Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast Blog

· A Gift of Beta Grapes

2011-10-07T11:33:00.031-06:00

September 23-28, my younger sister from North Dakota and three of her friends came to adventure in the Black Hills...and, naturally, Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast was their home base. They brought with them four horses, which they boarded at nearby High Country Ranch, as well as a generous load of freshly harvested garden vegetables and apples, also various sizes and colors of fresh farm eggs (even tiny batam hen eggs!)
Our first group meal consisted of Roasted Vegetable Lasagna and a salad, which included fresh crisp cukes! — As it turned out, the remaining half of the lasagna was our last group meal, too, consumed late the fourth evening, after my sister was released from the hospital. She and one of her friends had each met with a hard fall off runaway horses, but are thankfully now on the road to recovery. — Since they've left, I continue to chop vegetables for stir fry, chili, Italian rice, etc., using the homegrown eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, onions, potatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes. Three beautiful hard-shell squashes are cheerfully posed at our front door, but will be disappearing into the kitchen, one by one.
Almost overwhelming me, there were also deposited three huge boxes of Beta Grapes on the table, a gift from my older sister. The Beta Grape (pronounced bet-ah) is a cross between a wild riverbank grape and a concord grape...consequently tart and, well, grapey tasting. Deciding how to move forward with the preservation process was a challenge, as I didn't want to use sugar initially, and wanted to retain as much of the fresh goodness of the treasured grapes as possible until further future processing. Happily, I remembered my 'vintage' centrifugal force juicer! (Since I hadn't used it in recent years, it had been price-tagged and placed in our Anteeks sale room...yikes!!) The idea was to spin out the fresh juice and collect each batch in a large stainless steel kettle and refrigerate until all was spun. This turned out to be more than a long day's effort.
You may have seen one of these at a yard sale...

Help was enlisted (much appreciated) after I had de-stemmed the first bowl full of fruit.

It became quickly apparent that I had forgotten the most basic necessity for operating the juicer...a catch bowl. Handy paper towels to the rescue!

Here we go again...

Three small handfuls of fruit fill the feeding hole, and the plunger is pressed by hand to force the fruit into the hidden spinning basket...whirrrrr...

It's a fairly messy but easily managed task...though I didn't realize how messy until I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror while cleaning up afterwards. :) After processing each bowl full of de-stemmed and washed grapes, I cleaned the machine. — Fresh squozed (southern term) juice shoots out on the left side, and the seeds along with other bulk are flung into a retainer on the right side...

After all the juice was gathered in the large kettle, I weighed out smaller batches into my stainless steel jelly kettle...and brought each batch to a full boil, simmered for five minutes, returned to a full boil. This step was necessary to remove impurities and for quality preservation. Eight-ounce jelly jars were sanitized and waiting for the sparkling purple juice. After the jars were filled, I lightly placed a lid on each jar and allowed the juice to cool. Then I lightly twisted a band over each lid, and placed all in the cooler to chill completely. When the jars were thoroughly chilled, I tightened the bands, labelled and transferred the gifted harvest to the freezer. Alternatively, I could have sealed and processed the jarred juice in a water bath for a stable non-refrigerated shelf life, but my plan was to cook the juice as little as possible to retain the freshest flavor and wholesomeness.
Because there is no sugar added to the juice, we can mix the juice from an eight-ounce jar with three cups of a naturally sweet juice such as bilberry and enjoy it as a very healthful beverage...not too tart. Or, I can use as many jars of Beta Grape juice as desired for a jelly or jam recipe, for a particular effect.

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast
bed and breakfast hospitality inn
hill city - central black hills national forest - south dakota
convenient lodging location near
mount rushmore - 1880 train - custer state park
- wind cave national park - jewel cave national monument
- crazy horse memorial - black elk wilderness
- mountain lakes - harney peak - norbeck scenic byway
- george s. mickelson trail - the centennial trail
- historic downtown hill city - antiques

· Apricot Squares (Perfect Flour Blend)

2011-06-01T10:33:00.026-06:00

May 31 early in the day I requested muffin recipes (using Perfect Flour Blend) from Namaste Foods LLC (gluten free products for people with food allergies)...on facebook. I was promptly provided a link to the Namaste website location where several options were available. Our B&B guest (with celiac) chose the Apricot Squares...ok, not muffins (and also no longer listed, probably due to Namaste keeping the recipe lists fresh).

Easy recipe! Sam and I sampled the bars while they were still warm (couldn't resist), and in our opinion they are super amazingly delicious!! Sam must have been worried there would be none left for our guest, though—"You can slow down," he said, "you don't have to eat it that fast!" That was Mr. Sweet Tooth talking to his Mrs. Salty who rarely eats sweets...but the bar being sampled was soooo good! (On second thought, his real concern may have been that I would consume his rations. haha)

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast
bed and breakfast hospitality inn
hill city - central black hills national forest - south dakota
convenient lodging location near
mount rushmore - 1880 train - custer state park
- wind cave national park - jewel cave national monument
- crazy horse memorial - black elk wilderness
- mountain lakes - harney peak - norbeck scenic byway
- george s. mickelson trail - the centennial trail
- historic downtown hill city - antiques

Sequel: Mountain Bluebirds Stained Glass Window

2011-05-28T12:09:00.009-06:00

Update on Busy Beaver Sam's Project

(click link)

Now that the stained glass window is installed,it deserves to have an official name..."Loving the Heart of the Hills"...appropriatebecause it is true!The window is in the heart of the Black Hills,and we 'mountain bluebirds' are loving it here.
The first post aboutMountain Bluebirds Stained Glass Window(click link)

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast
bed and breakfast hospitality inn
hill city - central black hills national forest - south dakota
convenient lodging location near
mount rushmore - 1880 train - custer state park
- wind cave national park - jewel cave national monument
- crazy horse memorial - black elk wilderness
- mountain lakes - harney peak - norbeck scenic byway
- george s. mickelson trail - the centennial trail
- historic downtown hill city - antiques

· Flammkuchen, Sequel to Flumkuchen

2011-04-30T10:50:00.047-06:00

This is FLAMMKUCHEN (our variant)—distinctly a main course for lunch or the evening meal. I wish you could smell the wonderful tantalizing aroma that wafts throughout the house while the Flammkuchen is baking.

