America’s 33rd state, Oregon has a very diverse landscape encompassing towering mountains, dense forests, magnificent waterfalls and elevated desert areas as well as an often windswept and rainy Pacific coastline to the west. At the highest levels, the forests are of tightly packed evergreen trees, while lower down they are deciduous or of mixed vegetation; aspens are common in the east and alders in the west of the state.

The Cascade Mountain Range is glaciated and home to volcanoes. At 11,249 feet, Mount Hood is the highest point in Oregon and considered to be the volcano most likely to erupt – although the chances of eruption in the next 30 years or so are estimated to be between three and seven percent, and informally Mount Hood is believed to be dormant. Waterfalls include the spectacular Multnomah Falls at the Columbia River Gorge; this waterfall is two-stepped and has a total height of 620 feet.

Crater Lake National Park is in the south of the state and encompasses the caldera of Crater Lake, which resulted from the collapse of land in the wake of a volcanic eruption. There are also surviving traces of a destroyed volcano, Mount Mazama, and its surrounding forests and hills.

The largest city in Oregon is Portland, located near the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers, and has a population of about 585,000 people.

Early history
The earliest settlers in Oregon probably arrived in the area about 15,000 years ago. The oldest evidence of habitation was found at Fort Rock Cave – a National Historic Landmark since 1961 – as well as the Paisley Caves in Lake County, south central Oregon. It’s believed that there were settlements throughout the state, with the most populated sites concentrated along the lower Columbia River, around coastal estuaries and in the western valleys.

Agritourism and viticulture
A diverse range of agriculture in Oregon attracts many environmentally conscious travelers who are enticed by the prospect of picking grapes and hazelnuts in the fertile Willamette Valley in the northwest, which is the heart of Oregon wine country, or cranberries in the southern part of the state. Wheat is grown in the north, and Oregon ranchers and farmers also produce cattle, dairy products, eggs, poultry and sheep.

Just as many people enjoy visiting vineyards in rural parts of Europe, so the American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) of the Willamette Valley are popular destinations for those interested in Oregon wine. The Yamhill-Carlton District AVA, for example, is located in both Yamhill County, Oregon and Washington County and surrounds the towns of Carlton and Yamhill. Most vineyards are located on the sheltered south-facing slopes of the mountain ridges that surround the district, creating the shape of a horseshoe.

Some lovers of the outdoors enjoy the area so much that they long to make it their permanent home, as did the folks who settled at Abbey Road Farm in 2003. They were determined to be at the vanguard of the American version of an essentially European style of agritourism. Guests staying here have the opportunity to participate in seasonal activities, such as milking goats by hand and harvesting garden crops. Abbey Road Farm lies in the center of the most prolific area for wines in the valley, and there are some 200+ wineries and vineyards within a half hour’s drive from their doorstep.

The grapes planted in Oregon are often the same varieties that can be found in the French regions of Burgundy and Alsace. This is because the Willamette Valley is at the same latitude as the Burgundy region in France and also bears similarities in the quality of soil and mildness of climate. An important region in the view of wine enthusiasts, the Willamette Valley in Oregon is in fact a significant location for vintners who make pinot noir. In 1979, Oregon winemaker David Lett of Eyrie Vineyards took his wines to a competition in Paris, France – the Jeux Olympiques du vin, or the “Wine Olympics” – and they were placed third among all the competing varieties of pinot noir. In a follow-up match in 1980 arranged by Robert Drouhin, the French wine magnate, the Eyrie vintage made it to second place.

A home from home
The attractions of Oregon are manifold, and the lay of the land is such that some of the most beautiful parts of the state, such as the Willamette Valley, are just a short trip from major airports and destinations. This means that travelers, whether they are singles, families or couples looking for a rural retreat, can easily purchase cheap tickets for flights to Oregon cities such as Portland year-round and find themselves deep in the country within a very short time. Second homes and vacation properties are becoming much more common around the US these days, and Oregon makes an ideal location for such a retreat.

