Anastasia Elmer’s lifelong dream took one step closer to reality when she placed third in the New York State Skills USA State Conference. Elmer competed in entrepreneurship, presenting her business plan for a dude ranch in the Adirondack region of New York.
Her blueprint isn’t just a school project. It’s a 56-acre property in Wilmington, NY near Whiteface Mountain that she has committed to developing after graduating college.

“I went to the Adriondacks last year on a family vacation. I saw the property and fell in love with it. It had a barn and a pond,” said Elmer. “I told the man selling the land my business plan, and he fell in love with it.”

Elmer says she has a verbal agreement to purchase the land for $36,000 after her college graduation. She plans to major in business administration and hospitality at SUNY Broome before transferring to Binghamton University. She’s already put in hours of study.

“I have a whole business plan – startup costs, revenue, break-even (projection), and my target market, families,” said Elmer. “People will stay in cabins. They’ll fish, fly fish, ride horses, and enjoy archery.”
Elmer even has a name picked out.

“The Willow’s Grove.”

The name comes from a novel Elmer is writing, a project she began as a way to get through her great grandmother’s death.

Elmer has wanted to own a ranch since she was five years old. She fell in love with the idea watching the TV series Heartland. To make the ranch a reality, it will take hard work and, of course, money. Elmer knows she’ll need to borrow and pursue investors. She also has ways to reduce costs.

“My uncle builds cabins. He’ll build them for free, mostly because I created the blueprints for him,” said Elmer.  

While in college, Elmer will work in catering at Traditions at the Glen. She hopes that real-life experience will help lead to her ideal life.

“Ever since I’ve been going to the Adirondacks, I’ve said, ‘This is where I want to live,’” said Elmer.