Caleb Irby and Koble Delmer
Located just two miles from the center of Highlands, Flat Mountain Farm has long been a sanctuary for those seeking natural beauty and refined hospitality. Tucked into 28 acres of meadows, woodlands, and water, the farm feels private and expansive without ever being remote. Guests discover restored historic log cabins with hand-hewn timbers, a tranquil pond ringed by rhododendron, and walking trails that wind through wildflower fields and shaded forest. At its heart is a soaring Scandinavian-style barn, its weathered timbers and broad white oak doors opening onto a terrace where mountain air and starlit skies become part of every gathering.
The farm began life as a rhododendron nursery before falling into disrepair, only to be reimagined a few years ago by Margaret and Chris Shutze. Margaret, a designer of luxury hotels, brought a polished eye to interiors—mid-century furniture paired with local craftsmanship and antiques salvaged from the property itself. Chris, a builder and craftsman, restored the cabins and terraces, creating spaces that feel timeless and new. Together they honored the land’s character, crafting a retreat where every detail, from stone patios to communal dining tables hewn from fallen timbers, connects to the property’s past.
This spring marked a new chapter, when Robin and Vanessa Delmer purchased Flat Mountain Farm with their daughter, Koble Delmer, and her husband, Caleb Irby. While Robin and Vanessa remain active co-owners, Koble and Caleb have stepped in as the operating couple, moving to Highlands full-time to run the farm. Their skills are complementary: Koble, with her design and branding background, brings a creative vision to guest experiences and the farm’s evolving identity; Caleb, a sommelier with two decades in kitchens, vineyards, beverage, and service, guides its food, wine, and service culture. Their aim is to broaden the farm’s role in Highlands, moving beyond weddings and vacation rentals toward retreats, dinners, and community gatherings that reflect both the land’s serenity and the couple’s dedication to hospitality.
That vision will come alive next month when Flat Mountain Farm joins Highlands Food & Wine for two evenings that show the property at its most dynamic. On Friday, November 14, the barn transforms into the setting for Cinder & Cellar– an intimate wine dinner with Chef Santiago Guzzetti of Ilda in Sylva. Guzzetti, whose cooking reflects his Argentine roots, Italian heritage, and Michelin training in New York, will present four courses, introduced by passed caviar and champagne outdoors and concluding with dessert. Each dish will carry a distinctly French influence, designed to pair seamlessly with selections from Burgundy, Champagne, and other notable French regions.
The evening is hosted by the Boisset Collection—the largest landholders in Burgundy and one of the most influential wine portfolios in the world—led by Regional Sales Director Sara Brewer. For the Delmer family, the event resonates deeply: Caleb once worked a harvest in Burgundy, Koble and Vanessa have lived in France and speak the language, and Robin is an avid collector of Burgundy wines. As dinner concludes, dessert arrives with a playful flourish and the barn doors roll open to live music under the stars.
The next evening, Saturday, November 15, the tone shifts. Produced in partnership with Highlands Food & Wine, the Barn Ramble will welcome a larger crowd to the property. Where Friday is intimate and choreographed, Saturday is expansive and free-flowing. The barn opens wide, music spills out across the meadow, and guests mingle over passed plates and drinks in an atmosphere designed for conversation and celebration.
Together, these two nights are more than festival programming; they mark the debut of a broader vision for Flat Mountain Farm. In the months and years ahead, Koble and Caleb plan to extend that spirit into yoga and wellness retreats, family gatherings, community building, and collaborative dinners with chefs and winemakers from near and far. Highlands Food & Wine is the first glimpse of what’s to come: a property that honors its history while growing into a cultural and culinary hub, where the rhythm of the land shapes experiences as enduring as the mountains themselves.
Tickets for Cinder & Cellar are available on Flat Mountain Farm’s website below, where you’ll also find details on their upcoming workshops, including an autumn wreath making workshop with Growing Studio. Barn Ramble tickets can be purchased at highlandsfoodandwine.com.
For more information, visit flatmountainfarm.com, @FlatMountainFarm.
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