I knew we were in for a great lunch at the Bonaparte Retreat based on our morning visits to the Milton Creamery and Dutchman’s Store. I couldn’t have been more right. Read more
Bonaparte Retreat: Dining in an Old Grist Mill
Destinations
Dutchman’s Store: Old-Fashioned Shop in Amish Community
In 1985 Clair Zimmerman and his wife, Virginia, opened a small general store in Cantril, Iowa, a town that serves the surrounding Amish community. They expanded…and expanded…and expanded. Today Dutchman’s Store occupies an entire block on Cantril’s main street, and it’s as much a tourist attraction as it is a grocery store…or a fabric shop…or a gift shop. Read more
Milton Creamery: Award-Winning Artisan Cheese
At only 17-years-old, Galen Musser received his first U.S. Cheese Championship award for his Prairie BreezeTM cheddar. That’s just one year after he started his cheese making career. Milton Creamery cheeses have won many awards since then, including one in England.
Hurts Donut: Wackiest Donuts Ever
The young man at the Hurts Donut counter in Springfield, Missouri, told us, “When they first started, people were like, people aren’t gonna wait out in a line for a donut.” Yet, two days before our visit, a Sunday morning, there was a line out the door for four hours. What’s all the hype over donuts? One look in the donut cases will tell you. Hurts donuts are the wackiest, most over-the-top donuts I have ever eaten. Read more
Exploring the Gardens of Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park in Off-Peak Seasons
Twice this year we’ve had occasion to visit Springfield, Missouri, and on both trips we spent time in the botanical gardens at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park. Neither March nor mid-October is considered an ideal Midwest garden season, but on both visits we found plenty of beauty in the park. Read more
Relics Antique Mall and Tea Room: Largest Antique Mall in Missouri
Row upon row of French and English antique china cabinets, dining tables and beds…booths stacked with nostalgic toys that bring back childhood memories…fashion jewelry just right to complete your outfit…the perfect statue or painting to add pizazz to your newly decorated room. Over 500 vendors in 90,000 square feet of space make Relics Antique Mall in Springfield, Missouri, the state’s largest store of its kind. In fact, Relics is so large that it’s a destination in itself, complete with a tea room so you don’t even have to leave for lunch. Read more