HOSPITALITY HOMEGROWN
Family extends warm welcome to guests at historic farm stay inn
Story by Christine Souza • Photos by Paige Green
Visitors to picturesque Beltane Ranch in Glen Ellen can relax under majestic oak trees with a glass of wine originating from a nearby vineyard, enjoy a chef-prepared picnic of farm- grown produce or hop into a 4x4 for a tour with views including chickens foraging in the orchards. Such is the 130-year legacy of hospitality being extended to guests at the historic Sonoma County ranch. “My family has been on this property since 1936,” said Lauren Benward, whose children represent her family’s sixth generation on the land. “We have this beautiful main house that was built as hospitality accommodations back in 1892. So, taking care of people and hosting people in a farm and ranch setting is natural for the property, and it’s how we’ve grown up.” Mary Ellen Pleasant, the daughter of slaves who rose to financial and political power as an entrepreneur and abolitionist, was one of the ranch’s first owners and constructed the New Orleans-style house that now serves as the farm stay’s inn. In the 1960s, Benward’s grandmother restored Pleasant’s house one room at a time, furnishing guest rooms with historically significant furniture—including a dressing table from Pleasant’s own collection. “I worked with my grandmother, worked with my mom— and it’s the people that come and stay and want these experi- ences that keep us going,” Benward said.
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May/June 2022
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