Faces in the Crowd: Priem Family
The Southern Hills Diner & Bakery is offering customers a true farm to table experience, sharing their love of quality food with visitors and locals of the area.
HOT SPRINGS, S.D. — When you hear a restaurant is farm to table, you know you’re eating locally raised produce, meat or products -cutting out the middleman- from the farm right to the table. A diner in the Southern Hills is offering customers a homegrown experience.
Priem Family, in front of Diner
Priem Family, in front of Diner
A few miles out of Hot Springs, just before heading to Angostura Reservoir, you’ll find the Southern Hills Diner & Bakery. A family run, eatery run by Ranee Priem, her husband, their 10 kids and one son-in-law.
Their farm is just down the road from the diner, where they grow as much as they can and from there they buy what they need from local vendors, all in state. It’s important for the family to buy local as they rely on the local community to support them.
Customers at Southern Hills Diner & Bakery
Customers at Southern Hills Diner & Bakery
Ranee Priem, diner Co-Owner, says, “The local residents come here and support here, it kinda goes back to the way it used to be a long time ago. It’s American and the U.S. grown stuff instead of trying to import stuff from other countries and that way our country stays strong.”
Their outreach extends to all over the state — setting up their produce with canning as well as baked goods at Farmers Markets. Recipes area all state tested and approved with 25 different recipes between jam, pickles, relish and salsa.
Southern Hills Diner & Bakery pies
Diner pies
Ranee say they don’t use chemicals or pesticides on their produce and support vendors who do the same with an emphasis on staying local.
“It supports the small business and the local economy and keeps that local economy really thriving and healthy and strong, ” says Priem.
Southern Hills Diner plated food
Diner plated food
With the food flavorful and the coffee always on, the diner dares a customer to come only once.
Priem says, “Some people have really felt at home, when they come here, like they are walking into grandma’s house or mom and dad’s house and really comfortable and it’s a wonderful experience for them.”
Peggy Semler, diner customer, says, “Everything is natural and I have a lot of food issues so this is like a little bit of heaven for me.”
Ranee Priem with customers
Ranee Priem with customers
You can find the Priem’s goods at the Winter Farmers Market at Western Dakota Tech on Saturdays 9-1.