The differing landscapes throughout the state provide a huge number of opportunities for outdoor sports activities, including mountain biking and hiking as well as winter skiing and other snow sports. Camping is popular; as are water sports such as kayaking, windsurfing and kiteboarding. There are a host of wildlife preserves in the county, including wetlands – nature lovers will never be disappointed, no matter what time of year they visit.

The wonderful rural scenery and the wide variety of things to do in the area tempt firms to organize corporate trips and other events here, while couples are drawn to Oregon when choosing wedding venues. Undoubtedly, the peaceful tranquility and serenity found here is a huge draw, and the owners at Abbey Road Farm have found that the availability of luxury suites, ample parking and easy access to local vineyards gives their guests a genuine opportunity to relax, whether they are there to enjoy family events, such as weddings or birthday parties, or corporate ventures.

Going green
Travelers to Oregon can play their part in promoting an eco-friendly approach to tourism by selecting accommodation, dining and activity options that protect the environment, contribute to the various local economies and promote cultural heritage. In this way, tourists can actually enhance and conserve the resources of the Oregon communities that they visit and enjoy.

The main character in the hit movie Sideways headed north from L.A. to the California vineyards in the hills above Santa Barbara in search of a perfect Pinor Noir, but he didn’t drive far enough. Up the coast in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, he would have discovered arguably the world’s finest Pinot Noir wines and a verdant landscape rich with other cultural amenities.

The fertile valley tucked between the Cascade Mountains to the east and Coastal Range to the west follows the Willamette River 250 kilometres from Portland south to Eugene. The valley’s gentle slopes are home to more than 250 wineries, and many tiny, boutique cellars open their doors to the public only a few weekends each year. Last month, I took the opportunity to spend the Memorial Day long weekend in the Willamette Valley, tasting the subtle complexities of the small-scale vintner’s craft.

Enthusiasts from all over North America flew in for the weekend to barrel-taste this year’s small lot releases and buy futures and library wines that will never see store shelves or leave the state. A handful of stretch limousines laboured over cramped farm roads joining busloads of Portland wine tourists and hundreds of drivers sporting out-of-state plates, all searching the valley for the perfect Pinot Noir.

I managed to book three nights at the Abbey Road Farm Bed & Breakfast in the heart of Oregon wine country about 50 kilometres southwest of Portland. Built on a 33-hectare working farm that includes five hectares of Royal Anne cherries and a goat herd that produces goat’s milk cheese and the inn’s goat milk soaps and lotions, Abbey Road is a superb, bucolic retreat. Lamas, alpacas, sheep, donkeys, a couple of friendly dogs, and a flock of free-range chickens round out the farm’s animal life. They use the hens’ bright orange-yoked eggs in delicious breakfasts that also feature sausage, ham and bacon from nearby Carlton Farms, an Oregon institution shipping wood-smoked specialty meats around the world since 1956.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is a neighbouring Trappist Monastery, and their grounds and forested trails add another dimension to the inn’s serenity; but what I loved most about Abbey Road Bed & Breakfast was the inn’s unique architecture. John Stewart’s last project was the 2,500-room Rio Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, a business that he and his partners sold to Harrah’s before he moved to the Willamette Valley to become a gentleman farmer.

Stewart has built five modern suites inside three conical, aluminum farm silos. All have wonderful views of the valley, and none have phones or televisions. Digital controls monitor the rooms’ radiant floor heat, and each room has a Jacuzzi-jetted tub and separate shower. My room’s Ralph Lauren-like, masculine design included a comfy wrought iron bed and end tables, straw rugs, a wicker couch, and signed, limited edition prints of farm life and duck hunting. The cream-coloured stucco walls had wide windows that opened to the animal’s morning calls. It was elegantly spare and luxurious, and I loved my stay.

