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Leslie Johnson - Founder of Agape Ranch · Ask The Experts

• 0:04
  Speaker 1: Thank you.
• 0:05
  Speaker 2: 1310 WIBA, Madison in the morning, Sean Primo with you.
• 0:10
  Speaker 2: Very happy to be joined in studio this morning by
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  Speaker 2: the founder of Agape Ranch, Leslie Johnson. Leslie, how you
• 0:17
  Speaker 2: doing this morning?
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: Oh, I love this weather and the horses love this weather.
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: It makes it easy to be happy.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I hear you on that one for sure. You
• 0:25
  Speaker 2: and your husband, Mark Johnson, folks may be familiar with Mark,
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: founded Agape Ranch and you mentioned the horses. Let's talk
• 0:31
  Speaker 2: a little bit about what Agape Ranch is and who
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  Speaker 2: it really kind of like an overview, who it caters to.
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  Speaker 1: Well, let me just take us back a little bit
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: to understand how Agape Ranch got started. First of all,
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  Speaker 1: agape means unconditional love. So kids come to our ranch,
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  Speaker 1: and our prayer and our hope is that we will
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  Speaker 1: show them love no matter where they're at. They don't
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  Speaker 1: have to be anything but who they are. If they're depressed,
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: if they're anxious, if they have negative thoughts in their head,
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: that's okay. That is how life is, and we're here
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: to give them an opportunity with unconditional love to find
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: some hope and healing in what we have with the animals. Well,
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  Speaker 1: not 20 years ago. In 2018, or actually it was 2016,
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  Speaker 1: I read a book by a woman named Kim Meter
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  Speaker 1: who lived in Bend, Oregon. Her father was a Vietnam vet,
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  Speaker 1: came home with PTSD, shot his wife, which was her mother,
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  Speaker 1: and then shot himself. Very traumatic for this woman. She
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  Speaker 1: and her two sisters lived with a grandma who got
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  Speaker 1: them a pony. That helped her heal. Fast forward 20 years,
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  Speaker 1: she's married to a pastor, a youth pastor, landscape worker.
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  Speaker 1: who they wanted to buy some land to rescue horses
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  Speaker 1: in Bend, Oregon. And they did, and they were building
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  Speaker 1: a fence with some of the kids from his youth
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  Speaker 1: group came, one of which was a girl who hadn't
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  Speaker 1: spoken in five years because of trauma. They were putting
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  Speaker 1: a fence together. Kim said, let's go have some hot chocolate.
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  Speaker 1: The girl didn't want to. Kim was looking out the window,
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  Speaker 1: keeping an eye on her, and she was talking to
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  Speaker 1: the horse.
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  Speaker 2: Oh, my goodness.
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  Speaker 1: And Kim was like, oh, my goodness, that is exactly
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  Speaker 1: what helped me heal. So through these rescued animals, they
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  Speaker 1: rescued kids. And that was for 25 years. She was
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  Speaker 1: a beautiful writer and wrote a book, which I read.
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  Speaker 1: And I was like, Mark, this is who I am.
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  Speaker 1: I love horses. I love God. I love kids. This
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  Speaker 1: is a way to incorporate all three. So the two
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  Speaker 1: of us, Mark, who is not a horse, he's not
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  Speaker 1: a horse hater, but he's not a horse He hasn't
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  Speaker 1: been in love with horses the way I was as
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  Speaker 1: a kid. Let me just put it to you that way.
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  Speaker 1: He rides every once in a while, but he really
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  Speaker 1: likes the maintenance. Yeah. We went to Bend, Oregon for
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  Speaker 1: a five-day clinic with this couple who had so many
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  Speaker 1: people who had read her book. They all wanted information
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  Speaker 1: on how to do it. So we got it, and
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  Speaker 1: we got back from Bend, Oregon. We looked for land.
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  Speaker 1: It took us three years. We brought 80 acres right
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  Speaker 1: outside of Madison, and we decided to build this ranch,
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  Speaker 1: Agape Ranch. And since that time, we have had this—
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  Speaker 1: Such an amazing experience with so many people who have
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  Speaker 1: been helpful, starting from the people on our board who
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  Speaker 1: have gifts that Mark and I don't have, especially like
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  Speaker 1: insurance and, you know, some of that kind of stuff.
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  Speaker 1: And believe it or not, because of the work of
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  Speaker 1: John Sauer, who passed away, our good friend, he was
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  Speaker 1: our board chair, did a beautiful job of making sure
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  Speaker 1: everything was built with integrity and done the right way.
