“There’s no limit to the imagination,” says John Stuart. We gaze up at a trio of steel grain storage bins rising against a backdrop of bluebird sky. These former “Butler bins” and the 82-acres of rolling farmland rippling out from them are part of Stuart’s destination bed and breakfast, Abbey Road Farm, in the heart of the Willamette Valley.
In 2003, Stuart and his wife Judi left successful careers in Las Vegas for a simpler life. Stuart traveled the Northwest on his quest to find the perfect spot. Pastoral, yes, but not too remote. “We didn’t want to leave it all behind,” he says. They envisioned a patch of farmland near a city and within reasonable driving distance to a few great restaurants.
Cue the Willamette Valley. As Stuart was cruising Pinot Noir country in Oregon, just miles outside the town of Carlton, he passed by cresting hillsides—on one side vineyards, and the other, dense forest. Then he saw a sign for Abbey Road. The name resonated with him from childhood. “I was raised in London,” he says. “And I love the Beatles.” He drove the winding gravel road that circled up to former Cloepfil stables and a for-sale sign. It was kismet.
The couple began their new journey with a small goat dairy, making cheese and producing goat milk products. Eventually, they decided to expand their pursuits, with a business plan that would support the farm. “The American farmscape is rapidly disappearing, and we wanted to keep one going,” says Stuart. “We bought this property to get creative, renovate and restore.”
Both were familiar with agriturismo, or farmstays, from time spent in Europe, where it’s common to repurpose farm structures into accommodations for farm guests. Of the many benefits, one is that farmers can diversify and bolster farm income. It took six months to transform the grain silos into luxury accommodations, using as much material from the original farm as possible—one example, the stairs leading to the second story rooms are made from black walnut found on the farm. “We wanted to use existing resources whenever possible,” Stuart says.
In 2005, the Stuarts launched this one-of-a-kind farm-style bed and breakfast. An airy foyer, where contemporary meets country, connects the three silos. An elegant, pale rose-hued, glass blown chandelier hangs from wood beams, and narrow windows that curve with the shape of the silo peek out to green pastures. The five suites are named for breeds of goats: Nubian, Alpine, La Mancha and Toggenberg.
Each room features radiant floor heat, Jacuzzi tubs, towel warmers, and 600 thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets. The décor evokes an upscale hunting lodge, with various duck and game bird prints, and for reading material, a selection of the classic Gray’s Sporting Journal. Ample windows frame the idyllic countryside (and farm animals) just steps outside the door.
The front veranda surveys an English garden, and an additional sitting porch overlooks seven acres of wetland preserve with ducks and geese, a variety of speckled sheep (including Navajo-Chrurro, Barados and Jacobs) and the ever curious alpaca and llamas standing guard. Countless songbirds skim by, ranging from red wing blackbirds and Prescott blue birds to the western oriole.
“We live in a painting,” Stuart says. “Each morning the horizon changes slightly in a different way.”A truth I notice over the course of a day, as the light dances subtly from vineyard to forest. Even more so, when I take a sunset stroll down Oak Springs Farm Road. On the right, a soft pink glow falls over the Cascade Range, and oak trees rustle in the wind. On the left, a crescent moon slowly rises over two acres of cherry trees. I take the moment as a reminder to slow down and savor simple pleasures.
While the farm retreat is a quick jaunt from the towns of Newberg, Dayton and McMinnville, and countless wineries are less than a mile away, definitely plan to relish the beauty of the property. A short walk from the silos leads to a meticulously groomed croquet lawn, and an arbor that frames the neighboring Guadalupe Vineyard.
A nearby berry patch pops come summertime with eleven different types of raspberries and blueberries, and an unexpected (but enticing) horseshoe pit parallels the neatly designed organic garden. The garden provides Judi Stuart inspiration for the three-course breakfast she cooks, where everyone swaps stories over coffee and plates like poached pear with toasted hazelnuts, and homemade pumpkin waffles.
Part of the fun is who you meet. In the morning, I dine with a wine-touring couple from Washington, and an Italian chef, who showcased his culinary skills the night before, and plans to launch a dinner series on the farm this summer. We all linger over breakfast, savoring farm tales—from the sheep named Celeste, who acts like a Labrador puppy, to lessons learned when birthing lamb.
To round out the farm visit, Judi Stuart introduces me to her flock of chickens, a mix of Australopes and Rhode Island Reds. And her goat herd—playful, and well-loved. As we pet the goats, a red-tailed hawk soars above. “Just hunting for breakfast,” she says. Then she describes how the landscape changes from the saturated green of Northern Ireland to dust-hued hills of Tuscany in late summer. I realize a weekend away on the farm is more than a retreat. It’s where you see that dreams can become a reality.
Abbey Road Farm Bed and Breakfast || 10501 NE Abbey Rd, Carlton, OR || abbeyroadfarm.com
Follow on Facebook: Abbey Road Farm Bed Breakfast