This savory treat's sprawling journey includes its honored place as tarte flambée or flammekueche, the specialty from the Alsace region of France, with the base topping being a creamy soft fresh cheese, fromage frais or blanc...or both terms will do. Fromage frais means 'fresh cheese' and fromage blanc means 'white cheese'. A readily available low fat cream cheese like Neufchâtel is a fine substitute. Traditionally, the tarte flambée would include onions and lardons—small strips of pork fat.

(There is also a sweet variant, topped with crème fraîche, apples or possibly bilberries, sugar and cinnamon. Crème fraîche is a soured fresh cream, typically less sour than the American sour cream.)

The pizza frenzy of the 1960's is what brought this comparable flat food to the forefront. But, the creation of it is a story! Time was, as the legend goes, that Alemannic (a Germanic tribe of the first millennium) farmers who baked only once a week, or so, would test the heat of their wood-fired ovens by tossing in one of these thin pies at the estimated peak time. It was a quick fix. If the temperature was right, the intense heat would bake the pie in 1 to 2 minutes, the edges would nearly be burned by the flames, and exiting the oven would be a flamed pie or cake, signaling that it was time to bake.

It is acceptable to change the basic recipe somewhat, based on the cook's immediate mood. As there are many moods, there are many variations.

For instance, take lardons (think bacon) along with the cheese, and the calories begin to fast forward. We prefer to avoid some of those galloping calories. And we really like red sauce. So, we nudge our tarte flambée, or Flammkuchen as it is known in Germany, over the Italian border! We keep the crust thin, as it should be. Bacon, or sausage, is optional if not banished at our evening table (hint: baby bella mushrooms serve well for the vegetable oriented palate), but we do like a reasonable fling of good cheese. Purple onions, mmmmmm. And, no apologies, heavy on the garlic, please. However, keeping the weight of the toppings on the light side is a good idea, to avoid a soggy crust. We like our crust crispy! The photo at top accurately depicts how we like our Flammkuchen.

When Sam first sampled it, he slyly announced, "We could sell this!" Though his enthusiasm was appreciated, it did not motivate me to carry out his ambition. Other than again and again exclaiming,

"This is so good," Sam and I were unusually quiet while eating, completely focused on the delicious flavors and harmonious scents! We both agreed that Flammkuchen could easily become as popular with us as our gourmet nachos.

A short side note—In my own 100 percent German farm family, during garden season we were regularly treated to a sweet Onion Kuchen which highlighted green onion tops. Blended with soured cream and sugar, this custardy pie was part of the main fare at lunch (or dinner, as we called it), while at supper it was dessert. Either way, even the children looked forward to it with delight. Perhaps I should speak for myself only, eh? I personally don't recall tasting onions, though they were present in abundance in all their green glory. This Onion Kuchen may be a distant cousin to the sweet Flammkuchen. And Flumkuchen (previous post), well, it is basically the crust of Flammkuchen, though it stands alone as a quick-to-prepare comfort food. Beyond that, my first taste of anything pizza-like was when my oldest army-aged brother Ray once took two or three of us, who were tweens, out for pizza, early in those pizza-frenzied 1960's. Flammkuchen was not on the menu though. Seems to me unnatural. You would think in North Dakota someone would have thought of it.

If you would like to try what appears to be a traditional recipe for Flammkuchen, go to Delicious Days. For more details on the regional history of Flammkuchen and, for the sake of comparison, a truly traditional recipe, go here: Tarte Flambée d'Alsace or Elsässer Flammkuchen...where porcini mushrooms are recommended, but may be hard to come by. And here, ah, a Flammkuchen recipe which includes my beloved garlic. If you are really up for some adventure, try this Quarky recipe!

· Flumkuchen

2011-04-20T09:15:00.030-06:00

Monday, I made a recipe that Sam and I both love, and that qualifies it as a favorite recipe. It is quick and easy to make, and is definitely a comfort food. Flumkuchen. After we devoured the bread, I searched the internet for cracker recipes...and I found a delightful Canadian blog, Crackers. with the period. But, when I couldn't find their recipe for crackers, I did find their Crackers. group on Facebook, and joined it. Since they haven't gotten around to making crackers yet (busy with so many other wonderful projects), they asked me for my Flumkuchen recipe, which I posted...and here it is now for you...

Flumkuchen is a cracker bread. I say that loosely, as some or most other Germans may produce a distinctly different form of bread or dessert and call it Flumkuchen. As far as I know, this particular form is traditional on my mother's side, and possibly my father's side of the family, too—Parents and nine siblings are all 100 percent German.
Mom customarily made Flumkuchen, along with oatmeal (and maybe fried or scrambled eggs, oranges, and so forth), on Wash Day. Eating a hearty breakfast sustained her through many trips up and down the basement stairs! This is a very flexible and easy recipe that puts up with a lot of experimenting:
Tender - Delicious - Nutritious - Easy - Quick Fix - Flexible - FunFlumkuchen - the way I usually make it - Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. - INGREDS: 1/2 c organic all purpose flour, 1/2 c Wheat Montana whole white wheat Prairie Gold flour, OR all Prairie Gold (Mom used all purpose flour); 1/4 to 1/2 tsp sea salt; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp bread machine yeast; may add 1/8 to 1/4 c oat bran or wheat germ, but adjust liquid accordingly; 1/2 c milk; 1 T butter (probably oleo was traditional) or a healthy oil of choice; 1 to 2 tsp agave nectar (or sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.).
Stir all of the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. If you use a microwave, in a small measuring cup heat the milk, butter and agave nectar about 50 seconds, until hot but it won't burn you. (Alternatively, heat the liquids in a saucepan on the stove.) Pour the liquids over the dry ingredients and quickly, briefly stir with a fork until a soft but pliable lump of dough is formed. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly a few times into a smooth soft ball. Press the ball flat on a lightly floured surface and roll out very thin, between 1/16" and 1/8", thinner than cookie dough or typical pizza crust (or a little thicker, for even softer and chewier bread).
Do the dishes while the dough is resting, about 5 minutes. Dust any excess flour off the dough circle. Pull the middle oven rack out as far as you can without removing it. Deftly transfer the dough circle to the oven rack and don't worry if a little of it around the edges slips into the rack's cracks and you can't straighten it all without burning yourself. Bake 10 minutes then flip the bread over carefully and bake 5 minutes more. Experiment with oven time to get it the way you like it. We like a bit of brown flecking on both sides, and prefer the bread to be on the softer side, as it crisps up while cooling down. If various sized bubbles form on the surface, you have been a successful baker and may invite someone to pat you on the back. If not, the bread is still good, and everyone will be happy anyway. Yummy enjoyed hot with slathers of freshly churned butter......just kidding...organic butter or what have you. It isn't likely that any will be left over, but be assured that it is equally a treat when cold...topped with sardines and garlic (hahaha).
Thanks for letting me share this favorite German family recipe! :) I'm going to bake some right now, photographing the process for you. Please follow the captions...
This illustrates the flexibility of the recipe.Ingredients shown are:1) bottom left, organic all purpose flour 1/2 c2) bottom right, Prairie Gold flour 1/2 c3) top left, organic raw wheat germ 1/8 c, topped with4) 1/2 tsp flor de sel (special sea salt)5) top middle, 1/2 rounded tsp baking powder6) top below bkg pwdr, 1 rounded tsp bread machine yeast7) top right, 1 T organic oat bran

