~Get to Know Us~
Our goal is always to make sure you feel like you're at home in our backyard, so we're here to share about ourselves with you.
Lynn
The Visionary Behind The Elegant Farmer
At The Elegant Farmer, beauty seems to grow almost effortlessly. But behind the lush gardens, unexpected details and enchanting setting is Lynn, co-owner and the creative force who understands that creating a memorable place begins with knowing how to make people feel.
A gardener at heart, Lynn has an instinctive eye for what belongs together—color, texture, shape, light, and the natural rhythms of the seasons. That same sensibility extends throughout her boutique, filled with items that have that call you home – cozy yet elegant . . . homey yet sophisticated. Lynn has a talent for taking the rustic character of the property and elevating it without losing its soul. It is about creating beauty that feels welcoming, authentic, and a little unexpected.
Her gardens provide a setting, but Lynn's warmth and engaging smile provide much of the atmosphere. Her natural sparkle makes guests feel as though they have entered and have been welcomed into someone's backyard that feels more discovered than designed. It is an approach that reflects her personality: creative without being pretentious, elegant without being formal and thoughtful without ever feeling overly
designed.
Her vision of The Elegant Farmer goes beyond food, events or a beautiful place to gather. She wanted to create somewhere unexpected. The result is a destination with a distinctive sense of place: lush yet rustic, sophisticated yet relaxed, and filled with personal touches that cannot be replicated by a traditional venue.
Cowboy Joe
Rancher. Cook. And the Cowboy Behind the Food.
Cowboy Joe brings a lifetime of cowboy experience and a genuine love of cooking to The Elegant Farmer.
As part owner of The Elegant Farmer, Joe is as much a part of the experience as the food itself. After years of ranch life, Joe has traded the saddle for the kitchen without leaving the cowboy or the cowboy spirit behind, which is at the heart of The Elegant
Farmer.
Heavily influenced by his grandmother and mother’s Southern style of cooking, it was his ranching background that taught him that cooking for people is about more than putting something on a plate. It's about hospitality. It's about bringing people together.
It's about knowing that when you've invited someone to your table, you had better give them something worth coming back for.
Today, Cowboy Joe brings his ranch roots and love of the Western lifestyle to weddings, private gatherings, reunions, retreats, and special events at The Elegant Farmer. It's an unexpected combination: a real cowboy (black hat and all) creating extraordinary experiences in a place that feels like a world away from ordinary.
Though Joe has a cowboy’s love of BBQ, he can cook just about anything, bringing hearty flavors, a little Western attitude and food that feels right at home in the rustic elegance of The Elegant Farmer. And somewhere in the middle of it all, you'll find Cowboy Joe because at The Elegant Farmer, the food may be sophisticated but the cook is still a cowboy.
Erica
Events Coordinator Extraordinaire
There are people who plan events, and then there is Erica—who makes them happen.
Born and raised in Chester, Erica has deep community roots and an instinct for making gatherings feel welcoming, memorable, and special. As the second of four daughters, she grew up surrounded by family, creativity, and plenty of reasons to celebrate.
Her eye for design came from her mother, Brenda, while her engineer father, Steve, passed along an appreciation for detail—and what might be described as a lifelong fascination with tape measures.
Erica and Brenda eventually became business partners, opening Celebrated Interiors in Chester, where Erica further developed her talent for creating beautiful spaces. But it was always the celebration itself that really captured her. She loves themed parties, family milestones, and any excuse to make a fuss over the people she loves.
When Celebrated Interiors closed, The Elegant Farmer became a natural next chapter. Today, Erica brings her design sensibility, organizational skills, and enthusiasm to weddings and events, thinking through everything from the setting and flow to the little
touches that make an occasion memorable.
Married to professional angler Mark, Erica is fiercely loyal to family and friends and has never met a good reason to turn down a celebration.
Give her a theme, a reason to celebrate, and room to create—and she’ll take it from there.
Lisa
The Elegant Farmer’s Wine Woman with a Mountain Soul
Lisa brings a delightful mix of business savvy, wine knowledge and genuine warmth to The Elegant Farmer -- not to mention being Lynn’s sister! With a career in property management and finance, she knows how to manage the details, but her real passions are people, wine and the mountain lifestyle.
Originally from the Bay Area, Lisa moved to Southern California with her husband where they raised their daughter, Alexandra. After Christopher’s unexpected passing, Lisa and Alexandra found their way to Lake Almanor, reconnecting with family and a
place that felt like home in more ways than one.
She first joined The Elegant Farmer as office manager before putting her financial expertise to work as Finance Director at Sierra Institute. Today, she’s back at The Elegant Farmer for special events right where she belongs: behind the wine bar, bottle in hand and always ready to “chat-it-up” or introduce someone to a new favorite wine.
Lisa has a genuine fascination with the science of wine and loves learning what makes each bottle unique. With her easy smile, wine wisdom and knack for making people feel welcome, Lisa adds her own special flavor to The Elegant Farmer. She may have spent years working with numbers, but these days she’s more interested in what happens around the table: good wine, good conversation, beautiful surroundings and making people feel at home.
Lexi
IT Whisperer
A self-proclaimed nerd—and proudly so—Lexi is our behind-the-scenes IT guru, keeping The Elegant Farmer’s computers, website and assorted technological mysteries running smoothly. From the basics to the occasional “Why is it doing THAT?” glitch, Lexi is the one we count on to figure it out.
As our very first employee, Lexi has been part of The Elegant Farmer journey from day one and has made her mark in more ways than one. When she’s not solving tech
puzzles, she’s our office assistant, and you may even spot her in the shop, helping customers find just the right purchase.
When she’s off the clock, Lexi enjoys computer games, getting creative in the kitchen, and, most of all, spending time with her dog, Ellie.