26 April 25th-MAy 1st, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Sweet as Pie The Cozy Peach in Queen Creek offers midcentury glamping with charm. BY TIMOTHY RAWLES T he spring sunset and large desert cumulus clouds are perfectly reflected on the mirrored exterior of a vintage Airstream Land Yacht at The Cozy Peach “glampgrounds.” Like an optical illusion, the large classic travel trailers nearly disappear inside their own reflections amid the bucolic landscape of Schnepf Farms. It’s a serene location just outside of downtown Queen Creek. Several large shade trees tower over the property which were planted by the owners many years ago. The atmosphere is so calming your heart rate naturally drops as the wind rustles the leaves like Mother Nature’s attempt at ASMR. Welcome to The Cozy Peach, a short- term trailer camp. But the trailers here aren’t modern. These are antiquities from a bygone era, each restored to reflect the year they were manufactured. Driving up to this hidden gem feels like a time warp back into the mid-20th century when designs were slick and streamlined. It was a style transition between the atomic age of the 1940s and the space age of the 1950s. Carrie Schnepf, co-owner of Schnepf Farms, is a busy woman. She never stops. Whether she’s catering a wedding, making breakfast for visitors at her farm cafe or bottle-feeding a runt from one of her goat families, Schnepf is the curator of fun at the farm, which is becoming somewhat of a theme park under her watch. Think early Knotts Berry Farm but instead of boysen- berries, it’s peaches. The Cozy Peach is a part of that vision, and it all began in 2015. At the time, Schnepf had 25 hookups, or utility ameni- ties, for overnight travelers. But keeping up with them became challenging. Then she was hit with inspiration. “I saw a trailer that was for sale in Phoenix. It was the Silver Streak, I bought it and thought I would like to see how long it would take me to refurbish it and make it nice for people to actually stay in. People just started using the word ‘glamping.’” That moniker derives from combining two words: “glamorous” and “camping,” and it certainly fits The Cozy Peach. Every vintage travel trailer is equipped with modern amenities such as televisions, toaster ovens, wi-fi and single-serve coffee pod machines. There are nine trailers in all, but what makes them special is how beau- tifully restored they all are. It was a massive undertaking, but the assiduous Schnepf was willing to take it on. She finished the first one and immedi- ately started looking for others. She found one in Mesa, another in someone’s driveway, which she bought on the spot. Word got around and before she knew it sellers around Arizona were contacting her. She even bought one from a person in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. “Each trailer I would look at it and try to figure out where it would fit best and what kind of style I wanted,” Schnepf says. It was also important for her to buy trailers with all or most of their original parts. “I didn’t want any trailer that was gutted already. One trailer I picked up in Phoenix in some- one’s backyard and it was like they had 1960 stopped in time. Clothes, suitcases, dishes, magazines: It was like in 1963 they decided to move into their house, locked their trailer, and left it. It was awesome! “I have kept the trailers in the time period of 1940 to 1970. I also think the trailers were made better back then. We have five Airstreams, three Spartans, two Silver Streaks, a Streamliner,” she adds. Two others will be added to the court in the near future. The midcentury outdoor vibe is so immersive that you expect to see women in housedresses and aprons, and men in tweed suits and trilby hats. The theme follows through to the inside as well. Post-war designs that include light and uncluttered aesthetics paired with pastel colors would make you swear Eisenhower is still the pres- ident. It’s an aesthetic currently making a comeback, but Schnepf makes it clear she isn’t doing this to follow any trend. “People love Airstreams. And they really love vintage Airstreams,” Schnepf says. “So the fact that we have kept 95 percent of the original parts is very cool for those who stay in them. We had one couple cele- brating their 60th wedding anniversary and on her bucket list was staying in an Airstream trailer. It was so fun making their stay very special.” If you are a fan of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, you may have seen the 1954 classic “The Long, Long Trailer,” in which the couple try to navigate the country in a 36-foot Redman New Moon. It’s not an easy beast to navigate and hilarity ensues. Schnepf says she doesn’t have the same model as the one in the movie, but her Spartan Mansion is the same length. “It just reminds me of that movie,” she says. “I am glad ours are stationary especially because it allows me to put in nice toilets, not ones that are typically found in a trailer.” There’s another cute touch for glam- pers. The property concierge, Kaylee, delivers fresh ingredients from the farm to guests in a peach-colored miniature Volkswagen bus. You can’t help but chuckle when you see it. Its drowsy- looking headlights and overall peaceful visage feels like it’s destined to become a stuffed toy mascot of the park. A man in New Jersey sold her seven mini vehicles and when she saw the mini VW, “I bought it on the spot and he deliv- ered it. It’s a perfect addition.” As the Schnepf Farm brand grows, so too does The Cozy Peach. Schnepf has lots of plans. There are three more vintage trailers to come, along with a swimming pool and a treehouse, all centered around the midcentury theme. Although she says she’s never done any decorating, she’s particular about what she wants for her guests. The mattresses are five-star hotel quality, and the drapes are all custom-made. The furniture was a little harder to find but thanks to the popularity of mini homes, she made it work. But her favorite part of the design isn’t the interior. “What I love most is each trailer has its very own front patio and grass yard,” she says. With so much tall growth around the property, she admits that the wi-fi isn’t as strong as it once was. “So we may start doing outdoor office space and maybe some outdoor movie options.” Schnepf Farms isn’t just popular for growing produce, it’s also growing its entertainment brand, or as they lovingly call it, “agrotainment.” Big-name hospi- tality marquees are scarce in Queen Creek and that means lots of out-of-state trav- elers visit The Cozy Peach for various events in the area. “They come from everywhere,” Says Schnepf. “There’s only one hotel in Queen Creek, and this one is so unique.” The Cozy Peach is located at 22601 E. Cloud Road, Queen Creek. For more infor- mation including rates, visit schnepffarms. com/glamping. Fresh produce is delivered to guests of The Cozy Peach via this Volkswagen mini bus. (Photo by Timothy Rawles) ▼ Arts & Culture A 1953 Westwood Caravan is part of The Cozy Peach’s selection of glamping trailers. (Photo by Timothy Rawles)
