So you want to know a little more about us? Great!
We're Marcia & Dwight Andersen, owners of Red Star Acres, a small 35-acre mini ranch east of Colorado Springs, CO near Calhan, CO. We grew up in Atlantic, IA, a small farming commmunity in southwest Iowa. Dwight was a "country boy", raised on a feed supplement research farm--a livestock ranch. Marcia was a "town girl" from Atlantic. We went to elementary school together, though were not boyfriend and girlfriend until later in highschool but we've known each other since about age 6. Our fathers worked for the same feed supplement company, Walnut Grove. We started dating in highschool, so yes, we are "highschool sweethearts". We've been together now for 34 years, married for 30...and yes we're still in love! We have two adult daughters, Tiffany and Samantha. We have a wonderful son-in-law, Ryan William Wallace, and a beautiful grandaughter, Capri Rayn. Grandaughter #2 is on the way!
Let's start with Marcia, as she is the "Queen" of Red Star Acres. She is Dwight's absolute best friend. She's been a jewler, bookeeper, accountant, relocation director, receptionist, real estate broker's assistant, corporate executive, retirement home bank manager, corporate owner, and even a welder! This lady is amazing. When Dwight retired from the Air Force, Marcia also "retired". Today she runs the ranch day-to-day. She is the sweetest person you'll ever meet. Marcia has had to learn the ranch lifestyle first-hand, doing ranch "things" she thought she would never do. She is an old-fashioned gal with old-fashioned values--family is important. The home at Red Star Acres is what is is because of this babe. In addition to running the ranch, she quilts, scrapbooks, makes greeting cards, and on and on. The Red Star Acres Miniature Silky Fainting Goat project is under Marcia's watchful direction.
This is Marcia with our grandaughter, Capri. The two are doing some early "kitchen training."
Dwight is a retired Air Force officer who continues to work in the space warfare arena. He served in uniform for 21 years as a Space Operations Officer. He started his career as an enlisted Airman Basic and earned a commission as an Second Lieutenant through an Air Force scholarship program. He has a BS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Missouri--Rolla and a MS in Space Operations and Advanced Astrodynamics from the Air Force Institute of Technology--so yes, he's a real "Rocket Scientist"! Dwight's employment history, like Marcia's, is quite varied. He's worked at all levels from laborer to operator to engineer to executive to consultant in a multitude of industries from construction to aerospace. He continues to work today for the Department of Defense, assisting Air Force Space Command headquarters in Strategic Studies and Wargames. The SapAccoyo® Royal Accoyo Suri Alpaca project is spearheaded by Dwight.
This is Dwight holding Capri for the first time. My it's amazing how such a tiny, helpless thing can change a grown man's entire world.
So what's behind the name of "Red Star Acres"? Dwight is a former Air Force Space Aggressor, a good-bad guy. His "call sign" (nickname) is "Mustang", and many people know and refer to him by that name, many not even knowing his given name. The military Aggressors are charged with playing the enemy in order to train U.S. and allied service men and women prior to combat. The symbol of the Aggressors is the Red Star. The Red Star symbolizes a great deal to an Aggressor, hence it was appropriate to name our ranch as such.