On my first night, I ate at The Painted Lady, an intimate restaurant in Newberg, a neighbouring town of about 20,000. Housed in a restored 1894-built Victorian house, The Painted Lady offered impeccable service (five front of house staff plus the owner/hostess for the 35-seat restaurant), an extensive wine list, (I chose a $10 glass of Sokol Blosser’s 2001 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir), and an exciting menu of regional-inspired cuisine. After the chef’s complimentary amuse bouche mushroom shooter, I chose chevre and ricotta raviolis with spring pea coulis and crispy bacon followed by Carlton Farms’ prosciutto-wrapped pork tenderloin with creamy polenta and olive tapenade. After the chef’s trademark chocolate lava torte with chocolate chip ice cream completed a very memorable meal, I drove back to Abbey Road and slept blissfully until the donkeys began braying for breakfast.

Several acclaimed wineries were within 16 kilometres of my bed and breakfast, and I got started early Saturday morning visiting Penner-Ash’s recently opened, three-level, gravity-driven, sustainable winery with its heartbreakingly beautiful views of the valley’s Tuscany-like terrain. Less than two kilometres down the road I navigated the mid-morning crowds of wine fans at Beaux Freres and the neighbouring Patricia Green Cellars, two of the valley’s smallest and best wineries.

With a couple of bottles in tow, I drove a couple of kilometres back to Carlton for an afternoon visiting Cuneo Cellars, where I sampled not only a range of $35-$75 Pinots, but feasted on the winery’s offering of Italian meats, cheeses, breads, and vegetables. Cuneo’s Italian, feast-like Dinner Series on the estate’s patio runs weekends through August. Highly recommended.

On tiny Carlton’s downtown main street I sampled a range of fabulous $75 E-I-E-I-O Pinot Noirs at The Tasting Room, a wine store with a summer series of regional showcases. A few blocks away, I visited the Carlton Winemakers Studio, the nation’s first sustainably-constructed, gravity-driven winery designed and built for small, artisan wine producers. Nine independently owned wineries share the production space, and they were offering a chance to taste 30 of their wines while visiting the communal, green technology-inspired facility.

I finished a fantastic day in wine country on Carlton’s quiet main street with dinner at Cuvee, a surprisingly urbane and very French bistro. After a plate of fresh, raw oysters on the half shell, I tucked into a perfectly prepared, medium rare rib eye buffalo steak from a herd of domesticated Willamette Valley buffalo. A side of pomme frites and mixed vegetables completed the dish and set me up for chef Henry Gilbert’s house dessert, a decadent chocolate torte with raspberry and espresso sauce.

That chocolate high sailed me back to my high thread-count sheets and sweet air at Abbey Road, and I dreamed of the French countryside until the rooster crowed and the donkey brayed, and I walked down to the farm house for another big breakfast of fresh fruit and homemade granola and fluffy, potato and ham-stuffed frittatas. After trading recommendations over coffee with the other wine-loving guests, I drove to McMinnville, about 16 kilometres down old Highway 99. McMinnville is a charming town of 20,000 with a nostalgia-inducing historic district built around the beautifully restored, 1905-built Hotel Oregon, the Evergreen Aviation Museum housing Howard Hughes’ fabled flying boat, the Spruce Goose and 75 other aircraft exhibits, and a handful of superb wineries in the town’s industrial area including David Lett’s famous Eyrie Vineyards. David and Diana Lett planted their Burgundy and Alsace-inspired vineyard in 1966, birthing the Willamette Valley’s acclaimed wine-growing region.

After tasting the winery’s new releases and a few current favourites from their limited library of earlier bottlings, I bought a 2004 Pinot Noir for my chef son and drove a couple of blocks to sample the offerings at Stone Wolf Vineyards before moving on to Panther Creek and nine more examples of the valley’s fabled Pinot Noir and a 2003 Melon, a pear-like white wine from the winery’s 29-year old vines. It was another delicious discovery.

