KENTUCKY PROUD Ashbourne Farms elevates and celebrates rural life. Written by Bridget Williams / Photography by Andy Hyslop Heaven must be a Kentucky kind of place. This utterance, often attributed to Daniel Boone, comes to mind each time I’m lucky enough to visit Ashbourne Farms in Oldham County, a scenic 25-mile drive from downtown Louisville. This is a family farm in the truest sense, with an enduring love of the land serving as the anchoring root for endeavors carried out by subsequent generations of ownership. Austin Musselman, who owns Ashbourne Farms with his wife Janie, has spent nearly a decade restoring the property and expanding it by 1,400-acres. His original intent was to make it a sustainable working organic farm with produce and livestock that also offered a healthy and diverse habitat for wildlife. Over time, he realized from a business standpoint that achieving sustainability would mean opening it up to the public on a limited basis. “Our vision was to create a platform for people to see what we loved about the farm and celebrate interests related to rural
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life, Kentucky culture, and working farms in a sophisticated way,” Austin explained. An avid sportsman, he is also keen on showcasing the sporting side of the Commonwealth. The resulting carefully cultivated conception is a true celebration of the Bluegrass State. The showpiece of the property is a 15,000-square-foot, twostory show barn-turned-event space. An attached silo has been repurposed to function as one of the most unique wine cellars you’ve likely ever seen. Within the barn’s original footprint, there is a careful balance of intimate seating areas and grand celebration spaces. Interior designer Chenault James is credited with the deft layering of earthy colors and natural textures to create the rustic-chic aesthetic. The barn, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is sited to offer unobstructed views of seemingly endless acreage. A walled terrace surrounding the structure provides ample room for guests to mingle and admire the dreamy landscape.
