Bucking Horse

Bucking Horse is designed around fulfilling the hunger for community. Visitors and homeowners are able to discover a community of opportunities nestled in a safe environment. Local vendors have the chance to share their products and create relationships with those visiting the village, while community gardens and gathering places encourage homeowners not only to interact but to bond with their neighbors. A trail system, community gardens, a working farm as well as a garden for the farm-to-fork restaurant, are all part of the master plan to protect the heritage of the land. A variety of homes are offered within the community including single family, townhome, and apartment residences.

The theme of the project is based upon the existing Johnson and Jessup Farms, which were established in 1868. Jessup Farm has been rehabilitated in an effort to protect the history and enhance the overall ambiance of the project, and Johnson Farm is set to be rehabilitated in the future. Bucking Horse is designed around maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The entire project is designed around trail systems that will encourage outdoor exercise. Healthy retailers, within the Jessup Farm Artisan Village, including Reve microgym and The Farmhouse Restaurant, along with homespun retail and food service artisans, plus a clean and safe environment promote quality of life and health.

The community gardens and teach today's kids how a seed in the ground becomes the food on their plate. Not only does the project allow us to teach society where its food comes from, but the children of today learn how nature can provide endless opportunities for fun and learning. Whether it's building a treehouse, learning about care of the farm animals, or growing vegetables, the project reflects how plants, animals, and people can live and coexist.

The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann (Part 1) - The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann (Part 2) - Bucking Horse on Morning Edition - Bucking Horse in Kathadin Cedar Log Homes Newsletter - Bucking Horse in American City and County Magazine - Bucking Horse in Lydia's Style Magazine (Page 23) - Bucking Horse mentioned in the New York Times

Five Guiding Principles

Five important principles have been a guide the Bucking Horse project, leading it to become the first of its kind in Northern Colorado.These principles continue to be the foundation for the saying, “Bucking the Status Quo.” We can no longer settle for the status quo and from these principles we strive to create new standards for a healthier lifestyle.

Community 

Bucking Horse is designed around fulfilling the hunger for community. Visitors and homeowners are able to discover a community of opportunities nestled in a safe environment. Local vendors have the chance to share their products and create relationships with those visiting the village, while community gardens, pool, pool house, and central plaza encourage homeowners not only to interact but to bond with their neighbors.

Environment 

Bucking Horse’s 160 acres was purchased to safeguard its open spaces and mold the community into a Colorado Casual Farm destination. A trail system, outdoor horse arena, community gardens, as well as a garden for the farm-to-fork restaurant are all part of the master plan to protect our land. 

Education 

On-site gardens and a farm-to-fork restaurant  teach today’s kids how a seed in the ground becomes the food on their plate. Not only does the project allow us to teach society where their food comes from, but the children of today learn how nature can provide endless opportunities for fun and learning. 

Health 

Bucking Horse is designed around maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This philosophy demands an end to redundancy and lack of creativity to which we will commit in our time. The entire project is designed around trail systems that encourage outdoor exercise. Fresh grown fruits and vegetables reflect a healthier diet while persuading the community to renew contact with nature. “Healthy” retailers along with a clean and safe environment will promote quality of life and health. 

Economics 

Bucking Horse offers diverse opportunities to a wide-range of demographics. We focus on quality rather than quantity as one of the main building blocks for this project. The goal is to increase the value of the homes within the community while keeping the cost of living affordable (long-term, sustainability, and economically feasible).

Bucking Horse Celebrates the New Neighborhood Pool and Clubhouse!

More than 200 residents - kids and adults alike - came out on a unseasonably warm day on September 29, 2013, to help celebrate the neighborhood's newest amenity! The junior olympic-sized swimming pool, wading pool and clubhouse were recently completed in time to enjoy one last splash before fall arrived. With the help of a great design team and an efficient and mobile construction crew, Bucking Horse can now celebrate this neighborhood asset and look forward to its annual opening in the spring. Thanks to everyone who helped see this project to fruition and a big thanks to the  residents who helped us to celebrate the grand opening and ensured that Bucking Horse is a neighborhood where we’re building a great community, not just great amenities!

Bucking Horse Honored for Sustainability and Healthy Living

Our community was selected as one of the leading projects in the state by the American Planning Association's Colorado Chapter. The project was chosen for the way our planning has addressed agriculture in a new community in an interesting way. Our emphasis on partnerships with non-profit organization to make a development project forward thinking is a measure of its social sustainability, not just for environmental sustainability. Our re-purposing of the historic farm buildings and incorporation of an edible landscape provides transferable lessons that impressed the APA. Bucking Horse also has demonstated community progress by contributing to the  modification of local codes to change development models to incorporate urban agriculture. The Colorado Chapter of the APA held an awards ceremony and reception on October 3, 2013, to highlight the great work going on in our state, including Bucking Horse. Learn more about the Colorado Chapter of the APA.

Bucking Horse "Ponied" Its First Annual Float in the St. Patrick's Day Parade

The St. Patrick's Day Parade is a local Fort Collins highlight, with thousands coming to Old Town to watch the parade and revelling in the all-day festivities. We built our float this year, literally from the ground up, and had many people active in the project ride along. We even had goats, chickens, a bunny and pony - oh my! Next year we hope to have the Bucking Horse residents continue the parade float tradition. Thanks to everyone who turned out!