Dunshire, in Gaelic, means Fortress House - we know we are always strongest when we work together. Our home is our fortress!
We come from a long line of farmers and are veterans. We opened our nonprofit ranch to help teach veteran families homesteading self sufficiency and farm to table culinary skills. I am a business woman, natural chef, holistic Nutritionist and herbalist - also a farmer, culinary educator and cheesemaker! My husband is a farmer & works for the VA. We both are former veterans and federal law enforcement.
Farming, gardening, preserving food, cooking home-meals and homesteading was a way of life for all- at one time! Farming was not a job or career. Our goal is to help families become successful, empowered and healthier in life and living!
My spouse and I collectively served 32yrs in the military & have 34yrs of marriage. We have a strong sense of family, honor and know what self sufficiency means for the American and human way of life!
Our lifetime of knowledge in homesteading, farming, preservation, and farm-to-table culinary skills are what we want to share with other families - so they can duplicate it and knowledge is not lost. We know there are some people who still have homesteading skills, but we believe there are many others who don’t have the hands-on knowledge needed to make this kind of self sufficient life work. Our goal is to help American families get back to their healthy farming roots - something that helped to build this nation. Life wasn’t promised - it was created!
Relying on your neighbors in a community is not the same as relying on your government or corporations to support you and your family. At one time - people bartered and traded for things they needed. There was no monetary exchange that could have the same impact of happiness in life - that a great meal, good company and a warm home and bed made for a person.
Our family has developed a passion for the earth, families and caring for the environment we live in - the same way our great grandparents taught us to live and value the world around us. Homesteading skills have been slowly forgotten - and in time - could be lost entirely. As humans, we are always learning! I believe Dunshire ranch can make a strong difference in the world.
We are first connecting our veterans with tools, resources and information to help them navigate life after their service to their country. This is WHY we ALL serve in the military - because we love our country and the people in it!
We want to help veterans improve and rebuild themselves, their families and their lives - allowing them to live with the same sense of purpose, confidence and determination they had while enlisted. We host a program monthly, teaching one veteran family at a time our skills and farm to table approach, in hopes that one more family can come together in solidarity and even cut their food budget in half. Our hope is, that to one day scale this seed...into something bigger and even more tangible. Afterall - Some of the biggest plants in the world, started with one small seed!
I believe wisdom and farm fresh food can and should be shared - which is why we started this ranch as a nonprofit & ministry to support veterans who want to be homesteaders & farmers! All proceeds from our sales & donations received, goes back into the farm and livestock and daily operations - we don’t profit from our sales or donations. What better place to share this great farm resource than here in Eagle ID, where we love to live and reside!