History of the Farm Jacob Kibler left Missouri in 1853 to claim a land grant in Oregon Territory. However, where the Oregon Trail divided south to California and north to Washington Territory, Jacob’s traveling companions robbed him, absconding with his belongings. After five years of fruitless searching for his former friends, Kibler made his way to the Walla Walla Valley with only a pack mule, a bedroll and $20. Jacob worked in a brickyard until he had enough money to buy a wagon and oxen, and then began freighting to and from the Idaho silver mines. In 1863, he filed a homestead claim for 160 acres on Mill Creek and seven years later was able to purchase an additional 160 acres from his neighbor David Buroker. In 1873, fifty-two year old Jacob Kibler married David Buroker’s daughter, twenty-one year old Louisa. Jacob and Louisa's land was to the east of what is now Abeja.

The Kiblers eventually had thousands of acres of wheat as well as timberland, plus four city lots in Seattle. Jacob and Louisa's second son David married Miss Katherine Clodius in 1900 and built their home on this property, which had been deeded to David by his father. Between 1903 and 1907, David and Katherine built all of the buildings on this land. At the peak of their farming, they were tending one thousand acres of wheat with mule-driven combines from this farmstead. Each of the farm buildings served important roles on the busy farmstead. The Bunk House ensured that the farmhands were always truly ready and at hand. By all accounts, Katherine Kibler was quite fastidious and resented the intrusion of dirty, dusty farmhands into her home, so hearty harvest meals were prepared and served in the Summer Kitchen. The Summer Kitchen was also used to preserve the bounty from the farm. The Chicken House, a farm essential, provided fresh eggs for breakfast and dinners of fresh, grain-fed, fried chicken. The Small Barn, now used to host winery guests, served as the dairy. The large barn housed the horses and mules and now serves as our winery. In 1986, Greg Finch purchased the farm, which had been lived in by members of the Kibler family for almost 100 years. By that time, only 42 acres remained and the farmstead was essentially derelict with most of the buildings in a state of abandonment. Slowly, over a fourteen-year period, Greg and his wife Vanessa began to restore the individual buildings and eventually started the Mill Creek Inn. The Summer Kitchen and the Chicken House were the first two cottages to be restored. At the next turn of the next century, Ken and Ginger Harrison set out on their own journey to begin a winery. While searching for the perfect location, they stayed as guests of the Inn. The beauty of the farm immediately captured their hearts and sparked their imaginations. They were able to purchase it from the Finches in September of 2000.