http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/ Nebraska Rural Living's mission is to market the very real benefits of a rural lifestyle by highlighting the amenities of rural communities and spotlighting successful entrepreneurs, who make good livings, free of the stress of urban environments. We offer links to a wide variety of sources and resources. Wed, 7 Jul 2010 08:00:00 GMT en-us Copyright 2010 Nebraska Rural Living domainnotices@bulldog-llc.com (Kim Woods) http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/NRL.jpg http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/ Tom Schwarz believes that farming the organic way is definitely more of a challenge but may also be a bit more fun than conventional farming. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/schwarz_farms.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/schwarz_farms.asp Wed, 7 Jul 2010 08:00:00 GMT Rural Entrepreneurs Bertrand, Nebraska One of the least profound insights the Rural Foodies have gained from a year or two of seeking out the best dining experiences to be had in rural Nebraska is that who's in charge in the kitchen makes a huge difference as to what ends up on your plate. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/bonfire_grill.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/bonfire_grill.asp Wed, 7 Jul 2010 08:00:00 GMT Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Broken Bow, Nebraska Chamber music is, by definition, intimate. And no matter how much you spent on your home sound system, there's no recording in your collection that can match the experience of a live concert. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/concerts_creek.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/concerts_creek.asp Wed, 7 Jul 2010 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Some might think that students in larger cities always get the best education. After all, urban students have diverse museums, expansive libraries, and large universities practically next door; they simply have more opportunities at their fingertips. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/honors.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/honors.asp Wed, 7 Jul 2010 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Stockcar racing is a full sensory experience - including your sense of thrill. Watching a car race on TV is nothing like the real thing. The cars thunder around the track doing warm up laps, but that doesn't prepare you for the race. When you're sitting in the stands and that green light kicks on, the engines reach a fever pitch, the vibrations echo in your chest, and your pulse begins racing along with the cars! http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/best/activities.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/best/activities.asp Wed, 7 Jul 2010 08:00:00 GMT What's Going On Hot Rocket Fireworks Owner Craig Hamre describes himself as a fireworks fanatic. As a kid, he was the one saving money all year long to buy fireworks, and he sheepishly admits the police might have made a few house calls to kindly remind him of the legal times to shoot off those fireworks. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/hot_rocket.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/hot_rocket.asp Wed, 9 Jun 2010 08:00:00 GMT Rural Entrepreneurs Oxford, Nebraska Red Cloud is one of those quintessentially Nebraska small towns. Set in rolling hills dotted with cedar and cottonwood - vibrant green this time of year - you can really feel history on its red brick streets. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/palace_steakhouse.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/palace_steakhouse.asp Wed, 9 Jun 2010 08:00:00 GMT Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Red Cloud, Nebraska This is the 50th edition of Nebraska Rural Living. And while, granted, it's not our 50th anniversary, it's still a milestone worthy of reflection. We've covered a lot of ground. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/50th_edition.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/50th_edition.asp Wed, 9 Jun 2010 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays With the spring Turkey season well underway, Bob Barr wants to make sure other people - especially kids - have access to what he remembers from his own youth as 'some of the best of the good life Nebraska has offer.' For him, that has always meant hunting. Now it means hunting in fine style, with an ever-increasing number of customers and friends. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/turkey_creek.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/turkey_creek.asp Tue, 11 May 2010 08:00:00 GMT Rural Entrepreneurs Republican City, Nebraska Technologically speaking, retained-heat brick ovens are way dark ages, in use by ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans thousands of years B.C. So why, in an age of microwave Hot Pockets and dough-in-a-can, do people still make bread this way? http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/back_alley.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/back_alley.asp Tue, 11 May 2010 08:00:00 GMT Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Hastings, Nebraska As a child, Mike Sughroue used art as a way to retreat, to stay out of trouble and to deal with emotions. "I've been painting or drawing probably my whole life" Sughroue, 57, of Holdrege said. "It was just something to keep busy and keep me out of trouble. Mom would get tired of me and say, 'Go color something besides the walls.'" http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/sughroue.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/sughroue.asp Tue, 11 May 2010 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays You could imagine Ernest Hemingway in a place like this. The dark wood staircase, the ornate brick and ironwork, the dining room with bentwood chairs, the huge old gas stove in the kitchen. In most ways that matter, the Orleans Hotel hasn't changed since its heyday. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/orleans.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/orleans.asp Wed, 7 Apr 2010 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays If you want to get to know the town of Alma and learn about its people, start with a visit to any one of the venues where residents gather for morning coffee and a daily update on local happenings. Chances are you will meet enough friendly folks during your first visit to any one of them that you'll go the rest of the day bumping into one or more of your new friends, ready with a now-familiar smile and probably another round of introductions. