In the early days of dude ranching, the staffing model often looked like owners working 7 days a week all summer long, with a handful of college students coming in to spend their summer fixing fences, taking out trail rides, and cleaning cabins. As the industry has shifted to more complex operations staying open for…
We had a guest visit us earlier this summer who came to Vista Verde in 1985 and was coming back to share the experience with her grandson. She brought a folder of brochures and a newsletter (back when newsletters didn’t have an “e” in front of them!) that we got to pour over. There were…
It is an honor to receive the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for our Cellar Wine list once again. With over 300 wines on the VVR wine list, we have more wine choices than horses! Just like the love that Steph K and her team gives each of our horses under her care, Chef Jonathon…
Over the years we have had some phenomenal folks work at VVR. We’ve seen young staff grow up and bring what they learned at VVR into their careers. And we’ve had dozens of staff who have met their future spouses here at the ranch. It’s an honor to have such an amazing group of alumni,…
Each year, when it is time to pick the recipient of the Elk River Kipper Scholarship, we are reminded that this is no easy feat. Once again, we had a field of applications that made us want to pick every one of them! It is with great pleasure that we introduce Victoria Ramirez as the…
With the spring weather showing us glimpses of evenings on the deck, here is a recipe from Chef Jonathon to take advantage of one of the many veggies starting to show up fresh and in-season. Asparagus Veloute Ingredients: 3.5 lb Asparagus 100 g Butter 50 ml Crème Fraiche 750 ml Milk 300 ml Vegetable…
Over the years, Ben has purchased a lot of horses for our herd at Vista Verde. It takes a special horse to do the work of dude ranching, and we have had a lot of wonderful horses over the years! We sat down with Ben to learn more about his approach to buying horses at…
It was pretty exciting when Ben got the call, and the whopping and hollering was heard across the ranch. Next thing you know, he was coming into the Great Room on two wheels shouting for Devyn and the whole place erupted into a spontaneous celebration when we all heard the news. Finally, after all these…
The kitchen is always an exciting place when Chef Jonathon is cooking, and he’s keeping things saucy and spicy with this amazing recipe. If you’re wanting to hold onto the warmth and coziness of the winter season still, this recipe is one to try before we hit summertime! N’duja Dip Ingredients: 1# High quality n’duja…
One of the most common questions we receive about winter activities is to clarify what it means when we say we offer backcountry skiing. Backcountry skiing, by definition, is skiing where you leave prepared/groomed trails, but that explanation alone can mean different things to different people. We’re going to break down the nuances of the…
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