The prepped work surface.

After stirring my liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients,

the dough appeared too sticky to me...

so I added 1 tsp additional flour to what you see below,

and that amount was just right.

As you can see, when rolling out the dough,

it is perfectly fine to go with your random mood.

The look is about rustic, not perfection.

...Unless you are expecting royal guests,

in which case you may want to start with all pure white flour.

Placing the dough in the preheated oven is a delicate matter.

To spare fingers of blisters, the rustic look is further advised.

Ten minutes later...

wah-lah...nice bubbles!!

(My back-patter was outside at the time.)

Okay, let's flip this over.

April 27 Version (difference possibly due to mischievous weather change)

Five minutes later...the Flumkuchen is ready.

April 27 Version

If you are wondering what to do next,

slide the Flumkuchen from the oven

onto a preheated plate, and then

simply fold it while it is hot and bendable.

Or, do as my husband Sam says...

toss it in the middle of the table, up for grabs!

· Clinging Snow, Letting Go

2011-04-19T16:16:00.006-06:00

April 19, 2011 - Clinging Snow, Letting Go

- Short and factual - Going...going...still...going...

Sam took the highway photos earlier today, when he drove to Custer for a load of wood which he needed for his current project.

Click on the snowmanand he will take you on probably the lastsnowy fling of spring!There are 12 photos in the album,posted on the facebook page ofMountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast. Enjoy the scenery!

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast
bed and breakfast hospitality inn
hill city - central black hills national forest - south dakota
convenient lodging location near
mount rushmore - 1880 train - custer state park
- wind cave national park - jewel cave national monument
- crazy horse memorial - black elk wilderness
- mountain lakes - harney peak - norbeck scenic byway
- george s. mickelson trail - the centennial trail
- historic downtown hill city - antiques

· Mountain Bluebirds Stained Glass Window

2011-04-12T12:49:00.010-06:00

We special ordered the octagon window(shown below) for the new wall Sam built,and are experimenting with names for it...Suggestions are welcome!"Mountain Bluebirds in a Pine Tree""Bluebirds in the Heart of the Hills"
Male and female bluebirds come in a variety of colors!
When the window arrives, the plan is to frame iton the exterior with ponderosa pine, bark intact.
See the previous post to read about the wall andSam's display case project,Brach's Pure Candies Exclusively.

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast
bed and breakfast hospitality inn
hill city - central black hills national forest - south dakota
convenient lodging location near
mount rushmore - 1880 train - custer state park
- wind cave national park - jewel cave national monument
- crazy horse memorial - black elk wilderness
- mountain lakes - harney peak - norbeck scenic byway
- george s. mickelson trail - the centennial trail
- historic downtown hill city - antiques

· Brach's Pure Candies Exclusively

2011-04-12T09:49:00.011-06:00

Sam gets to hibernate very little in the off-season,

with always a project for the handyman!
This spring he busied himself withclosing in a corner nook of the porch,opening space to the inside foyer.For the exterior beautification of this projectwe have collected a fancy array of mossy rocks,which can only mean...Sam will soon be learning another handy tradewhen it comes to applying the rocks to his new wall.While awaiting the arrival of a stained glass windowfor installation into the wall,Sam is not one to idle on pause.His in-between project is shown below...
— Brach's Pure Candies Exclusively —
The pictured antique slant-front displaywill have a new life in the gift shop foyer,tempting visitors of the shop with treats and snacks.Sam wanted to preserve the feel of original pastel colors,since he saw it as a confectionery display;and since I love the shabby chic look, we negotiated...
The former life of the displayincluded time in a Standard Station.Hidden in the shambles was the color scheme...

On Friday (April 8) I made an experimental cookie.

Surprisingly, Sweet-Tooth Sam asked for slightly less sugar next time.

So I asked him to give most of that first batch of Sam's Perfect Cookies

to the men working on the church addition,

so I could produce the second edition of the recipe.

As shown in the Monday (April 11) photo, below,

Sam was persuaded to take a break from his refurbishing work

to test the slightly less-sweet cookie.

Shortly after this photo was taken, Sam said,

while trying to install the doors on the display case,

"I ran into a problem getting the doors to fit.

I need another cookie, to think." :)

· Guests of Mountains To Prairies B&B

2011-02-19T13:49:00.013-07:00

Here is a collection of albums featuring a number of our 2010 guests. The albums show, from our hearts, why we make the following comment on the Dates, Rates and More page of the M2P website:
"We look forward to meeting all of our vacationers
who will visit the beautiful Black Hills in 2011,
and are again reminded of our gratitude
for the past wonderful years which we were blessed to enjoy,
and for all the new friends we made
because they chose to stay with us."
Just click on the descriptive link below any set of photos, and you will be taken to the corresponding facebook page of Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast.