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/towns/alma.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/towns/alma.asp Wed, 7 Apr 2010 08:00:00 GMT Alma, Nebraska Nebraska Town Profiles Rocky Mountain oysters are what is left over when you turn a young bull into a steer. Also known as calf fries, prairie oysters, cowboy caviar, or Montana tendergroin, they are usually peeled, breaded, pounded flat and grilled or deep fried. Although they undoubtedly evoke the 'eeeeww' factor in some, they are considered a great delicacy by many, and are undeniably a huge draw on Mountain Oyster Night at Tub's Pub. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/tubs_pub.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/tubs_pub.asp Wed, 7 Apr 2010 08:00:00 GMT Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Sumner, Nebraska Raising healthy and responsible children while leading community projects, starting new businesses and managing a family farm require megawatts of physical energy plus the imagination of a Disney World executive, the skills of a plant biologist, veterinarian, business and marketing specialist, mechanic and nutritionist - at least the way Leah tenBensel and her husband Eric go about it. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/tenbensel.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/tenbensel.asp Tue, 9 Mar 2010 08:00:00 GMT Rural Entrepreneurs Cambridge, Nebraska We had come to El Rinconcito - the "little corner" of El Salvador in Lexington. Recommended by one of our readers, we were warned it wouldn't be fancy, but we were promised a food experience that would be interesting, unique and delicious. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/el_rinconcito.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/el_rinconcito.asp Tue, 9 Mar 2010 08:00:00 GMT Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Lexington, Nebraska Betty Sayers' search for migrating warblers led her to St. Mary's Catholic Church in the Village of Orleans. "The architect grasped the prairie landscape and the courageous, hopeful and stubborn people who made their life and living on it" she writes. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/idea_things.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/idea_things.asp Tue, 9 Mar 2010 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Writer Annette Van Buren never forgot a wooden sleigh she saw once on a trip to Kansas, so when she saw a similar one in an ad for a local auction, she had to go - and when she came home, she had a new hobby. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/buggy_restoration.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/buggy_restoration.asp Tue, 9 Mar 2010 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Lobster Capitol of Nebraska is a surprise in more ways than one. Lobster is one of those dishes one associates with silver platters, fine crystal, waiters in tuxedos with vaguely French accents and perhaps a little Mozart from a string quartet in the background. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/janes_tavern.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/janes_tavern.asp Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:00:00 GMT Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Rockville, Nebraska The specialized tools used by farmers are a little baffling to the rest of us. What in the world is a "crust breaker" or a "row crop ditcher" or a "corn reel"? Why would someone need a "bale flipper"? Actually, each is a carefully-engineered piece of equipment designed to do a particular job in the field, and all are manufactured by Hawkins Manufacturing, Inc. in Holdrege. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/hawkins_mfg.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/hawkins_mfg.asp Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:00:00 GMT Rural Entrepreneurs Holdrege, Nebraska During the late 1990s, while living at my in-law's farm, I had many occasions to observe my father-in-law, Marvin Richter, toil for hours, even in his advancing years. He would arrive from town early in the morning to disc, plant, combine, work cattle, fix machinery, cut musk thistle, fix fence, bale hay, or any other chore that was necessary to keep the farm running and producing. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/resourcefulness.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/resourcefulness.asp Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Janell Anderson Ehrke believes it is good for young people raised in small towns to go out into the world to gain broader experience and education. She believes it can be even better when they bring those things back home and put them to work for their community. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/grow.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/grow.asp Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Eileen and Rod Golus moved to Phelps County in June after researching areas with Internet connectivity options. Their new home is halfway between Rod's parents in Loup City and Eileen's parents in McCook, so their two young boys get to see a lot more of their grandparents. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/telecommute.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/telecommute.asp Tue, 8 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT Rural Entrepreneurs If you've ever pulled a sublime dish out of the oven - done to perfection, the air filling with the rich redolence of Good Food - and said to yourself, "What's Wolfgang Puck got that I haven't got?" you have to appreciate what Alicia and Michael Williams have done... http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/down_home.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/down_home.asp Tue, 8 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Franklin, Nebraska In 1873, a battle in what is now known as Massacre Canyon in southwest Nebraska occurred when several tribes were off their reservations at the same time to engage in their annual summer buffalo hunts. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/massacre_canyon.