The Knolle Farm and Ranch Bed, Barn & Breakfast is located in Sandia, Texas, about a 45-minute drive from Corpus Christi. Three buildings provide lodging accommodations to guests, The Barn, Chapel View Cottage, and Casita, with each offering a different amount of rooms and bathrooms. Amenities included in the units include bathrobes, coffee pots, refrigerators, cable TV, and microwaves, to name a few. Common areas on the premises include an event center where weddings, family reunions, and other events are hosted. The business is located on about 250 acres of land where various activities are available to each patron, such as swimming, hunting, and fishing. Fall and winter are the busiest seasons of operation for the year-round business due to the relatively ideal weather conditions.
Sandia, Texas, is home to the Knolle Farm and Ranch Bed, Barn & Breakfast. About 250 acres of land make up the ranch. Most of the buildings on the property are relatively older, being built in the 1930s era. Specifically, one building, The Barn, was designated for dairy farming but has since been renovated to accommodate guests for the bed and breakfast. Beth, one of the owners, describes most of the structures as “white concrete block buildings.” In total, there are eight bedrooms available for reservation, with six bathrooms total on the property. Some of the units are located in The Barn, while the rest are split between two houses. In The Barn, there is the Main Guest House which offers a private living room and dining room, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms surrounding them. Other accommodations in The Barn include the Dog House and the Crow’s Nest, each offering king-size beds. Two bedrooms can be found the Chapel View Cottage as well as the Casita.
Standard amenities are provided in each room, including bathrobes, coffee pots, refrigerators, cable TV, microwaves, and toiletries. The establishment provides coffee, cereal, juice, and tea in each unit prior to the visitor’s arrival. Breakfast is available to guests staying at the Knolle Farm and Ranch Bed, Barn & Breakfast every day. Lunch and dinner are also available to guests if they desire. The morning meal is generally taken to each room at 9:15 AM; Beth mentions that “once in a while, we will have people meet in a common area” for breakfast if the property is fully booked. Items served for breakfast include eggs, some type of meat, fruit, and pastries. Dishes that are often served include egg casserole, chicken fried pork chops, pancakes, waffles, and French toast. “We try to meet whatever people need,” says Beth when referring to making accommodations for patrons with dietary needs or restrictions.
In the middle of the farm, there is a relatively large gathering space that provides sitting areas where patrons have the ability to lounge. Another common area includes the event facilities that feature different patios and a pool. Beth explains that on the property, they sell various items like honey that is made by bees that are raised on the grounds, memorabilia, and sometimes homemade soaps.
On the ranch, guests may have the opportunity to see the different types of animals that live on the property, such as peacocks and horses. Raising beef cattle remains an integral part of the ranch; the website remarks that “We believe in the beef industry and in promoting and sustaining the way of life that allows for it.” Activities that are available on the grounds include fishing, hiking, swimming, and utilizing the playground, generally for the younger ages. The Nueces River runs through the property, where the business advertises on their website the ability to “picnic, swim, fish for a prized catfish, or enjoy exploring the river by kayak or canoe.” Generally, according to Beth, a high percentage of their guests usually come to stay on the property instead of visiting specific attractions nearby. The surrounding area is located in a relatively more rural area of Texas; Beth mentions they are in the “country.”
The Knolle Farm and Ranch Bed, Barn & Breakfast are known for hosting a variety of events such as family reunions, meetings, parties, and weddings. The Open Air Chapel is one location on the property that is used as a venue for such events. This chapel is able to accommodate up to 40 guests inside with the ability to host larger groups outside.
Those who stay at the Knolle Farm and Ranch Bed, Barn & Breakfast are asked by the establishment to respect the property. This is also the main policy they expect patrons to abide by during their stay. However, other policies set in place include a pet policy, which only allows pets to stay outside, no smoking inside the buildings, and a limit on how many visitors are allowed in each room. Beth, one of the owners, says that they want guests to feel “like they are being pampered” when staying on the ranch. To create this atmosphere, Beth says they provide extra meals, are accommodating to patrons, provide additional foods such as cheese boards, and will occasionally take visitors on tours of the property. Overall, Beth says that interactions between the staff and the guests vary depending on the individual patron.
The Knolle Farm and Ranch Bed, Barn & Breakfast is known for its location in the country and is a place where people often come to relax. Oftentimes, guests who previously stayed at the ranch leave reviews about their stay. One such patron remarked, “Amazing and beautiful are the best words to describe the ranch. The rooms are good, and the service for the wedding was perfect.” Another trend in reviews is the mention of the breakfast served each morning. One guest commented that “Knolle Ranch’s decorations and amenities are gorgeous, and the food is on par with a five-star restaurant, and the staff pleasant and professional. They are also warm, inviting, and welcoming.”
Knolle Farm and Ranch Bed, Barn & Breakfast is open year-round but occasionally will close down for relatively short periods of time for various reasons. During operation, the busiest time for the business tends to be during the fall and winter months. Beth attributes this to the cooling weather in the area. The change in weather is said by the management to provide for more ideal weather conditions for activities such as hunting. If visitors are looking for a place to eat, Beth mentions that most options are located in Corpus Christi, which is about a 45-minute drive from the property.
Knolle Farm and Ranch Bed, Barn & Breakfast has been in business for the past 26 years. Previously the premises served only as a headquarters for a relatively large family-operated ranch. Beth, one of the current owners, says that eventually, the property started “evolving” and that she was the one to decide to start the bed and breakfast. Beth inherited the property from her family and helped initiate various changes to the family operation, such as ceasing the dairy operations on the land and renovating and utilizing the older buildings that previously sat unused.
Converting the farm to a bed and breakfast required “drastic” changes, says Beth. Renovations during that time included adding bathrooms and walls, painting, staining floors, installing new window coverings, and updating the electrical and plumbing. Future plans for the property “evolve as the time changes,” says Beth, which has led the property to renovate as needed. Beth reports that her favorite part of owning the Knolle Farm and Ranch Bed, Barn & Breakfast is “creating things, making things turn from one thing into something else.”
Before the land ever served as a ranch or bed and breakfast, it is said that it was the battleground for various Texas and Mexico revolutions. It wasn’t until the 1920s that the land was converted into the Knolle Jersey Farm, and according to the bed and breakfast website, it grew into the world’s largest Jersey Farm. In the 1930s, it’s said that the area became its own relatively small community.
13016 FM 70
Sandia, Texas 78383
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Beth