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  Speaker 1: We have an amazing group of volunteers who help us
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  Speaker 1: do the things that we need to get done so
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  Speaker 1: that I can be a mentor to kids who are coming. And, well,
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  Speaker 1: we have two mentors right now, and we have about
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  Speaker 1: six or seven people who also want to be mentors.
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  Speaker 1: But we just bought our third horse, so now we
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  Speaker 1: can start adding more kids. We have eight kids in
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  Speaker 1: each session. We're on our second session. So we're learning
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  Speaker 1: as we go, but it has been a beautiful, beautiful process.
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  Speaker 1: And I just feel blessed that we get to be
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  Speaker 1: the ones who set this up for kids to come
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  Speaker 1: and just put their cell phone down. They give us
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  Speaker 1: a half an hour of work. It's free. They come
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  Speaker 1: and it's a free session. They give us a half
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  Speaker 1: an hour of work so that they're part of the process,
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  Speaker 1: you know, to make it run. And then they get
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  Speaker 1: an hour to do what they want. And their choices
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  Speaker 1: are between, you know, working with a horse. Some of
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  Speaker 1: the kids ride a horse. We don't have our chicken
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  Speaker 1: coop yet, but we'll have it. We have a big
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  Speaker 1: garden being done. A little bit of work. woodworking, not cutting,
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  Speaker 1: but like putting benches together, birdhouses, stuff like that. And
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  Speaker 1: then working with horses. So far, well, mainly because really
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  Speaker 1: horses are our only thing that they're doing right now
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  Speaker 1: besides other chores. Kids have loved it, but the surprise
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  Speaker 1: for me has been how much mothers, parents, love watching
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  Speaker 1: their kids have fun.
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  Speaker 2: Oh, that is great to see.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, when kids come and they don't want to say much,
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  Speaker 1: we don't pull anything out of them. If they don't
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  Speaker 1: want to talk, we don't talk about anxiety, but It's
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  Speaker 1: been a beautiful process so far, and I'm not saying
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  Speaker 1: that we're going to give everybody a solution to any problems,
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  Speaker 1: but we're pointing them in the right direction to say
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  Speaker 1: there's a lot of good in this world along with
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  Speaker 1: a lot of bad.
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  Speaker 2: It's pretty amazing how there are times in your life
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  Speaker 2: where it just seems like everything falls in place and
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  Speaker 2: using those opportunities to really help others. As we talked
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  Speaker 2: this morning with Leslie Johnson, founder of Agape Ranch. And
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  Speaker 2: of course, you can learn more online. Head on over
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  Speaker 2: to that computer, agaperanchwi.com. That's A-G-A-P-E, ranchwi.com. You can learn
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  Speaker 2: all about the ranch right online. And Leslie, when you're
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  Speaker 2: talking about the experience of helping kiddos, and I think
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  Speaker 2: of just the reaction kids have in general just to
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  Speaker 2: pets and animals, and I know horses are very special
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  Speaker 2: as well. It really does— it' s really a nice— I think a
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  Speaker 2: nice way to kind of allow kids to open up.
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  Speaker 2: They feel comfortable. Miracles happen oftentimes around pets and animals,
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  Speaker 2: don't they?
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  Speaker 1: It is such an amazing thing. Just talking about animals,
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  Speaker 1: we got three kittens. Oh. a couple months ago. And
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  Speaker 1: just the petting, the picking. These cats love to be
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  Speaker 1: picked up, love to be pet. Some cats don't, but
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  Speaker 1: we got lucky. And then they go in, and we're
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  Speaker 1: starting something also where you can open the stall to
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  Speaker 1: a certain degree where the horse can't get out, but
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  Speaker 1: you can still touch the horse. And they read books
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  Speaker 1: to the horses. It's amazing. I thought when someone brought
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  Speaker 1: that idea up to me, I thought, you think kids
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  Speaker 1: have really liked that? I was shocked. Oh, yeah. You know,
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  Speaker 1: they kind of feel like they're some of the only
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  Speaker 1: two that have done it actually been pretty young, but
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  Speaker 1: they've been telling the horse stories and talking to the
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  Speaker 1: horse and the horse is like sticking their head up.
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  Speaker 1: It could be that they're looking for a treat, but
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  Speaker 1: they act like they're interested, and I'm shocked. So, you know,
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  Speaker 1: we'll see what, you know, what comes up next down
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  Speaker 1: the highway.
