I recently returned from a trip to England where I got to taste many amazing cheeses, and each one was incredibly fresh. These cheeses I ate in England inspired me to help you find local, fresh cheese in Missouri.

Featured last fall in Feast magazine, Baetje Farms – located near Ste. Genevieve, Missouri –  produces several flavors of goat cheese. The cheeses have a light and fluffy taste, without the heavy gamey flavor that sometimes comes with a goat cheese. My favorite is the Coeur de la Crème because it is shaped into a heart, reflecting its name.

Moving across the state to the Kansas City side, Green Dirt Farm makes their artisan cheeses from sheep’s milk. The “Wooly Rind” is a Camembert-style cheese and is similar to a mild brie. A big step up from that is the “Bossa” cheese – thick, creamy, and full of flavor. The “Dirt Lover” is a triple crème, practically a buttery spread.

You can shop online for another Kansas City cheese from Yummy’s Choice, who has created a variety of feta cheese spreads marinated in extra virgin olive oil. Flavors include regular, mint, and spicy, as well as a Sun Dried Tomato Lebaneh, which is a combination of feta, cream cheese, with several spices and herbs.

In the middle of the state is Goatsbeard Farm, located in Harrisburg, which is about 20 miles northwest of Columbia. Goatsbeard offers a selection of Fresh Rounds, Fresh Tubs, Soft-Ripened Cheese, Feta, and Raw Milk Cheese. More information can be found on their website at http://www.goatsbeardfarm.com, and their artisan goat cheeses can be found in wine stores such as The Wine and Cheese Place and The Wine Merchant.

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To learn more about the cheeses in this post:

You can find Baetje Farms online at http://baetjefarms.com or at the Maplewood Farmer’s Market in the Schlafly Bottleworks parking lot on Wednesdays from 4-7pm.

You can find Green Dirt Farm online at http://www.greendirtfarm.com or in the cheese section at Whole Foods Market.

Yummy’s Choice is online at http://shop.yummyschoice.com or you can purchase their spreads at the closest Whole Foods Market.

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Michelle Marcus is a web developer, music lover, and food aficionado. To read more from Michelle, visit her blog: http://michelleamarcus.blogspot.com/.

Growing up in Farmington, Missouri, my older sister and I would ride our bikes up and down the street, to the park that was behind our home and to our grandparents’ houses.  I even remember mastering the art of riding with no hands. As I got older and my parents moved out of town, my bike riding days came to an end. That is, until the past year or so.

Inspired by friends at church who ride, my husband started riding in 2009. I really wasn’t interested then, but as time went on I realized that this non-athletic girl needed a way to exercise. So when we upgraded my husband’s bike, I kept his old one, bought the necessary gear, and my cycling days began.

I have discovered a rich cycling community in the Farmington area, with the central hub being a Facebook group. Included in this varied group of people are business owners, young adults, teachers, retirees, salespeople and others, all joined together by their enjoyment of riding their bikes.  Three to four rides per week are organized, and each ride offers different demand levels so all cyclists can find a ride that is appropriate for them.  After a group ride, one of the riders will post in the group information about the ride—things like where they rode, who was involved, the average speed, and how many feet of climb they had. If there was a funny or interesting story, it will be shared, and invariably, the good natured jokes will flow.

As a rookie rider, one of the things I appreciate about the group is the encouragement given to cyclists at all levels. Even when I ride a short ride and post in on Facebook, I know it will get likes and comments of encouragement. You don’t have to be a top-notch rider to be welcomed, and everyone is willing to help and answer questions when asked.

The athletic abilities and accomplishments of the group members are impressive. Members’ accomplishments include the 2011 Missouri State Time Trial Champion for women and a King of the Mountain jersey in the Category Four state road race for men. There are also runners and tri-athletes as well. Many of the group members have lost a significant amount of weight and have made major, lasting changes in their health as a result of cycling.

One of the members who made major health changes is the creator of the group, Brian McEntire. He is currently riding across America on the TransAmerica Trail, which runs through Farmington. You can follow his progress by liking his Facebook Page or following his blog.

