical day at Rockside Ranch is like? Check out this video for an up-close look at a day in the life of a Rockside student. The daily rhythms and routines are intentional and create opportunities for restoration, while cultivating work ethic and growth in all areas of life. Students constantly tell us, "This is good for me" and "I enjoy working every day!" There is a visible shift when students not only begin to thrive within the established routines, but crave them as they build a healthier life for themselves. Even more exciting is when they graduate and app ..read more

Here is my recipe for my No-Bake Peanut Butter Energy Bites! They’re great as a make-ahead snack and taste even better when they’ve been in the fridge for a day or two ..read more

Dear Me,  Hey there. This is your future self. Life’s not going too well, huh? There's a lot of things you need to do, and none of them feel as if they have any purpose. You're drinking again, aren't ya? Yeah. I get it. Nowhere to go and nothing to do, may as well. You know, don't ya? You know it's not getting you where you want to go, smoking all day and watching TV, but you don't see the point in doing anything else if there isn't a point in anything at all, huh? Well, I get it. There's been times that don't make sense, and times that do. It hasn't all been bad, you got a job, a place t ..read more

I am so excited for you to meet Zach and Jordyn Osburn. They have been running Shady Creek Farm for the last seven years in Allegan, Michigan, and are now directing the "Rockside Great Lakes" program.  When we first connected with them last year, it was so clear that God had given us both the same vision for life restoration on a working ranch. We are preparing to welcome the first students to Rockside Great Lakes, and there are a few ways that you can help. Refer a student: If you know a young man who is struggling and wants help, click here. Pray: Prayers for s ..read more

When I first started studying nutrition, I was amazed at the nutritional benefits of eating animals “nose to tail.” Many in the ancestral health community use that expression, “nose to tail,” to describe the practice of finding a way to use as much of the animal as you possibly can. We can maximize our nutritional yield from a single animal by incorporating organ meats and bone broth into our diets, but since our modern culture has forgotten some of these ancient practices, we have to get a little creative sometimes to relearn how to eat this way. The great thing about this meatloaf is that i ..read more

The Rockside students completed a strenuous hike this month to a favorite local spot called Castle Crags. The hike is long and often in the past one or two students haven’t made it to the top. This month, however, they all made it, and one in particular surprised everyone when he bounded to the top with exuberant joy. This student had been a reluctant hiker, but one thing was different on this trip than before: new shoes. His Rockside Coach purchased him new shoes, as a father does his son, to motivate him to participate more fully in the weekend outdoor recreation activities at the ranch, and ..read more

While at the ranch, Tyson consistently put others ahead of himself. After graduation, he moved to the Rockside Workforce Program in Rapid City and began his plumber’s apprenticeship.  If you’ve ever had a plumbing emergency, you know how stressful it can be. Tyson’s warm personality, servant’s heart, and strong work ethic is the perfect combination to fix stressful situations and impact families that he now serves.  Recently, Tyson went on a service call. The family sent a review saying, “They cleaned up everything in a professional way, including where they had been walking, on his ..read more

Growing up, my grandma had a funny contraption for cooking bacon in the microwave. I always thought it was strange, but it did allow the bacon to be elevated above the grease so that bacon came out perfectly crisp and not too slimy. I don’t like the microwave, so I like to imitate my grandma's microwave method in the oven.  The best part about cooking bacon this way is that you can cook a lot at once and put the extras in the fridge for adding into sandwiches, salad or even an egg scramble later in the week. You can even add it to my Warm Root Vegetable Salad with Bacon & Eggs ..read more

I’ve always been a lover of breakfast. It used to be cereal and milk every day, but when we started farming at Rockside I realized I needed a lot more nutrition to fuel my day than a couple bowls of empty carbs covered in nonfat milk. People always joke about a real “farm breakfast” being bacon and eggs, and becoming a farmer quickly taught me why.  Starting the day with protein and fat means much more sustained energy. If you’re like me, you’ve probably experienced the mid morning or mid afternoon slump when you feel like you need another cup of coffee (or 3!) to keep your eyes open. But ..read more

Mason dedicated himself to the program in every way, earning the highest student rank of Team Lead while at the ranch – a rank that must be approved by a vote of his fellow students. Mason became good friends with another student, Bowen, during his time at Rockside, and after graduation, Mason moved to North Carolina to work on Bowen’s family farm and to work for a local furniture restoration company. Best of all, Mason reunited with his 8-year old daughter after spending nearly two years apart. We thank God for the chance to be a part of Mason’s life, and we rejoice with him in all that he ..read more