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Starting April 2025

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lavender
group at American Pioneer Ranch in Hico, Texas

The spirit of the frontier will again be at the forefront of the new Americana lifestyle. With 60 years of experience in all things ranching, farming, building, creating, entrepreneurship, and living on the edge of adventure, we are now offering workshops and retreats located on our two beautiful ranches here in the middle of the Cowboy Capital of the World, Stephenville, Texas. Join us for a real, working experience and learn the basics of creating your own homestead. Our amazing field of expertise is in so many real-life situations that, on any given day, you could participate in a variety of activities. Learn to rope, and work with our herd of over 150 goats and sheep, mini cows, deer, llamas, wallabies and more. Our expert, Alexandra, who runs our regenerative agriculture program with our herd of over 60 cows, will inspire you. We will also be planting an orchard of organic fruit and nut trees—learn what it takes. Build a fence and even construct a chicken coop. You can also try your hand at our farm store and learn how to merchandise and make sales utilizing Texas-created merchandise and our own grass-fed meat. You can prepare farm-to-table recipes with our founder, Dianne Linderman, learn how to make cheese, butter, and sourdough bread, and discover the lost art of canning. We also teach beekeeping, arts, crafts, even fly fishing, and so much more. We inspire entrepreneurship, and will help you learn how to generate multiple streams of income with your ideas

Everything is included once you arrive at American Pioneer Ranch. Just bring your boots and a good attitude, and you will have an adventure of a lifetime! Three incredible meals including dessert are served each day (which you can help create). Our lodging and beautiful rooms are not bunk-house style, they are Hallmark movie style with queen-size beds—warm and cozy. All instruction, use of equipment, lodging and food are included. Your adventure awaits!

The American Pioneer Ranch Cowboy State of Mind Homesteading Retreat & Workshop is a 5-day Camp and Adventure. Cost is $4,500 per person. Participants must be over the age of 18 although kids as young as 10 can participate as long as they are accompanied by a parent. Everything is included once you arrive at American Pioneer Ranch. Just bring your boots and a good attitude, and you will have the adventure of a lifetime!

Our lives revolve around Christian principles.
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cowboy boots

Basic Cowboy State of Mind Homesteading Retreat & Workshop will teach you many of the following concepts:

Homesteading

Join us on a real working ranch learning skills such as milking goats, hoof trimming, grooming, basic medical procedures, moving cows, roping, shearing sheep, spinning wool, basic beekeeping, running a farm store, managing animals and breeding programs, learning what regenerative farming is, and many other aspects of running a real homestead or farm.

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Farm-to-Table Cooking

Taught by Dianne Linderman

professional chef and cooking class instructor, cooking show host, author of five cookbooks, and owner of four restaurants (including Dianne's Ranch Diner in Stephenville, TX)​

Delicious farm-to-table recipes made quickly from scratch.

Learn to make real old-fashioned sourdough bread, unbelievable desserts, and farm-to-table family-style recipes using our amazing certified regenerative meat and locally sourced ingredients. Discover forgotten skills such as canning, drying herbs, making butter and farmer's cheese. Guests can cook some of their own meals if they choose.

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Fishing

We have three large ponds full of fish!  You can learn the art of fly fishing from a professional fly fishing guide and even learn how to tie your own flies!

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Gardening

Learn how to grow a garden

(Spring camps only)

goats - copyright Great American Entertainment

Art & Photography

Learn basic skills of drawing, painting, photography and more from our amazing in-house self-taught artist.

Alexandra Linderman artwork logo_copyright Alexandra Linderman
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Meals & Desserts

All meals and desserts are included, and the food is absolutely amazing. All food is made with love in our commercial ranch kitchen using Chef Dianne Linderman's recipes from her 5 cookbooks and 40 years of restaurant ownership experience.

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Lodging

Our lodging and beautiful rooms are not bunk-house style, they are Hallmark-style. Two beautiful ranch houses will be home to our ranch camp guests. There are 2 to 3 warm and cozy queen size beds per room. All meals are included and the food is absolutely amazing. Rooms will be shared. 

