Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. (Mansfield, MO pt 1)

I have been itching to start visiting Laura Ingalls Wilder sites so I planned a trip to Mansfield, MO where she lived as an adult and is also home to the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. This was our first stop of the day. They have animals, gardens, a donation only restaurant, a bakery, an apothecary, a blacksmith and several other authentic pioneer buildings they had relocated to this property to create their own pioneer village. Oh and I can't forget the biggest thing they sell - SEEDS, over a thousand different kinds! We first ate a beautiful lunch in the restaurant. They only serve vegan meals but if your a hard core carnivore you would never know! We feasted on veggie lasagna, eggplant cutlets, coleslaw, herbed breadsticks, and zucchini cake. My hubby practically licked his plate clean and the girls and I ate most of ours. We did after all have a 3 hour drive to get here so we were all rumbly in our tumblys ;). We went back out and saw all kinds of chickens, some sheep, a donkey that apparently bites (there's a sign, thankfully none of us were gnawed on by said donkey), some ducks, and peacocks. We decided to make our rounds in the village and started at the Mercantile. It was a charming store with old fashioned candies, candles, toys, and bonnets which each of the girls ended up with. My were they adorable in their prairie bonnets! We looked in the apothecary and I was rather overwhelmed with how many loose teas and herbs they had. I saw a sign advertising cinnamon rolls in the Flour Mill (bakery) so we made a beeline there and wow, those rolls were enticing. At almost 3 inches tall and glaze dripping over the top and down the sides I put my name on two of those and we had them wrapped up for later that day. We finished up looking around the village and taking in the scenes of the peaceful property before we headed into the seed store. Be prepared to pick your jaw up off the floor, with over a thousand varieties of seeds you can choose from it can leave your head spinning. I surprisingly didn't even buy one package because I didn't know where to begin plus I still have seeds from last years (failed) garden. They also sold a variety of gardening books and magazines and their very own cookbook. It was a wonderful visit and I'm so glad we were able to stop in. Driving away down the dirt road and over a couple streams made me even more steadfast in my mission to own a small farm like property, my own "Eden" if you will. Farewell simple life, until we meet again.

rareseeds.com