Yesterday we took our yearly trip to Pleasantview, Kansas. It is a good distance from where we live, but totally worth the trip.
The first stop was a beautiful greenhouse. From the exterior it doesn't look like it is going to be anything remarkable, but then when you walk inside an explosion of color greets you.
Every year I wish I was more of a gardener, but I'm just not. It's just not in me for some reason. Every year I'm tempted to buy a ton of plants intending to be different this year, but I've learned that come July and August the thrill of gardening seriously wanes as the heat increases and they will just die.
The plants in the cart are for my children to plant and take care of, my husband, and my sister-in-law who is quite a good gardener.
I bought myself a geranium. I can't kill a geranium can I?
Next we went to the Dutch Kitchen. I'll admit it. This is the real reason I'm willing to travel so far with my children. Again, the building does not look like it is anything special, but the food. . .
OH MY! This is their "child's portion." I couldn't finish it. The green beans are actually GREEN and not the usual puky color of restaurant green beans. Everything was homemade tasting without me having to make it-can't beat that!
And the pie is incredible!
We did manage to finish our pie. It was tough, but we did it.
The last stop is Glenn's Bulk Food's. So much fun to browse and get great deals on things like spices and steel cut oatmeal. They have quite a large selection, for being such a small store and much, much cheaper than a local health food store.
Pleasantview is in the heart of Old Mennonite/Amish country and it is not uncommon for a farm tractor to pull up to the store and an Amish mother and all of her children pile out to get their supplies.
The best thing I buy is a HUGE bag of wheat. My husband bought me a wheat grinder several years ago and I love it! Freshly ground wheat is the best!
I was tempted to buy a bag of quinoa, but I put it back. I just wasn't sure what to do with it. Do any of you use quinoa?
Sounds like such a fun day. The nursery looks particularly awesome. I agree that those places make me wish I had better [any] gardening skills. Guess Pleasantville really lives up to its name!
ReplyDeleteMy mom has made the switch from rice to Quinoa and uses it everywhere she used rice before. And it's not bad :) As long as you don't think of it as rice.... it's just a grain. :)
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