I gravitated to Apothecary Inn after reading the Garret's story on their website. As an entrepreneur, I admire what they have created and think Apothecary Inn would enhance any Southern Oregon wine getaway experience.
Apothecary Inn, located in the beautiful Applegate Valley, opened last May. When asking Jillian what inspired her and Ryan to open a Bed & Breakfast, she responded, “I don't recall exactly what moment Ryan and I decided to open up a bed and breakfast. I know we talked and dreamed about it very early on in our dating. We both love to cook, so I think that was part of it. I remember once my family joked that they should buy us a bed and breakfast because we loved to cook so much! Ryan and I had discussed opening up a little cafe, but decided that we just weren't cut out for the restaurant biz. We wanted something a little bit different...”
And different is what they got. After Jillian graduated college at the University of Utah, the couple decided to move back to Oregon to be closer to family. They returned to Oregon with “no set plans and a whole lot of hope.” They searched for homes and after a few fell through, went with their last resort on the Upper Applegate Road. The place was a fixer-upper’s dream, and a first time homeowner’s nightmare.
Jillian recalls the first night they spent at the house. None of the furniture had arrived, so they had to sleep on one of the old mattresses that the previous owners had left in the master bedroom. There was a spider (not to mention mouse & snake) infestation in the home at the time, and though the sellers had the place treated, it had not taken full effect yet. So, to be modest, there were roughly 500 million brown recluse and hobo spiders in attendance as well that night. Needless to say, Jillian and Ryan didn’t sleep at all.
It’s been almost three years now since that fateful first night, and both Jillian and Ryan are proud of what they have accomplished in that time. In the beginning, things were so financially tight they could not afford to do more than paint the walls in the house. But, little by little the couple infused color and their antique collection to bring life into the home. They also we able to tear down the old barn and replace it with an appealing red barn to house their animals.
Then the serious renovations began. From January – April 2009, the house was almost completely gutted: new walls, insulation, appliances, electrical, and more! Jillian jokes, “One thing I will say about remodeling is if your marriage can survive a remodel, it can survive anything!”
With the Apothecary Inn, Jillian and Ryan have strived to bring people a unique experience not offered elsewhere in Southern Oregon. It’s not simply about fine breakfast dining – we want to show people where their food comes from. One of their goals is to be entirely self-sufficient. Whether or not we ever manage to achieve that on this property does not matter – this is the goal that we strive for; this is what keeps us going. They raise registered, show-quality Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goats, and these provide the farm’s dairy products. Fresh milk, yogurt, kefir, and soft & hard cheeses are produced from their five (and counting) adorable does. They have a flock of chickens (averaging between 30 and 50 birds) who provide eggs. Jillian works hard at maintaining a very large vegetable garden, which grows in size every year. She saves her own seeds, so there are no hybrids found in the garden. This past year, the couple have constructed a formal herb garden next to the house. In four raised beds made of river rock from the ravine at the side of our property, Jillian has planted culinary and medicinal herbs. These herbs are also used to produce their line of all natural botanical products under the label, “Sangue di Dragone.” They stock each guest bathroom with samples of their soaps, shampoos, bath oils, salves, and facial products.
In regards to the breakfast menu, Jillian adds, “We work hard to make a delicious meal using simple, homegrown ingredients and no sugar or chemicals. Breakfast consists of two courses: the first course is generally a lighter, sweeter course, and is followed by a second, heartier course. Ryan has a 250+ year-old sourdough starter, and makes sourdough rolls to set out as pre-breakfast snacks for guests.”
The couple loves wine and enjoys being located nearby several Applegate wineries (Valley View Winery is visible from their property).
Apothecary Inn is still the “new kid on the block,” according to Jillian. “The people who come to stay at our bed and breakfast are doing so because they want a truly unique and rewarding experience. In a time where most people don’t connect that their hamburger comes from a cow, or that their Thanksgiving turkey did not start its life in plastic wrap, we are here to show people that there is something good to be said for going back to basics. It’s about using your hands, working hard, and accomplishing a dream. Each generation walks a different path, but that doesn’t mean that we should forget our ancestors. In a day with Walmart and work cubicles, we traded a 40 hour week for a 60 hour week and came out ahead. There is something to be said for returning to your roots. At Apothecary Inn, we’ll show you why.”
To stay up-to-date with Jillian and Ryan, and envy her green thumb, follow the Apothecary Inn blog.
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