Applegater Fall 2022
21
Another delicious bakery
in the Applegate Valley
BY DIANA COOGLE
Beth Portesi and her partner Casey Ameil in a screen capture from an episode of
“Ugly Homes of the Pacific” that included a segment about their Applegate Valley home.
Applegate Valley farm owners
land huge appearance on HGTV
BY KAYLA MORENO
Having others describe your dream
home as “ugly” would make most people
squirm. But for Beth Portesi and her
partner, Casey Ameil, the descriptor was
the chance at winning a large renovation
project that could completely change
their lives. The pair have had big dreams
of owning a property to start an organic
vegetable farm for years. However, the
economic factors, like the famously
polarizing housing market, kept their
dreams at bay until recently, when a
serendipitous opportunity arose.
The pair gained experience over the
past seven years by working on other
peoples’ properties across the world.
From Bali to Big Sur, they have learned
encyclopedias’ worth of knowledge about
farming, gardening, living off the grid,
and homesteading.
Casey worked as a property manager
for a nonprofit organization called MEarth
prior to relocating to the Applegate Valley.
MEarth’s mission is to educate and inspire
through environmental stewardship
and they primarily focus on outdoor
education for children. Here, Casey
gained experience working on the land
and developed critical skills by teaching
kids sustainable farming practices.
“This married his passion of farming
and connecting with the community in a
meaningful way,” says Beth.
That is no surprise, either. The on-the-
job experience was crucial for the dynamic
duo. Their vision was always there, but it
was clarified by various endeavors taken
both together and independently.
“After years of living and working on
other people’s land, we were craving a place
to plant our roots,” says Beth.
In February 2022 they purchased a 20-
acre lot north of Provolt in the Applegate
Valley. This humble beginning was just
that—a fresh start and a grand step toward
their goals. The zany, one-of-a-kind house
was designed by a mycologist in the 1980s.
The quirky qualities of the property were
charming, but the lack of functionality
in the house was obvious. The couple
wanted the home to accommodate their
demanding farm lifestyle. Again, economic
factors provided some challenges, leading
them back to the drawing board.
Then, late one night, Beth had an
out-of-the-box idea. HGTV is a popular
television network that showcases
exceptionally impressive home renovation
projects. She perused HGTV’s casting call
section and spotted an ad that read, “Do
you have a house that’s a wacky, tacky
or run-down eyesore—but in a dreamy
location?” She took a leap of faith and sent
in their submission.
To their surprise, they received an offer
to showcase their home on “Ugliest House
in America.” Beth and Casey could use
the quirks of their new property to their
advantage thanks to a hit show that was
now knocking at their door. This show
chooses 15 of the “Ugliest Houses in
America” to compete for one $150,000
renovation by esteemed HGTV designer,
Alison Victoria.
Most people would recoil if someone
considered their home to be one of the
ugliest in America. For Beth and Casey, it
was an exciting opportunity. They agree
that the experience “desensitized us from
the word ‘ugly.’”HGTV described this
season’s homes as “the ugliest homes in
paradise.” Of course, the Applegate Valley
landscape provided a gorgeous canvas to
work with. The opportunity to be on the
show was a direct reflection of the pair’s
drive to bring their dreams to life. After
all, appearances are not everything. Behind
this ugly home was a pair of hopeful
farmers aiming to make big contributions
within their community.
“Our biggest priority is taking care
of our land, the food, and the people we
feed,” says Casey. By creating Lazy Acres
Farm, they aim to make organic produce
even more accessible in southern Oregon.
While they didn’t win the grand prize
renovation, Beth and Casey’s episode,
titled “Ugly Homes of the Pacific,” aired
in August. Catch a rerun of their episode
or stream it on YouTube, Discovery+, or
Amazon Prime.
Their featured proper ty, Lazy
Acres Farm, is a small-scale farm and
homestead that exclusively uses organic
and regenerative practices. You can start
directly supporting Lazy Acres Farm by
purchasing their produce beginning next
spring. Until then, you can follow their
story on Instagram (@_lazyacresfarm) or
online at lazyacresfarm.org.
Kayla Moreno
info@lazyacresfarm.org
Food Pantry is here to help
Come to the back of
Ruch Outdoor Community School
at 156 Upper Applegate Road
from 11:30 am - 1 pm Mondays
and go home with food when you need it.
accesshelps.org • 541-899-6980
The spring 2022 issue of the Applegater
featured an article about bakeries in the
Applegate, taking the reader on a little
tour, moving north through the valley.
But what if you went the other direction,
towards the Rogue Valley? Then you would
certainly stop in Ruch for something at
Sweets-N-Eats, at Ryan’s Outpost, 181
Upper Applegate Road.
If you are there in the morning,
Wednesday through Sunday, you’re likely
to meet co-owner Patty Knowlton, who
starts serving breakfast at 7 am and makes
the dinner specials. If you’re there at noon
or later, you might meet her daughter and
business partner, Tasha Knowlton, who
cooks, waitresses, and does the baking.
Her niece, Nina, also helps with the
baking. The café is open until 7 pm (3 pm
on Sundays).
Tasha and Patty started Sweets-N-
Eats in July 2020, an unpropitious time
to start a restaurant, but, pandemic
notwithstanding, Sweets-N-Eats soon
became a popular eating place for baked
goods and for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
“Thank goodness for the amazing locals,
who supported us a whole bunch,”
Tasha says.
Tasha and Patty both worked at the
Applegate Store and Café before Tasha
went to pastry school, interned at the
Jacksonville Inn, and became pastry
manager there. She and Patty also both
worked at Café Ruch. They bought
the business in 2020 and renamed it
Tasha Knowlton and Patty Knowlton
outside their cafe. Photo: Diana Coogle.
Sweets-N-Eats. By now, the business has
prospered so well it takes the two of them
plus seven employees to keep it going
If you stop in just for baked goods, you
might be especially enticed by the vanilla-
cream-filled doughnuts, a house favorite,
or the cheesecakes, cookies, or dessert
donuts. If you’re there for lunch or dinner,
try one of their popular burgers or, a
frequent choice, a hot pastrami sandwich.
By all means, if you’re looking for baked
goods in the Applegate, don’t neglect
Sweet-N-Eats!
Diana Coogle
diana@applegater.org
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