Ag Pride 2023 | Ranch Ministries in South Dakota
Connie Sieh Groop Follow
There is unharnessed potential when viewing a landscape where the sky is visible from horizon to horizon, where you hear birds warble sweet melodies, where you hear the coyotes’ eerie howl and where you hear the wind blow. Those who live and work on ranches and farms know that close proximity to nature provides an energy-affirming effect on their lives. The programs of two ranch ministries in western South Dakota are using their rural locations to make a difference in the lives of people in divergent ways.
Ranch experience at New Underwood, SD, offers hope for young men in crisis
Established with the belief that the restorative power of the rural landscape of South Dakota will impact the lives of young men in crisis, the dedication of Rockside Ranch Black Hills signals the potential for new beginnings.
Near New Underwood, SD, a set of ranch buildings is transforming into a healing place. While the physical work of shingling roofs, building fences, and tending to the animals is similar to ranches across the state, those completing the tasks will work to discover their purpose in life as well as prepare them to thrive in their future, according to Matt Veal, director.
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Before taking on the responsibility to oversee this work, Veal left his career as a Deputy with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. He and his wife, Ketura, served as youth pastors in Rapid City before moving to the ranch and now serve as the host family who greet those entering the program.
With the formal dedication ceremony for the Ranch on April 23, the action opened the process for those wishing to apply for the eight-month program.
“We are ready to begin, but it’s pretty unpredictable,” Veal said. “Those who are applying are at a pivotal point in their life. It is a pretty brief window to get them started as they are leaving an addictive lifestyle. We have a stringent application process with several rules they have to agree to follow. The first student arrived May 1.”
Craig Thompson of Rockside Etna, CA, who started the ministry 12 years ago, was onsite and shared, “There are a handful of guys who are at a variety of stages of commitment to change. The crucial component is when they say, ‘I’m ready and I want to change my life.’ As soon as they voice that, we work with them through the application process to get them in.” These people may come from all parts of the country.
Designed for young men from 18 to 28 years old, Thompson said that many are experiencing unemployment, depression, and lack of direction. Some have dropped out of college and are looking for their purpose. Some have an addiction (phone, video games, nicotine, alcohol, drugs, food, etc.). If they have completed a treatment program, they must be sober at least 30 days. They are required to pass a drug test upon arrival at the ranch.
At this location, everything is new. Thompson said research shows that it’s incredibly difficult to change when you stay in a familiar location. By leaving the past behind, the young men set in motion new habits. Staying eight months reinforces those habits so that he’ll succeed when he leaves. The hard work and steady schedule will keep them active and let them concentrate on beginning a new life.
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Part of the enrollment requirements are that the men have to give up their electronics, so there are no cell phones, no social media, no gaming devices, Veal said. Once a week, under supervision, they can access the computer to stay in touch with their family. “If they want to play a game, it’s a board game, and that’s what they do.”
“In the application program, we clarify we are not the place for someone who needs clinical treatment for addiction,” he said. “We are reaching out to young men in crisis to teach them skills to live independently. These men need to be stable before coming to the ranch. Then they can seek restoration and hope in their new environment.”
Thompson said, “Being part of the community is a huge component. We had 100 people from the community at our dedication ceremony, which showed significant community support. Those wanting to know more are welcome to visit.”
Veal said, “As the community looks at Rockside Ranch, we want them to know that the foundation of the ranch is the family. My wife Ketura and I will live 100 yards from the students. The program is absolutely faith-based with the greater Rapid City church community, a huge part of it. The men will learn life skills by interacting with those in the area towns.”
In nationwide surveys, employers say that they have a difficult time keeping people in jobs for three reasons. They need people they can rely on to show up on time, be willing and able to work once they get there, and they are sober and/or not on drugs.
“We work with these young men to get them a job. They will have the skills to stay at those jobs. Through projects, we introduce the guys to skilled trades such as painting, plumbing, or electrical work. Realizing that something has been controlling their life in the past, we offer classes where they tackle the mental work helpful in a job setting. As they get close to graduation, we’ll help them make connections with an employer, so they have a job lined up when they leave.”
Thompson said they have about a 90 percent rate of graduation at other locations and look forward to similar results here.
Relationships matter, and friends of Thompson turned to him as they believed they needed this program in western South Dakota. Work began in 2020 to make that happen, with everything finally coming together this year at New Underwood. “Close friends from Rapid City began employing a graduate from Rockside Etna. This led to a graduate program being launched in Rapid in 2020. As we’ve built more friendships and brought students from Rapid to the ranch in Etna, we’ve recognized shared rural values, culture, and lifestyle that align with the vision to help young men restore their lives on a working ranch.”
As the program develops, the men will renovate the space that used to house a dairy and will work around livestock. They learn the cycle of life that dictates the need to go out each day to feed the chickens, put hay out for the horses, or muck out the barn.
Veal emphasized that lifestyle is connected to the environment. This is a great environment for those wanting to make a change. Ranch life teaches compassion and a work ethic. Working with animals can be very therapeutic and restorative. The men learn the dignity of hard work and repetition. It’s motivating and fosters character. The students pick up on the serenity of their surroundings.
“I keep in contact with many graduates,” Thompson said. “Over 80 percent who completed the program (in Etna and Michigan) are working full time or are in school. One is installing equipment for cancer treatments, one is working with CalFire, another is farming. They are putting into practice what they learned, and it is paying off.”
