Spies Farms Antiques: August 2008

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.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Washboards and Pieces of Slate -- Here's What's New

Since we're moving toward the fall season, it's not surprising that another wine press flew out the door (note: we still have a cider press available, just in time for apple season). What is surprising though, is a run on washboards and pieces of slate! All of a sudden washboards have become very popular. We're not sure why, but it is intriguing! Perhaps folks are starting to decorate for the fall and winter entertaining season -- a washboard could be a nice rustic touch in a kitchen or breakfast nook (and we still have a handful available). We also have a fair amount of slate pieces left over from the restoration of the roof of our log cabin from the 1800s (which is here on the premises of the antique shop), and suddenly our customers have asked to buy the slate pieces --in rather large quantities! Doing "primitive style" painting (like Grandma Moses) on pieces of slate has been a well-loved passtime for decades, so we figure that folks are possibly going to use the slate for artistic expression. Regardless of their plans, we're happy that we're able to make unusual and hard-to-find items like these available for our customers. We hope to see you soon here at the shop.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Tips on Visiting Amish Country

If you haven't been to Ohio Amish country before, there are a few things to consider when paying a visit. For one thing, since the Amish travel by horse and buggy, if you're on the road while sightseeing here in East Central Ohio, at some point you'll probably find yourself driving right behind a buggy (remember, a buggy only has 1 horse power so they don't travel very fast!) Horses can get spooked -- they are animals after all -- so please use caution when driving near buggies. Also, although you may be fascinated by the Amish and their culture, they are somewhat private, and it is against their beliefs to take or be in photographs, so please respect their privacy. One way you can learn more about the way Amish live is to visit Yoder's Amish Home, located in Millersburg -- they have two Amish homes open for tours on a 116-acre farm, complete with animals to pet at the barn. Speaking of buggy rides, you can take one of your own at Yoder's while you're there. Find out more at yodersamishhome.com. We'll see you soon -- have a safe trip.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Take a Ride on an Antique Wooden Horse!

Do you remember riding the merry-go-round as a child? There's something about the music (I believe they call it calliope music) that just brings out the kid in all of us. If you want to relive that feeling -- perhaps with the kids or grandkids in tow -- then head over to Tuscora Park in New Philadelphia, Ohio (or "New Philly" as we affectionately say), just a short freeway drive from Spies Farms Antiques here in Dover. Not only is the music authentic but the horses are some of the few carved wooden carousel horses left in the U.S. (a nice find for those of us who are already fond of antiques!) They are ornately decorated and painted, just like you remember -- the little ones might say they are" magical" (like the ones Mary Poppins rode!) Besides a nostalgic ride on a "noble steed", you can enjoy other amusement rides, a dip in the pool or a picnic on one of the handy picnic tables. For more information, go to: www.tuscora.park.net. Have fun!

Spies Farms Antiques

Vintage Transportation

A Collection of Some of Our Items

Pie Safe

Our Main Antique Showroom