Myron Holdenried operates the forklift, with J.B. Ballesteros and Brian Fisher installing Big Oak Ranch Blazing Star. Photo courtesy of Marilyn Holdenried.

KELSEYVILLE – Brian Fisher and J.B. Ballesteros, owners of Big Oak Ranch, have added their rustic barn to the Lake County Quilt Trail.

Located at 4595 Gaddy Lane, Kelseyville, the quilt block can be seen from the road as one drives north on Gaddy Lane.

The quilt block, named Big Oak Ranch Blazing Star, is a variation of the traditional Lone Star design.

The ranch was built around the time of the great depression by the Trailor family.

Mr. Trailor was the lead engineer on the Hopland Grade (Highway 175) road construction. The house was built from a kit sold by Sears & Roebuck, the Hollywood version.

The Trailor large family lived on the ranch until just after the barn was built in 1935. The barn is currently used for feed and hay for the cattle that are raised on the ranch.

The quilt block pattern chosen for the Big Oak Ranch barn is in honor of Fisher’s mother, Carolyn Beehe. She gifted many of her handmade quilts to him throughout her life.

“My favorite is a small yellow and white quilt, the Rising Star design,” he said. “Today that quilt adorns the guest room bed.”

Fisher and Ballesteros chose the Blazing Star pattern because it looks like a conglomerate of all the quilts that have been passed down to them.

Like most quilt patterns, this old multi-pieced star block is known by many names with variations of sic points, eight points (the most common design) or even more. Blazing Stars are made with small stars that cover the entire quilt top surface.

For more information about the Lake County Quilt Trail, contact Bethany Rose, 707-263-5744.

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