Gnaw Bone Country Store & Bakery
~ story and photo by Bob Gustin
~ story and photos by Bob Gustin
Sorghum has returned to Gnaw Bone. But this time it’ s not a horse walking around a mill to grind down the sweet plant and later have it boiled into syrup. It’ s a lot more than that.
This time it’ s the brand new Gnaw Bone Country Store and Bakery, operated by Brown County residents Jay and Jenny Morrison.
The Morrisons have spent months cleaning, repairing and remodeling the store at 4883 State Road 46 E, and are now open every day except Tuesday. On other days, the store is open 9 a. m. to 7 p. m. except Sunday, when hours are 10 a. m. to 6 p. m.
Jenny Morrison with a sampling of arts and fine crafts.
24 Our Brown County July / August 2017
That’ s the same building in the heart of Gnaw Bone( between Nashville and Columbus) where the Roberts family opened a sorghum mill in 1948 to grow, grist, and cook sorghum over a wood fire. The business was sold to Bill Watkins about 10 years ago, and purchased in December by Mike and Tammy Riebl, who lease the store to the Morrisons.
There is no longer a mill at the site, but you can find several varieties of fresh-baked sorghum cookies available each day. Jenny is also cooking up persimmon pudding, bacon brownies, pies, cakes, breads, and tarts.
And Jay, along with partners Mike Riebl and Jonny Porter, are custom-building unique lightweight solar-powered camping trailers in a nearby shop, and offering them for sale.
Along with baked goods, the store offers sauces, syrups, jams and jellies, coffee, pasta, honey, sorghum, soaps, and dog treats. Most are custom items from Indiana producers. Where else could you try a product called Gnaw Bone Toe Jam?
Food isn’ t the only thing Jay and Jenny carry. A sampling of arts and fine crafts from ten local and area residents— including paintings, pottery, weaving, stained glass, jewelry, note cards, driftwood art, clothing, and craft kits— are on display.
The store also carries antique and vintage items, custom wood furniture, Gnaw Bone T-shirts, candies, and colorful socks. And there is more to come in the 6,000 square-foot store.