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/massacre_canyon.asp Tue, 8 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Trenton, Nebraska Start counting, Nebraska. We're betting that Fuller's Family Restaurant in McCook has the largest collection of cookie jars in the state. That may be saying a lot, because there are some mighty big collections in Nebraska, but few come close to the Fuller's Family Restaurant collection, which now numbers above 1,200...and continues to grow. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/cookie_jars.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/cookie_jars.asp Tue, 8 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays McCook, Nebraska The earthy voice of Frank Sinatra, stylishly mismatched chairs arranged around well-used wooden tables, original art hanging on exposed brick walls, the luxurious smell of crushed coffee beans, and hundreds of books shelved on handmade wooden bookcases - along with two customer-oriented cats - identify Cather and Company as a genuine, L.A.-style coffee house and bookstore. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/cather_co.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/cather_co.asp Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT Red Cloud, Nebraska Rural Entrepreneurs When you get right down to it, a great coffeehouse is as much about the ambiance and atmosphere as it is about the coffee. It has to feel right. There needs to be some big easy chairs and a couch, a few high stools, and at least one geeky guy with a laptop, and a lady of a certain age with a romance novel and a mocha latte... http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/minden_coffee.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/minden_coffee.asp Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Minden, Nebraska Upon arrival at the University of Nebraska's College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis in 2006, Dr. Weldon Sleight realized the farms, ranches and rural communities of America's heartland were facing a troubling future. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/ncta.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/ncta.asp Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Curtis, Nebraska At first glance, I stick out like a sore thumb. Usually in stiletto heels and dressed for corporate America, I now stroll the streets of my new home in Curtis, Nebraska on an adventure of morphing a former nursing home and assisted living facility into a state-of-the-art student residence hall called Aggie West. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/ncta_housing.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/ncta_housing.asp Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Curtis, Nebraska On the way to my brother's farm in Southwestern Nebraska, I sometimes stop in at a small town where my parents used to live. It's just about two miles off my route, and is worth the little step back in time that the visit affords me. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/flowers_mom.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/flowers_mom.asp Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays With junk usually destined for a landfill, a petite woman wearing an oversized helmet and wielding a welding torch transforms rusted artifacts into artistic forms. Misty DeLashmutt's profile of sculptor Sally Buss makes interesting reading. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/minden_sculptor.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/minden_sculptor.asp Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Minden, Nebraska True communication between man and animals is a rare and wonderful thing to watch. Most of us are satisfied if we can teach Fido to come when called, fetch a ball and not pee in the house, but some people have a much deeper sense of what really communicating with another species means. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/bar_ten_kennels.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/bar_ten_kennels.asp Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT Cozad, Nebraska Rural Entrepreneurs In a town of 640 people in the middle of America and in the middle of the worst economic downturn in decades, a trailer manufacturing company is in the midst of a major expansion project, more than tripling the size of its production and storage facilities. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/kaufman_trailer.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/kaufman_trailer.asp Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT Beaver City, Nebraska Rural Entrepreneurs The runway had a slight rise in it, so from where I was standing I couldn't see the aircraft that was starting. But I could certainly hear it; I knew it was one of the big radial-engine planes. The sound volume increased as the pilot advanced the throttle. The plane would be moving by now. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/flyin.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/flyin.asp Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Minden, Nebraska Sometimes, flipping though one of those glossy City magazines you find in hotel rooms, you come upon an ad for some rustic-themed restaurant that gushes about their antique pinewood floor or international beer selection or how Chef Antoine (or Philippe or Maurice) garnishes dishes with heirloom tomatoes and fresh herbs to create the "gourmet experience of a lifetime." Oh, please. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/cunninghams.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/cunninghams.asp Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Arapahoe, Nebraska Dogs and kids were part of the fabric of small towns when I was growing up in the late 1940s and 1950s. Dogs were on the school playgrounds, occasionally wandering into class. They rode in pick-ups and lay in the sun on front porches. There were no leash laws, but I don’t remember any vicious or mean dogs. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/dog_stories.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/dog_stories.asp Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Sprint car racing is one of those sports that's a little hard to imagine until you have experienced it. What it is, in essence, is twenty smallish open-wheeled roadsters powered by engines putting out over 800 horsepower. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/df_service.