Near Knoxville, in rural East Tennessee, Windy Hill Farm & Preserve welcomes quail hunters and vacationers alike
Hugged by the Great Smoky Mountains on one side and the Cumberland Mountains on the other, Windy Hill Farm & Preserve sits on 650 bucolic acres in the Tennessee River Valley. Growing up, Steven Brewington and his siblings spent summers and winter vacations here, roaming what was then their grandfather’s cattle farm, hunting, fishing, camping, and working cattle. “It seemed like a never-ending playground,” recalls Brewington, who inherited the property and took over its management in 2014.
Over time, Brewington sold off the cattle and transformed the 150 acres he had planted with native warm-season grasses into a quail-hunting preserve. “Eventually, [the hunting program] grew in popularity and we wanted to provide an extra-elevated level of experience, so we built the main lodge [now home to the reception desk and Wilder restaurant],” Brewington says. An additional guest lodge and cabins followed to accommodate more hunters.
“Then we realized we had an additional six months of the year that was not quail season,” explains Brewington, “so we came up with a game plan of a year-round resort where people could experience East Tennessee.” Windy Hill Farm & Preserve opened to the public in July 2022.
Windy Hill Farm & Preserve Cabins
Nine wood cabins nestle under 100-year-old old oak trees around the water tower that provides fresh spring water for the property. The rustic exterior of the cabins belies the luxury within. Two huge picture windows take up essentially one entire wall, affording views of the rolling wooded grounds from two comfy upholstered chairs. All cabins have private decks, king beds, large walk-in showers (several cabins have outdoor showers, too), and mini refrigerators stocked with soft drinks. Nearby, the Lodge harbors eight cozy rooms with private baths and either king or queen beds, while the hilltop Farmhouse built by Brewington’s grandfather caters to groups with five bedrooms, a full kitchen, and meeting space.
You need not be a quail hunter to enjoy Windy Hill. Among the many activities available on-site are axe-throwing, archery, skeet shooting, and mountain biking (oh, those hills!)—plus fishing, paddle boarding, and kayaking on the Tennessee River that flows through the property. In the warmer months, Windy Hill entertains guests with outdoor concerts and themed weekends.
Perhaps you’d prefer to take a slower tack, as I did, tracing the walking trail through the woods as I watched the hawks circle lazily overhead, and listened to the excited barking of the hunting dogs in the distance as they flushed quail from the cover of tall grass. At dusk, I wandered down toward the meadow to watch groups of deer emerge from the trees to graze, flashing their white tails as they scampered across the grass.
For dinner at Wilder, Executive Chef Ben Warwick draws from the farm’s garden and beehives to craft his enticing four-course menus. “I think globally,” he says, while tying the likes of Fried Buttermilk Quail and a Wood-Fired Elk Chop back to East Tennessee.
If all this sounds idyllic, it is. “I’m motivated to preserve the land, to continue to take care of this beautiful property and have people enjoy it,” says Brewington. As he likes to tell guests, “Our farm is your farm.”
Foodie-Friendly Activities
Wine Hike
More of a “wine stroll,” as one staffer described it, this popular guided wine experience makes five stops for tasting different varietals along a one-mile trail through the woods. $125.
Bourbon Tasting
Put your palate to the test as self-proclaimed “bourbon snob” Stephen Lowery guides you on a tasting of five bourbons, with a few surprises thrown in to keep you guessing. $95.
Cooking Demo Class
Pull up a stool at the kitchen counter and watch Chef Ben Warwick prepare a recipe from his repertoire, spilling professional cooking tips in the process. And, yes, you do get to sample the delicious finished product. $60.
Beekeeping and Honey Tasting
Suit up and get an up-close look at the inner workings of Windy Hill’s hives, before tasting the sweet results of the honeybees’ labor. $45.
Windy Hill Farm & Preserve, Breck Ellison Rd., Loudon, TN, 865.657.1700, windyhillfarmtn.com. All rates include daily meals, non-alcoholic beverages, and unguided activities. Quail-hunting season runs from October through March.
