Originally aired on YPR’s Flavors Under the Big Sky
Denton in north central Montana may be small in the number of residents, but it is big in the spirit of food, family, and friends. The Shade Tree Cafe, owned by Brandy and Joel Barber, provides the space for people to gather for community and nourishment.
In 2010, the Barbers bought the Backroads Cafe because, “I was a single mom living in Hilger at the time, and my mom was babysitting my youngest daughter, at the time,” Brandy says. Then unfortunately, she had a horse accident and could no longer help. Brandy made the decision to move the 30 miles west from Hilger to be near her aunt and uncle who owned a second house in Denton. “They told me I could move there until I got on my feet,” Brandy shares…