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast - Rich and Wanda are the perfect example of a prime reason for having a Bed and Breakfast... forming friendships! Wanda's birthday has been celebrated four times at Mountains To Prairies. This year we surprised her with a blueberry muffin birthday 'cake', baked in a small bundt pan, and lit with three long candles... 1) remembering the past, 2) looking forward to the future, and 3) enjoying the beauty of today. And what a beautiful day in early November it is, with a sunny temperature of 75 degrees!! Rich and Wanda began capturing the best of the warm weather even before breakfast, by taking a walk along the Mickelson Trail.

Fourth Birthday at Mountains To Prairies B&B

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast - Two potato, three potato, four potato, five ...nope, just ONE. Guests of two nights were on their way to Arizona to present this zany 'bearly potato' to a relative. They dug it up in their own North Dakota potato patch. We just called it Spud, but SPUDZ is more like it! - Guests Diane and Alvin are long-time neighbors of my brother, sister and brother-in-law who live on the farm where I grew up (...and where the pictured apples grew!) - ZANY a.k.a. peculiar, unconventional, strange, bizarre, funny, quirky, kooky, oddball. (Click on the first pic to go to the album of six. Each photo has a caption.)

Spectacular Animal Spud!

Antiques - Mike and Jessi had been married all of 30 hours before arriving at Mountains To Prairies B&B in Hill City, South Dakota for a three-night HONEYMOON stay. Much of their 'wedding money' was exchanged for antiques at Smiling Bear Antiques Shop, in-house with the B&B. They made careful and thoughtful selections. Many of the items they chose may one day very well be passed on to their grandchildren ...such as an antique oak Gingerbread Clock. They purchased the early 1900's oak-framed Shaving Mirror shown in one of the eleven photos, in which their happy image is nostalgically framed. (Most photos have a caption.)

ANTIQUES - Wedding Gifts for Newlyweds

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast - Bill and Kay from Minnesota enjoyed each other and the Black Hills for their 50th Anniversary. We were thrilled to get to accommodate them for their special occasion vacation of five nights. Leaves were beginning to turn during their late summer stay...colorful beauty everywhere! Present at the breakfast table with Bill and Kay were Roger and Cheryl of Platt, SD (first and last photos).

Guests Celebrating 50th Anniversary!

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast - Late September/early October, we were very excited to get to accommodate (Again!) this amazing family of six in Chessie Lee's Peas. The beds in CLP comfortably sleep five guests...but for the littlest of Scott and Angie's children, we added a single-size air mattress to the mix. For their first visit, the air mattress was placed behind the queen bed on the main level. This time, for the growing young man, space in a nook in the Tree House Loft was arranged.
Family of Six - Repeat Guests in Chessie Lee's Peas

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast - Marlies and Joerg were absolutely delightful guests from Germany who were not afraid to try the heights of Harney Peak, and they succeeded! - Wayne and Patti also enjoy getting physical with the great outdoors, running marathons, and running along the Mickelson Trail! (Please read the captions under the photos.)

Marlies & Joerg from Germany - Wayne & Patti, Marathon Runners

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast - Mountains To Prairies B&B's connecting proximity to the George S. Mickelson Trail creates a convenient access point for bicyclers. Early in September, 2010 we were delighted to get to know three different sets of friendly trail-going folks...including a couple, a threesome...and a family with two children (check out their rig!) The day of the family's arrival, knowing they would be arriving late, we slipped away early to pick wild black currants along the Mickelson Trail in the Mystic area. What a fun surprise when Sam and our soon-to-be guests got into a conversation on the trail and discovered that we 'know' one another!!

September Mickelson Trail Bicyclers - Guests of M2P

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast - The central and convenient location of Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast makes it a good getaway place for anyone in the Hills needing a breath of fresh pine-scented air. Many locals, including Rick and Anne who live in the northern Black Hills, take advantage of the inviting opportunity that the Labor Day Weekend offers for enjoying their home turf. And we got to enjoy Rick and Anne, as we listened with interest in their motorcycling adventures!! (Six photos in the album.)

M2P - Getaway for Local Motorcycle Enthusiasts

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast - This is Andy, who fulfilled his dream to hike the Mickelson Trail. We are thrilled to have been a small part of his plan. Andy began his trek at the Edgemont trail access. His first night was spent at a ranch in the southern reaches. He put himself through the rigors of training before leaving home, and came packed lightly...unburdened with non-necessities.
George S. Mickelson Trail Hiker

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast - Mid-August, J and A from the Pacific northwest were "Just Married" when we had the pleasure of meeting them. In 2010 we got to accommodate quite a few newly wed couples, and hope to see many more in 2011. Their unique happiness seems to be contagious to everyone!
Just Married!

...Here are a few previous BLOGS (also posted on facebook) representing guests from France and New Zealand!

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast ‎- Please go to Bruno's blog below but don't click on the English Version link or it will leave the page on which M2P is shown (scroll down the page, and enjoy Bruno's tour!) Bruno was here from France with his wife Leila for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, early August, 2010, the Rally's 70th Anniversary. In addition to sharing some of their Airstream adventures in the Endless Summer blog, Bruno talks (in French) about his and Leila's stay at Mountains To Prairies B&B in Hill City. Bruno and Leila were truly enchanting guests!
See More
AIRSTREAM, HARLEY-DAVIDSON and The American Dream in FRANCE.: Endless summer; AIRSTREAM & STURGIS
american-dream-in-france.blogspot.com
Blog-story à propos de notre caravane américaine en aluminium AIRSTREAM, en provenance des USA pour la FRANCE, son choix, son aventure et ses déboires, sa restauration et les vacances passées à bord... Complété par des articles sur les HARLEY-DAVIDSON, notre mariage à DAYTONA, la CALIFORNIE, l'ARIZO...
Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast
Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast Blog: · New Zealand Guests
mountainstoprairiesbedbreakfast.blogspot.com
The purpose of Mountains to Prairies Bed and Breakfast BLOG SPOT is to present an inviting view of the South Dakota Black Hills to potential visitors through stories and photos gleaned from Black Hills outings routinely enjoyed by the Innkeepers. Other appropriate blogs interspersed with adventure n...
Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast
These guests from France stayed in 2009.
Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast Blog: · Junior Ranger Program
mountainstoprairiesbedbreakfast.blogspot.com
The purpose of Mountains to Prairies Bed and Breakfast BLOG SPOT is to present an inviting view of the South Dakota Black Hills to potential visitors through stories and photos gleaned from Black Hills outings routinely enjoyed by the Innkeepers. Other appropriate blogs interspersed with adventure n...

