Dominic Giovanetti, Catherine and Joe Bartolomei’s great grandfather, immigrates from Lombardy Italy to Forestville and takes a job as a laborer at the Wohler Ranch, across the street from the Farmhouse Inn, where he learns how to farm hops. Dominic continues to successfully farm hops for 16 years and dreams of someday owning land.

After years of hop farming, Dominic had saved enough to purchase 84 acres of farm land 3 miles away on present day Giovanetti Road. On the family ranch he planted apples, prunes, and wine grape. During prohibition, Dominic built a still and bootlegged as there was no market for wine grape. The proceeds from this period of time allowed him to build a grand Italianate home on the property. Forestville was a tight-knit community. The Giovanetti family knew the Johnson family, and their children all attended school together at the Forestville Elementary School.

The family homestead thrives, a place always simply called "the Ranch", was a Haven for friends and family, a hub where relatives from all over Northern California would gather every weekend, often 60 strong, and proprietors Kate and Dominic would love them and feed them. Catherine and Joe grew up spending their weekends at the Ranch, with their great grandmother and grandmother cooking and feeding family and friends.

The farmland is sold off and the outbuildings were converted to rental cabins and the Johnson’s homestead property became the Mirabel Horse Ranch.

In response to the closure of Wohler Beach and the newfound popularity of the area, the property becomes the Russian River Lodge, the first gay resort on the Russian River. Just across from the Wohler Road turn-off, on River Road, stood a dilapidated old farmhouse, with cabins and a pool, that had served as a B&B in the earlier glory days of the Russian River. The new owners slapped on a few coats of paint, scrubbed out the pool, and the areas first gay resort was in business.