About
Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch Residential Programs include daily life in residential homes, Sunday chapel service, and a variety of recreational activities. The program offers activities such as an afternoon of crafts, spending a quiet night in the home, and taking students to local events. Participants can also take part in a tour of the Boys Ranch campus, visit Boot Hill Cemetery and the Julian Bivins Museum, and attend the annual Boys Ranch Rodeo.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Houseparents work six days on and three days off; Sunday chapel service is required for all residents and on-duty houseparents
• Price: Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch meets the needs of children and families at no cost to the people they serve, and Boys Ranch does not charge fees to families
Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch has been working to meet the needs of children and families for over 80 years, and the site has served as Boys Ranch since 1939. In the fall of 1938, Julian Bivins donated about 120 acres of land, and in March 1939, Cal Farley established his boys ranch at the site. Over time, Boys Ranch programs expanded to include girls and now serve approximately 250 boys and girls at the Boys Ranch campus, with admission based entirely on need. Families agree to place their child for at least one year, with an average length of stay of about two years, and about four years for graduating seniors.
Cal Farley’s states that it provides professional programs and services in a Christ-centered atmosphere to strengthen families and support the overall development of children. The program uses a strengths-based approach that focuses on children’s “islands of competence” and a Model of Leadership & Service that represents six universal needs: safety, power, purpose, belonging, achievement, and adventure. Cal Farley’s uses the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT), described as a developmentally sensitive, neurobiology-informed approach to clinical problem-solving. Following more than two years of intensive certification work, Cal Farley’s was invited in 2012 to become a Flagship Site for the ChildTrauma Academy in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics and is now a Phase II NMT Certified Site.
The residential homes are approximately 7,000 square feet and include attached houseparent apartments. The houseparent family model includes houseparents who are available to residents 24 hours per day. Houseparent apartments have private entrances, 2 or 3 bedrooms, 1 or 2 bathrooms, a living area, and a kitchen with appliances, and all apartment utility costs and maintenance are covered. Houseparents may bring up to two school-age dependent children and up to two domesticated household pets per residential home, subject to criteria.
The campus includes a state-of-the-art fitness center, an indoor swimming pool, and an activity center. The Julian Bivins Museum is located in the original Tascosa courthouse and contains historical artifacts from Boys Ranch and Old Tascosa, and Boot Hill Cemetery is located on a hill overlooking the town. The campus is at the historic site of Old Tascosa, a former pioneer town known as the “Cowboy Capital of the Plains.” Tour hours are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and guests are welcome, with tour reservations requested but not required.
Boys Ranch is funded by the contributions of donors from across the United States and does not seek state or federal funding. In 2012, Cal Farley’s was recognized as one of the best companies to work for in Texas.
Last updated June 14, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Houseparents work six days on and three days off; Sunday chapel service is required for all residents and on-duty houseparents
• Price: Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch meets the needs of children and families at no cost to the people they serve, and Boys Ranch does not charge fees to families
Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch has been working to meet the needs of children and families for over 80 years, and the site has served as Boys Ranch since 1939. In the fall of 1938, Julian Bivins donated about 120 acres of land, and in March 1939, Cal Farley established his boys ranch at the site. Over time, Boys Ranch programs expanded to include girls and now serve approximately 250 boys and girls at the Boys Ranch campus, with admission based entirely on need. Families agree to place their child for at least one year, with an average length of stay of about two years, and about four years for graduating seniors.
Cal Farley’s states that it provides professional programs and services in a Christ-centered atmosphere to strengthen families and support the overall development of children. The program uses a strengths-based approach that focuses on children’s “islands of competence” and a Model of Leadership & Service that represents six universal needs: safety, power, purpose, belonging, achievement, and adventure. Cal Farley’s uses the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT), described as a developmentally sensitive, neurobiology-informed approach to clinical problem-solving. Following more than two years of intensive certification work, Cal Farley’s was invited in 2012 to become a Flagship Site for the ChildTrauma Academy in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics and is now a Phase II NMT Certified Site.
The residential homes are approximately 7,000 square feet and include attached houseparent apartments. The houseparent family model includes houseparents who are available to residents 24 hours per day. Houseparent apartments have private entrances, 2 or 3 bedrooms, 1 or 2 bathrooms, a living area, and a kitchen with appliances, and all apartment utility costs and maintenance are covered. Houseparents may bring up to two school-age dependent children and up to two domesticated household pets per residential home, subject to criteria.
The campus includes a state-of-the-art fitness center, an indoor swimming pool, and an activity center. The Julian Bivins Museum is located in the original Tascosa courthouse and contains historical artifacts from Boys Ranch and Old Tascosa, and Boot Hill Cemetery is located on a hill overlooking the town. The campus is at the historic site of Old Tascosa, a former pioneer town known as the “Cowboy Capital of the Plains.” Tour hours are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and guests are welcome, with tour reservations requested but not required.
Boys Ranch is funded by the contributions of donors from across the United States and does not seek state or federal funding. In 2012, Cal Farley’s was recognized as one of the best companies to work for in Texas.
Last updated June 14, 2026.
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