Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeni Adkisson.
Hi Jeni, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Our story really began in 2000, when Wayne and I moved to Klamath Falls with our growing family. We wanted to raise our children somewhere they could have room to explore, play in nature, use their imaginations, and grow up connected to their community. We never really expected to stay this long—we originally thought it would be just a few years.
But this place became home.
As our family grew to eight, our property naturally became a gathering place. We hosted huge birthday parties, holiday celebrations, family reunions, weekend sleepovers, team gatherings, and countless meals and get-togethers. We learned that one of the things our family loved most was creating a space where people felt welcome and where there was always room for one more.
After more than 25 years in Klamath Falls, we realized that what we had been doing all along could become something bigger. We wanted to open this land to the broader community and create a place where people could come together—to celebrate, create, learn, make music, share food, hold retreats, and simply connect.
That vision became The Pines in Plum Valley.
Today, we’re developing our 55-acre property into a nature-inspired gathering place with event spaces, a luxury log home, and additional lodging and outdoor spaces. What makes it especially meaningful is that it’s truly a family endeavor. Between us, our family brings experience in events, hospitality, construction, landscaping, art, music, audio-visual production, food, community organizing, and many other areas.
For us, The Pines isn’t just about building an event venue. It’s about taking the place that raised our family and allowing it to continue serving the community in a new way. We want people to come here and add their own stories to ours.
In a Nutshell: we came to Southern Oregon to raise our family, accidentally built a lifetime of gathering people, and eventually realized we had already created the foundation for The Pines.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road—but the challenges have made the journey that much more meaningful.
We actually sold the property in 2016, and when we had the opportunity to purchase it again in 2024, we knew we wanted to bring it back to life. It had been through some changes over the years, and restoring it to the beautiful, lush gathering place we remembered—and envisioned for its future—has taken an enormous amount of blood, sweat, tears, time, and financial investment.
At the same time, life was changing for our family. We now have four grandchildren, and my husband retired after 42 years as an F-15 instructor pilot and contractor. I retired from substitute teaching as well so that we could both devote ourselves full-time to restoring the land and remodeling the home.
The house has essentially been transformed from the ground up—bringing it up to code while also turning it into the warm, modern mountain lodge we envisioned. And the land has required just as much work to restore and develop.
There have certainly been moments when we wondered what we had gotten ourselves into! But we’re learning to appreciate that creating something meaningful takes time. Every time we see the property coming back to life, or watch people gather here and enjoy it, we’re reminded why we took the leap.
The Pines really is a labor of love, and we’re building it one project, one tree, and one gathering at a time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
For most of my life, my primary work was raising and caring for my husband and our six children. I chose to stay home with our children through their younger years, while also working part-time from home, teaching gymnastics, and giving private lessons in the community.
As our youngest became a teenager, I began working at our local high school and eventually became a substitute teacher. Through all of those seasons, I think the things I became best known for in our community were hospitality, encouragement, organization, and bringing people together.
Those same strengths are really at the heart of what I do today at The Pines. I love creating welcoming spaces, thinking through all the little details that make a gathering work, coordinating people and moving pieces, and most importantly, making people feel seen, comfortable, and cared for.
What I’m most proud of isn’t necessarily a particular accomplishment or job title. It’s the family Wayne and I raised together. We have six adult children and now seven grandchildren, and I’m incredibly proud that our children have grown into people who care deeply about community, connection, sustainability, the environment, and one another. They each bring their own gifts and passions to the world, and many of those gifts are now part of The Pines.
I think what sets me apart is that I don’t see The Pines simply as a business. I see it as an extension of the way I’ve lived my life—creating a place where people feel welcome, encouraging people to pursue what matters to them, and bringing people and ideas together. After decades of raising a family and being part of this community, creating a space where people can gather, celebrate, create, and connect feels like a very natural next chapter for me.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I love most about Klamath Falls is the small-town feel and the incredible access to the outdoors. We get more than 300 days of sunshine a year, have all four seasons, and there are so many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors year-round. Our bright blue skies, clean air, mountains, lakes, forests, and proximity to places like Crater Lake are pretty remarkable.
I also love watching our community grow and evolve. In particular, I’m excited about the growing music, arts, food, and creative scene. There are so many talented and passionate people here who are working to make Klamath Falls an even more vibrant place to live.
If there’s one thing I like least, it’s seeing some of the economic challenges our community is facing. Like many communities, we’re also seeing increases in homelessness and crime, and those issues affect local businesses, families, and the overall sense of community.
But I also see those challenges as opportunities. I believe strongly in supporting local businesses, creating places where people can connect, and giving people opportunities to share their talents and contribute. That’s actually part of what motivates us with The Pines—we want to be one small piece of building a stronger, more connected, and vibrant Klamath Falls.
Contact Info:
- Website: The Pines in Plum Valley
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Pines-In-Plum-Valley/61592150922001/