Additionally, Farmington has distinguished itself on the TransAmerica Trail by having one of the finest hostels dedicated to cyclists, according to the guests who have stayed. Al’s Place was established in September of 2009 and is in the old county jail in downtown. It is named in honor of late Farmington resident, Al Dziewa, who brought his love of cycling to the area. The cyclists have a place to store their bikes, do laundry, have complimentary Internet access, comfortable beds and modern kitchen and bath facilities. In the spring of 2011, TransAm Cyclery bike shop opened across the street from Al’s Place, further strengthening the commitment Farmington has to cycling.

What started as a way for me to exercise has grown into a group of people I likely would not have met any other way and I am glad to be part of a fun, supportive community.

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Jennifer Wassenaar is a music educator, memory keeping enthusiast and is active in her church family and lives in Farmington, Missouri. Find her online at www.mycmsite.com/jenniferwassenaar or on Facebook at Jennifer Sitzes Wassenaar.

Shryocks Callaway Farms Corn Maze, photo credit: Brie Romere

Guest post by Brie Romere

I hail from the 4th largest city in America, so it may seem strange for me to write about small town living. There’s more than meets the eye though.

I grew up with my father in Houston, but split my time with my mother who lives in rural East Texas. I always felt like a half-bred country girl. I was intrigued how there was no mall or movie theater. We did our Christmas shopping at the local Wal-Mart (that wasn’t very super) and appreciated everything we had.

I went the University of Missouri; a college “somewhere up north” according to most of my Texas friends and family. Columbia, Missouri is a larger, small town, but most of the population revolves around the university. The rest of Columbia is surrounded by farm lands and Missouri wine vineyards.

One of my favorite experiences while living in small town Missouri was going to the Shryocks Callaway Farms Corn Maze, run for generations by one family. That was the best Halloween in the four years I attended Mizzou – good ol’ fashion fun in a corn field. Shryocks Callaway Farms Corn Maze has a theme each year, and this year’s is celebrating their Grandma’s 90th birthday (see their incredible maze designs here).

Although I’m back in the big city of Houston, I will always cherish the times I spent in rural communities. They taught me to appreciate (and not sweat) the small stuff, how to easily entertain myself, and how to value the loved ones around me.

Brie Romere

Brie Romere is a New Media Account Executive for a digital media agency in Houston, Texas. Prior to her move back to Houston, she worked for YMCA Trout Lodge and Camp Lakewood as a Graphic Designer and was later the Marketing Director for the Downtown St. Louis YMCA. Learn more by visiting her LinkedIn profile.

Even though I’ve moved to Colorado, I’ve remained subscribed to the Missouri Arts Council email marketing list. I like hearing about creative, artistic and cultural events in my home state, and MAC is good about providing regular updates.

When I saw this email from them today about the StoryLine Short Story Competition, the writer in me got excited. I’m no longer a Missouri resident, so I can’t enter the competition. If you’re a writer and a Missouri resident though, I encourage you to submit a 40-line story to the Missouri Arts Council StoryLine Short Story Competition.

From the Missouri Arts Council:

Can you bring a creative tale to life through writing? In exactly 40 lines? If you are up to the challenge enter the Missouri Arts Council StoryLine short story competition.

Submit an original fiction or non-fiction story exactly 40 lines, 6.5 inches wide @ 11pt Times. The story does not have to revolve around the arts or MAC, it just needs to be interesting and original to be considered. Stories will be judged based on originality and formatting needs. The chosen story will be published in the MAC FY11 annual report, as a line by page story from the beginning to the end of the report, and may also be presented on the MAC web site. The winning writer will also receive $100. If you are a Missouri resident send us your unique and engaging story by October 5th.

Send entries to:
Alexis Nugent
Missouri Arts Council
815 Olive Street, Suite 16
St. Louis, MO 63101
Toll free: 866-407-4752
alexis.nugent@ded.mo.gov

As a work at home Mom, I love to cook healthy meals for my family, but I also love convenience. This is why I absolutely LOVE shopping at the Dardenne Prairie Produce Market.

The market sits on the corner of Highway N, right outside of my lovely little community of Winghaven. I frequent this place quite a bit, in fact, I walk in and they know me!

