2025 | Smoked Meat With A Side Of Family: Prices Serve Up Success
Paul Price still chuckles about the first brisket he ever smoked – it was so overdone, he joked it was barely fit for the family dog. “It was well-done,” he said with a laugh. Despite the initial flop, Prize stuck with the craft, gradually perfecting his technique. What began as a hobby eventually turned into a dream – and last year, it became a family-run business.
PP’s Barnyard BBQ, the Price family’s food truck made its debut at the Fort Sisseton Historical Festival last summer. Since then, Paul and his wife Cari have been serving up smoked meats and sharing quality family time, one festival at a time.
Both Paul and Cari are Langford natives with full plates long before the food truck. Cari works as a county WIC nurse and also in oncology, while Paul owns a trucking business and farms. Still, the idea of turning Paul’s longtime passion into something more kept simmering in the background.
Paul’s interest in cooking started early. “My mom worked at Dakotah, so by the time I was seven, I was making burgers and potatoes for my dad,” he said. Over time, that childhood necessity became a passion. What started with grilling turned into a deep interest in smoking meats, particularly pulled pork and brisket.
“After 35 years of trucking and eating food out of a bag, I wanted to make something home-cooked,” Paul said. He and Cari had once considered opening a bar or restaurant, but the idea of maintaining a permanent location – and the demanding hours that came with it – felt overwhelming.
Instead, the idea of a food truck started to take shape. Cari admits she was hesitant. “I thought, ‘Why not throw one more thing into our lives?'” she said with a laugh. But knowing it was Paul’s dream, she agreed to dive in with him.
About three years ago, the Prices bought a trailer from someone in Ipswich. “We thought it was cool – and it had a bathroom,” they said with a laugh. But aside from a fridge and freezer, the trailer lacked most of what they would need to run a food truck. They put in a lot of work to get it up to par – installing multiple fryers, adding counter space, and building out the kitchen to suit their needs. At the same time, they began planning their menu.
Paul continued practicing his meat smoking in small matches, eventually perfecting his technique and developing a homemade barbeque sauce with a secret recipe. The couple also decided to feature hand=cut, double-friend French fries as one of their specialties.
Their goal was to keep the menu fresh and fast. “We didn’t want people waiting too long at the window,” Paul said. They also made sure to include a kids’ menu to appeal to younger appetites – and their parents.
PP’s Barnyard BBQ would eventually serve up a menu of smoked favorites, including pulled pork and brisket sandwiches, jumbo hot dogs, and loaded nachos. Kids meals feature hot dog or nachos with sides and a drink. Classic sides like fresh-cut fries, baked beans, and coleslaw round out the offerings. They even added something called the ‘trash box’ this summer that is great as it appeals to the late late night crowd, plus helped the business owners use up stock at the end of an event.
The couple admits the journey has been more complex than they initially expected. Their first real test came at the Fort Sisseton Historical Festival in 2024. “We learned a lot in just those few days,” Cari said, particularly about how to operate in tight quarters with a team. And it is very much a team effort. The Prices rely on several family members to help keep things running smoothly – especially their daughter and son-in-law, Shelby and Broderick Everson.
“It took a while to figure out where everyone should stand and how to move inside the trailer,” Cari said. Despite the initial learning curve and inevitable chaos, the debut was a hit. The truck received rave reviews from festivalgoers and gave the family the motivation to keep going.
Over the past two summers, PP’s Barnard BBQ has traveled across the region, appearing at events like the James Valley Threshing Show, Ipswich Trail Days, and various pop-up lunches at Horton and Marshall County Healthcare Center. Last summer, they even make the long haul to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, where they worked 17-hour days – but came away with unforgettable memories.
But once an event ends, the work doesn’t. “You’d be surprised at the mess you can make in just one or two days,” Paul said. After each weekend, they spend more than 20 hours cleaning and setting the trailer for the next outing.
Other challenges include passing regular health inspections, dealing with unreliable interest service in rural areas, and managing the rising costs of food supplies. “Nothing’s cheap anymore, and the ingredient we use can make our margins pretty tight,” Paul added.
Time is another major sacrifice. Both Paul and Cari hold their day jobs, which makes the food truck a demanding addition to their already packed schedules. For Paul, one of the biggest personal hurdles has been learning to reply on others. “Trucking I can do it myself,” he said. “But this wouldn’t work without the whole family. I couldn’t do it alone.”
Even with the long hours and hard work, the Prices say the experience has been worth it. “It’s really a great family experiences,” Cari said. Paul added, “It’s like Christmas all the time – the jokes, the teasing. We have a lot of fun.”
They’ve also enjoyed connecting with other food vendors along the way. “Every event, we make new friends and trade food. It’s a good time,” Paul said.
The couple credits not only their family but also the community for their continued success. “People will come and fund us no matter where we are,” they said gratefully.
And there will be plenty of changes to track them down this summer. PP’s Barnyard BBQ will be serving this Saturday at Eden’s 111th celebration. They’ll also be part of Lake City’s Fourth of July festivities – serving breakfast and lunch on July 4 and supper and after-hours on July 5. Upcoming stops include Langford Summer Fest on July 26-27 and Britton Harvest Days on August 2-3.
To follow their schedule or check out their menu, visit PP’s Barnyard BBQ on Facebook. Your stomach will thank you.
–Courtesy of the Marshall County Journal, dated June 25, 2025