Silver Fern Ranch in Texas

The First signs of life on the Silver Fern Ranch

The Silver Fern Ranch
El Paso, Texas

Stage 1: From Dream to Reality

The only markings for Grant J Spence and Dr Debie LeBeau's dream of the Silver Fern Ranch are a mailbox and signs
Building a ranch out of a cactus filled desert landscape with only a cement pad and disused electric pole has its many challenges. The first task is to put up signs so service providers can find a ranch that only exists in our dreams - especially since our road has no name and has not been graded in years.

Not only are signs important, but a mail box is necessary to get those all important bills and junk mail. It only takes a month for us to learn that the post office has given us the wrong street address, but no problem we finally know where we live.

As you can see from one of the first pictures on this page, Grant feels raising the New Zealand flag over the building site is another important first step. To our dismay, this flag is not designed to hang outside and has slowly been falling apart. We have ordered larger flag poles and more appropriate flags of the Silver Fern (a national symbol in New Zealand for which the ranch is named), New Zealand and the USA.

Visit our Other Pages
Just a Fool to believe in Dreams

Stage 1: From Dream to Reality

Stage 2: Starting the Dream

Stage 3: Generations Build Dreams

Stage 4: The Foundation of a Dream

Stage 5: Framing a Dream

Stage 6: Dreams need a Structure

Stage 7: Dreams take hard Work

The electricity is hooked up and turned on.

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Well, Let's get started

Grant J Spence starts the Silver Fern Ranch The beginnings of Grant J Spence and Dr Debie LeBeau's dream of the Silver Fern Ranch
Although the land is under snow when we arrive the last week of November, we push forward with development. Grant begins by measuring the cement pad for materials while Debie begin clearing the landscape that has been uninhabited for 40+ years.

The plan is to build a three-sided barn to which we 'attach' our travel trailer. We will live in the barn/trailer while building the house.

Clearing the Cactus

Dr Debie LeBeau working on the Silver Fern Ranch The cement pad is covered in shrubs and large prickly pear cactus that have to be cleared away. Paths to the site for trucks and tractors have to be cleared. Cactus have BIG thorns. Each day is spent cutting down cactus, while each night is spent removing thorns from fingers and feet.
Dr Debie LeBeau working on the Silver Fern Ranch

It takes a few pieces of Equipment

We drove the trailer from Massachusetts (yet another story) to El Paso, with little more than the clothes on our backs and a 6-year-old for half the trip (. We had only a few tools and no farm equipment, while as we said before there was no infrastructure on the site - sooo, we literally stared with nothing. ....

Grant J Spence working on the Silver Fern Ranch

First we needed a trailer to bring building materials to the property. Then, we needed the trailer to bring a 2 500 water tank that would become our source of water for the ranch.

Driving the new tractor home ... Grant J Spence working on the Silver Fern Ranch

Grant J Spence working on the Silver Fern Ranch

Grant likes his new 'toy', but it means working late into the night.

Starting the Three-sided Barn

Grant starts to build our three-sided barn. ....

The view we love so much from what will be the Silver Fern Ranch

Dr Debie LeBeau working on the Silver Fern Ranch

And continues to build... Grant J Spence and Dr Debie LeBeau work hard to make the Silver Fern Ranch come alive

Grant J Spence and Dr Debie LeBeau work hard to make the Silver Fern Ranch come alive and continues to build ...
The frame of a barn with stalls begins to take shape.

A Three-sided Barn

At first we build a two-stall, three-sided barn, but as we acquire farming and construction equipment it becomes apparent that we don't have enough stalls. We add an additional stall to the barn. ...

After four weeks of working 10 hours a day (every day), lights are turned on and the three-sided barn is ready for the travel trailer. The outside lighting shows off the yuccas, while inside the barn are built-in counters and storage. A living Christmas tree adds to the spirit of the season.

The day before Christmas the trailer is pulled into place, the barn is sealed around it. The structure has electricity, water, sanitation, telephone, heat and internet.

Finally the three-sided barn has a temporary fourth side. The trailer acts as a living area, while the barn (we call 'the cold room') acts as a storage and work area. Once the house is built the barn will get its real fourth wall.

This is the 'ranch cats' first look at the possibility of going outside - walking on dirt, stones and smelling all sorts of good things (for cats anyway) - but to say they are reluctant at first is to understate their fears of the big, wide world.

Now we are ready to build the house ... The adventure is just beginning.

                                     Dr Debie LeBeau/Grant Spence
                                     Silver Fern Ranch
                                                         55013-B (62/180 hwy)
                                                         El Paso, TX 79938
                                                         PHONE: +1-915-988-2550
                                                         CELL: +1-413-841-7106
                                                        EMAIL: grantsnz@hotmail.com
                                                                               or
                                                         EMAIL: dr_lebeau@yahoo.com (dr_lebeau)