The Bizarre Reason Dolly Parton’s Mom Put Rocks in the Family Soup

dolly parton speaks at a media event for HeartSong

Dolly Parton's childhood stories have been integrated into her empire, like her mother's famous Stone Soup available at the DreamMore Resort (photo by Daniel Munson/TheSmokies.com)

Dolly Parton shares childhood story that is now part of her Dollywood resort

As a mom of five, I understand the struggle to get dinner on the table for a hoard of hungry children. But my little brood is tiny compared to the family Dolly Parton grew up in. Dolly’s parents had a total of twelve children (six boys and six girls). Sadly, one of the boys passed as an infant, but there were still many mouths to feed. Her parents were sharecroppers in Locust Ridge, TN, and lived in a primitive cabin. The family grew nearly all of their food. And so, their mom had to practice creativity and resourcefulness to feed so many kids with what was available and in season. What’s more, Dolly’s mother had to keep all of her children busy while she prepared meals for them. It turns out that she had a brilliant way of keeping the little ones engaged and nearby while she made one of the family’s staple recipes: Stone Soup. Dolly tells the story in her own words in the YouTube video below.

In an interview on the Hallmark Channel, Dolly shared that her family lived on a farm and raised their animals and produce, including hogs, chickens, tomatoes, turnips, cabbage and more. During the interview, the hosts made soup with Dolly’s assistance which was similar to what the family might have had growing up on their East Tennessee farm. Her mother utilized a clever way to keep the kids entertained while she cooked.

Gathering the stones for soup

When Dolly’s mom made her famous Stone Soup, she tasked her young children with finding stones to include in the soup as the secret ingredient to make it taste good. After finding their stones, the children would scrub them so they would be nice and clean. This would keep them busy, which I recognize as a total boss move. Next, their mother would choose one of the stones to go into the pot and simmer with the soup. Dolly explained that her mom would take this as an opportunity to encourage whichever child had been having a bad day and most needed cheering up. Super Mom!

Dolly confirmed that all of the remaining ingredients were things they grew. But she also noted that they didn’t always have everything all at once. For example, they might have plenty of tomatoes in summer but had to rely more heavily on root vegetables like turnips and potatoes in winter.

DreamMore's Song & Hearth Interior With Tables
Guests can order Stone Soup from the menu at DreamMore’s Song & Hearth Restaurant (photo by Morgan Overholt/TheSmokies.com)

The legend of Stone Soup

Dolly also mentioned that her mom based this family tradition on the legend of Stone Soup. This is a folktale of uncertain origin. However, the first published version was produced around 1720 in France. In the legend, a hungry soldier convinces villagers to contribute ingredients so the community can collectively make his delicious soup. The secret ingredient provided by the soldier? You guessed it – stones.

I think it’s so clever that Dolly’s mom used this story to create memorable experiences for her children, despite the family’s poverty. Today, guests can visit Song & Hearth, a restaurant at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort to experience an authentic taste of that beloved family recipe. The restaurant’s menu includes Stone Soup. It’s made with root vegetables, tomato, onion, cabbage, chicken stock, a ham hock and a stone, of course.

Are you planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains? Be sure to check out our coupons page for area promos.

Have a question or comment about something in this article? Contact our staff here. You may also contact our editorial team at info@thesmokies.com.

1 thought on “The Bizarre Reason Dolly Parton’s Mom Put Rocks in the Family Soup”

Leave a Comment