Our Main Antique Showroom

Our Main Antique Showroom
Housed in Post Civil War Era Barn

Welcome, Ohio Travelers!

Planning a trip to Ohio Amish country? A stop at our family-owned shop, Spies Farms Antiques, in Dover, Ohio is a must. When you see our two big showrooms of one-of-a-kind antiques, you'll be sure to find special yet affordable treasures that you’ll cherish for a lifetime. Your friends will wonder where you found unique, well-made pieces like these for such a good value. Items we frequently have in stock include antique solid wood tables (e.g. harvest, dining, library, etc.), various styles of antique wooden chairs, antique sideboards, dressers and chests of drawers, antique store counters, antique shutters, doors and mirrors, enamelware and other old-time kitchen items, as well as rustic accents such as lanterns, coal buckets and old farming tools. Our family constantly searches throughout Ohio Amish country, selecting and procuring unusual, rare finds – virtual “buried treasures” that have often been tucked away for over a century.

Our main antique shop is housed in our old barn (built in the 1800s) which has been in our family for 4 generations. The post Civil War barn is in its original state, with beams made from hand-hewn logs – it even contains some wooden nails, so the shop itself is something to see. Don’t miss our auxiliary building which holds some of the larger furniture items plus unusual finds like antique rug looms, work benches and cider presses. The newest addition to Spies Farms Antiques is our authentic log cabin, originally built in southern Tuscarawas County, which our family “rescued” and painstakingly moved and rebuilt, log by hand-hewn log, near the main antique showrooms. When you visit, take a peek inside the cabin at the old-style chinking in the log walls, the restored original wooden floors on both the ground floor and the second floor loft, and the working stone fireplace that we rebuilt by hand with stones from local farm fields.

Getting to Spies Farms Antiques is easy – we’re located at 2694 State Route 39, about 1 mile west of the Interstate 77 Dover exit, heading towards the heart of Ohio Amish country e.g. Sugarcreek, Walnut Creek, Berlin and Millersburg. (Note: Ohio is home to the largest Amish/Mennonite population in the entire world). Our hours are: March - September and November: Thurs., Fri. & Sat. 8:00 - 5:30, and by appointment. October: Mon. - Sat. 8:00 - 5:30.  December - February, open as weather permits.

Many of our customers seem to think we’re worth a repeat visit – we regularly have visitors to Spies Farms Antiques from across the nation, all the way from Washington State to Florida to Texas and everywhere in between – plus Canada, so we think they must appreciate both our wide selection of antiques as well as the friendly conversation and our “insider” advice on local attractions.  Especially in these times of high gas prices, we know you want to make your trip to Ohio Amish country as memorable and worthwhile as possible, so check this site often; we'll be offering our suggestions for other interesting places and events in the local area, plus updates from the antique shop.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Spice Up Your Holiday

You’ve probably heard that old saying “sugar and spice and everything nice.” Well, as we journey through November and approach the Thanksgiving holiday, our thoughts turn to family and food and blessings untold. Here at Spies Farms “Antiques and Stuff,” we have much to be thankful for. Over the past year we’ve met hundreds of wonderful folks from all across this great country of ours. They like to chat and are especially interested in Grandpa’s restored log cabin. The one-on-one dialogue with our customers is one reason why our shop is different than most. If we don’t have the specific item that you’re looking for, we try to direct you to some one who might have it.
Right now we have a great selection of tables and chairs should you need extra accommodations for those holiday guests. Crocks and wooden boxes are also in demand for decoration with evergreen and holly. Our unique yet affordable gifts are especially popular during the current economic situation. When taken care of properly, antiques in general will increase in value.
Here’s a family favorite recipe for “Grandma’s Baked Apples” that is sure to fill your kitchen with the inviting “sugar and spice” smell of comfort food:

9-12 baking apples
2 T. cornstarch
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
2 C. boiling water
2 T. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

In a medium saucepan combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt. Use whisk to smash any lumps of cornstarch. Add boiling water. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Peel, halve and core apples and place in a 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Spoon sauce over apples, covering each. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

During the winter months we will be open on weekends as weather permits. On extremely cold or snowy days, we will be closed. However you may call us at any time to set up an appointment to check out our “stuff.”