· Off Season Breakaway

2011-02-18T17:22:00.017-07:00

A new SPECIAL has been added to M2P's Specials collection.
OFF SEASON BREAKAWAY
This Special applies only to the Off Season,Oct 16 through April 30.
As with the Double Special and Extra Special,
you are encouraged to linger longer.
Choose, at the heart of the Black Hills, the unique beauty
that pleases you most . . . mid-autumn to winter to early spring!

- Short Breakaway -
(This is for a stay of 2 nights. OS = Off Season)
The first night is at the OS regular nightly rate
and the second night is $5 less than the first night.
- Extended Breakaway -
(This is for a stay of 3 or more nights. OS = Off Season)
For all nights, 5% is discounted off the OS regular nightly rate.
Enjoy a full sit-down breakfast each morning of your Breakaway.

In addition to the all new Off Season Breakaway, Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast also offers a Double Special and an Extra Special. For complete details regarding these getaway discounts, please visit the Dates, Rates & More page found in the left sidebar of the M2P website (linked above).

· Hill City Weather added to Blog Sidebar

2011-01-31T11:28:00.007-07:00

Now, you can keep up with the current

WEATHER

in Hill City, South Dakota . . . right here at . . .

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast Blog.

Just scroll down the page while watching the right sidebar.

AccuWeather is located directly beneath

Food Channel Recipes (which update daily, by the way!)

· Happy NEW Year from the Black Hills...

2010-12-31T10:48:00.007-07:00

...and

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast

Hill City Night Lights

As you leave the Old Year,

please celebrate going into the 2011 New Year responsibly.

The car you drive or ride in has aspirations

to one day be a parading Antique model!

❤♫❤♫❤.•*¨`*•..¸♥☼♥ ¸.•*¨`*•.♫❤♫❤♫❤
╔═════════ ೋღ❤ღೋ ═════════╗
* ░H░A░P░P░Y░* ░N░E░W░ * ░Y░E░A░R░ *
╚═════════ ೋღ❤ღೋ ═════════╝
❤♫❤♫❤.•*¨`*•..¸♥☼♥ ¸.•*¨`*•.♫❤♫❤♫❤

· Guest Room Updates

2010-12-30T17:41:00.008-07:00

A small but nice touch was added to Chessie Lee's Peas (see above), and one to Prairie Homestead. Plus, a new kitchen space was added to Prairie Homestead! Guests have so often referred to PH as their little cabin that it has earned the nickname, Little Prairie Cabin...and now with a kitchen, even more fitting! See the following photos...

· DECK the HALLS...

2010-12-08T11:15:00.016-07:00

☆ click... with Boughs of Holly ...link ☆

and have a very

☆ Merry Christmas!☆

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast

bed and breakfast hospitality lodging
hill city, central black hills, south dakota
near

mount rushmore - 1880 train - custer state park
- wind cave national park - jewel cave national monument
- mountain lakes - harney peak - norbeck scenic byway
- george s. mickelson trail - the centennial trail
- historic downtown hill city - antiques
- all things bright and beautiful

· 2010 Thanksgiving Weekend Hikes

2010-12-02T21:45:00.004-07:00

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast

This album represents three days of Black Hills hiking over 2010 Thanksgiving weekend. Mountain Lion tracks were found on each hike...Horsethief Lake on Thanksgiving Day, Elkhorn Mountain on Saturday and Needles Highway on Sunday. (Captions are added at this time for the Horsethief Lake hike. Click on the first pic and then continue to the next. Please check back later for more captions.)

2010 Three Thanksgiving Weekend Hikes

100 new photos

South Dakota at Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

2010-11-17T05:37:00.008-07:00

Wishing all a blessed, safe and...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast on facebook

In the sleepless wee hours of the morning, for the second time I serendipitously stumbled upon exciting news of the famous South Dakota float to be honored in the 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. This preview and news was found at Black Hills Travel Blog. Be sure to see it...a grand representation of Mount Rushmore...and more! Click the 'Sneak Peek' link below...

Sneak Peek at South Dakota’s Famous Float

blackhillstravelblog.com

The Today Show on NBC interviewed John Piper, Vice President at Macy's, from inside Macy's Parade Studio. Piper gave a sneak Peek at South Dakota's new float...

...and CLICK here to see the Float Design while under construction (also found at Black Hills Travel Blog)!

· FOURTH Birthday at Mountains To Prairies B&B

2010-11-06T15:12:00.006-06:00

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast on facebook

Rich and Wanda are the perfect example of a prime reason for having a Bed and Breakfast...forming friendships! Wanda's birthday has been celebrated four times at Mountains To Prairies. This year we surprised her with a blueberry muffin birthday 'cake', baked in a small bundt pan, and lit with three long candles... 1) remembering the past, 2) looking forward to the future, and 3) enjoying the beauty of today. And what a beautiful day in early November it is, with a sunny temperature of 75 cozy degrees!! Rich and Wanda began capturing the best of the warm weather even before breakfast, by taking a walk along the Mickelson Trail.

Click on the first pic to go to the album of three.

(Each photo has a caption.)

Fourth Birthday at Mountains To Prairies B&B

· SPUDZ - Bearly Potato

2010-11-01T16:54:00.008-06:00

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast on facebook

Two potato, three potato, four potato, five ...nope, just ONE. Guests of two nights were on their way to Arizona to present this zany 'bearly potato' to a relative. They dug it up in their own North Dakota potato patch. We just called it Spud, but SPUDZ is more like it! - Guests Diane and Alvin are long-time neighbors of my brother, sister and brother-in-law who live on the farm where I grew up ...and where the pictured apples grew! - ZANY a.k.a. peculiar, unconventional, strange, bizarre, funny, quirky, kooky, oddball.

Click on the first pic to go to the album of six.

(Each photo has a caption.)

Spectacular Animal Spud!