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  Speaker 2: What an experience for those kiddos as well. And I
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  Speaker 2: want to ask, too, as far as how this all works,
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  Speaker 2: I know you talk about it being free for the children,
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  Speaker 2: and there's obviously expense and other things. You guys do
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  Speaker 2: have an organization, opportunities for folks, maybe— I know a
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  Speaker 2: lot of business leaders and others listening to the program
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  Speaker 2: are always looking for some really, really good causes. You
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  Speaker 2: guys are, of course, donors and other things very much welcome. Volunteers,
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  Speaker 2: do you guys have roles for volunteers as well, or
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  Speaker 2: where are we in that world?
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  Speaker 1: Well, here is where we're at. We always, yes, love
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  Speaker 1: people to volunteer. The reality is our garden isn't really
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  Speaker 1: up and running yet. We're still in the process of
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: building it. We're finishing the chicken coop, we're building a
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  Speaker 1: tool shed. We're still in the building stages where we
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  Speaker 1: don't have as much to do, but I would say
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  Speaker 1: by next summer, the number of volunteers needed will be
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  Speaker 1: increased dramatically. Right now, we have four or five people
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  Speaker 1: that come on a weekly basis. and they get as
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  Speaker 1: much chores as whatever needs to be done. And we
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  Speaker 1: have two people that help with chores in the morning
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  Speaker 1: and the evening with the horses. But by next summer,
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  Speaker 1: so you can put your name in. Probably, to be honest,
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  Speaker 1: we wouldn't be calling on too many people until next
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  Speaker 1: summer or next spring. But by then, I think we'll
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  Speaker 1: be running full steam and we'll need people to be
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  Speaker 1: doing things.
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  Speaker 2: What about folks that want to make a donation that
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  Speaker 2: have learned about the ranch and would really like to
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  Speaker 2: help that cause? Opportunities there for them?
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  Speaker 1: Oh, man, there are opportunities. And, you know, that's one
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  Speaker 1: of the things that for me personally is hard. I
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  Speaker 1: don't like to ask for money from people. But if
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  Speaker 1: it is something that hits your heartstrings and you believe
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  Speaker 1: that this is something that can help kids, which, you know,
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  Speaker 1: I'm prejudiced. I have seen firsthand how it has been beneficial.
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  Speaker 1: We are definitely continuing. 100% funded by people donating. We've
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  Speaker 1: gotten a couple people that have given us some golf outings.
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  Speaker 1: We ourselves run a golf outing every year to raise money.
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  Speaker 1: But as we get more horses, we get more vet bills,
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  Speaker 1: more barrier bills, more feed bills, more vetting bills. Donations
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  Speaker 1: are very well accepted.
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  Speaker 2: Yes. Yeah. Horses are not cheap.
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  Speaker 1: You know, the reality is you give them one pound
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  Speaker 1: of hay and they give you four pounds of manure. Yes.
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  Speaker 1: So they are a drain for sure to the pocketbook. But,
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  Speaker 1: you know, some things are worth the drain because the
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  Speaker 1: beauty that comes out of it is price in my
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  Speaker 1: in my ever so humble opinion, priceless.
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  Speaker 2: Get more information, of course, the website, agaperanchwi.com. That's agaperanchwi.com.
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  Speaker 2: Agape is spelled A-G-A-P-E, agaperanchwi.com. And Leslie, let's talk about
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  Speaker 2: the kiddos and those who are coming to you. How
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  Speaker 2: do they, for parents that are listening or grandparents that
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  Speaker 2: are interested, is there a sign-up process or how would
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: they get in touch with you guys?
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, our webpage has a place that you can register,
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  Speaker 1: you know, sign up. And you generally give a little
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  Speaker 1: bit of why you think your kid should, what, is
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  Speaker 1: the problem and why you think this would be helpful.
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  Speaker 1: We've had quite a few people that have called, you know,
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  Speaker 1: signed up and said, my daughter would like a birthday party.