By the end of that round of tastings, it was time for a slow walk up McMinnville’s Third Street main stroll past Bistro Maison and La Rambla’s Spanish-inspired cuisine to Nick’s Italian Cafe and their special, five-course meal. With its 50′s-style counter and booths and hearty, unpretentious, north Italian food, Nick’s has been a fixture in McMinnville for decades.

The menu still features Nick’s Genoa family recipe for minestrone, and after a glass of Yamhill Valley Vineyards 2001 Pinot Noir and an appetizer of three Yaquina Bay oysters on the half shell, I had a big, steaming bowl of minestrone mixed with basil, garlic, and grated parmesan added to my taste at the table. Pasta was a roasted tomato and goat cheese lasagna with lots of roasted pine nuts on top followed by Carlton Farms pork loin medallions with porcini mushroom cream sauce, green beans, and garlic risotto. After that and all the wine I’d tasted all day, I couldn’t face Nick’s list of nine desserts, though I’ll try his Marsala hazelnut fudge on my next visit.

And I’ll definitely return to McMinnville for it’s small town charm, excellent farmer’s market in the historic district’s side streets on Thursday mornings, and another meal at Nick’s. I’ll return to Abbey Road Farm too, and The Painted Lady, Cuvee, and the world famous wineries and Pinot Noir of the Willamette Valley.

In fact, there is a 20th anniversary of McMinnville’s annual International Pinot Noir Celebration scheduled for July 28-30. The Wine Advocate’s Pierre Rovani recently called that celebration “unquestionably the finest in the world”, and with more than 60 of the valley’s wineries featured and many of the smaller cellars once again opening their doors for another round of public tastings, it would be a good time for a drive down to the Willamette Valley. If you can’t make it to Oregon that weekend, there’s always the even bigger Wine Country Thanksgiving tastings November 24-26. There’s probably not a bad weekend for a visit to the Willamette Valley.

In the heart of Oregon wine country lives a couple who knows the value of soft lotions for hard- worked hands. After retiring from the insurance business in Las Vegas, Nev., John and Judi Stuart relocated and started to do what they knew they wanted to do when they grew up. They purchased the 82-acre farm known as Abbey Road and began to build a sustainable empire that would make their lives complete.

As insurance agents for the hotel and tourism industry, they know about comforts and hospitality. The couple has fostered the dream and used everything on the land, including the retired grain silos that now house the unique bed and breakfast on the farm.

The couple knew that it was a good bet that the small farming operation was not going to pay for itself without some thought and careful planning. “In order to gain sustainability, we had to gain diversity,” said John.

Judi’s love for goats and Evelyn and Crabtree lotion made with goats’ milk gave her the idea to make her own. With a chance meeting at the Taste of McMinville with Ron and Johnna Zeigler, owners of Oregon Rain Soap, that became a reality. “It was fate. They wanted to make a goat milk product, and we had the goats’ milk,” said Judi.

Judi and John don’t waste a thing. “We really try to be self sustaining,” said John. “When you have goats, you have two by-products: milk and manure. We use the milk for the soaps and lotions, the manure for fertilizer,” said John.

The way John sees it, the circle just keeps going. The manure goes to the garden; the garden yields fresh herbs that Judy uses for her cheese.

“The extract from the cheese gets us to the whey, the whey we feed to the chickens. It is a wonderful source of protein for them and we get wonderful first class eggs which Judy uses to make great cheesecake, which is served to our guests at the bed and breakfast,” he said.

The Stuarts knew early on that if they were going to work this farm, then they were going to do everything “right”. That started with the water. “When we moved here in 2003 we had some issues with sulfur in the well water,” said Judi. “It just didn’t taste good.” The Stuarts knew that what they put into the animals, they would get out. The water is pumped out of the well and purified, and then they can store about 12,000 gallons of water in a holding tank. “We use the water for showers, to water the animals, everything we use water for is purified,” said Judi. Better tasting water lends itself to better tasting milk, and thus a better end product with goat cheese, lotion and soap. “You really get a better quality of milk when you are not fighting with other chemicals.”