“What we are doing is wildly simple, yet it has a really deep impact,” Thompson said. “The young men learn that we genuinely care for them, that we want them to succeed and thrive. That has a profound impact, especially when they hear that for eight months. God cares about us and gives us the capacity to love people. There are no hidden closets or secret ingredients here. We invite people to learn about our world.”
Rockside Ranch is an independent Christian 501(c)3 nonprofit overseen by a board of directors. The existing program in South Dakota and the new ranch is run by a team in South Dakota with its own advisory council. Rockside also has locations at Etna, CA, and Allegen, MI. See more at rocksideranch.org/blackhills
Triple “R” Ranch much more than a retreat center, offering chance for renewal
Tucked on a spot overlooking the Moreau River near Isabel, South Dakota, Dave Johnston says the Triple “R” Ranch does a lot more than serve as a retreat center. The location was formerly the Moreau River Sanctuary. Since arriving five years ago, Dave and his wife Stephanie have found a real need in the agricultural community for those who seek a place to rest, restore and renew, the key components of their non-denominational ministry. “We began as a retreat center, but it’s become much, much more.”
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In the Bible, God often took people out in the wilderness to a place out of their comfort zone. “We witness the healing power of natural beauty that eases the confusion and gives people rest. Lives are transformed by renewing the mind so that a clearer picture emerges.”
The Johnston’s training helps those who come to the Triple “R” Ranch. Johnston said, “We trained in counseling methods under Neil Anderson and Dave Park in the Infusion Ministries in Knoxville, Tennessee. Using Scripture as followers of Christ, we learned to work with people to help them unwind and unburden themselves from the intense pressures of their lives.”
Out in this remote area, it is a quiet and safe place where people can begin to work through their challenges. Johnston said the initial goal was to teach pastors and other leaders ways to renew their lives. “We have had people stay here from nearly every state and even other countries.”
Recently, a group of pastors met as a way to recharge before going back to their congregations. While retreats continue to be an important part of the ministry, the needs of those in the ag community has grown, with nearly half of the work centered on those in the ranching community. It’s an area where few people know where to go when their situation overwhelms them.
Becoming familiar with people in the area was a big step as a way to earn trust. “We go out into the community and will speak at events or fill in at the pulpit. My favorite thing to do is lead a service at a rodeo. It is great! With the sounds of cows and horses in the background, I love talking to the people and sharing in this setting.”
“We want to be out where we build relationships,” Johnston said. “Many times, people don’t know this is a safe place where we offer the training and encouragement they need.”
The Johnstons connect by working with a local board made up of ranchers. “We love the ranchers. They are so good to us and are constantly helping, getting us out of snowdrifts, fixing equipment or wrangling horses. We love these people.”
Getting those independent souls to open up about their difficulties is not easy and Johnston credits God’s hand in directing people to the ranch. “All of us have areas where we struggle. I believe we can find freedom to live in our own way, if only we stop and listen,” he said.
There are challenges in marriages and a lot of stigma surrounds counseling that could help people deal with their issues. With the intense work in ranch situations, couples work together closely but sometimes the emotional portion of their lives remains hidden from each other. Sometimes people become overwhelmed, overcommitted, and feel undervalued. This leaves people stressed, anxious and relationally anemic.
Johnston shared, “I learned that the wife is a pretty good barometer of what is going on in a marriage. When she becomes totally overwhelmed, the couple will come to get help. It’s not that they come in and sit down on a couch for counseling. We start by getting to know each other by visiting and eating together. Once the couple feels comfortable, they will open up. This setting, far away from all the chaos of the world, gives them a chance to reflect on what is important in their life. The healing just happens, and the Lord has a lot to do with it. Stephanie and I are honored that they let us in, and we can help them find answers. It has to be the Lord who is helping them.”
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Sometimes the couple waits too long. When it gets to the point when the wife is done, then it’s really hard. “I tell guys that sometimes there is a need for maintenance in marriages, just like when taking care of equipment. The job they have is tough, but it’s so much harder when marriage is in crisis. An individual is not meant to carry all of those things inside. If you stuff it inside too long, the tension will blow up in a place where you never thought it could happen. That compounds the problem. Dealing with the issue can free a person so they can get back to do their challenging work.”
The emphasis on the Triple “R” Ranch is more mental than physical. Dave and Stephanie recognize the healing power of animals on people who are struggling. Currently they have 30 acres and a few horses plus two dogs who interact with people. Eventually, they would like to incorporate horses in the process, but they are waiting to hire the right person who can work with horses to provide additional counseling opportunities for support.
Johnston has seen the impact of interacting with animals. “We had one family here whose home had burned, and the parents were going through a divorce. When they got here, the family asked if they could wash and brush our horses. We were with them and witnessed the healing. By being with the animals, it calmed them and gave them the opportunity to relax and figure out how to move forward. I want to build on that part of our ministry.”
“The hardest part is getting people here,” Johnston said. “If someone gets through the doors, that’s half the battle. Many times, people say, ‘I don’t know why it took me so long.’ I love that we can offer this peaceful view of the world that many don’t get to see. We are unique in the ministry that we offer.”
At the end of the day, Johnston said, “Life works well when we work together. Lives are changed, hope is renewed, individuals and families are strengthened, and communities thrive.”
To learn more, go to http://www.triplerranchministries.org or http://www.infusionnow.org