A mother built a ranch so her son could work

Erik's Ranch & Retreats, a 230-acre guest retreat near Livingston, Montana, is run largely by autistic adults who work as wranglers, guides, cooks and concierges. Founder Kathryn Nordberg opened it in 2014 after years of wondering how her son Erik, who she described as "a moderately functioning teenager with autism," would live and work as an adult. The ranch sits less than an hour from Yellowstone, with cabins designed for sensory comfort. Hardware was chosen to close drawers and doors almost silently, and lights have dimmers. Jacob Thoresen, 33, has worked with the nonprofit for a decade after stints as a baggage handler and, briefly, at a desk. "But that isn't me," he said. Zoe Markman, 21, loves chickens, so Nordberg built a coop. Markman named the hens herself: Chiquille O'Neal, Princess Layer, Hen Solo. Only about 53 percent of surveyed autistic adults were working in 2023. On the ranch, 19 were employed last year.