The goats, about 50 of them, now are milking professionals.

“We started with six Nubians and crossed them with big Saanen,” said Judi. “Nubians’ milk has a higher butterfat content and Saanen have big udders, so it makes a great cross for us.” The herd is being milked by hand, leaving nothing to chance. “For our herd, we were looking for a well-attached udder, and a big one too,” said Judi. “All of our girls are first timers. We were milking 18 but we have it down to eight now.” The herd consists of Nubians, Saanen, Oberhasli, La Mancha, Alpine and Toggenburg goats.

Once the milk is collected and transported to Oregon Rain Soap in Tualatin, the milk is pasteurized and essential oils and scents are added. “There are no unnatural additives, this isn’t powder. We’re talking about 100 percent milk,” said Judi.

Good partnerships are hard to come by, but this one has been smooth. “It is so nice to work with these guys because our partnership is incredible and they are tracking the same way we are,” said Judi.

The soaps and lotions are a very small part of what Abbey Road is doing and envisions in the future, but it is one step towards a sustainable farm and butter-soft hands. The attention and detail and pride in their product reflects the whole farm and philosophy.

John grew up in Europe and “waste not, want not” was the way of life. “My parents taught me to take care of things,” said John. “Sure our goal is to make a profit, but it is also about good stewardship and taking care of the property.”

WASHINGTON D.C., November 24, 2008 – Abbey Road Farm B&B has been selected for the 2008 Best of Carlton Award in the Bed & Breakfast category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).

The USLBA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success In their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA)
U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USLBA is to promote local business though public relations marketing and advertising.

The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Local Business Association

CONTACT:
U.S. Local Business Association
Email: PublicRelations@USLBA.net
URL: http/www.USLBA.net

When Abbey Road Farm’s bed and breakfast opens next week, guests will stay in rounded rooms with sweeping views of the hills, vineyards and forests between Carlton and Lafayette.

During the day, they can help out in the sprawling garden; stroll through the cherry orchard and farmyard; watch goat cheese being produced; or talk to the animals – about 50 goats, plus sheep, donkeys, dogs, llamas, chickens and game birds. In the evening, they can gather around a firepit next to the silos in which they sleep. In the morning, they can dine on dishes made from produce, eggs and meat from the farm and Yamhill County food companies.

The new B&B is a centerpiece of John and Judi Stuart’s 82-acre spread, which occupies a hillside at the intersection of Abbey and Kuehne roads. It’s one a growing number of sites for “vocation vacations,” where guests can explore a different lifestyle.

A couple from New York has booked a week in August to experience farm life. Other bookings have come from Georgia, Arizona, Ohio – and various parts of Oregon. “I expect most of our guests will come for the wine country – that’s what first attracted us – but some will want to try helping on the farm,” John Stuart said. Either way, Stuart said, he and his wife will enjoy being the hosts. “We enjoy people,” he said. “This way, we don’t have to travel to meet them. They come to us.”

After many years in high-pressure Las Vegas, the Stuarts made a 180-degree change in their lifestyle by moving to Yamhill County two years ago. They arrived with well-laid plans for changing the former Cloepfil stables into a combination working farm and country retreat.

First came building up a goat herd, producing cheese, planting the extensive vegetable and herb garden, and getting the other animals settled. Installing the farm’s own water treatment plant and putting power underground came next. Then, with a new house nearly completed and general cleanup underway, the Stuarts turned their attention to creating their B&B.

Silo project
Less than a year ago, two old grain silos stood empty between the barn and the cherry orchard. John Stuart envisioned bringing in a third silo and converting the trio into bedrooms and a conference center. Finding another galvanized metal Butler silo wasn’t easy, Stuart said. After a lengthy search, he finally located one on an old farm now owned by a church in Battleground, Wash. After making a donation to the church, he dismantled the silo and trucked it to Abbey Road Farms, where it was reassembled in January. Then came a series of challenges associated with converting round structures that had never been intended for human occupancy.

