www.DiamondMRanch.com. 

    The Martins are a three generation Alaskan family with roots that run deep in agriculture, animal care, and down-home family fun.  Much of the time, you will find them with their hands busy working on a project on the working ranch, homestead, or their much lauded business, Diamond M Ranch Resort.

    Always very active in their community, the Martins have had the idea for a non-profit for quite some time.  Knowing first-hand how working with nature can have a powerful impact on a person's life, they felt that their animal and agricultural experience would be well-served in helping young people, especially those from disadvantaged and at-risk populations, learn how to care for animals and plants, and gain a sense of pride and self-worth in the process.  Not only that, but so many other members of the community could serve to gain as well, learning how to work with the land in sustainable ways, discovering basic animal husbandry, aquiring Alaskan gardening skills, experiencing therapeutic animal work, growing through hands-on educational activities, and so much more!  

    The vision was brought to life by the tragic death of Matthias Martin on August 21, 2009.  Matti brought a grinning zest and a sparkling energy to everything he touched, a true "farm kid" if there ever was one..  Perhaps, in a different environment, a boy with Matti's energy would have been labeled as a "problem," but growing up on a working ranch served Matti in so many positive ways.  The farm, combined with his loving family, gave Matti a wonderful hands-on arena to harness his sparkling energy and turn it into grinning fruitful labor, the kind of work that makes a kid proud of himself and of what he can do for others.  We are grateful that, through Matti's Farm, we can help others have that same experience.

    In God's Love, Carrol&JoAnne, Blair&Ronna, D.Anne, Josiah, Darius (Toad) and Sonora