Archive for August, 2009

Lanesboro Farmers Market – the harvest is in

Monday, August 31st, 2009

Lanesboro has a lovely farmers market that operates on Wednesday afternoon and Saturday mornings.

Lanesboro Farmers Market

Lanesboro Farmers Market

Local growers bring their produce – vegetables, mushrooms, organic meats, eggs, honey, cut flowers, herbs, apples, etc.  On Saturdays, local bakers share their baked goods and a nursery sells flowers that are in bloom.

It has been a cool summer and

Farmers market produce

Farmers market produce

 the tomatoes are beginning to produce.  Garlic, eggplant, cabbage, potatoes, onions, leeks, cucumbers are just samples of what is in season.  Soon the September raspberries will be available.

Amish wares sold at the farmers market

Amish wares sold at the farmers market

On Saturdays, Amish families sell baked goods, vegetables, baskets, quilts and some furniture.  There is something for everyone at the Lanesboro Farmers market.  Lanesboro has many lodging options for you when you come to town.   From inns to bed and breakfasts to hotels.  All of them are owned by small business owners.  You’ll find no franchise hotels in Lanesboro.  Lanesboro was recently designated the Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota.  Make your plans now for your next visit.

Lanesboro B&B Landscape Labyrinth Update

Friday, August 21st, 2009

Our July 1st blog entry provided the first glimpse of our landscape labryinth.  Now that we are near the end of August, many of the flowers are  in full bloom:

Labyrinth in bloom
Labyrinth in bloom

Paprika Yarrow, Coneflower, Blue Cornflower, Black Eyed Susan, Russian Sage and Bee Balm adorn the labyrinth pathways.  The Hybiscus has buds and should be blooming soon. 

Our B&B guests have enjoyed watching the finches bathe in the fountain and walking the path.  The crunch – crunch sound of the gravel under their feet marks their path from the entrance through the pergola to the fountain in the center.
The deer have been nibbling on the day lilies.  Fortunately, they were done blooming.  Tomorrow I treat them with repellant again. 

Lanesboro MN Girls Getaway

Thursday, August 13th, 2009
Fun Ladies Getaway

Fun Ladies Getaway

Wednesday this week was Ladies Day breakfast at the Hillcrest Hide-Away Bed and Breakfast in Lanesboro, MN.  Five ladies (Eunice, Kathy, Norma, Phyllis, and Sharon) who attended High School together in Viroqua, Wisconsin arrived on Monday for a girls getaway.  They came from all over the country to visit Lanesboro.  Monday included shopping in downtown Lanesboro where they bought matching Lanesboro t-shirts (see photo).  Monday night they enjoyed dinner at Riverside on the Root and made many new friends who inquired about their “stylish” glasses (see photo).  Later they enjoyed “The Rainmaker” at the Commonweal Theatre.  Tuesday brought shopping in Harmony including Austin’s Mohair Goat Farm followed by lunch at the Bank House Gift Shop in Wykoff.

 The ladies brought plenty of snacks with them to share around the dining room table in the Hope Room playing cards until the wee hours of the morning. 

Wednesday morning they were joined by a group of 3 sisters who were staying in the Harmony Suite.  Breakfast conversation was lively to say the least.  We are always happy to host groups of women.  Three of our rooms have sofa-beds so 3 or 4 can stay in these rooms.

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes for Breakfast

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

Breakfast at Hillcrest Hide-Away B&B.  This morning we served Lemon Blueberry Pancakes with Canadian Bacon from Hilltop Pastures Farm.  It is a treat for our guests to serve these pancakes when blueberries are in season.  It is a treat for us as well when there is leftover batter!

All of our pork comes from Hilltop Pastures farm which raises pasture fed hogs.  We do our best to buy products from local organic growers including, eggs, milk, onions, tomatoes, potatoes,  and peppers.  In the spring we buy starter plants from local nurseries as well. 

You can enjoy these pancakes at home by following the recipe below.

LEMON BLUEBERRY PANCAKES

2 cups flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups buttermilk
1 cup milk
¼ cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup lemon yogurt
1 cups fresh or frozen blueberries 

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 
In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs, buttermilk, lemon yogurt, milk and melted butter.  Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once, stirring just to blend.  The batter should be slightly lumpy. 
Add 1 cup blueberries, dusting fresh blueberries lightly with flour. |
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or heavy skillet over medium high heat.  Pour ¼ cup measures of batter onto the hot griddle, spacing them apart.  When bubbles cover the surface of the pancakes and their undersides are lightly browned, turn them over and cook about 2 minutes more, until the other sides are browned.

Bon Appetit!