The Homesteading Signature Experience
For Those of You Who Want to Take Your Health Into Your Own Hands and Reconnect With Forgotten Skills
Join us for our remaining 2026 SMART CHIX:
March 20-22
August 6-8
August 21-23
At Von Holten Ranch
Three days. Two instructors. Ten homesteaders.
One unforgettable experience that could change how you live forever.
March 20-22, 2026
- Butter Making
- Ice Bath, Vibration Plate & TheraPlate
- Spring Gardening
- Fire Cider & Fermented Garlic
- Water Bath Cannning
- Elderberry Concentrate
- Natural Cleaning Products
- Magnesium Body Spray & Mullein Tincture
- Whipped Tallow & Comfrey Salve
- Made a Tea Towel, Pot Holder, and an Apron
- Chicken Coop Tour
- Fresh Milled Flour Rolls, Homemade Graham Crackers, Cream of Mushroom Soup, & Ice Cream
- Instapot & Ninja Creami
- Beef Liver Supplements
- Armpit Detox
- Small Business Insights
August 6-8 or August 21-23, 2026
- Herbal Butter Making
- Jelly and Jam Canning
- Ice Bath, Vibration Plate, & TheraPlate
- Making Vanilla
- Soap Making
- Water Bath & Pressure Canning
- Homemade Cottage Cheese, Yogurt & Cheese
- Benefits of Primal Meat & Tasting
- Making a Tea Towel & Pot Holder
- Homemade Seasonings
- Fall Garden Prep
- Small Business Insights
- Magnesium Body Spray & Comfrey Salve
- Medicinal Herbs
- Whipped Tallow Rendering with Essential Oil
- Binders & Detoxing
- Sauerkraut
- Fresh Milled Flour Bread Making
Ready to live a life of self-sufficiency?
Farm to Table Meals Made with Love
Fresh Milled Flour Bread Making
Medicinal Herbs Made Easy
Indoor Herb Gardening
Food Preservation
Small Business Basics
Holistic Health & Parasite Knowledge
Tea Towel, Pot Holder, and Apron Sewing
Homemade Non-Toxic Cleaning Products
Cattle, Equine, and Chickens
Homemade Herbal Butter and Tallow
Fun Surprises!
Learn From the Experts
Brandy Von Holten
Owner and Founder of Country Tough Homesteading
2024 Missouri's Best Ranch & Homesteading
CEO and Chief Editor of National Magazine, Country Tough Times & 7X Magazine Cover Appearances
Former Elected Official for Pettis County Health Board
5X International Fighter & Mounted Archer
Biologist
Author
Mrs. Mary Ella Zimmerman
Master Gardener & Instructor
Mother of 7, Grandmother of 42
Country Tough Times Magazine Article Contributor
Mennonite Matriarch
Home Cooking Caterer
Cookbook Author
Welcome to Von Holten Ranch!
Home of the Country Tough Homesteading Expo and voted Missouri's Best Ranch. We are a fourth-generation working ranch started in 1906.
We are located just outside of Sedalia, Missouri. We are considered the gateway to the Ozarks and are conveniently located in the same county as the Missouri State Fair.
Event Information
2026 Dates: March 20-22, August 6-8, or August 21-23
Start Time 10:00 AM
Finish Time: 3:00 PM
What you'll get:
- 3 Immersive Days of Hands-on Learning
- Meals Included
- Lodging Included (limited)
- Take Home Samples
- Smart Chix T-Shirt & Apron
You'll get all of this and more for just $165 per day.
We have four cabins and 32 electric sites. Lodging is included until we run out. Cabins will get booked quickly. Two cabins have a single queen bed, and two cabins have two twin beds. Let us know if you'll be bunking with a friend.
This event is open to 10 homesteaders per event only and is selling out FAST!
Yes! I want to attend Smart ChixWhat is the cost of the event?
Can I bring a friend or family member?
Is lodging included?
What if I’ve never done any of this before?
Is this event only open to women?
Do I need to bring any food?
Mission
SMART CHIX is a hands-on learning event hosted at Von Holten Ranch, which is a 4th-generation family-owned century farm in Mora, Missouri. Brandy Von Holten and guest instructors are dedicated to providing in-person, hands-on, all-inclusive learning experiences.
This signature experience teaches homesteading skills to improve the lives of individuals and subsequent generations by becoming more self-sufficient, healthy, and financially sound.
Vision
SMART CHIX is a one-of-a-kind learning opportunity, and that's why we call it a signature experience.
We strive to be a sought-after learning environment, known for caring about people while creating a supportive community of people who share a common goal, breaking down fear barriers through the mastery of forgotten skills, and providing quality, hands-on homesteading education.
SMART CHIX Core Values
- Self Sufficiency
- Independence
- Holistic Healthy Living
- Simplicity
- Community
