Use rails date_select without activerecord model
1 2 <%= date_select('range', 'start_date', :order => [:month, :day, :year])%>
// In your controller:
1 2 @start_date = Date.civil(params[:range][:"start_date(1i)"].to_i,params[:range][:"start_date(2i)"].to_i,params[:range][:"start_date(3i)"].to_i)
Credit: http://www.jonsthoughtsoneverything.com/2006/05/21/how-to-access-date_select-without-an-active-record-model/