“I went looking for help and I called a manufacturer of grain bins to tell them what I was planning,” Stuart said. “They laughed.” It wasn’t the first time the company had heard from someone who wanted to convert a silo. “But most people come to their senses, they told me,” he said.

The Stuarts, however, pressed on. They cut out places for windows, built a second story in each silo, installed wiring and plumbing. And they added insulation, using an expanding spray-on foam. “We treated them like giant Thermoses,” Stuart said.

To connect the three silos, they built a foyer on the east side. “Our theme is contemporary in the country,” Stuart said, pointing the juxtaposition of items such as a blown-glass chandelier from Italy with the rough metal walls of the silos.

Student help
From the foyer, guests can enter a conference room wired for teleconferences, which the Stuarts expect to be popular for corporate retreats. Or they can walk across the radiant heated floor to suites named for breeds of goats: Nubian, Alpine, La Mancha, Saanen and Toggenberg.

Each room features a Jacuzzi tub, a king- or queen-size bed with a Temperpedic mattress dressed with 600 thread-count Eqyptian cotton sheets, and a high-quality stereo with a selection of CDs. Intentionally missing are TV sets and phones; intentionally present are large windows “This is built around what Judi and I like when we travel,” Stuart said. “Simplicity.”

To reach the three upstairs rooms, guests will climb stairs fashioned from black walnut and oak cut on the farm. “We tried to use as many things from right here as possible,” Stuart said.

Larry Judd and his industrial arts students at Yamhill-Carlton High School planed and shaped the boards for the risers and trim. In turn, the Stuarts provided a scholarship for Y-C’s industrial arts department. Y-C students also studied bird habitat, then designed and built elaborate birdhouses and feeders in a contest sponsored by the Stuarts. The winning design, created by Tabitha Rodgers, and other entries are on display on posts and poles around the farm. Also on display will be art in a variety of forms by local artists. For instance, woodcrafter Matt Hardy made the conference room table, using flooring salvaged from old box cars. As spectacular as the art may be, Stuart said, but the real focus of the B&B will be the scenery. “Most of our ‘art’ is outside,” he said.

Goats’ milk
The second “B,” breakfast, will be served in the farm’s original residence a few yards away from the silos. The Stuarts added a covered patio to the house, so guests can dine inside or outside in most weather. The menu will feature “very hearty, fresh foods from our own farm or nearby,” Stuart said. Judi Stuart will be the chief cook. She has been collecting recipes, many with a Southwest flavor, in anticipation of opening the B&B. Some of her specialties are include salsas, frittatas, blueberry pancakes and homemade granola. She also makes her own raspberry and blackberry jelly with fruit harvested on the farm. And, of course, Abbey Road Farm goat cheese will make an appearance, perhaps in goat cheese cheesecake for breakfast or on crackers at evening wine tastings.

The farm’s milk also will be featured in the Oregon Rain soap and lotions that guests will find in their rooms. Abbey Road Farm teamed up with Oregon Rain when the B&B was looking for local, high-quality soaps and the Tigard soap company was looking for a source of goat milk. The products also will be available in the B&B’s gift shop and through the farm website, www.abbeyroadfarm.com.

More information about the B&B – including rates, which run about $175 per night on weekends – also is available on the website.

CARLTON, Ore. – “We live in a painting anyway,” Judi Stuart said to her husband, John, as she designed the decor for their new bed and breakfast business here.

So, she introduced the concept of country contemporary and kept the bedrooms simple at their Abbey Road Far, a former 82-acre horse farm they have changed into a multiproduct farm, events center and B&B.

So far, that’s not so novel for the proliferating rural hospitality businesses here in Yamhill, Country, but the B&B part of the Abbey Road Farm is in the three former grain silos. The silo remodel resulted in five bedrooms, each with a bath, and small meeting room with washroom nearby.

