A “thin place.” That’s how John and Judi Stuart describe their bed and breakfast/working farm that sits on 82 pristine acres in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The Celtic term refers to an earthly locale whose boundary with heaven is especially fine—a holy border of sorts where you can sense the presence of whatever god turns your crank.
It’s an apt descriptor for this little valley, located 35 miles southwest of Portland. Here, hills rise and fall, creating a staggered, rugged beauty. Some are covered in vineyards and orchards, others with old pine forest. Squint a little and you might think you’re in Tuscany. It’s no wonder that cyclists, hikers, and food tourists flock to the region.
After a successful run in the insurance and hotel industries, John and Judi cashed out and bought the Oregon property in 2003. The farm sits a half-mile off Abbey Road, named after the Trappist monastery across the street.
The agricultural side of the business produces cherries (note the two acres of Queen Anne cherry trees) and various animal products, including goat cheese and eggs from heritage chickens. But the accommodations are the big draw.
A far cry from the stuffy old Victorian homes that B&Bs typically bring to mind, Abbey Road’s rooms are located in three repurposed steel grain silos connected by a Craftsman-style structure that acts as a common area. There are five rooms total (two on the ground floor and three second-story suites), each with modern decor, a private bathroom, and not one bit of grain (at least none that I could see when I visited this spring).
Other highlights on the property include various critter-filled pastures (pet a llama! feed a goat!), a beautiful English garden, and the ranch house, where the Stuarts will serve you farm-fresh eggs on the outdoor patio. Add it all up and you get the thinnest B&B this side of heaven.