Dardenne Prairie Produce Market, photo by Elisabeth Cutshall

The two owners, Shannon Yates and Jean-Paul Doyen, are helpful and approachable. Every time I am there, they are quick to show every customer how to pick out the perfect fruit or veggie, and they’ll even carry it to the customer’s car if it’s too heavy.

Besides all of their wonderful produce, Shannon and Jean-Paul also carry some fantastic local products (coffee, bread, spices, jams…). Both Shannon and Jean-Paul pride themselves on the quality of their products.

Dardenne Prairie Pineapple, photo by Elisabeth Cutshall

On more than one occasion I have heard them tell customers (myself included) that if we are not happy with our purchase, they would be more than happy to refund our money. They’re also more than happy to peel and core your pineapple, free of charge!

On the Dardenne Prairie Produce Market Facebook page, they update what new produce has arrived and also what is on special for the week. Since I am there so much, and since I’m such a social media dork, I always make sure to check in and tease them in some way or another…like requesting bloody mary’s or mimosas!

Dardenne Prairie Produce Market, photo by Elisabeth Cutshall

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The Dardenne Praire Produce Market is located at 7397 Hwy N in O’Fallon, Missouri. You can find Dardenne Prairie Produce Market on Facebook, and you can reach them by phone at 636-240-3990. The stand’s hours are Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

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Elisabeth Kuebel Cutshall is a work at home mom, freelace makeup artist & fashionista, & former Fashion Editor.  For more by Elisabeth, visit her blog, follow her on twitter, and like her Facebook Business Page; Makeup By Elisabeth. You can also subscribe to her website here!

Sunrise at YMCA of the Ozarks, photo by MilliGFunk

It’s Missouri and it’s mid-April, and you’re used to cool, rainy days after a long gray winter. You’ve just run 13.1 miles, and it’s 90 degrees outside. What do you want to do next? Where do you want to go? If your answer doesn’t involved eating Ted Drewes’ Frozen Custard, you may not be a St. Louisan at heart.

Ted Drewes is exactly where my running friends and I went with our families after the Go! St. Louis Half Marathon (and after a relaxed brunch at another St. Louis landmark; the Boathouse at Forest Park). We ordered our frozen custard and enjoyed the hot and muggy St. Louis afternoon on park benches outside of Ted Drewes.

Are you new to St. Louis? Are you planning a visit to St. Louis this summer from whatever town or city you call home? Add Ted Drewes Frozen Custard to your “must-eat” list. You can thank me later – preferably by sending a Ted Drewes custard bowl my way in my little nook of Small Town Missouri. To learn more about Ted Drewes, visit them online!

A month after leaving New York City in 2009, I ran the Go! St. Louis 5K. It was my second-ever 5K, and I barely finished the race without walking. Here’s a picture of me crossing the finish line in 36 minutes and 40 seconds (a 12+ minute mile pace):

I thought that I was in pretty good shape at the time, but I wasn’t exercising daily. When I did exercise, I was taking it easy – getting my heart rate up a little bit, but not really pushing myself.

My 5K was on Saturday while the marathoners ran on Sunday. I was in awe of anyone who could run 13.1 miles (a half marathon) or 26.2 (a full marathon) because I assumed that I’d never “be a runner”. The half and full marathoners at the Go! St. Louis race left such an impact on me that a year later, I started to consider training for my first half marathon.

I started out by trying to make myself go for a run – regardless of length – a minimum of three days each week. Once I had done that for a few weeks, I used a beginning half marathon training program available on Big River Running‘s website.

That training schedule helped me progress from running just three miles at a time to running my first half marathon in September 2010. I finished the City of Roses Half Marathon in Cape Girardeau, Missouri in 2:36. That’s not fast finish, but I was thrilled that I was able to run the entire 13.1 mile race without walking.

In January of this year, I ran my second half marathon in Pheonix, Arizona, cutting roughly twelve minutes off of my finish time. The P.F. Chang’s Rock N Roll Half Marathon is famous for being a “fast & flat” course, so it’s not a surprise that I ran a better time there than I had in hilly Southeast Missouri in September. I never expected to shave 12 minutes from my finish time though! I finished P.F. Chang’s in 2:24 and some change.

