Meet the GratiDudes!
Somehow after living in Los Angeles for almost 10 years, we ended up in a little village called Leipers Fork and we never looked back! We toured as a band, Jason & deMarco, for over a decade and along the way we've made some smart investments. Purchasing a mini-farm, which we’ve called GratiDude Ranch, was definitely an unexpected chapter of our journey! We still wonder how two guys from Hollywood California ended up on a farm in Franklin.
GratiDude Ranch bridges rustic charm and modern style. It’s a timeless place and once you enter, get ready for a magical experience. Founded in 2014 about 30 miles from Nashville in a nook called Fernvale, in a nook called Leipers Fork, in a nook called Franklin Tennessee, you’ll find 25 acres of gorgeous hillside where GratiDude Ranch offers accommodations for up to 40 overnight guests.
The Homestead, including the main Ranch House, a Carriage House & Loft and a Storybook Cottage on the property can be rented as one unit for larger groups sleeping up to 14 guests, or the spaces can be rented separately. The Homestead has an event barn and our paddocks where we offer a petting zoo with 20+ farm pets.
The Lyric Lodge & Inn at GratiDude Ranch along with the Lyric Guesthouse is a separate part of the property below the bluff and offers creek frontage, a stocked fishing pond and walking trails. Although two separate living quarters within the same home, The Lodge & Inn is rented as one unit and can sleep up to 16 guests and includes an in-ground saltwater swimming pool. The Lyric Guesthouse can be rented separately and sleeps four to five additional guests (for larger parties, we recommend booking the guesthouse as this gives you privacy for your group on the property). We welcome small groups, religious/spiritual groups, families and individuals.
deMarco is the Property and Event Manager for the Leipers Fork location. He is also an amazing chef. He, along with other guest chefs, host monthly farm-to-table dinners throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall season. We also host Murder Mystery dinners throughout the year. deMarco's background is in hospitality and Health & Wellness. He is able to incorporate his passion for local and healthy food with our dinners.
In 2022 a second GratiDude Ranch location was opened in Nevada City CA. Nestled on 5 acres in the Sierra Nevada Foothills at the entrance to the Tahoe National forest, this new location offers accommodations and event venue services on the West Coast. Accommodations for up to 25 guests are available between the Boho House, the Parlor, a Bunk Room and the Loft. The property also includes an outdoor bar, gazebo, koi pond, outdoor fireplace, and multiple scenic seating areas for guests to enjoy the beauty and magic of the property, all minutes from the artsy and eclectic downtown Nevada City and Yuba River. Private chef and catering services are offered to guests while agritourism experiences, including Birthday Bash’s, High Tea Brunches, Supper Clubs, and other private gatherings are open to the community.
Jason is an entrepreneur at heart. In addition to his personal real estate investing portfolio, he is a REALTOR and the Managing Broker of Luxury Homes of Tennessee in Leiper’s Fork. Jason is happy to help those in the community and his AirBnb guests with their real estate needs while visiting the area. Whether relocating from another state and needing research assistance or sending listings prior to a visit, setting up showings during a stay, or simply needing a place in between moves or looking for a long term rental property, Jason is happy to help.
Jason is also the Founder and current Board Chair for the non-profit "SAFE" (Safe, Affirming Family Environment). S.A.F.E. serves foster children, foster parents and families in need through its programming. You can read more about SAFE at www.supportsafe.org.
Jason and deMarco recently opened Bubble Joy, an old-fashioned Candy Shoppe and Bubble Bar with mocktails for kids and adults, in Leiper’s Fork at Leiper’s Corner Shoppes.
At Bubble Joy you can choose from popping boba bubbles bursting with various flavors of your choosing while adding a magical syrup flavor where it is finished off with a sprinkle of their famous fairy dust (edible glitter). This is their signature drink, The Bubble Joy. If you’d like to make it The Bubble Joy Special, top it off by adding an organic popsicle and some delicious whipped cream (if you so choose). You can read more about Bubble Joy at www.ilovebubblejoy.com