IndianaRoadTrips.com speaks with Asst Kitchen Manager Melvin McCloud from The Edge Golf Course in Anderson, Indiana for our fourth podcast.

Farmhouse Cafe & Tea Room
(Flower & Herb Barn Nursery)
5171 Bean Blossom Rd, Nineveh, IN 46164
ph. 812-988-2004

The Farm House Cafe & Tea Room is one of the most unique little restaurants you'll be fortunate to experience, sitting on the grounds of the beautiful Flower & Herb Barn Nursery in Nashville, Indiana (the mailing address is Nineveh, but the Farm House Cafe & Tea Room is recognized as a Nashville eatery.) The dining area is quaint and intimate, with only about 10 tables and room for 20 or so guests (not official, but based on my guesstimation). There is also patio dining when nice weather allows.

The cafe sits on the same property as the nursery, it has many varieties of flowers (annuals and perennials), shrubs, trees,etc. Within the nursery you'll find among other things, an old cabin and barn. Within them they have a variety of items you can admire, or better yet, purchase and take home with you. The nursery grounds is also strewn with antique lawn furniture and trellises. Everything there is for sale.

Madison County, Indiana offers some of the best rural landscapes a Hoosier roadtripper could ask for, but also offers easy access from just about anywhere with I-69 running through the heart of the county. From the small towns of Alexandria, Elwood, and Lapel, to the ever-growing Pendleton, and county-seat Anderson, there is something for everyone in Madison County, making it an excellent destination regardless of what you're seeking in a day-trip or longer adventure.

I talked with Anderson/Madison County Tourism Director Maureen Lambert (better known as Mo) on last week's Indiana RoadTrips.com Podcast, and among the many topics we discussed that were of interest to visitors, we took a look at five breweries and wineries throughout the county that you'll want to visit when you get the opportunity.

The Mint
80 E Jefferson St, Franklin, IN 46131
(317) 508-6143

While big box stores and chain restaurants do their best to take over the rural landscapes, small town business-people continue to prove they are adaptable and forward-thinking in their ability to thrive and survive in a corporate world.

The Mint in Franklin, Indiana is no exception. Founded by Thomas Moore and a partner in 2018, The Mint has grown into a local staple for an excellent selection of cocktails and a couple hundred varieties of whiskeys and bourbons.

The next time you find yourself driving in the Cataract Falls area, give yourself a little extra time and visit the little town of Poland, Indiana for a delicious breakfast or lunch, along with some supplies or a souvenir from The Poland Grocery & Hardware (with the B&L's QuickStop diner inside - more on the great food here later), or some mom & pop home cookin' from Cook's Corner.

There are only a few operating businesses in Poland, and all are worth stopping in and enjoying the local charm. While you're at either of the two restaurants, or both as they are just right around the corner from each other, be sure to get a couple photos of the old historic Post Office building, or the two restaurants themselves, as both offer great small town character and charm.

Once you get outside any town or city in Indiana, you're bound to pass an old historic barn, whether it's a practical use barn for a working farm, or a barely standing weathered structure that could be wiped out at any moment with a gust of wind.

Travelers throughout the Hoosier state have many opportunities to see these old structures on any given country road. But one old feature that we see less and less as years go by are the Mail Pouch Barns.

I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled onto Anderson Falls a few years ago. I didn't know there was such a large waterfall this close to Indianapolis. It's a forty-four acre park featuring a cascading waterfall (amount of water can vary significantly by local rain patterns) and two hiking paths of 1.75 and 2.25 miles.

Located just east of Columbus, Anderson Falls is easy to get to, and typically there isn't anyone else around if you go on a weekday. I've been fortunate enough to be there at times where the water was roaring over the falls, and another time in a beautiful fall setting when the entire riverbed and falls were bone dry, but covered in colorful autumn leaves.

There's something about pulling off a country road into a small mom and pop diner or cafe that brings back memories of Americana. Putnam County in western Indiana offers a multitude of eateries and specialty food shops, but also has a few hidden gems that you'll want to add to your list of IndianaRoadTrips.com destinations.

In my conversation with Putnam County Tourism Director Eric Freeman, we talked about a few of the hotspot destinations in and around the county that keep hungry diners happy and fed.

Hungry!? Let's get started ...