Just past West Sixth Farm on Shadrick Ferry Road is Pipedream Farm — and a dream it is.
Visitors to the property turn onto a gravel drive that leads them past a blueberry patch and an old tobacco barn. Continuing down the lane, you pass a small herd of Dexter cattle grazing in a pasture, and you might even see native wildlife like deer and turkeys on your way to Highgrounds, which is the name for the back of the farm where two modern cabins — one named Ironweed and the other named Chicory — are located on a hill overlooking the farmland, ponds and the Kentucky River.
This slice of heaven, which is just 10 minutes from downtown Frankfort, is operated by William “Will” Martin and his wife, Emily Beauregard. William’s sister, Kate Martin, is also a co-owner.
During the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, the trio — along with Will and Kate’s father, Steve Martin and his partner Patricia “Pat” Terrell, decided to look for a house that had some land.
“Emily and I thought it would be nice to have a place to get away with the kids,” Will said.
The family found the 130 acres on Shadrick Ferry Road, which adjoins West Sixth Farm, and also included a house that Steve and Pat now occupy. However, Will, Emily and Kate wanted to have their own place for when they visited the farm. Will and Emily and their two sons, Connor, 7, and Adrian, 3, live in Louisville. Kate lives out of state.
Will and Emily first set up a “glamping” tent on a wooden platform they built by one of the ponds but soon realized they needed a few more amenities, especially with having small children.
“We decided to do something more substantial,” Will said. “To make sense for us to have a cabin, we decided we would have to do it as a business.”
Will and Emily connected with Frankfort general contractor Matt Marshall and started coming up with plans for the two cabins. The original plan was to have three cabins, but for budgeting purposes, they built two.
“We didn’t have an architectural plan,” Will said. “We started with a sketch with the contractor and filled it in as we went. It was nice in ways. We were able to build the cabins around second-hand windows we salvaged. Every window was restored.”
Both cabins have large picture windows that allow for a lot of natural light and gorgeous views of the land during the day and the stars and moon at night.
“We wanted to feature the landscape,” Emily said. “We want people to come here and feel immersed in the land but also feel completely comfortable and that you weren’t sacrificing amenities to feel like you’re a part of the land. The windows do that for us.”
The Chicory cabin is 400 square feet and features two double beds — one on the lower level and one in a loft space — a full bath with ground-level entry, a kitchenette, dining area and spacious covered deck overlooking the farm and river. The cabin also features a ramp for easy entry for those with walkers or wheelchairs.
“It has a ramp, wide doorways and no threshold shower with bars,” Will said. “It’s not purely ADA standards but we made it as close as we could.”
The Ironweed cabin is a bit larger at 700 square feet. It features a double bed on the main level and two single beds in the loft space. There is also a living/dining room, full bathroom and kitchenette. Both kitchenettes include a mini-fridge and toaster oven. The cabins also have heat and air conditioning, along with hot water.
They are both decorated with modern/woodsy décor creating a cozy and warm space. There is a communal fire pit located between the two cabins. Fishing is allowed in the ponds and there is a ridge trail along the Kentucky River and a trail connecting to the trails at West Sixth Farm.
“It is peaceful out here,” Will said. “You don’t realize you’re anywhere near town. We are only 8 minutes from Buffalo Trace Distillery — really no further than staying downtown. And we’re next to a taproom that you can hike to. It’s a fun thing for someone traveling through.”
Along the ridge of the river, Will is working to restore the native wildflowers and grasses through the use of a grant he was able to obtain. His goal is to build more hiking trails that will help showcase the property.
The cabins were officially completed about four months ago and were available for rent beginning in May. The cabins can be rented on AirBnB, VRBO and at kyhighgrounds.com.
Will and Emily are happy to open the cabins up for others to enjoy, but they are also quick to make sure they’ve blocked off weekends for themselves.
“I have been coming to Frankfort for years to work at the Capitol,” Emily, who has been working in the capital city since 2012 to do policy work as a health advocate, said. “This is a different side of Frankfort that I love. There’s a lot here to discover. It’s a fun place to be and there’s more happening than people know.
“The minute you drive up the hill and away from traffic, you’re in your own little world up here.”
