Cheyenne River Ranch
High Plains Adventure
Tipi Camp Testimonials
"Since 1999, Boy Scout Troop 349 of Fort Wayne, Indiana has been sending boys to Jerry Farlee’s ranch in South Dakota to experience the beauty of the open prairie, stalk the amazing wildlife, and learn about the culture and history of the Lakota people. When they come back, they are always changed. As more than one mom has told me “We sent out a boy. We got back a man.” Explaining that is not easy. It has to be experienced. But I will try.
Some
of that change might be attributed to just leaving the sheltered urban
area where we live and traveling to the open plains of South Dakota.
The vastness of the prairie puts the world in a different perspective.
With few trees to interrupt ones vision, you can see what seems like a
hundred miles in every direction. The stars at night are so bright and
numerous, you want to lie back on the grass and just stare in awe. You
realize how big the world is, and how beautiful.
Some might attribute the plentiful wildlife as another difference from
Indiana that might contribute to our boys maturing so quickly on our
journeys. Many see their first elk, antelope, prairie dog, rattle
snake, buffalo, jack rabbit, and eagle at the Farlee Ranch, living out
in the wild, not in a zoo. Having a freshly caught 20 pound catfish for
breakfast is extraordinary for a city boy from Indiana, let alone
barbequing your first rattlesnake!
But similar views and wildlife can be found at many places in the
Dakotas, and doesn’t explain the changes that I see in our scouts. When
asked, they will talk about those things for a while, but then they
always focus on what affected them the most: Their time with Jerry
Farlee.
Jerry is more than an outfitter or hunting guide or
outdoorsman. He is all of those, but more. His Lakota ancestry and
heritage give him a perspective on life and the land that bring one
closer to everything he shows you. He doesn’t just take you on a hike;
he leads you on a vision quest. You don’t just see the plants and
animals, you begin to feel akin to them and understand how they
interrelate. So whether you hunt with a rifle or a camera, you learn
how to get the very best shot. And the neatest thing is you never feel
like you are being taught or lectured to. It just happens.
And you feel immensely better for it.
So if you are interested in more than just a vacation, outing, or
shoot; invest some time at the Farlee Ranch with Jerry and his family.
It will change your life."
- Tom Watson, Scoutmaster BSA Troop 349
"For
the past two summers, I have traveled with my Boy Scout Troop to the
Brings Arrow Bottom Camp in South Dakota. Those two trips have
completely changed me in such a positive way. It’s hard to remember
that I used to be one of the young trouble- makers that every parent
fears.
I’m not quite sure what about the camp exactly changed me. It could
have been spending time in the outdoors in the beautiful landscape. Or
it could have been the community service our troop did to help the
reservation’s residents. While these probably had something to do with
my change, I believe the thing that affected me the most was being able
to experience many aspects of the lifestyle Native Americans led so
peacefully for so many years. I was like many 13 year olds, but even
worse in many ways. I had absolutely no respect for others, did things
at their expense without regard, and had never understood the gratitude
felt for helping others.
But after seeing how the Native Americans respect the Earth and
everything on it, and then seeing how they were able to live with the
land, it taught me that be treating others with the respect that you
desire to be treated with, you gain.
My manner towards others was so different when I returned home after
the first trip that my mother very seriously told my Scout leader that
he had taken her little kid and brought back a man.
This is not the only reason this camp is so important. Since it teaches
some of the Native American lifestyle, it is able to be one of the rare
places that the modern day Native youth can share and learn about their
history so lost during the years of abolishment that the culture
suffered. In the general American society, our history is taught in
such detailed and still lived that it is hard to imagine not knowing
where we came from.
But
unfortunately for the Native youth, they don’t get to experience their
history much anymore. I fully believe they deserve a camp like Brings
Arrow Bottom to be able to learn about their history and culture. This
camp is needed to help restore the Lakota culture and to give some of
life's lessons to today’s youth of all cultures. The thing about the
camp that makes learning there so easy is that the environment is so
fun. Brings Arrow Bottom camp is a wonderful place that with the right
help could be one of the greatest places for today’s youth to spend
their summers."
- Robert Arnold, BSA Troop 349