Kentucky Hidden Wonders

Inside the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® with Mandy Ryan

We sit down with Mandy Ryan, Director of Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Experiences, to unpack how a six-stop trail from 1999 has grown into a powerhouse composed of 58 destinations that’s reshaping Kentucky tourism, extending stays, and driving local communities' economies. From the Amber Triangle of Louisville, Lexington, and Bardstown to small-town gems like Shelby County, the trail’s variety now spans ultra-modern sustainability showcases and family-run farm-to-glass distilleries.We dig into what modern visitors actually want: hands-on cocktail classes, chef-led dinners, meet-the-maker sessions, and tasting rooms where stories are as rich as the pours. Mandy shares why the audience is widening—more women, more mixed friend groups—and how simple, bartender-led guidance helps first-timers ease into tasting with confidence. Along the way, we talk real impact: a $9.2B industry driving jobs, payroll, and a ripple effect for hotels, restaurants, and downtown businesses. Shelby County’s numbers illustrate how distilling fuels local growth, with even more distilleries on the horizon.Planning just got smarter, too. After a major rebrand, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is rolling out a new itinerary builder where you can favorite distilleries, drag-and-drop plans, plus a pocket-friendly Z-fold map that puts every region in your hand. We also tackle headwinds—tariffs, wellness shifts, GLP-1 medications, cannabis competition—and why authentic hospitality and premium experiences keep demand strong, even when foot traffic softens. If you’re ready to design a meaningful bourbon journey—one that pairs rickhouses with great food, art, and Kentucky’s signature hospitality—this conversation is your roadmap.Enjoy the episode? Follow the show, share it with a friend who loves bourbon travel, and leave a quick review to help others discover us.Send us a text🎙️ Kentucky Hidden Wonders is presented by ShelbyKY Tourism. 🥃 Plan a visit to Your Bourbon Destination® at www.visitshelbyky.com. Located in the heart of central Kentucky and less than an hour from Louisville and Lexington, ShelbyKY is the perfect Kentucky getaway. Complete with two great distilleries, action-packed outdoor adventures, and the best vacation rentals near Louisville, put ShelbyKY at the top of your list when planning a Kentucky Bourbon Trail® trip, romantic couples retreat, or a whole-family vacation. 🎙️ Kentucky Hidden Wonders is hosted by Janette Marson and Mason Warren and edited by Ethan Fisher. 📲 Follow Kentucky Hidden Wonders: facebook.com/kentuckyhiddenwonders instagram.com/kentuckyhiddenwonders/ youtube.com/@KentuckyHiddenWonders © ShelbyKY Tourism, All Rights Reserved.

Inside Little Mount Lavender: From Field To Storefront

Most people think lavender is just a pretty scent. We open the door to a much bigger story: a Kentucky team who planted 5,000 starts, signed a lease before they had products, and built a year-round destination inside a historic stone building where food, wellness, and craft come together.We talk through the origins of Little Mount Lavender, the lessons learned from California farms, and how a bold idea became a brand with a clear point of view. You’ll hear how French culinary training shapes a cafe menu where lavender elevates citrus, balances sauces, and never overpowers. We dig into sourcing—multiple local suppliers, organic whenever possible, no additives, everything from scratch—and why a spotless kitchen and careful technique make such a difference. From teas and confections to oils, bath salts, and pet care, the product lineup shows how versatile true lavender can be when you honor the plant and respect how it behaves on different bodies.Community is a pillar. The Simpsonville space hosts classes for candle pouring, bath-salt blending, and painting, alongside sold-out murder mystery nights that bring people together in the off-season. Local artisans fill the shelves with jewelry, pottery, minerals, and even fossils, turning the store into a discovery hub. We explore the farm setup—thousands of plants on a well-drained hillside, with a smaller in-town field for U-picks—and the plan for a larger, fully branded location that leans apothecary, where guests can customize blends and create on-site. If you’ve ever wondered whether lavender belongs in your kitchen, your evening routine, or your laundry room, this conversation will change how you think about flavor, calm, and clean living.Ready to visit? Find Little Mount Lavender at 6905 Shelbyville Road, Simpsonville KY 40067. Preview products, classes, and events at littlemountlavender.com. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help others discover it.Send us a text🎙️ Kentucky Hidden Wonders is presented by ShelbyKY Tourism. 🥃 Plan a visit to Your Bourbon Destination® at www.visitshelbyky.com. Located in the heart of central Kentucky and less than an hour from Louisville and Lexington, ShelbyKY is the perfect Kentucky getaway. Complete with two great distilleries, action-packed outdoor adventures, and the best vacation rentals near Louisville, put ShelbyKY at the top of your list when planning a Kentucky Bourbon Trail® trip, romantic couples retreat, or a whole-family vacation. 🎙️ Kentucky Hidden Wonders is hosted by Janette Marson and Mason Warren and edited by Ethan Fisher. 📲 Follow Kentucky Hidden Wonders: facebook.com/kentuckyhiddenwonders instagram.com/kentuckyhiddenwonders/ youtube.com/@KentuckyHiddenWonders © ShelbyKY Tourism, All Rights Reserved.

