Barns Brews & Back Roads

This trip was absolutely spur of the moment. My son texted me Friday night and asked if we wanted to meet Saturday and go to the farmers market and then over to Nashville. I love the farmers market and Nashville so I said “absolutely!”

Saturday 10:15 – Arrived at Bloomington Farmers Market – 401 N. Morton St. in Bloomington. Market is open Saturdays April – October from 8am – 12:30pm.

Since this is a new blog, I need to explain that I absolutely hate Midwest weather. The saying “if you wait 5 minutes it will change” is very accurate, however it can be 70 degrees Friday and when you get to the farmers market on Saturday it feels like it’s 37 degrees. Dress in layers is my only advice.

The market was missing several of its regular vendors, but it’s the start of the season and it was also Little 500 (known locally as Little Five) weekend at IU. What is Little 500? It is the largest collegiate bicycle race in the United States where IU students race in 4 person teams for 200 laps around the track at Bill Armstrong Stadium. It’s mostly fraternities and sororities that compete, but residence halls can form teams as well as independent students. There’s an academy award winning movie about it – Breaking Away (1979) starring Dennis Quaid. It sounds like an athletic event. However, anyone in Indiana will tell you it’s one of biggest college party weekends in the state, and at some point there’s a bike race – if you haven’t passed out. We drove by three frat houses on the way in and surprisingly they weren’t completely trashed (both people and yards). Yes, the parties start Thursday and end sometime before graduation. Yes, as a young adult this event is where I learned puke and rally – just for perspective.

First stop was coffee, there were only about 3 stalls selling coffee – I went with Brown County Coffee which is a roaster, but was offering drip coffee for $3. He sells a variety of roasts, $17.00/bag and he will grind the beans for you if you ask. The thrill of the blog having “brews” in the title is that it can be coffee or beer. 😏

Second stop was my husband’s favorite Brown Station Sugar for Maple Syrup. We ran out of syrup last weekend so Dave was excited they were at the market. They also sell whiskey infused maple syrup toward the end of the season. $10 for 12 oz. bottle and he was also selling Hosta and Ficus plants.

There were a lot of stalls selling plants and flowers because according to the Farmer’s Almanac our region is at the prime time to plant gardens and flower beds. Unique tip: while checking the almanac, I found that May 3-17 is the best time to plant cannabis. I had no idea the Farmer’s Almanac was that progressive. Also, full disclaimer, it is illegal to plant cannabis in Indiana. I don’t want anyone going to jail because of my blog.

Other items: fresh cut flowers (specifically tulips), goat milk cheese and soap, popcorn and kettle corn, fresh bread, several bakeries with multiple pastries, mushrooms, meats, eggs and local honey.

The market supports food assistance programs like WIC, SNAP and Senior FNMP. A lot of the Amish farmers were missing Saturday, but no worries, it’s one of my favorite places so I’ll head back when the weather’s better. They also have special days in June featuring art and crafted items – those are the best days to visit. For more information click here: https://bloomington.in.gov/farmers-market

We decided to eat before heading to Nashville (Indiana) because a) we were hungry and b) Pili’s Party Taco didn’t have their food truck at the farmer’s market. Pili’s is amazing so we were all slightly disappointed. There are 150 restaurants in Bloomington’s downtown district and any and all types of cuisine. We chose Hive at 2608 E. 10th Street, Bloomington, IN. It was busy, but all restaurants are busy during Little Five weekend. Unique features: they serve all day breakfast, have Indiana made craft sodas, multiple coffee/espresso options, a full deli and a wide variety of vegetarian/vegan options.

I got an Egg-n-muffin – which is exactly what it sounds like. Egg, English muffin, cheddar cheese and choice of meat (I picked ham). It was served with nearly perfect tater tots – okay they were perfect and crazy good. Dave got biscuits and gravy which is his go-to for brunch anywhere we go. Dawson got a Smashburger called the Hive Heatwave with cheddar, jalapenos, grilled onions, pickles, and bacon on a potato bun. We all passed on the craft soda’s for Diet Cokes, but there’s always another day to try them. I would recommend Hive for sure. The menu has a lot of diverse options, so great to take a group with different tastes. Downside – the dining room is smedium sized, but they also have outdoor seating – when it’s warmer than 48 degrees.