Go! St. Louis will be my third half marathon, but it will be the first half marathon that I’ve run in St. Louis half. I’m excited to announce that a fantastic St. Louis-area family publication, St. Louis Sprout & About, is my Go! St. Louis race sponsor. Watch for me in a white tech T bearing the St. Louis Sprout & About logo on Sunday!

This race is special to me, since it’s the race that planted the seed in my mind two years ago to begin running long distances. Go! St. Louis is a nonprofit whose mission is to help St. Louis-area families adopt a healthier lifestyle all year round, and their mission affected me.

Good luck to all of this weekend’s Go! St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend participants. Whether you’re doing the Mature Mile, a kids’ fun run, the 5K Run/Walk, the half or the full marathon, your commitment to racing this weekend helps inspire people like me.

If you’ve never walked or run in an event like one of these, it’s never too late to start! It took me two years to go from 5K to half marathon, and it happened gradually. Take the first step. Get out there and get moving, and you’ll be glad that you did.

The man and I have a problem; on weekend mornings he wakes up craving a burger and a diet coke, and I wake up craving eggs and coffee.

One of my favorite things about life in New York City was the tendency of (seemingly) everyone to spend weekend mornings (and sometimes afternoons) at brunch. There’s just nothing better than eggs, fruit, and lots and lots of coffee at 11:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning.

Enter Gordon’s Stoplight Drive In in Crystal City, Missouri:

Gordon’s not only has good food, its food may save my relationship. The man can order his burger and soda, and I can order my whole wheat egg sandwich and bottomless coffee. Gordon’s claims to have the best burgers in the world since its founding in 1948…

And as if that weren’t enough, Gordon’s is cheap. We can both eat for something like $12.00.

Gordon’s has a single row of stainless steel and red pleather stools along it single long counter. Large windows bring a flood of natural light, and mirrors behind the counter provide diners a reflection of traffic at the stop light immediately outside.

Gordon’s has good chili, good burgers, and a good, not greasy egg sandwich (on wheat bread!). Coffee comes by the bottomless cup (take that, Starbucks), and food is cooked right in front of you.

Gordon’s Stoplight Drive-In is located at 500 Bailey Road, just off of US 61-67 in Crystal City, Missouri. It hours of operation are Monday-Saturday 8:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. and Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Picasso's Coffee House, photo by MilliGFunk

Work required me to travel to St. Charles yesterday, so I took advantage of the opportunity to have a quick cup of coffee in Historic Downtown St. Charles with my friend Elizabeth (@ekcutshall) and two of her three kiddos.

I went to college in a very old Louisiana river town, so I’m no stranger to rod iron railings and brick streets along a river. My college town’s historic district was three blocks long, though, while St. Charles’ brick streets continue for blocks and blocks, with beautiful buildings lining both sides of the street. Most of the buildings appeared to house shops, bars and restaurants, so I assume that an entire day could be spent window shopping and dining in Old St. Charles.

Apparently the Katy Trail –  a 300 mile bicycle path – runs through Old St. Charles, too, so a long bike ride, shopping and eating great food undoubtedly lies in my not-too-distant future.

Elizabeth and I met at Picasso’s Coffee House, St. Charles’ expert on the ‘art of coffee’,  on North Main Street. They exclusively serve coffee roasted in the St. Louis area, their breakfast menu is catered from LaBonne Bouchee Bakery, and they offer a full lunch menu from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.  In the evenings, Picasso’s serves wines, beers, and its famous Masterpiece Martini. The cafe itself is clean but creative, artsy but warm.

I may be forgetting to mention the most important part about Picasso’s: it’s coffee. I ordered my usual skim latte, and I was impressed. The temperature was just right, the coffee was smooth, and the milk had great flavor.

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Picasso’s Coffee House is located at 101 North Main Street in Historic St. Charles, Missouri. To read more about St. Louis-area coffee shops, check out my October 2009 post on wifi and coffee in The ‘Lou. To learn more about Picasso’s, visit their website.