maramec spring park Archives - Good Food St. Louis

My youngest granddaughter spent the weekend with me at the farm without her two older sisters. It was a chance to enjoy all the attention she might otherwise have had to share. When we share farm weekend there’s always lots to do both indoors and out.

In the garden, there were a number of banana peppers and a few pink tomatoes, enough for me to eke out a couple more BLT’s. But the old pear tree I wrote about last year didn’t have a single piece of fruit on it. On the other hand, the wild persimmon is producing happily. I had planted a peach and two apple trees earlier, but only two survived the summer; gotta replace the Granny Apple.

Robin samples a persimmon and declares it ripe enough to eat. Hmm…should I believe her? I’ve tasted too many mouth-puckering persimmons.

Back at the farmhouse, the kitchen is a hub of activity throughout the weekend with lots of cooking, nibbling, laughter, and story telling. My granddaughter likes to hang out in the kitchen, too, and often inquires, “What can I do, Grandma?” Love that attitude.

Sometimes the cook needs a bit of sustenance.

I got her a kids’ apron and chef’s hat when I was in Paris, so now she feels costumed for cooking. So far her specialty is pancakes—measuring, mixing, pouring, and flipping. She’s also become proficient in corn shucking and excels in taste testing.

Let’s find something pretty enough to cook.

The dessert of the weekend was Peach Blueberry Cobbler, but we used apples in place of the peaches because they’re in season. The cobbler was cake-like in texture, which surprised me, but still very good.

Horseback riding is relaxing for many of our farm visitors

Being outside is the most fun, especially when Aunt Robin saddles up a horse.

On the way back to St. Louis, we extended the day with a stop near St. James at Maramec Spring Park, a site privately owned and operated by the James Foundation. The fish hatchery is operated by the Missouri Conservation Commission and the spring stocked with 100,000 trout a year.

It ‘s a lovely, historic location with 200 acres of public park and the 5th largest spring in the state. This Sunday it was filled with visitors enjoying the crafts display at the annual Old Iron Works Days. If you’re wanting a family outing before the weather gets bad, this would be a perfect place for camping, trout fishing, and hiking in the colorful Ozark woodlands.