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/df_service.asp Sun, 9 Aug 2009 10:00:00 GMT Holbrook, Nebraska Rural Entrepreneurs If you think you know what small town cafes are all about - if you've seen one, you've seen them all - you'll find the Flippin' Sweet a pleasant surprise. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/flippin_sweet.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/flippin_sweet.asp Sun, 9 Aug 2009 10:00:00 GMT Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Bertrand, Nebraska If small towns are going to survive and thrive, the people who believe in them are going to have to step up and invest in them. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/standup.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/standup.asp Sun, 9 Aug 2009 10:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays To the casual observer, Benkelman might seem a little rough around the edges, a true reflection of it's High Plains location and frontier heritage. But walk into the Rose Grove in Benkelman and you immediately know you are in for a unique - and very refined - shopping experience. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/rose_grove.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/rose_grove.asp Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT Benkelman, Nebraska Rural Entrepreneurs Rural Renaissance by John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist isn't the first book about "going rural", but it is an enjoyable, appealing account of one couple's adventure in moving from a fast-paced, urban life style to a "simpler" (in their words) life in rural America. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/rural_ren.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/rural_ren.asp Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Food is one of those things that binds us together as a society. From earliest times, a shared meal not only nourished the body but strengthened the bonds between family and community members. It's where humans reconnect and restore. It's one of the things that make us human. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/take5.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/take5.asp Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Arapahoe, Nebraska Karen Hayes never intended to live her life in Nebraska. She had plans, she had goals, she had an I.Q. But as she says, "Life works its own magic on your plans." http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/motherinlaw.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/motherinlaw.asp Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Life isn't easy at the Work Ethic Camp. It isn't meant to be. The offenders' days begin with a 5:30 wake-up call and conclude with 9 p.m. bedtime. In between, the time is filled with work assignments, education, treatment programs and behavioral training. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/work_ethic.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/work_ethic.asp Mon, 11 May 2009 12:00:00 GMT McCook, Nebraska Articles & Essays Of all those cuisines and cultures, one of, if not our very favorite is Japanese. A Japanese dining experience is a symphony for the senses. The atmosphere is cool and relaxing, the service quiet and decorous, the food arranged like tiny works of art. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/gourmet_house.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/gourmet_house.asp Mon, 11 May 2009 12:00:00 GMT Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Kearney, Nebraska Tucked behind a pink storefront on the main street of Loomis is a gem of a store that draws brides-to-be from across Nebraska...and beyond. The Bridal Isle celebrated 25 years in January, following the advice of founder Marie Thorell, who thought that all brides should be treated like queens for the day. Loomis may seem an unlikely location for a bridal shop, with fewer than 400 people in the village, but the hands-on service and stunning variety of more than 350 bridal gowns lures brides from all corners to the shop in search of that one perfect gown. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/bridal_isle.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/bridal_isle.asp Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:00:00 GMT Loomis, Nebraska Rural Entrepreneurs You just can't beat country living. I was born and raised in the country. I love to go fishing, take long walks alongside a field, inhale the scent of newly plowed soil, or the sweet smell of freshly cut hay. I can train my Labs for next pheasant season, stake out my newest hunting spot, or grill up some steaks for family and friends. It doesn't take much to make me happy. In my opinion, we have so many good things in rural Nebraska, so why do we have a shortage of teachers? http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/teaching.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/teaching.asp Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays The thing that motivates the Rural Foodies - well, foodies in general, I suppose - is a love of food in all its astonishing variety. We're always up for new things, for interesting tastes, for cuisines we haven't tried as well as for excellent preparations of foods we know by heart. If you're a regular reader, you know we are willing to travel quite a ways for an interesting food experience, but we also know that sometimes the best restaurant in town is right in your own home. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/wurst_idea.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/wurst_idea.asp Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:00:00 GMT Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Bill and Monica Harris of Loomis met in an online chat room while discussing...bugs. You see, Monica was a horticulturist working in a greenhouse and floral shop, and Bill was a farmer near Loomis. In time, their relationship well, bloomed, and they were married. Although Monica worked long hours for the Phelps County Sheriff's office, she and Bill dreamed of opening their own greenhouse. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/oasis_gardens.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/oasis_gardens.asp Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:00:00 GMT Loomis, Nebraska Rural Entrepreneurs The declining economy, fluctuating gas prices and rising environmental awareness have created the perfect storm - in a good way - where consignment stores like Denice Swanson's shop, The Drawer, in Holdrege, can seize new opportunities and thrive. