A garden destination on the prairie

Ricky & Lucy’s Country Greenhouse 11732 Road 32 Sidney, NE 69162 (877) 254-2204 www.rickyandlucysgreenhouse.com Owners: Teri and Dan Wolff Founded: In 2003 on historic farmland close to the Colorado-Nebraska border.

A barn loft houses decoartive items and houseplants at Rickys & Lucy's. On a windswept prairie in Sidney, Neb., Teri and Dan Wolff are hard at work creating a garden-retail destination. They’re the driving force behind Ricky & Lucy’s Country Greenhouse, a place where customers can find organic-grown green goods, homemade herb mixtures and an authentic farm atmosphere.  The store takes its name from Teri and Dan’s pet names for one another: Ricky and Lucy of “I Love Lucy” fame. Like the famous TV couple, Teri and Dan have had their share of comic misadventures as they’ve built greenhouses, renovated a 1914-era limestone barn and learned to grow plants organically.  “My husband and I are all self-taught,” Teri said. “You know, we made a lot of mistakes. And we talked about our failures. But our failures became our biggest asset. To me, it was cheaper than going to college. We did it all—hands on—and now we feel we’re experts because of what we’ve accomplished.”

 Garden attraction
Teri’s lifelong love of organic gardening prompted her to start the garden center. But lessons she learned from her father are helping her transform the farmland into a retail destination. For more than 25 years, Teri worked side-by-side with her dad, Dick Cabela, founder of Cabela’s—a national chain offering hunting, fishing and outdoor gear. Cabela’s is also known for its “retail theater” strategy. The stores have large freshwater aquariums and elaborate displays of stuffed and mounted wildlife.

 Teri is taking a more natural approach at her store, using 20-plus display gardens to draw customers to her rural outpost.

 “The number one, most important thing that makes us different is it’s just very inviting,” Teri said. “You drive down a little country road — there are paths everywhere, gardens everywhere. People can come in and relax. The gardens aren’t lush-lush. We try to bring in only things that will grow well in our environment. No matter where you are in the world, there are plants you can grow that will look beautiful.”

 Add to this mixture a vintage barn used as retail space, and a historic granary that serves as a greenhouse, and you’ve got the makings of a road-trip destination. Teri said some customers have made a 140-mile trip to visit the store. She hopes many more will make the trek as she continues to create an “agri-tourism” destination.

 Local organizations have taken note of her efforts. The Nebraska Travel and Tourism Division recently named Ricky & Lucy’s Country Greenhouse a “magnet attraction” for Cheyenne County. The business is also a contender for the Nebraska Travel and Tourism Award for Outstanding Nature Tourism Entity.

A renovated 1914-era barn and historic granary serve as retail space at Ricky & Lucy's Country Greenhouse.

Organic base
The atmosphere at Ricky & Lucy’s is fantastic, but it’s the store’s commitment to organic gardening that’s created long-lasting loyalty among customers. The Wolffs grow practically all the plants themselves, using strictly organic methods. Neither Teri nor Dan has a professional horticulture background. They learned to grow organically by doing their own research and attending classes and seminars.

 Most perennials and vegetables are started from seed that comes from organic sources. Rooted cuttings and young plants typically come from non-organic sources, but they’re subjected to an organic growth regimen once they’re in the store. The Wolffs also grow trees and shrubs organically, starting with bare-root stock. They even grow finicky poinsettias.

 “Everyone says we’re nuts, but they’re so healthy they last until Easter,” Teri said. “We sell out every year.”
 The herbs grown on site are used to create herb and spice mixtures sold in the store and online. Teri custom-blends these products, along with a selection of teas, capsules and tinctures. She even makes custom blends based on customer requests.

 “Everyone who tries them is surprised,” she said. They’re very, very fresh, so you have to use a lot less. Everything is pretty much from the current year’s harvest.”

 Some of the store’s more-popular herbal offerings include “Afrika Meat Rub,” a spice blend used on meats prior to grilling, “Baby Sweet Dreams Tea,” a relaxing tea blend created with the help of a local naturopath, and “Echinacea Tincture,” a remedy used to strengthen the immune system.

 Teri said they’re starting to hold more classes on how herbs and vegetables help the body, along with seminars on organic gardening. They’re helping the store build a following among the locals, some of whom aren’t familiar with the benefits of organics and the like.

 “We do get embraced pretty well by our community,” Teri said. “A lot of times you have to reach out to others, outside the community, before they’ll fully embrace you.”