From Family Grocer To Legendary Grill At B&N Food Market

A granddad with a butcher’s hand, a grocery from 1970, and a burger that made a town famous—this is the flavor map behind B&N Food Market in Bagdad, Kentucky. We sit down with Buckshot and Ashley Warren to trace how a family store turned into a destination where the Newt Burger, 20‑hour brisket, and blue‑ribbon desserts pull travelers off I‑64 and locals back for seconds. The story runs on work ethic and love: fresh‑ground beef like Newt did it and sides that taste like home.Buckshot learned the craft shoulder to shoulder with his grandfather, then refined it with a Texas road trip. Tips from pitmasters at spots like 2M Smokehouse sharpened technique without sanding off roots, leading to brisket that stands on its own and pinto beans brightened at the finish with diced tomatoes and cilantro. Ashley adds the connective tissue—community, storytelling, and a steady social presence whose “Not Bad For Bagdad” rallying cry now belongs to the guests who line up from across the globe. Along the way, the coon hunter’s cake and a new applesauce spice cake keep the dessert case stacked with recipes that read like family history.There’s more than food here. During the pandemic, they served outside, remodeled the 1912 building back to its bones, and doubled down on hospitality without losing pace. Portions stay generous, prices stay fair, and the smoker never sleeps. Whether you come for ribs, pulled pork, bone‑in pork chops, or a slab of fish seasoned only with salt, the promise is the same: honest, scratch‑made comfort that respects the past and cooks for today. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves real barbecue, and leave a review to help more folks find their way to Bagdad, KY.Send us a text🎙️ Kentucky Hidden Wonders is presented by ShelbyKY Tourism. 🥃 Plan a visit to Your Bourbon Destination® at www.visitshelbyky.com. Located in the heart of central Kentucky and less than an hour from Louisville and Lexington, ShelbyKY is the perfect Kentucky getaway. Complete with two great distilleries, action-packed outdoor adventures, and the best vacation rentals near Louisville, put ShelbyKY at the top of your list when planning a Kentucky Bourbon Trail® trip, romantic couples retreat, or a whole-family vacation. 🎙️ Kentucky Hidden Wonders is hosted by Janette Marson and Mason Warren and edited by Ethan Fisher. 📲 Follow Kentucky Hidden Wonders: facebook.com/kentuckyhiddenwonders instagram.com/kentuckyhiddenwonders/ youtube.com/@KentuckyHiddenWonders © ShelbyKY Tourism, All Rights Reserved.