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/drawer.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/drawer.asp Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:00:00 GMT Holdrege, Nebraska Rural Entrepreneurs My twin nine-year old granddaughters and I were trying to decide among the endless options of things to do on a dreary, gray, March day in central Nebraska. The ideas tumbled out in a rush of excited voices - and then one said, "Grandma, let's go to the Pioneer Village tomorrow. We've seen it. We haven't been there, and we've always wanted to go." http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/pioneer_village.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/pioneer_village.asp Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Minden, Nebraska What do you remember about growing up in Nebraska? Just because Taylor Lutz is a high school junior doesn't mean she doesn't have deeply personal memories associated with her childhood and adolescence. Her short essay, almost a prose poem, is a paean to growing up in rural Nebraska. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/simple_beauties.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/simple_beauties.asp Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Only the most intrepid of rural foodies, anticipating a new restaurant experience, would drive 72 miles each way on a cold and blustery February night in Nebraska. But we'd heard great things about the Coppermill Restaurant - a landmark in McCook. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/coppermill.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/coppermill.asp Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:00:00 GMT McCook, Nebraska Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies As a skilled maker of orthotic and prosthetic devices, Ben Blecha had a decision to make: Should he live and work for a major company in a large metropolitan area - such as Chicago, Kansas City or Denver - or should he move back to his hometown of 1,000 population in the middle of America? http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/sky_prosthetics.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/sky_prosthetics.asp Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:00:00 GMT Benkelman, Nebraska Rural Entrepreneurs Although WWII was not fought on American soil, by some estimates more than 400,000 German and Italian soldiers, merchant marines and others spent at least part of the war in more than 500 Prisoner of War (POW) camps in North America. One of these, Camp Atlanta, was built near the Phelps County town of Atlanta in south central Nebraska. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/camp_atlanta.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/camp_atlanta.asp Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Who could have thought how thoroughly my life would change? Just over three years ago I made the decision to move to a place I couldn't even locate on a map if you'd asked me. At 43 I was just ready for a change. So, although content with myself and life in general I moved to Holdrege, Nebraska, based on little more than looking at a few places on the computer. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/looking_love.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/looking_love.asp Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Did you ever go to a "country" steakhouse in the city? Often as not, they're in a shopping mall, going by names like "Sodbuster" or "Country Cousin" and distinguished by their weathered barn wood paneling and props like galvanized washtubs and pitchforks. The wait staff is often decked out in red and white checked gingham... http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/speak_easy.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/speak_easy.asp Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:00:00 GMT Holdrege, Nebraska Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies Kermit Wilke is an example of what happens when a hobby gets out of hand. Growing up on a farm, Wilke always had old cars and machinery around to tinker with. When he was about 14, he says he started playing with the Model Ts still around his folks farm, taking them apart to see how they worked. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/kermit_wilke.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/kermit_wilke.asp Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:00:00 GMT Wilcox, Nebraska Rural Entrepreneurs The once fast-flowing Republican River in southern Nebraska was choking to death, reduced to a slow, feeble trickle by an ever-increasing eruption of invasive vegetation in the stream bed. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/republican_river.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/republican_river.asp Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Celery - I don't like it. Not at all. Be it with raisins, peanut butter, cheese or whatever...it's just not for me. Most people have no problem with my dislike of celery; in fact most people couldn't care less. However, I have found that people do tend to have an opinion about something else I don't eat: meat. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/vegetarian.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/vegetarian.asp Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Ranching is a team effort. The rancher may be the quarterback, but it takes a front line including the veterinarian, the well man, the local ranch supply store, the feedlot owner and a slew of others to ensure the goal line of raising beef at a profit is reached on a yearly basis. Of course don't forget the family, especially the spouse, who doubles as the hired hand. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/branding.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/branding.asp Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays Sometimes you need to just get away together. You aren't looking for glitter and flash, you're looking for snuggle and cuddle; you don't need a floor show, you've got each other and a book. What you’re really seeking is an oasis in time; a place to just "be" for awhile and let your batteries recharge. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/balcony_house.