From Bloomington a 25 minute trip east on US46 takes you to Brown County and the quaint town of Nashville, Indiana. It’s best known currently for the hundreds of small shops, but before the modern day stores it was known as the Brown County Art Colony. There are still many galleries woven in and out of shops selling everything from leather goods, books, wines, clothes and candy.

Because I live close, I can spend a few hours here knowing I can go back. If you plan to travel and stay here you can easily fill an entire weekend. Brown County is where Indiana, known for flat cornfields, starts to get hilly. Which is what inspired the original Art Colony as artists were drawn to the scenic views and painted the rolling hills. I can’t talk about Nashville without mentioning Brown County State Park (https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/parks-lakes/brown-county-state-park/) which offers hiking and mountain biking and during the summer has a pool and saddle barn. Inside the park there is a lodge and rental cabins as well as camping options if you choose not to stay in one of the hotels or Airbnb’s nearby. I’m a HUGE fan of Indiana’s State Parks – they are well maintained and offer a lot of amenities.

Full Disclaimer the first store I always visit is Foxfire Boutique (59 E Main St.) because it’s where my daughter-in-law works. My obvious reason for visiting aside, they have a wide variety of trendy things including women’s clothes, purses, jewelry, and seasonal items. They have a huge Chala collection – I have a purse and wallet! Next door to the boutique is their gift store which has kitchen items and decor, Swan Creek candles, inspirational gifts and custom frames.

Other stores in their building are: The Educated Otter, Holly Pots, and Home on a Limb. All offering unique gifts, pottery and more candles. You won’t lack for candles after visiting Nashville. Across the street from Foxfire is Naughty Dog Books which has books and bookish merch, it’s an adorable store if you are a true bibliophile.

Rounding out the list of stores I always stop at:

• Lakeside Candles (158. S Old School Way) – poured in their shop, with bold scents. They have 3 jar sizes, a tin, wax melts and sprays in multiple scents or you can order customized scents and pick them up later in the day. I got 4 tins for $30: Poison Apple, Gardenia, Lilac and White Tea.
• Bone Appetit Bakery (211 S Van Buren St) – handmade dog and cat treats as well as other pet products. We got a taco cookie for Mr. Pickles and a squirrel cookie for Whopper.
• Mulberry Cottage (46 W Main St) – they have apparel, books, kids clothes, inspirational items and jewelry. My go-to item (I have 3 now) is a hand sewn flag banner made from double sided cotton fabric. It’s hard to describe:

If you’re wondering if the guys get bored, no – Dave and Dawson always go to Nashville Spice Company (227 South Van Buren St.) and The Candy Emporium (58 W Main St.) which they visit for the candy but it also has a large selection of tea and teapots. We also went to a new store, The Tent Commandments (41 S Van Buren St) which is more “glamping” than camping, but has a collection of fun T-shirts.

Food – we didn’t eat this time but there are plenty of options. Top pick for me is Big Woods Pizza (44 N Van Buren St). Big Woods is an extension of the Hard Truth Distillery (418 Old State Rd 46) and they serve their line of craft beers alongside gourmet pizza. Hard Truth alone is worth the visit to Nashville, but would be an entire blog itself (idea!). You won’t go hungry or thirsty here or lack for any and all types of snacks, baked goods and candy. Bring an appetite! Two other comfort food options I enjoy are: Little Gem Restaurant at Abe Martin Lodge, inside Brown County State Park and Brown County Inn’s Harvest Dining Room (51 State Rd 46 East). And I cant forget the historic (in business since 1851) Story Inn and Still Tavern (6404 Indiana Highway 135, Nashville). To be honest I don’t think I’ve ever eaten there, but when I used to go horseback riding with my sisters we would ride there and drink at the tavern. Is it smart to drink and ride? Absolutely not!

Hopefully you’re starting to discover Indiana has a lot to offer outside of racing and basketball!

For more information and links to the stores and restaurants listed above: https://browncounty.com/

Bloomington and Nashville (or either one separately) make a great weekend escape: Girls weekend, couples weekend – maybe not a bachelorette party like Nashville Tennessee is known for but a quieter pre-wedding shopping get together.