This decorating style uses as many natural products as possible and avoids clutter. It prohibits cheesy paintings in the rooms. Except for a few simple artworks, the windows do the decorating because of the gorgeous landscape visible from every direction.

It’s an attractive concept for the wine tasters and bicycle club members who have become some of the farm’s best customers. They also love the ever-changing views of neighboring vineyards and the fact that they are staying on a working farm.

Guests can enjoy the cherry orchard, a flower and vegetable garden, a restored wetland/marsh used as a drainfield and to attract birds and other wildlife, and llamas, goats and donkeys running about in fenced enclosures, before they rush off to yet another wine-tasting room. The Stuarts use many of their own products on the farm.

The goats supply goat-milk soap, available in the gift shop, and wineries serve the farm’s goat cheese for wine tastings. Excess goats are sold or cooked for meat.

Cherries the guests don’t pick themselves are harvested. Breakfasts feature eggs from the farm’s own exotic variety chickens and garden vegetables for omelets.

In just three-and-a-half years, Stuart, a self-described “city slicker” and his wife have turned the former Cloepfil farm, famous for the past five decades as a horse facility, into a trendy, yet heavily ag-influenced business.

Stuart was raised in Europe, but he and wife Judi spent nearly 30 years in the insurance industry in Nevada working with casinos and hotels. Judi does have ag experience since she grew up on a family farm in Northern Kentucky and has been a horsewoman. Their BB manager Jackie Schroeder also was born on a farm and raised in Michigan.

There are many buildings on the farm property, all identified with old-fashioned looking black and white painted metal signs (“office” “shop” “B&B Dining”) for Stuart’s fellow “city slickers” staying on a farm for the first time.

As he and Judi were considering how to achieve their goal of creating a profitable family farm for themselves and their children on such small acreage while using the skills, talents and products of local residents, one of their early brainstorms was to turn the silos into bedrooms.

“Not being a farmer, I had no idea what to do with them,” Stuart said of the silos. He said he’s always loved the outdoors, so he was interested in meeting that challenge.

Even he could see that there wasn’t enough acreage to run a grain business. However, he did want to reuse part of the property and rehabilitate the old family farm.

“That was large in my mind,” he said. “I looked for something that would be symbiotic with the rest of the farm. So turning them into a B&B seemed like a good idea to me.”

The rehabilitation fit some of his and Judi’s other goals, as well: to restore a small wetland area; maintain the rural atmosphere in the midst of changing land used from grass seed and fruit orchard, to vineyards and soon, olive orchards; and become part of the local community.

The silos did present some engineering challenges, Stuart says. Just putting square windows in a round silo wasn’t easy. And a question that arose in many locals’ minds as they heard his plans was how to deal with the high temperatures a silo can reach in the summer. Stuart knew he would have to insulate, so he chose to over-insulate by about 50 percent. He used spray-on foam insulation from the bottom to the top of each structure.

The secret to keeping the silos cool in summer, he realized, is to open windows at night and close them in the daytime. Reverse the process for winter. Rooms have radiant floor heat, so guests can walk around barefoot.

“The unique part of this is that these (silos) are luxurious accommodations,” Stuart says. There are great mattresses, fine linens, jacuzzi tubs, warming rails for towels. New visitors are often surprised, expecting a more rustic style.

In keeping with country contemporary concepts, they took some of the dead black walnut and white oak trees on the property and turned them into staircases leading to the upstairs bedrooms. The wood was hand-crated by a crew of local workers.

Then, students from the Yamhill-Carlton High School wood shop department used the wood to make the stairs. “We sure were happy with what they did,” Stuart says. “We gave a scholarship to the school for that and for the birdhouses they built for us.”

Parr Lumber and Lowe’s also made contributions of materials, equipment and tools for the high school at the suggestion of John Stuart. The Stuarts also have done some work with FFA students.

“The best part of what we’ve done is become part of this Carlton community,” Stuart says.