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/balcony_house.asp Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:00:00 GMT Imperial, Nebraska Rural Entrepreneurs Talk about tradition. Every year since the late 40s or early 50s children in the McCook area have shared a Christmas tradition with their parents and grandparents. It's a simple thing, but it's a delight to behold, reminding people of all ages what makes the Christmas season special. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/santaclause_lane.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/santaclause_lane.asp Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:00:00 GMT McCook, Nebraska Articles & Essays December inspires us Rural Foodies to gather with our friends and eat fabulous food. And for a meal that tickles our imagination and delights our palate, we are willing to travel. On a blustery December day, my friends and I drive more than an hour to eat at Bella Italia, a little-known treasure in Cozad, Nebraska. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/bella_italia.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/bella_italia.asp Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:00:00 GMT Cozad, Nebraska Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies When writer Betty Sayers encountered a sign saying BULL STRONG SHEEP TIGHT on a stretch of rural highway, she didn't know what it meant, but she liked the sound of it. "Could it be creative marketing for beer, chewing tobacco, jeans, cowboy boots? Chaps and leather gloves? Ropes? A bank or insurance company?" she wonders. With more pondering and a little luck, she finds the answer to her puzzle and begins to fantasize about a special place safe from the vagaries of modern life. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/bull_strong.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/bull_strong.asp Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays You, as a shopper, know the feeling. It happens rarely; but it happens. It is the sense of wonder and adventure that takes place when you discover a really special store. A high-end kitchenware store in McCook, Nebraska has been bringing raves of praise throughout the 10 years of its existence. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/knowlen_yates.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/knowlen_yates.asp Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:00:00 GMT McCook, Nebraska Rural Entrepreneurs Be forewarned: The story that follows may entice you to into giving up your corporate job and joining the ranks of entrepreneurs who live contented lives in rural Nebraska. Jim and Marilyn Gaster work, manage their business and dwell in a hand-built, rambling log house nestled in a hidden paradise with spectacular views of the canyons south of Indianola. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/beaver_buckets.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/beaver_buckets.asp Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:00:00 GMT Indianola, Nebraska Rural Entrepreneurs My friend and I have dinner reservations at the Town Talk Restaurant in Cambridge, and our scenic drive takes us over central Nebraska farmland and into western Nebraska ranchland. When we arrive in Cambridge, the Town Talk is easy to spot on Cambridge's main business street. It's a Cambridge tradition, and although the 'new' owner, Richard Barnes more than doubled its size, hungry customers first fill the booths in the old section. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/town_talk.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/town_talk.asp Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:00:00 GMT Cambridge, Nebraska Restaurant Reviews, Rural Foodies In almost every small town, there are at least a few visionaries who see their town not as it is, but how it could be. While these advocates may be long-time or even lifelong residents, in many cases, the ones who are ready to roll up their sleeves and go to work are new to town – but not necessarily new to rural living. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/building_NE.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/building_NE.asp Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:00:00 GMT Orleans, Nebraska Articles & Essays If you were looking for someplace that embodied the kind of values America was built on - hard work, education, common sense, care for others - you wouldn't have to look farther than Holdrege, Nebraska. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/towns/holdrege.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/towns/holdrege.asp Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:00:00 GMT Holdrege, Nebraska Nebraska Town Profiles Just because we don’t live in California doesn’t mean we don’t have nuts. And just because we don’t live in Washington doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy fresh, locally-produced apples when October rolls around. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/choquettes_produce.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/choquettes_produce.asp Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:00:00 GMT Rural Entrepreneurs Franklin, Nebraska Minden, Nebraska Kearney, Nebraska Holdrege, Nebraska The Pleasant Valley Fish Farm is located less than a mile from where U.S. Highway 83 enters Frontier County, Nebraska. But you would never know it. The well-developed fish farm - with 51 ponds and annual sales of more than a quarter-million fish - is secluded from public view, nestled among the trees, foliage and farmland which surround Red Willow Creek. http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/pleasant_valley.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/success/pleasant_valley.asp Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:00:00 GMT Rural Entrepreneurs McCook, Nebraska In most people's minds, golf is a term usually associated with either old men or Tiger Woods. People don't generally think of teenage girls having anything to do with golf. I know I didn’t...until that fateful day when I first stepped out on the golf course. It may sound horrible, but I am accustomed to being good at things, so stepping out of my comfort zone and doing something new is not something that appeals to me! http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/first60_golfing.asp http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/essays/first60_golfing.asp Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:00:00 GMT Articles & Essays