Fun in Midland

I had another fun adventure in Cabarrus County this weekend – this time in Midland and just over the county line in Locust. Less than a half-hour from Concord, Midland is a beautiful community with rolling, grassy hills and little to no traffic. I was meeting a friend from Midland at the Jeff Shelton Memorial Park in Locust, followed by lunch at the Fresh House. We brought the kids, wore them out at the park, and the treated them to fried chicken and Mac ’n Cheese at the Fresh House.

Sometimes, you just get a feel for a town, and both Midland and Locust strike me as old-fashioned communities where people are genuine and everybody knows their neighbor. At the Fresh House, the waitresses all know their customers, and based on the crowds, have certain regulars who come for the Sunday menu. I love the restaurant for its freshly baked breads and old-fashioned southern food (and atmosphere) but also its veggie burgers! Sunday, they didn’t have the veggie burger on the pre-set menu, but I did just fine with a sweet potato and fresh salad. I also love the Fresh House’s shop – think Cracker Barrel minus the franchise feel. They sell home-made snacks (some healthy, some yummy) as well as small toys for children and novelty items. It reminds me of an old five-and-dime store.

I also made a discovery – that amazing ice cream I had at the Midland Magic festival last fall? The kind churned with a John Deere tractor engine? It came from the Fresh House! Sadly, the little ones were too ready for naptime by the time we finished, so we couldn’t order ice cream.

So altogether, it was a nice Sunday morning and well worth the 30-minute drive to spend time with a friend and visit a different part of the county. We’ll definitely be heading back that way for the Midland Magic festival this fall, and probably even sooner for ice cream at the Fresh House!