· ANTIQUES - Gifts for Newlyweds

2010-11-01T16:37:00.009-06:00

Smiling Bear Antiques on facebook

Mike and Jessi had been married all of 30 hours before arriving at Mountains To Prairies B&B for a three-night HONEYMOON stay. Much of their 'wedding money' was exchanged for antiques at Smiling Bear Antiques Shop, in-house with the B&B. They made careful and thoughtful selections. Many of the items they chose may one day very well be passed on to their grandchildren ...such as an antique oak Gingerbread Clock. They purchased the early 1900's oak-framed Shaving Mirror shown in the first photo, in which their happy image is nostalgically framed.

Click on the first pic to go to the album of eleven.

(Each photo has a caption.)

ANTIQUES - Wedding Gifts for Newlyweds

· What it is Like to Run a Bed and Breakfast

2010-10-28T10:58:00.004-06:00

One of our recent guests, Linda LaRoque, asked me, "What is it like to run a Bed and Breakfast?" My answer is below, in green. Linda L. is an author of western contemporary and time travel romance novels! Click on Linda LaRoque's Musings, her blog, where she posted my answer...

What is it like to run a B&B? Without giving it a great deal of thought, I might say that it is much like dancing. Sam and I are partners in this ongoing dance, and when the harmonious music is heard by both of us, the dance is heavenly! However, occasionally one of us may step on the other's toes, or someone may bump into us...and so we take the necessary time - and steps - to readjust to the rhythm. Periodically, the music changes to a different tempo, which can be a bit jarring even when expected, and so again we readjust. More happiness, excitement, variety and adventure are added to the dance when younger dance students (granddaughters) join us. And so it goes—The broad and colorful spectrum of music moving us 'this way and that way' creates a fluid niche in time devoid of boredom. The dance hall fills up seasonally with visiting dancers, who add to the meaning and purpose of our dance, and who generally orchestrate the movements. In short...running a B&B is more like dancing than running.

Linda Brown, Innkeeper, Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast

· Fall Colors Grand Finale!

2010-10-26T11:10:00.008-06:00

Sam rose early with the sun this morning to take a picture of the trees along the East Main side of Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast here in Hill City, South Dakota. For two days the wind has intermittently been blowing fiercely. The chokecherry bushes outside our kitchen window were stripped of their colorful leaves yesterday. A few flecks of snow are blowing by the window now. Sam's beautiful picture presents the GRAND FINALE of the fall colors!...around our house anyway. Click on

· 2010 Autumn at Mountains To Prairies B&B

to view the whole album (...click on the first small pic and then next and next.) But first, here are two of the previous views around the house...

BUTTERFLY OVER THE LILAC BUSH

(Corner of East Main and Walnut Ave)

BOARDWALK VIEW

· Pony Express Site and Bull Bison

2010-10-25T15:35:00.005-06:00

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast on facebook

This historic location on the outskirts of Pringle along Highway 385 between Custer and Hot Springs represents a busy fragment of the PONY EXPRESS way back when...now collects interesting artifacts (antiques) of that timeframe. Sunday, we were driving south from Hill City, South Dakota to Hot Springs, looking for lingering patches of fall colors...found a lot of rust here! :)

Pony Express Route

4 new photos

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast on facebook

After studying the curious collection of artifacts from the Pony Express days, we toured Wind Cave National Park (enroute to Hot Springs) where we paused to watch a herd of BISON, many of them bulls as shown in this video clip. Click on 'Bulky Bull Bison' to go to the video...

Bulky Bull Bison

Length:0:41

We also made a short video of a huge COYOTE "stalking his pantry for winter" (Sam says)...sneaking up on some prairie dogs. This video is also on Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast facebook page.

When we finally made it to Hot Springs, we drove and gawked all the way through town to our destination, the Dairy Queen, for a chocolate dipped ice cream cone...and then we turned around to head back home. We did note that Hot Springs has quite a few staircases to heaven (...you have to go see!)

On the way home we looked for a place to take a short hike before darkness settled in...found a turnoff along the Mickelson Trail. But rather than walking on the trail this time, we hiked a skinny winding road off into the woods. Back in there, we climbed onto a plateau which had an old hand-dug ditch around it on three sides and a rocky dropoff on the other end. We puzzled over it for awhile, until Sam came up with the thought that it might have been where a bridge had originally been intended for the railroad, but for some reason they didn't like the location and so moved on down the hill...and so the story concludes that this is why the Mickelson Trail (trails from rails) is down the hill from that location. Go figure.

· 2010 Autumn at Mountains To Prairies B&B

2010-10-24T07:22:00.006-06:00

We just can't get enough of those beautiful fall colors! Here are examples right around M2P...simply click on the first photo, then next, and next...and be sure to read the captions...

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast on facebook

We are delving into the new autumn season like into a good book, gazing often through the kitchen window at the golden leaves turning before our eyes! We have been enjoying an extended season of fall colors this year, and are just now beginning to lay back into some needed rest and relaxation. But at the same time ideas for near future projects are sprouting up out of that rest. ... Though guests are not as frequent past mid-October, they are certainly as interesting as ever! - October 19 guests biking the Mickelson Trail from Deadwood reached Rochford too close to dark to continue to Hill City. In Rochford's Moonshine Gulch Saloon they conversed with locals. One happened to have shuttle service out of that area, and suggested they bike to Mystic where he would pick them up and bring them to Mountains To Prairies B&B, their Hill City night's lodging. It had been a beautiful fall day for riding the Trail, and their leave day was equally beautiful!

2010 Autumn at Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast

9 new photos

· 2010 Fall Colors Collection

2010-10-13T16:44:00.002-06:00

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast on facebook

Here are photos of FALL COLORS...from the Black Hills all the way to the farm near Center, North Dakota! Click on the first picture, then next and next and...

2010 Fall Colors Collection

· 2010 Buffalo Roundup - Part II

2010-09-30T13:33:00.003-06:00

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast

2010 Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup

If you missed this year's Custer State Park buffalo roundup, these photos should give you a pretty good idea of how it went. Enjoy!

By:Black Hills

Photos:19

· Spearfish Canyon's Rare Winged Visitor

2010-09-27T12:51:00.003-06:00

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast
The Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, an extremely rare visitor along Iron Creek in Spearfish Canyon, has been drawing birders from all over the country.
Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush in SD
blackhillstravelblog.com
An Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush has been sighted in Spearfish Canyon. This rare bird is only the third of its kind ever recorded in the United States...

