Tw o O r e g o n N a t u r a l sM a k e A Te a mJ o n i H a r m s a n d P e n d l e t o n W o o l e n M i l l s .

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Opposite Page: The Pendleton leather couch, the pillowsand the ottoman make the Western statement of thismain room, accented by the Indian headdress in the

corner and showcased by windows offering viewson the Century Farm that Joni so loves.

This custom carved oak front door is uniquely Joni,and it lets you know you’re welcome. The woman who

carved her front door is Gale Hubbell from Bend,Oregon. Joni is wearing a leather-collared Rancho

Arroyo coat from Pendleton Woolen Mills.

Tradit ional Country

and Western s inger Joni

Harms and Pendleton

Woolen Mil ls share many

traits in common.

Both trace their Oregon heritage backat least 100 years. Both are known world-wide. Both have strong bonds withAmerican Indians. And both strive forultimate quality in their work whilemaintaining the honesty and tradition oftheir roots. It is no surprise, then, thatthese two Oregon naturals should joinforces, often working together toaccomplish their individual aspirations.Both continue to garner the spotlight intheir respective fields.

From his humble beginnings when hefounded the Harms farm outside Canby inthe 1870s, Joni’s great-great grandfathercouldn’t have known one of hisdescendants would become an award-winning entertainer; one who writes mostof her own songs. Many of the lyrics arebased on her life on the Harms CenturyFarm and the core values she acquiredgrowing up and now bringing up her familythere. She and her husband Jeff have twochildren, 13-year-old Olivia and 10-year-oldLuke, who are fifth generation on the farm.Reflecting on the choice to live in Oregon,Joni says, “I can’t give up what I’ve got here.It’s a great place to raise a family, and I canget anyplace I need to be within 24 hours.”

When the Harms farm became a “Century Farm“ in 1972, Oregon Gov. Tom McCall presented Joni’s parents, Anna andJohn, with this sign. Today, Joni and Jeff’s renovated homestead maintains the family’s connection with the land.

– ALL PHOTOGRAPHS BY HERMON JOYNER / HERMONJOYNER.COM –

Several years ago, Joni renovated andenlarged the old homestead. Theimprovements were pretty much her owndesign, with the help of Tom Stevens, S&LRemodeling, in Aurora. Built on the site ofthe original, the 6,000-square-foot pine logreplacement holds many tributes to theearlier home. The renovation was done intwo stages: the kitchen area was completedabout 13 years ago, while the living roomarea was finished four years ago. The mainliving room is built directly on the site ofthe old homestead, with picture windowsthat frame Mount Hood (on a clear day) tothe east, and some of the Harms familycattle herd and Christmas trees they growin constant view on the other sides. It is apeaceful, bucolic setting. A small log cabinguest house also sits on the property andcontinues the warm, Western ambianceone experiences in the main house.

The 20-foot beamed ceiling in the livingroom gives an openness to the area.Cherokee Ironworks in Mineral Wells,

BY A N N T E R RY H I L L From the June 2009 Issue of True West Magazine

T R U E 52 W E S T T R U E 53 W E S T

Texas, created the two custom chandelierswith Western-themed cut outs, a tepeeshade and bronze feathers linking it to theceiling. This reflects Joni’s theme of theWest and its Indians, seen throughout thehouse. In one corner of the living room, anIndian headdress is displayed.

Joni’s property was once the land ofthe Molalla Indians. She’s in the processof developing her “museum” room inthe house, which will pay tribute to thehistoric tribe. This room will alsoinclude a family clock, a weddingpresent to her great-great grandparents,a spinning wheel and an antiquesewing machine. On one wall, she plansto hang the original deed to the property,signed by President Chester A. Arthur onApril 10, 1872.

Joni’s office is also centered by anotherchandelier by Cherokee Ironworks,featuring cut-outs of her brand, ahorseshoe encircling the number 13. It iscalled the Lucky 13, since her dad wasreleased from the military on November 13,he arrived home at Dock 13; Her daughterwas born on June 13, in room 13, at 1313.As Joni says, “That’s my lucky number.”

The Harms/Pendleton Woolen Millsrelationship has developed over the years.

It is one of mutual admiration. Joni oftenwears Pendleton clothing as she travelsaround the country. As she says, “I believein the product. Both of us being fromOregon, it is neat for me to have somethingto wear that represents my home state.”Selecting furniture from Pendleton WoolenMills Home Furnishing Division for hernew home was a natural next step. Therelationship works well for Pendleton too.The family-owned company, which iscelebrating its 100-year anniversary in2009, held its centennial kick-off event inPendleton last Fall with Joni as thefeatured entertainer. C.M. Bishop III,president of Pendleton, was thrilled withher performance. “With her two adorablechildren who joined her, Joni fits right inwith our family,” Bishop says.

