Bar D Greenhouse and Gifts is Excited to be Open for the Season

Powder River Energy Corporation (PRECorp) is proud to be northeastern Wyoming’s largest electric cooperative, being a trusted energy partner to more than 12,000 members throughout the region with great rates and A+ service. In 2025, we’re running a series of features on some of our tremendous members, highlighting their dedication to fostering the fantastic quality of life to which we’ve become accustomed and the economic impact needed to keep it! If you would like to suggest the name of a rural northeast Wyoming-based business for us to feature, please email communications@precorp.coop.

Sunday, May 4, was a date circled in red on Barb Robinson’s calendar, marking the annual opening of Bar D Greenhouse and Gifts, which she operates with her husband, Dave, in Recluse, WY.

Naturally, much preparation was required to prepare the greenhouse for its big 2025 opening.

But all the work, with friends and family of the Robinsons lending a critical helping hand in Bar D’s success, paid off with a promising Day 1 of the season.

“It was great,” she said. “We had a steady stream of customers and got a lot of visiting in with our neighbors, all that kind of stuff. It went great.”

The Robinsons have run Bar D Greenhouse and Gifts since 2020, during the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, when folks across the country were locked down and cooped up.

Upon opening, Barb found her greenhouse acted as something of a release valve for local community members, who were eager to visit and explore her shop.

“We started in 2020 and it was great,” she said. “People were ready to get out, so we had a lot of people on our very first day. Now, we’re five years into it and still doing really well.”

A Welcoming Atmosphere

The atmosphere the Robinsons foster at Bar D Greenhouse and Gifts contrasts starkly with their community’s name, “Recluse.”

Rather than shying away and avoiding other people, Bar D enjoys inviting in all visitors, including neighbors from just down the road to those who travel from afar to the greenhouse. 

“People come from Casper, Newcastle, Buffalo, Sheridan, so it’s exciting to get a visit from everybody,” Barb said. “I hope they find it very welcoming. Just the friendliness, feeling welcome, and being able to go through the greenhouse and ask questions – the feeling of being able to peruse the area and see what they can find. People come in and just enjoy it.”

Upon entering, visitors to Bar D will find an extensive variety of garden plants, flowers, vegetables, herbs, soil, and more.

“We have very good, healthy plants, whether it be flowers or vegetables,” Barb continued. “We sometimes have a few little extra unique things like rhubarb and lilac bushes, new colors of petunias, plus an assortment of gifts such as jewelry and handmade crafts.”

Community Gathering Place 

Bar D hosts several classes throughout the year, which continue to be a big hit. 

Attendees can create their own bird baths and stepping stones, returning after a week to add a coat of paint to their liking.

This year, Barb hopes to add barn quilts painted on wood to the lineup of activities offered in Bar D’s classes.

“It’s really cool,” she said. “Those have gone over really well. We try to add something new and different all the time.”

Whether visitors are dropping by for a class, inspecting the greenhouse, or simply enjoying a friendly conversation, Barb is proud of the role Bar D Greenhouse and Gifts plays in Recluse’s community.

“We strive to be welcoming and a place for gathering,” she said. “There are times when we might have four or five people sitting and visiting in our shed in front of the greenhouse, just to catch up with everybody.”

Bar D Greenhouse and Gifts in Recluse is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day but Tuesday. They can be reached at 307-660-1681 or bardgreenhouse@hotmail.com. 

Powder River Energy Corporation is proud to highlight dedicated member entrepreneurs and businesses like Bar D Greenhouse and Gifts. If you would like to suggest the name of a rural northeast Wyoming-based business for us to feature, please email communications@precorp.coop.