story by GLENDA WINDERS
Parke County has a cool way for you to experience agritourism as you feast your eyes upon beauty that might as well be in an art gallery. The clever idea is for you to come and explore their many greenhouses, each with its own personality. Enjoy the plants, buy the produce, and plan to make a day of it. Many of these businesses are operated by Amish families, so you can get a feel for this quieter way of life while you’re here.
“I’ve always loved how many charming greenhouses we have tucked throughout Parke County,” said Courtney Cook, a Parke County resident. “Whether it’s rows of colorful flowers or homegrown veggies, each one feels like a hidden gem — and a peaceful way to enjoy the outdoors.”
Start your day at the Country Corner Garden Center, an Amish greenhouse and nursery only 2 miles east of Turkey Run State Park. The clean, wide aisles here allow you to enjoy their colorful displays and shop at your leisure without holding up anyone else’s progress. Look for both vegetable and flowering plants inside and out. They can also provide everything you need to plant and take care of whatever you decide to take home.
At Beiler’s of Nyesville Greenhouse, three miles north of Billie Creek Village, plan to wander through their lush outdoor selection before going inside to discover hanging baskets, flowers of all kinds, and succulents. Roam through their spacious greenhouses, breathe in the healthy, humid air, and make your choice among the Proven Winner flowers, vegetables, and greenery that are available for you to grow. Choose from berries, annuals, perennials, trees, and seeds.
Back outside, select the correct type of soil from their bins to make sure your garden has
the best chance to grow. Just south of Rockville on US 41, stop in at the Rockville Farm Market to see seemingly endless greenhouses filled with colorful flowers and vegetables, grasses, and ferns. During the summer they’ll provide fresh produce such as peaches, tomatoes, and sweet corn, and come fall this is where to go for your pumpkins, gourds, and earth-toned asters.
Close by is another taste of Mother Nature’s bounty, with a slight change of pace at Guion Hill, just west of Guion. Here you’ll be able to shop for fresh produce, cut flowers, and houseplants, but there’s a lot more to offer. Be sure to try the Amish pretzels with homemade cheese; cookies, pies, and breads right out of the oven; wholesome honey; and fresh butter.
Also offered are jams, jellies, maple syrup, and the incomparable Amish noodles. Browse the textiles and handcrafted birdhouses and other wood items made with particular care and craftsmanship.
While you’re in Rockville, be sure to take in the new mural on the downtown square that also celebrates agriculture. Among the vividly painted blossoms that cover the wall are the state flower, the peony, the state bird, the cardinal; a John Deere tractor; and the town’s seal.
For an adventure that everyone will remember, make your way to family-owned Ditzler Orchard, where something different is always in the works. Depending on the season, you’ll be able to pick your own apples here and cherries, peaches, strawberries, and blueberries at the nearby Cherrywood Orchard. Would you rather have them do the work for you? Shop at their store for prepicked fruits and vegetables. While you’re here you can purchase plants and flowers to take home or shop their other products, which range from local honey, syrup and deliciously fresh apple cider to handmade crafts and specialty gifts.
If you have a sweet tooth, it’s for sure you won’t want to miss the newly expanded bake shop. Try the blackberry, blueberry, and apple pies or perhaps a gooey apple dumpling made right in their kitchen, all with a scoop of ice cream on top. Or maybe you’d rather have strawberry shortcake with your ice cream.
When you’re ready to leave, take home some cookies, cinnamon or caramel-apple rolls, fresh scones, and homemade fudge. Plan to come back in the fall since that’s the only time they make their yummy caramel apples.
Parke County is also home to more than 25 family dairies, making it one of the top dairy counties in Indiana. The cheesemakers at three of them — Twilight Dairy, Rockville Farmstead Dairy and Meadow Valley Cheese Farm — provide some 15 different types of cheeses that range from smoked cheddar and classic Gouda to flaming pepperjack and lightly pasteurized mozzarella. You’ll also discover organic yogurt, cheese curds, and raw milk, if that is your pleasure, along with goat’s-milk soap and other homemade surprises.
Fancy an old-fashioned farm auction? The Rockville Sale Barn opens on alternate Saturdays at 10 a.m. to engage in the country tradition of auctioning off used merchandise, hay, and straw. Every Saturday at 1 p.m. is the public livestock auction that typically offers cattle, hogs, sheep, horses, ponies, chickens, ducks, rabbits, and more.
If time and energy allow after you have exhausted the agritourism destinations and you’re still not ready to go inside, wrap up your day in one of the other outdoor venues with which Parke County has been so richly endowed. Turkey Run State Park, for example, is the perfect place to hike and discover geological treasures. From a deep sandstone ravine to stands of aged forests and the views along Sugar Creek, you’ll be glad you made the effort to come.
The many trails here range from easy to moderate, rugged and very rugged so that everyone can be accommodated, regardless of skill level. Consider trying the 5-Mile Challenge, which has you hiking three canyons, climbing a ladder, and crossing a suspension bridge.
At Shades State Park you’ll find sandstone cliffs overlooking Sugar Creek as you hike on the several trails. If you’re up for it, test yourself with the 6-Ravine Challenge. Start at the Hickory Shelter House and plan on two to three hours for the rugged up-and-down climbing of the six included gorges. The Pine Hill Nature Preserve located here also provides a substantial walk.
Besides the Cecil M. Harden Lake, the Raccoon Lake State Recreation Area offers all kinds of outdoor recreation —from volleyball, horseshoes, and swimming to fishing, archery, and basketball.
At the end of all this, you may not feel like driving home. If that’s the case, book a room at the Turkey Run Inn or one of the other many lodging options, dine on the cookies and pies you bought at the orchard and the milk and cheese you picked up at the dairies, and call it a night.
For more information visit: www.parkecounty.com