Even before her new home, Joniaccented various rooms with Pendletonblankets and fabrics. Pendleton’s BlanketDivision has been the company’s mainstaysince its inception. “We are proud, and theIndians are proud,” says Bishop.“Pendleton is a part of their culture andceremonies. They were confronted early onwith a lot of cheap products that wouldn’tlast and then Pendleton blankets camealong. They were something the Indians

immediately identified with. Our earlydesign people worked with the Indians andmany of these designs are still available.”High quality is standard, and the designsare authentic as seen in the Buffalo LodgeRobe on the antique bed in the guest house.This robe is the original ceremonial size forIndian blankets.

The queen natural colored blanket inthe guest bedroom is a San Miguel patternwith standard shams of mocha color. Thispattern was inspired by mid-to-late-19th-century Indian weaving traditions and theinfluence of Spanish missionaries in theSouthwest. The saddle blanket on the wallis woven from Churro wool.

The master bedroom features Hardingsage bedding and a Yavapai Apache tosspillow. This pattern has been around sinceat least 1923, when the companyrecognized President Warren G. Harding’svisit to Oregon.

In keeping with the Pendleton theme,the dining room table, created by DJClassic’s in Prineville, is often set withred dinnerware from the HomeCollection, shown here with antiquesilverware and mats of Joni’s. On specialoccasions, her table sparkles with hergreat-grandmother’s china. The everyday

Down Home Country feel in this room isharnessed by the antler chandelier, theone-of-a-kind pine table, with Joni’sbrand stamped onto its legs, and thePendleton Woolen Mills fabric on thechair seats.

Pendleton goods dominate the livingroom: the leather couch, the pillowsand matching ottoman are a mix ofleather and wool of the Cross Canyondesign. The blanket thrown over thecouch is from Pendleton’s Vintagecollection, which, although new, givestribute to Pendleton’s rich heritage. TheHarms habitat is so warm andcomfortable a visitor can easily see whyJoni doesn’t ever plan to move toNashville. She’s determined to stay justas natural as her surroundings. She oncecommented, “I’m probably the onlywoman walking the streets of Nashvilletoday with a cowboy hat on, butthat’s who I am.” She is a true woman ofthe West, at peace with herself andher environment.

On the horizon for this star is a 2009 TVseries Let’s Put the Western Back inCountry, which she will host on Comcastand RFD networks. The show is titledafter the award-winning song she wrote.She averages about 150 days a year on theroad, at times jetting to Nashville tocomplete her 11th cd. She is now in theprocess of selecting the songs she willinclude, all of which she has written.Following in her mom’s career footsteps,her daughter Olivia is scheduled to do aduet with her on this cd.

Pendleton Woolen Mills has plans in theworks too. In its 100th year, its Oregonsesquicentennial blanket and a Muchacho(child’s blanket) are commemorative,fund-raising items for the state of Oregon’s150th celebration. “We have raisedsignificant funds for the SmithsonianMuseum of the American Indian andcountless other organizations through thesale of custom blankets,” says Chairmanof the Board John Bishop. “We lookforward to a year of celebration wrappedin this blanket.”

At the Harms home, comfort comesalready wrapped in a Pendleton. Nary aroom is without a heritage blanket.

Ann Terry Hill, a native Oregonian, is a freelance writer, co-author of Pendleton Round-Up at100: Oregon's Legendary Rodeo and member of Western Writers of America. Her storiesfrequently deal with the American West.

The Ranch Housecollection by PendletonWoolen Mills features aclassic nine-elementSouthwest Indian design,including stripes,crosses, triangles anddiamond motifs. Horsesdance across a pitcherthat Joni has repurposedas a vase to show off hersunflowers, home-grownin Oregon. Native tribeswould bake theSunflower roots in a firepit for at least three daysto extract its sweet taste,and the seed was often aprized source of oil.

A BlackfootIndian legendinspired the

vivid colors andstripes in theBuffalo Lodge

Pendletonblanket forguests to

snuggle under.

Joni's love ofOregon historyis reflected in

the choice of theHarding blanketfor the masterbedroom. The

soft sage greencoloring of the

reversibleblanket is aPendleton

classic,designed to

commemoratePresident

Harding's visitto Oregon in

1923.

Furniture• DJ Classic’s in Prineville, ORDJClassics.net541-416-8122

• Pendleton Woolen Mills HomeCollection in Pendleton, ORPendleton-USA.com800-760-4844

Antler Lighting• Antler Arts in Sisters, ORSistersAntlerArts.com541-549-4251

Western Chandeliers• Cherokee Ironworks in Mitchell, TX

CherokeeIronworks.com940-325-4300

Custom Wood Carver• Gale Hubbell in Bend, ORgahubbe@aol.com

Home Accents• Accents of the West in Hillsboro, ORAccentsOfTheWest.com

•Mountain Stream Forge in Canby, ORMountainStreamForge.com503-263-6317

Remodel Specialist• S&L Remodeling in Aurora, ORSAndLRemodeling.com503-678-2520

YOUR TRUE WEST HOMERe-create a similar look in your own home.

TrueWestMagazine.com