ABOUT SCHOOL OF RANCH

I'm Mark Gross, founder of School of Ranch.  After a life in cities and the burbs, I found myself living on a ranch in Central Oregon. First thing I did...bought a chainsaw and went to YouTube to learn how to use it.  Mistake!  Chainsaw + Video = Missing limb!  

We're in the midst of a great migration from urban to rural areas.  People like me looking to slow down, reconnect with the land, do things with our hands .  Rural life means self reliance - knowing how to use tools and machines, how to make things grow, how to raise healthy, happy animals.  I started School of Ranch so we can learn these skills together.

School of Ranch conducts workshops live and in person.  To build practical skills you need to get your hands on the right equipment and actually try things for yourself. Our workshops are led by skilled community members, and help newcomes and other learners work together to acquire skills safely.

While our product is education, our purpose is community.  Resilient communities are grounded in feelings of trust, empathy and belonging, and create economic opportunity for all.  Getting people together in-person builds those bonds. Supporting skilled  tradespeople, artisans, farmers, ranchers and businesses builds economic opportunity.  That's what we do - Educate, Build Community, and Support the Local Economy.

Our mission is to teach practical and traditional skills, strengthen communities, and support the local economy.  Our vision is of rural communities that are welcoming, healthy, and caring.