I have always been enamored of serendipity. It is the random phenomenon of something suddenly occurring in life that gifts us with an incredulous surprise. Serendipity is an unfathomable mystery, and I often ponder how it happens, Does a person search for it, or wait for it? Well, I finally got my answer. And it is because I was drawn to a winery, aptly named Serendipity Farm & Vine, in Stilwell Kansas.
I roamed the expansive property, enjoying the three picturesque barn buildings, the styled gardens, and the wooded area graced with tree swings.
I met the owner, Amy Roberts, back in the main building of the winery. We sat and chatted. She is a gently-spoken woman, with an inspiring ability to envision a dream and bring it into existence. Her career background was in finance, but she left that field to create an entirely new life with her children and parents. As she was searching for a new home, she stumbled upon this land. Stepping on to it, she says a future view of it suddenly conceptualized. It had been an old horse property with 3 stable barns. There was no electricity or water. Even so, she purchased it. She knew it was beyond her skill capacity to renovate, but Serendipity stepped in and began sending people across her path with just the knowledge she needed. And so…….beauty out of ashes arose.
Amy kept the interior stalls and made them into different seating sections. They are all so comfortable, I had a hard time deciding which one to use. Amy also recently opened a coffeeshop in the main building. Coffee there in the morning; wine in the evening. It doesn’t get any better than that! I will curl up in a different spot each time with a good latte and a book.
Amy made one barn building into a “She Shed”. It is two-stories with four bedrooms. It is perfect for a gals’ weekend. It is astounding to me that Amy could take a dilapidated horse barn and transform it into such a chic lodging. Transformative defines Amy’s life. And she is well aware of it. She represents it with butterflies (the ultimate symbol of metamorphosis) throughout the property.
She chose famed muralist, Steve Bohall, to create his works of art throughout. She is incredibly thoughtful about every element on her place. The artwork on the label of her wines and the names of the wines all tell a story. Taboo is titled after Amy’s Dad, whose name is Tabb. Tabb is a direct descendant of Daniel Boone – from whence Amy receives her venturesome spirit. The winery only opened three short years ago, in 2020, and it has become wildly popular in the Midwest. It draws because it has the ambiance of nature and is a setting of creativity. Amy brings in fabulous bands and acoustic solos. Once, I was dancing there, under the grand outdoor tent, and turned to see Amy dancing next to me. We were both laughing, enjoying the fun music. She also offers art classes. One of the staff, Ronda, is a local school teacher. She took a class on glazing wine glasses and instantly knew she belonged there. So she asked Amy for a position. Audrey is another summer worker, who is visibly happy while doing her job. I asked her about it, and she responded – “it is the best place I have ever worked”. That says alot. Alot! There is something definitely unique happening here.
So I finally came to the point and directly asked Amy why her serendipity happens. Does she invite it/attract it? She quietly responded that it comes to her unbidden. She teared up as she told me God Himself arranged for each of those people to cross her path, exactly when she need their specific help. And then I teared up as I realized Serendipity is a divine term. It is a gift sent to surprise us with love. Amy prints this poem on her wine label:
“A little slice of heaven came and landed from the sky. Wine & Love & Nature met, the rest…..we don’t ask why.”
This is a true description of Serendipity Farm and Wine. Come and see why it is so appealing to so many of us.