· Harvest Time!

2010-09-25T09:07:00.012-06:00

Black Hills Wild Black Currants

What we go through for Smiling Bear's

jam connoisseurs and coffee-loving Black Hills visitors :)

September 23 marked the last opportunity for harvesting the exotic Black Hills Wild Black Currant. To punctuate the event, Sam and Linda (of Smiling Bear Espresso Bar and Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast, Hill City, SD) packed up a truckload of overnight gear.

And off they went, anticipating a full moon to wind down with after a happy time of picking. And the picking was indeed happy. Since Sam could find no more chokecherries, he dove into the bushes and helped Linda glean currants. (Did I say bushes? I meant...jungle!...with no over-the-top view.) They called to each other now and then, especially when something rustled in there, and, well, they were just checking to see if the sound was one of us.

They moved from jungle to jungle, too. Sam returned from a particular expedition and told Linda about his methods. He would leave the main trail when he found a cowpath which appeared to descend into a promising patch of currants. To avoid lugging around the flat of currants already picked, he set the box at the edge of the main trail against a bush where he would return for it later.

Sam and Linda picked together for awhile, but with the sun steadily going down, Sam thought it was time to look for a campground. He went off to get the flat of currants from alongside the main trail. Linda continued picking. In about 15 minutes, Sam returned and said, "Funny, I thought I knew right where I put the box."

Linda opened the truck and poured her currants into the flat she had been filling. They both went in search of Sam's currants. This felt like a BIG deal to both of them...since currants are a luxury fruit and scarce to find. Sam's currants were especially scarce to find. They searched even further down the trail than Sam thought he went, just in case...just in case. Back and forth, back and forth. Sam went ahead and Linda backtracked, slowly, carefully searching every nook and bushy cranny.

One path Linda hadn't noticed before led into a small open space at the bottom, with both sides of the space not visible—so, she started down. Suddenly her feet were caught and she found herself flying through the air in too many directions and landing in the clearing soundly on both knees, and flat forward in the next instant, the calf muscle of one leg twisting and seeming to pop loose. She grabbed the muscle and squeezed, at the same time turning, while straightening her legs and managing to sit upright.

How long is a heartbeat?...it only took a few. Her knees throbbed. She rubbed them. "Thank God, nothing is broken." She felt grateful for that, and grateful, too, that the muscle wasn't torn. She sat there for a few minutes, musing and wondering over how she could possibly have come out of that wild fall intact...hands, wrists and elbows unscathed...head still there and unabused. It did seem miraculous, perhaps angels? Anyway, "Thank God!" Somewhat stiffly, she rose to her feet, moved around the clearing, gingerly, looking for Sam's currants. She heard herself say aloud, "They certainly aren't worth getting hurt over."

Linda turned to face the three strands of low-strung barbed wire that had been her downfall, and stepped over them carefully. Just as she reached the top of the path and pulled herself out onto the main trail, Sam called. He had turned around to ask her to drive the truck down the road a ways and pick him up, as he wanted to walk further to see if possibly someone had discovered the box while he and Linda were in the bushes; perhaps they carried it a bit, then sampled a currant, didn't like the taste and set the box down somewhere. (We were thinking a little strangely.)

Deciding to tell Sam later that she had fallen, Linda walked slowly toward the truck. Still examining the side of the trail in hopes of finding Sam's currants, her thoughts turned more gracious, more heavenward than before. It was nearly too dark to see shapes at this point. Passing an old post marker which Sam had made mention of earlier, Linda glanced into an open area without breaking stride, but then paused abruptly, leaned to see if the white spot she had glimpsed was a rock, about 10' back into the clearing, tucked nearly behind a bush. It was Sam's box!...tilted in such a way that the currants created a shadowy illusion making the box difficult to find. Linda was elated, knowing Sam would be relieved that the fruit of his labor had not been carried off or lost.

With no full moon visible due to complete cloud cover, and darkness imminent, Sam and Linda agreed on taking their picnic home, to relish while watching a movie. Camping could wait. They would select an alternate road home. Enough dusk light remained to allow the enjoyment of brilliant fall colors, which seemed also to light up the evening.

_____

Click the happy bear for something on the light side!

Brought to you by Smiling Bear ofMountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast...looking forward already to spring flowers!

· Medicine Mountain Rd, Upper Spring Creek Rd

2010-09-21T08:26:00.003-06:00

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast on facebook
Want to come along for a little adventure on a Black Hills Sunday drive with Sam and Linda?
26 photos...
Medicine Mtn Rd and Upper Spring Creek Rd
- The first five photos shown in the album were actually the last ones taken on our Sunday outing, taken where our day in the woods ended, by a roofless cabin on Upper Spring Creek Rd, at dusk. The cabin now houses aspen trees. We and relatives tromped around there a few years back...only it was Spring then. - Many of the remaining photos invite you for a walk with Linda along a two-rut road off Medicine Mountain Rd. This is when Sam fell into his much-needed nap in the car.
By:Linda Barnhardt Brown

· GOLD NUGGET Unveiled in Black Hills

2010-09-20T10:54:00.001-06:00

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast on facebook

Here is a short video clip of the unveiling of the largest undisputed gold nugget found in the South Dakota Black Hills in approximately 120 years. Potato Creek Johnny had one that weighed in at over 7 troy ounces, but it was widely disputed and may actually have been several smaller nuggets welded together.

Icebox Gold Nugget Unveiled in Black Hills

blackhillstravelblog.com

The largest undisputed gold nugget found in the Black Hills in the past century was revealed to the public yesterday at Rapid City's Journey Museum...

· Wind Cave / Evan's Plunge / Mammoth Site

2010-09-17T08:41:00.006-06:00

Some of our guests at M2P in centrally located Hill City like to allow a day for a drive through spectacular Wind Cave National Park where they can tour the cave and possibly site a herd of bison; and then enjoy a dip at Evan's Plunge in the historic town aptly named Hot Springs. Often they include in their day's plans a visit to the great Mammoth Site near Hot Springs (in the southern Black Hills, South Dakota).

