About Us
Let us tell you a little bit about Cedar Creek Gardens, LLC which is located 2 miles east and 9 miles south of 1880 Town off I90.
The gardens are co-owned by Bud Manke and Peggy Martin. We have 12 acres and 5 high tunnels into production. We use healthy crop rotation, spring fed wells for irrigation, and carefully selected, great tasting, produce varieties that grow well in our South Dakota soil.
Our Roots Run Deep: The Story of Cedar Creek Gardens
Two miles east and nine miles south of the historic 1880 Town, where the South Dakota prairie stretches wide and the sky feels endless, lies Cedar Creek Gardens. It’s more than just a farm; it’s a labor of love, a testament to the power of community, and a commitment to nourishing our neighbors.
Bud Manke and Peggy Martin, the heart and soul of Cedar Creek Gardens, envisioned a place where fresh, wholesome produce would thrive, enriching the lives of those around them. This vision, rooted in a deep respect for the land and a passion for healthy living, became our mission: to grow high-quality, nutritious produce for local consumers and contribute positively to the health and well-being of our community.
Our 14 acres are a vibrant tapestry of life. Twelve unheated tunnels burst with color and flavor, sheltering carefully selected varieties that flourish in our rich South Dakota soil. We believe in sustainable practices, employing healthy crop rotation and drawing pure, life-giving water from our spring-fed wells to nurture our crops.
We’re not just farmers; we’re innovators. We built our own vegetable washer, a testament to our dedication to efficiency and quality. (And yes, you can see it in action on our Facebook page!) We’ve even transformed a portion of our operation into a certified commercial kitchen, where we preserve the bounty of our harvest through canning, bringing the taste of summer to your table year-round.
Our days are filled with the rhythm of the seasons. We’ve witnessed the sheer abundance of our land, a testament to its fertility, like the day we harvested a staggering three tons of tomatoes – a moment that solidified our commitment to providing for our community.
And then there are the moments that bring a smile to our faces, the unexpected joys of farm life. Our free-range chickens, with their adventurous spirits, remind us that nature has its own delightful surprises. Like the time we found an egg nestled in the motor of our workamper’s motorhome – a quirky reminder that life at Cedar Creek Gardens is anything but ordinary.
At Cedar Creek Gardens, we believe that food is more than just sustenance; it’s a connection to the land, to our community, and to our own well-being. We invite you to join us on this journey, to taste the difference that passion and dedication make, and to experience the true flavor of South Dakota.
Come visit us, and taste the difference.
Fun Facts About The Gardens
- We have a certified commercial kitchen for canning.
- We built our own vegetable washer. See it here.
- We have free range chickens who go where they want.
- If you try to use your GPS to find us you will be lost
- Our marketing area covers from Rapid City to Pierre.
- The most tomatoes we have ever picked in one day was 3 ton
- Our ugly vegetables don’t go to waste because we feed them to the bucket calves
- The strangest place we have ever found an egg from our chickens was on the motor of one our workampers motorhome.
- Some Of Our Customers
BR BREADROOT COOP
Breadroot Natural Foods Co-op is a cooperatively-owned grocery store located in the heart of Rapid City South Dakota. Focusing on a “Food First” motto, Breadroot Co-op is dedicated to the goal of providing the highest quality food at A fair price.
MM THE MARKET
The Market opened in May of 1996 they have enjoyed steady growth. The recently expanded store has almost 5000 square feet of shopping space. THE MARKET has a large selection of gluten-free, natural and organic food, hair and skin products, supplements and sports nutrition as well as an extensive reference source for all your health needs.
911 Rapid City Regional Hospital
- Workamping At Cedar Creek Gardens
Work-camping is a program that earns couples a summer camp-site with all utilities. Work-camping at Cedar Creek Gardens, LLC includes a 30 or 50 amp campsite with electric, water and sewer, free Wi-Fi, laundry facilities, fresh produce, eggs and you will still have plenty of time off to see the beautiful area.
Skills and Duties: Our workampers work 25 hours a week in exchange for their camping spot. We try to work 5 hours a day starting at 6:00 AM and done by 11:00 AM. Some days if we need to get a big order done we will work longer and then take the hours off another day.
According to your skills and physical capabilities your duties may include gathering and washing eggs, working in the kitchen making canning/pickling vegetables. making jellies or preparing items for market. You might help to start plants, or work at harvesting and packing vegetables. We have a particular need for a handy-person, that can mow, weed eat, run the tiller and tractor, mechanical skills would be a plus. Every day is a little different according to what crop is available.
Positions Dates: We are flexible but our season starts in mid April and runs through October. We appreciate it if you can commit to a season but understand if that is to long of a time frame. We will gladly work with your adventurous ways .
Contact Us Today
To learn more about our wholesale offerings or to place an order, please contact us. We look forward to partnering with you to bring the freshest, most delicious produce to your customers.