Blooming

First comes the trillium. Then, the mountain laurel, followed by the rhododendron. The Highlands-Cashiers Plateau is awakening from a long slumber. Spring is here. Soon, we will start filling calendars with our favorite events, from nonprofit galas to concerts. And of course, culinary experiences. You know the ones, where chefs visit from out-of-town restaurants with hometown reservation waitlists as long as the traffic at the Cashiers crossroads during a summer holiday weekend.

But those of us braving the cold and ice of winter didn’t have to endure the usual gap between November and May for a slice of elevated mountain cuisine. We had Slow Season Supper Club. Sounds cozy, right? It was.             Picture an intimate supper club welcoming acclaimed Southeast chefs for multi-course dinners, set against a Highlands winter wonderland. The series featured Chef Santiago Guzzetti of Ilda and Santé Wine Bar in Sylva; Chef Mari Vega, a James Beard Rising Star nominee, with a nationwide resume of culinary residencies; Atlanta’s Chef Craig Richards of Lyla Lila and Elise Arts Center; and Chef Fuyuhiko Ito of Ishin, Celestia, and Sozou. It’s all part of Flat Mountain Farm’s strategy to transform one of the area’s prized venues into a welcoming place to gather for locals and visitors alike.

“We love Highlands,” share new co-owners Koble Delmer and husband Caleb Irby. “This is our career, but we're fortunate that it's also a passion project. We care deeply about respecting the space and community around us."

Flat Mountain Farm burst onto the scene in March 2021, after luxury hotel designer Margaret Shutze and husband Chris, a custom-furniture maker, spent 14 months transforming the 28-acre rhododendron farm into a retreat destination. Purchased from an eight-generation Highlands family, the site retains the same name as when it was a rhododendron nursery in the 1970s. With luxurious accommodations in the three-home estate, winding woodland trails, mountain vistas, a cutting garden, waterfall, private lake, and barn, it quickly became a favorite location for events, vacations, and celebrations. Featured in magazines like Travel + Leisure, Southern Living, Garden & Gun, and Country Living, the @flatmountainfarm Instagram feed has been a favorite on the Pinterest boards of Southern brides since it opened those historical Amish-built barn doors.

In early 2025, Robin and Vanessa Delmer found the farm’s real estate listing. “My dad is into holistic farm-to-table eating,” Koble explains. “He was looking for an actual working farm, but after visiting Flat Mountain, he knew it was something special and that it was perfectly aligned with Caleb’s and my interests.” Robin phoned Koble and Caleb, who were living in Atlanta. “He said we had to see it for ourselves. My background is in brand design and project management, Caleb's is in hospitality, so it just made sense. We visited, and we were instantly in love.”

“From that point on, everything seemed to fall into place, like it was meant to be.” By August, Koble and Caleb had become co-owners and operators; while the couple has ideas to incorporate their personalities and passions into new Flat Mountain Farm offerings, they are enjoying the learning curve. “2026 is really a year of observation and learning: getting to understand what the space needs, what the community is calling for, and beginning to experiment with smaller events that align with our passions and interests,” says Koble. Caleb agrees, “We’re working to see what the new identity will be without forcing anything.”

The couple’s enthusiasm for hospitality stems from a personal history that they look forward to sharing, including living abroad. “I was working remotely, so when we had the opportunity to move to Portugal for a year, we thought, ‘If not now, then when?’” One year became two. Caleb worked at a wine bar in Lisbon and was able to participate in wine harvests in Portugal and France. The couple explored Europe, embracing different cultures, cuisines, and customs. “In Portugal, there are these beautiful public viewpoints called miradouros, places where you can set up your laptop, grab a coffee, or meet a friend for a glass of wine while taking in the scenery. That spirit is something we'd love to bring to the Plateau. Local roots with global polish; Southern hospitality meets international experience.”

The Plateau’s first taste of a reimagined Flat Mountain Farm came in November, when they partnered with Highlands Food & Wine for two evening offerings. Slow Season Supper Club accompanied off-season Wednesday wellness experiences: the Turning Inward Wellness Series, blending breathwork, movement, sound healing, and meditation to support restoration, self-connection, and embodied transformation in a nurturing, reflective space. Together, the happenings demonstrate Koble and Caleb’s desire to share Flat Mountain Farm with locals who can't explore the property during private events.

This summer, be sure to keep an eye on the Flat Mountain Farm website and social media platforms. Plans include open house events, live music, a Summer Supper Club, wine tastings, and summer wellness classes. “Flat Mountain Farm is not just for wedding guests, it’s for Highlands,” Koble beams.

The Delmer family has always had a home in Highlands, and now that Koble and Caleb are in the area full-time, they are intent that Flat Mountain Farm feels like home to Highlanders. “We're so happy to be here and to hopefully become a meaningful part of this community,” says Caleb, adding that they are meeting with other local businesses, considering ways to partner and collaborate. “We don’t want to be a silo.” Community stewardship demands more than welcoming dinner tables. “Sustainability is something we care deeply about, and we're rolling out upgrades across the property that reflect that commitment. We have plans for trails and trail signage, and we've partnered with Earth Aesthetics in Long Creek, SC, to ensure all of our landscaping focuses on native plants. Vanessa (Koble's stepmom and co-owner of the farm) brings her background in sustainable cleaning to the project, helping us source eco-friendly products throughout the property. From reducing single-use plastics to improving our recycling practices, we're constantly researching ways to do better,” explains Koble.

As with any owner/operator, the couple has a never-ending to-do list, ranging from exigent to aspirational. They are planting extra trees for privacy, replacing gates, tending to the cutting garden, and planting wildflowers as a picturesque backdrop for the hilltop view. With Koble’s expertise in design, a new visual brand is on the horizon. Caleb’s hospitality background provides ample fodder for long-term possibilities, such as a restaurant, boutique hotel, or market. As the couple’s personal style seeps into the space, we can expect a slow evolution of color and texture, a little less modern and a little more authentic Appalachian.

Seasonality is synonymous with a farm, a natural rhythm of ebb and flow, growth and harvest, embracing the pattern of inevitable change. Flat Mountain Farm has witnessed more than one rebirth– farm, nursery, event venue, gathering space. Now, as it settles into its next chapter, residents and visitors of the Plateau will have a front row seat in watching the new story unfold. Spring has come to the mountain, just in time for Koble Delmer and Caleb Irby to usher in the re-emergence of an old friend. Flat Mountain Farm is in bloom.

Follow Flat Mountain Farm on Instagram @flatmountainfarm or check their website for updates on events: www.flatmountainfarm.com