How A Shelby County Ministry is Reshaping Veterans' Lives

Some gaps are obvious once you’ve lived through them. Brady Wright, a combat Veteran turned ministry leader, describes the moment he realized why so many vets were cycling from hospital detox back to the street; there was no immediate bridge into stable, supportive housing. Together with event coordinator and fellow veteran Marla Kaiser, we walk through a three-step model that changes outcomes—clinical treatment with Fire Mission Ministries, six months of service-intensive transitional housing at the Veterans Village in Shelby County, and a guided transition into permanent homes.You’ll hear how a small band of Vietnam veterans sparked the village with their own money and community grit, how Thursday dinners keep belonging alive, and why tiny homes become launchpads for benefits, healthcare, transportation, and credit repair. We unpack the meaning behind “Fire Mission,” a phrase borrowed from combat that now anchors a faith-forward, judgment-free approach: suppress the chaos—hunger, isolation, untreated PTSD, TBI, and addiction—so people can move again. The result is measurable: dozens of program graduates with many of them becoming homeowners within a year of completing the program, including one alumnus who now serves on the board.If you care about veteran homelessness, addiction recovery, PTSD support, or community-led solutions, this story offers a blueprint. Want to help or refer a veteran? Visit firemissionministries.com and vroky.org, join a Thursday dinner, or follow VRO on Facebook for real-time needs and wins. If this conversation moved you, share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe so more people find pathways that work.Send us a text🎙️ Kentucky Hidden Wonders is presented by ShelbyKY Tourism. 🥃 Plan a visit to Your Bourbon Destination® at www.visitshelbyky.com. Located in the heart of central Kentucky and less than an hour from Louisville and Lexington, ShelbyKY is the perfect Kentucky getaway. Complete with two great distilleries, action-packed outdoor adventures, and the best vacation rentals near Louisville, put ShelbyKY at the top of your list when planning a Kentucky Bourbon Trail® trip, romantic couples retreat, or a whole-family vacation. 🎙️ Kentucky Hidden Wonders is hosted by Janette Marson and Mason Warren and edited by Ethan Fisher. 📲 Follow Kentucky Hidden Wonders: facebook.com/kentuckyhiddenwonders instagram.com/kentuckyhiddenwonders/ youtube.com/@KentuckyHiddenWonders © ShelbyKY Tourism, All Rights Reserved.

Getting Lost On Purpose: The Art, Science, And Soul of Surrounding

A flat map can’t explain why a roadside rock wall feels like a time machine. That’s where Ronald R. (Reggie) Van Stockum Jr. comes in. He’s a lawyer who practices environmental law, a biologist with a PhD, an author who writes like a traveler-poet, and a musician with a knack for rhythm on the page. Together we follow his Surrounding® philosophy — skip the pre-research, chase the blank spaces on the map, write while the feeling is fresh — and discover how Kentucky reveals itself when you’re willing to get lost on purpose.We start with the ground truth: Kentucky wasn’t planed by glaciers. It’s an unglaciated landscape where Ordovician and Silurian rocks hold fossils you can spot in highway cuts between Shelbyville and Simpsonville. Reggie breaks down why Indiana’s plains are geologically young, how to read a cuesta at a glance, and where to look for crinoid stems and ancient sea life. The science flows into field craft as we wade into Clear Creek to talk Unionidae—fat muckets, washboards—and how learning species turns a casual paddle into a living museum. Geography becomes biography when Reggie traces the old routes: Old Harrod's Trace through Shelby County, Squire Boone’s detour that sparked Painted Stone, and the many ways patents, deeds, and local historians map stories back onto the land.Van Stockum's Surrounding® series of books, which he terms "Journey Logs," unlocks that way of seeing. Surrounding® Mammoth Cave celebrates everything you missed on the way to the marquee attraction. Surrounding® The Kentucky River follows the three forks and the towns tucked into them. Surrounding® Fort Knox balloons into a 700-plus-page love letter to overlooked places. We talk about the essays that went viral for shining a kind light on Gravel Switch, Brandenburg, and the “Pillars of Hercules” in Estill County, and we preview his next deep dive: Surrounding® Bardstown by chasing the wild, rugged Salt River drainage across the Eden Shale belt. Along the way, we share why Grove Hill Cemetery functions like a pre-Internet social network, how small venues can hold big music nights, and why meeting local historians can change your route—and your mind.If you’re hungry for Kentucky travel that’s more than a checklist, this conversation offers a toolkit: read the rocks, follow the drainages, ask better questions, and honor the people who keep the stories. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves back roads, and leave a review with the most surprising placeSend us a text🎙️ Kentucky Hidden Wonders is presented by ShelbyKY Tourism. 🥃 Plan a visit to Your Bourbon Destination® at www.visitshelbyky.com. Located in the heart of central Kentucky and less than an hour from Louisville and Lexington, ShelbyKY is the perfect Kentucky getaway. Complete with two great distilleries, action-packed outdoor adventures, and the best vacation rentals near Louisville, put ShelbyKY at the top of your list when planning a Kentucky Bourbon Trail® trip, romantic couples retreat, or a whole-family vacation. 🎙️ Kentucky Hidden Wonders is hosted by Janette Marson and Mason Warren and edited by Ethan Fisher. 📲 Follow Kentucky Hidden Wonders: facebook.com/kentuckyhiddenwonders instagram.com/kentuckyhiddenwonders/ youtube.com/@KentuckyHiddenWonders © ShelbyKY Tourism, All Rights Reserved.