StarHill Farms – A Serendipitous Discovery

Our plan was simple, to follow our nose on a wildflower road trip to the rolling hills east of Interstate 35. We would spend our nights at whatever local hotel we bumped into at the end of the day. Then I went to Google Maps, clicked on hotels in the area we planned to visit, and I was surprised at all the dropped pins. When I clicked on one in the middle of nowhere, I discovered a cabin on a hill at StarHill Farms. I had to learn more. And then I fell in love with the idea of a farm, horses, cows, multiple ponds, trails, and time-worn wood. Michael and I agreed—we’d make reservations.

All of this brings me to today and the road that our GPS says we must follow. Michael requested the shortest path to StarHill Farm in New Ulm, which many times is a highway, but today we travel myriad back roads to get to our destination. I couldn’t have chosen a more perfect route to drive even if I tried very, very hard. The day is glorious! The land is dotted with farmhouses, weathered barns, and livestock, with a few zebras thrown in for good measure. We traverse narrow winding paths bordered by an array of wildflowers and we both comment on how lush everything looks—the fields sport thick blankets of spring green grasses after a week of needed rain.

Memories Along the Way

We pass by the old church outside of Ellinger where some of my ancestors lie at rest in the adjacent cemetery. Seeing St. Mary’s reminds me of the time my sister and I sat under a large tree on a hill overlooking the cemetery reflecting on our personal history while drinking red wine and munching on kolaches from the local bakery.

The Hinze (Henzee) Cabin at StarHill Farms

And finally, we are here. The 1845-era Hinze log cabin stands before us. We climb the weathered, natural-edged wooden steps to the front porch, and then I see it wraps around two sides. I’m not sure that a porch on two sides of this cabin is part of the original structure, but I’m grateful for its presence whatever the reason. The wraparound porch—just like grandma’s farmhouse—is a gift, especially with two rockers on each side with two very different views. They beg us to sit, but if we do, we may never get up.

The Interior

Curiosity nudges me forward and I twist the dark metal knob on the front door. Texas rustic pioneer elegance greets us. Surrounds us. A generous-sized dark leather couch is set against a wall opposite the fireplace. An antique roughly hewn workbench (Michael says it’s a workbench), now serving as a coffee table sits at the edge of a large cowhide rug. Two matching chairs with matching leather footstools flank the stone fireplace. A basket full of old boots keeps one of the chairs company.

My imagination takes flight and I visualize the ideal—a glass of wine in my hand, a good book in my lap, and a roaring fire beside me on a cold winter’s night.

The second room contains a queen-sized bed covered with quilts and throws that look as if they belong here. Grew here. The bed also invites me to jump right in and snuggle in its comfy, cozy softness. Against one wall there is a small table and two chairs for dining. And between the doorway to the living room and a screen door leading outside is a kitchenette. It is not in the bedroom, but as close as a kiss. It is also a welcoming sight in this historic cabin.

While I begin tucking our belongings in the large rustic armoire, Michael tends to the job of storing our meager assortment of food and wine in the kitchenette. Suddenly there are no more tasks to attend to and we immediately head to the porch. We hear those rocking chairs calling our name.

StarHill Farms – The History

The owner, Bob Frappier, sees us, comes by, and extends his hand in welcome. We learn there is a vineyard in the fields beyond and that a bottle of StarHill Farms Texas Lenoir Port awaits us on a table in the living room. There are trails to explore, vistas to see, and ponds stocked with fish to sit by and daydream—or fish in if we have a pole. And there are trails for walking and horses to ride. Then I notice that the horses are our backyard neighbors. They’re grazing fields surround us and the horse barn is barely a stone’s throw away.

I can tell Bob Frappier loves this land and cherishes its history. It’s in his tone of voice. The words he says. The stories he tells. His 300+ acres are part of Stephen F. Austin’s land grant from the Mexican government to entice immigrants to settle in this area in the 1800s. We learn about the Hinze cabin. The farm. The land. And the old yellow farmhouse across the way where Frappier and his wife live.  

This land was homesteaded in 1877 by a German immigrant, Carl Otto Sternberg. He married a year later, and eventually, the old farm housed him, his wife, and twelve children. In 1996 the Frappier family purchased the farmhouse and the parcel of land on which it stands.  They named it StarHill Farms in honor of Sternberg. Stern meaning star and berg meaning hill in German.

Bob Frappier’s StarHill Farms

For the last twenty-seven years, Bob has diligently worked to restore this area of Austin County back to its original roots, acquiring additional land when it was available and preserving whatever architectural history came his way. We learn that the Hinze cabin was originally built in Freslburg and moved here via New Ulm. All the restoration work and improvements were done here. I like this man and wish that we were really neighbors and I could learn more, and hear more stories. But he says the vineyards need his attention, and it is time to get to work.

We turn toward the rockers, selecting the side porch with its view of the pond before us and the grazing horses to our right. Relishing the cooling breeze, we sit and inhale the peace and tranquility that permeates all that surrounds us. We munch on Cheetos and drink French Rosé as we watch the horses munch on grass.

When the sun’s rays begin to wane, we walk down the hill to the pond and the two Adirondack chairs that edge its bank. We sit and listen to the frogs—they almost sound like birds singing. The local ducks swim and explore; they are the three musketeers—joined at the hip. They are in the water. Out of the water climbing a small hill and then they are back in the water faster than I can snap a picture.

I don’t think I ever want to leave this place—it is the farm of my childhood memories. Only better.

StarHill Farms

If you yearn to leave the world behind for a while and escape the madding crowd, I can highly recommend StarHill Farms as one of the most tranquil bucolic places you will ever stumble across. It is a restorative refuge.

There is so much more To StarHill Farms than I wrote about that I urge you to click on their website and learn more.

https://www.starhillfarms.com/thefarm