• 9:15
  Speaker 1: I'm sorry. That's not what we're there for. My daughter
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  Speaker 1: loves horses and wants to learn to ride. And I
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: love that. And I hope that happens to them, but
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: it won't happen at our ranch. What we're the main
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  Speaker 1: purpose of what we're doing is kids who are struggling
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  Speaker 1: with anxiety. And, you know, these days it's harder than
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: when we were growing up, we didn't have, you know,
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: Facebook and Instagram. There's so many things. I don't even
• 9:35
  Speaker 1: know what they have on. I'm with you. Yeah. You
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: think everybody's life is perfect and yours isn't. Or you,
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: we've had, you know, a number of kids who have
• 9:43
  Speaker 1: seen person firsthand school shootings and don't want to go
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  Speaker 1: to school and they're anxious about it. Or they're anxious about,
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  Speaker 1: you know, that that could happen anywhere because they've already
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: experienced it once. So things like that. That's the purpose
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  Speaker 1: of our ranch. So if you want to have your
• 9:57
  Speaker 1: kid love and enjoy horses, have them volunteer. with you. Yeah.
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: And then they can be, you know, they can see
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  Speaker 1: the horses and just know that they're making a difference.
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  Speaker 1: But as far as we're not a stable that you
• 10:06
  Speaker 1: come and.
• 10:07
  Speaker 2: Trail ride, You know, one of the things too, as
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  Speaker 2: we're talking this morning with Leslie Johnson, founder at Agape Ranch,
• 10:13
  Speaker 2: one of the things that I love about the Madison area,
• 10:15
  Speaker 2: Dane County in general, is you can either be in
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: the city or you can be in the country and
• 10:19
  Speaker 2: it's convenient. I think obviously when we started this conversation,
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: you mentioned the book that you read and just kind
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: of bringing things that you were very passionate about together
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  Speaker 2: for a really great benefit for the community. I think
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: sometimes too, location matters as well. And the fact that
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: you guys are able to provide such a such an
• 10:37
  Speaker 2: opportunity for young folks and helping them with healing in
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: such a convenient location. And I sometimes think we forget
• 10:44
  Speaker 2: that is what a great community is. And it also
• 10:46
  Speaker 2: kind of ties back with the donors and others is
• 10:48
  Speaker 2: it's a pretty supportive community, but also geographically a perfect
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: location for.
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  Speaker 1: Something like this, isn't it? It is. We are on
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  Speaker 1: the west side, not far from the Beltline and Mineral
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  Speaker 1: Point Road. It probably takes about 10 minutes when you're
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  Speaker 1: on that junction of the highway to get to our place.
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: It's It's amazing. Yeah. We feel very fortunate. You know,
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  Speaker 1: I just want to mention to you, Sean, a lot
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: of people talk about how our world is full of
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: crazy people. And we do have some crazy people. And,
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: you know, I thank God that I haven't had to
• 11:14
  Speaker 1: experience too many of them. But I can tell you firsthand,
• 11:17
  Speaker 1: there are so many wonderful people who are doing this
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: for the right reasons. They're not doing it for anything
• 11:22
  Speaker 1: but to help other people. And so the kids who
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: come to this are the ones who benefit from what
• 11:26
  Speaker 1: all these volunteers that we've had so far have. I
• 11:29
  Speaker 1: say to people all the time, I'm the luckiest person
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  Speaker 1: alive because I get an opportunity. I've made more new
• 11:34
  Speaker 1: friends in the last year, people that I consider true
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: friends because I love their hearts. They're there just to
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  Speaker 1: do whatever they can to help the kids that come.
• 11:42
  Speaker 1: And they don't even know the kids that are coming.
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  Speaker 1: That's amazing.
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  Speaker 2: That's great. And it's great to see the outpouring of
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: love and support. And it's a great opportunity as well
• 11:49
  Speaker 2: for you if you want more information. You've got an opportunity,
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: whether you're looking maybe a donorship opportunity or maybe you've
• 11:55
  Speaker 2: got a kiddo in your life that you think, may
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: benefit from agape ranch just head on over to the
• 11:59
  Speaker 2: website agape ranch wi.com that's agape ranch wi.com you can
• 12:05
  Speaker 2: learn more also of course throughout the women's hockey season
• 12:07
  Speaker 2: you'll hear leslie and you'll hear uh mark and everybody
• 12:11
  Speaker 2: else talking a bit as well as paul brown about
• 12:13
  Speaker 2: agape ranch as well but again great day to make
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: that uh make that visit the website agape ranch wi.com
• 12:19
  Speaker 2: leslie thank you so much for all your work it
• 12:21
  Speaker 2: was great talking to you this morning and enjoy this
• 12:22
  Speaker 2: great day.
• 12:23
  Speaker 1: Thanks for having us, or having me, I should say.
• 12:26
  Speaker 1: Mark on the heart.
• 12:27
  Speaker 2: Yes, he is always around. Of course, news comes your
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: way next right here on 1310 WIBA.