· Scenic Mickelson Trail - Crazy Horse to Custer

2010-09-16T13:22:00.007-06:00

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast on facebook

Linda and friend Nancy enjoyed a bicycle ride on the George S. Mickelson Trail on hot and sunny September 8, 2010. Nancy, a retired teacher, is a summer hostess on the Black Hills Central Railroad 1880 Train here in Hill City, South Dakota. Her train savvy came in handy as we followed the BUCKHORN Mountain Range from Crazy Horse Mountain Carving to Custer. Please see the album of photos taken during our adventure, for added details in the captions.

10 09.08 Mickelson Trail from Crazy Horse to Custer

20 new photos

· Smiling Bear Espresso Bar, SWEET and SURPRISING Visitors

2010-09-14T09:05:00.010-06:00

What could be SWEETER than this tiny visitor at Smiling Bear Espresso Bar? She toted a Schlecher's Root Beer over to the porch swing and made herself comfy-cozy! She and her parents were regulars in the good ole days when Smiling Bear also had a Lunch Cafe...favoring the Buffalo Chili and Wild Chokecherry Kuchen. The Cafe was given up gradually as a second and then third guest room were added to Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast.

Or, how is this for SWEET?...

And what could be more SURPRISING than these hungry visitors from France? The one on the right stretched his legs into the Espresso Bar foyer anticipating something to eat...and we wish we could have accommodated the two of them. They were fresh off the Mickelson Trail, having all the gear representative of having spent some rustic time in the beautiful Black Hills National Forest!

They were directed to the Slate Creek Grille, on the block across Walnut Avenue from Smiling Bear, hoping they would find the bike rack for hitching their horses.

· New Zealand Guests, Cowgirl Turned Bandit

2010-09-11T19:40:00.026-06:00

A family from New Zealand stayed at M2P for three nights. Linda (hostess) was enraptured by the family's NZ accent and wanted to know everything New Zealand. Did you know that it was all the fashion for ladies of the early 1900's to wear gloves lined with Possum? - Linda and son Kenneth A. Huff toured NZ when he graduated from high school, and thoroughly enjoyed as much of the NZ culture as they could gather up while there...from a traditional Māori performance and banquet to Glow Worm sitings, and of course dodging Possum; dipping for Mussels; devouring Kiwi and floral-tasting Feijoa fruits. Halley's Comet was soaring the sky at the time, but clouds prevented seeing the event for another 75-76 years. They did see the elusive nocturnal Kiwi bird, in a man-made habitat. - When showing our guest family their temporary habitat, Linda pointed out the white NZ sheep skin at the entrance to the bathroom of the Bluma Madle Suite.

The playful antics of the three young children (including spittin' image twins) were strongly reminiscent of those of our grandchildren during their time here this summer. Seeing the children dressed up in Linda's 'olde' clothes was hilarious—just as it was when Ava and a neighborhood friend of her's first discovered and dug into the boxes stashed in the attic. The NZ girls also discovered some other fun bits and pieces, left behind when Shelby and Ava returned home for the school year. Here are a few more photos...

First night of the New Zealanders' stay,

the older sister takes a break from bug catching...

having come upon our granddaughter Ava's paraphernalia!

One of the twins discovered cowgirl boots and hat!

Except for watch and shorts, this cowgirl found her entire outfit in the attic

...and then moseyed her way to the porch pony!

Linda (...wearing an attic shirt) babysat while the girls romped.

The down vest was Sam's, and the perky tall Irish hat
was part of a costume of Shelby's the year she went to school in Hill City.

Cowgirl turned bandit!

"I had a lot of fun in those blouses, too! Déjà vu...sigh" (Linda)

· Junior Ranger Program

2010-09-10T12:19:00.011-06:00

Reflecting on some of the interesting past guests of Mountains To Prairies B&B—a healthy sprinkling of them from foreign countries—

a particular girl comes to mind...

An eight-year old guest, from France, participated in the Junior Ranger Program of the National Park Service while she and her family visited a selection of the National Parks here in the United States, including Mount Rushmore National Memorial Park, in August 2009. Abundantly enthusiastic, she earned a beautiful collection of official Junior Ranger patches for her involvement in activities.

Our French family also went on a shopping spree! Mom and daughter favored outfitting Western-style, while Dad kept in step with the rugged Black Hills terrain.

· 2010 Buffalo Roundup - Custer State Park

2010-09-09T09:45:00.002-06:00

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast on facebook

The annual Buffalo Roundup will be held September 25-27 in Custer State Park...read more...

Buffalo Roundup Named a ‘Top 100 Event’

blackhillstravelblog.com

For the second year in a row, the Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup and Arts Festival has been named one of the Top 100 Events in North America...

· Tyrannosaurus rex Neighbor

2010-09-08T11:48:00.021-06:00

Fitting right in with the historical nature of Hill City, South Dakota is this T. rex neighbor of Mountains To Prairies B&B and Smiling Bear Antiques. He consists of partial replication casting and 65% real bone. His name is Stan, of the well-known Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, Inc., and is on display at the Black Hills Museum of Natural History on Hill City's Main Street. The museum's entrance is through Everything Prehistoric Gift Shop.

These photos were taken while Stan was, in good hands, regaining his original stature and ultimately his extremely impressive head.

We amateur enthusiasts have dubbed the Institute's appropriately proportional building across the street...

The Dinosaur Assembly Facility.

· Professor Talks Peaches

2010-08-31T17:08:00.012-06:00

Smiling Bear was busy in the kitchen August 31, creating 'Mountain Lion' Palisade Colorado Peach and Wild Raspberry Jam to go!! It seemed a fitting grand finale to the Wild Raspberry picking season, with most of the berries found near Hill City, South Dakota, where mountain lions do roam the woods. The peaches were ordered and purchased at Krull's Market here in Hill City.

Smiling Bear sells this succulent jam (made using organic sugar) exclusively in the shop at Mountains To Prairies B&B as well as through postal service.

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast on facebook

This fella knows peaches! The peaches stirred into Smiling Bear's MOUNTAIN LION Jam had the Mountain Lion sticker...

and they are indeed delicious, juicy, sweet. :)

Click the link below to read the article.

Wedge Community Co-op | Ask Professor Produce

www.wedge.coop

Dear Professor, what is the deal with mealy peaches? Is there any way to tell which ones will be mealy so I can avoid purchasing them? They're such a disappointment.