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Itinerary
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Cowboy State of Mine
Homestead Retreat & Workshop

Daily Schedule (Example)

   (Schedule can change based on the weather, ranch projects, and opportunities that can show up daily on a ranch.)

pony in the sunlight at American Pioneer Ranch in Hico, Texas

Arrival Day

Travel Day (we can pick you up from the airport)

  • Dinner

  • Move into housing

  • Movie & Refreshments in Main House

Day 1

  • Breakfast

  • Entrepreneurship inspiration session with Dianne Linderman

  • Why regenerative agriculture? Presentation by Alexandra Linderman

  • Lunch

  • Ranch work with goats and sheep: goat milking, hoof trimming, and grooming

  • Learn basic medical procedures - understand our balance between holistic & conventional medicine

  • Practice giving injections, disbudding, castrating, tube feeding, microchipping and more

  • Dinner

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Alexandra Linderman with pot bellied pig
red truck
kids and pony art - copyright Great American Entertainment
Dianne Linderman teaching cooking class

Day 3

  • Breakfast

  • Learn to work cattle regenerative-style to keep your cattle operation simple and effective on your own homestead. Move cattle from pasture to pasture, move electric fencing, and learn the best options for fencing.

  • Learn to build fences and make repairs with confidence. 

  • Practice Roping

  • Lunch

  • Learn to weld

  • Make repairs and learn simple building practices on the ranch.

  • Dinner & discussions

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group on branding day at American Pioneer Ranch in Hico, Texas

Day 5

  • Breakfast

  • Introduction to beekeeping

  • Art Club

  • Make apple cider

  • Lunch

  • Why homesteading? Meet our children and learn how the way they were raised impacted their future.

  • Learn how to sell your products to the public and even run a farm store

  • Basic Marketing

  • Dinner

  • How to build a fire & make smores

Day 2

  • Breakfast

  • Morning Chores

  • Farm-to-table cooking class with Dianne Linderman - Learn her secrets of simple, healthy and decadent cooking

  • Learn bread making and how to use old-fashioned sourdough starter

  • Lunch

  • Gardening - simple tips, tricks & inspiration (Spring classes only) 

  • Introduction to shearing sheep, processing and spinning wool

  • Dinner

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girls riding horses at American Pioneer Ranch in Hico, Texas
Garden at Great American Lone Star Ranch in Stephenville, Texas

Day 4

  • Breakfast

  • Ranch chores

  • Presentation by Dianne Linderman: "The attitude by which you look at failure determines how you will grow from it."

  • Discuss your ideas for a ranch business or homesteading business and how to get started

  • Lunch

  • Learn basic canning and drying herbs

  • ​Learn basic cheesemaking

  • Dinner, followed by homemade junk food & movie night

pony art - copyright Great American Entertainment
ponies in the sunlight at American Pioneer Ranch in Hico, Texas
barrel

Travel Day

  • Self serve continental breakfast or to-go breakfast

  • Hugs goodbye

  • We can give you a ride to the airport

If you would like to attend American Pioneer Ranch Cowboy State of Mind Homesteading Retreat & Workshop, please click below to fill out an application.

Calendar

2025 Dates 
American Pioneer Ranch
Retreats & Workshops

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​Five-day retreats start every Wednesday and go through Sunday.

Beginning in April and continuing through July and again from November through January.

pony - copyright Great American Entertainment

If you would like to attend American Pioneer Ranch Cowboy State of Mind Homesteading Retreat & Workshop, please click below to fill out an application.

Call 254-818-0147 or email
info@americanpioneerranch.com for more information

Alexandra Linderman talks about her journey discovering regenerative agriculture. This is the foundation of our American Pioneer Ranch cattle herd and regenerative agriculture program.

CLICK TO PLAY VIDEO
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cowboy boots
wagon wheel with sunflowers

The following are things we suggest you bring with you to camp: 

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We never know what the weather is going to be here in Texas, but the average temperature is 75 degrees! Bring both warm and cool weather clothes. Don't forget a rain coat and a cowboy hat (or whatever hat you would prefer)! It's a good idea to bring a pair of work gloves. We highly recommend people wear boots and jeans on the ranch. You can bring tennis shoes if you would like. Bring a swimsuit & towel. Snacks are always available, in addition to three meals a day and desserts!

cowboy boots
cowboy boots

Subscribe to our email and text list for exciting announcements and you will automatically be entered in a drawing to win a two night stay at American Pioneer Ranch!

American Pioneer Ranch

254-818-0147

Located in
Hico, Texas

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