Sample September

If your summer has been as busy as mine has, then we’re all ready to bid summer good-bye and welcome September, with its cooler, less humid weather, a tapering off of garden produce to put up, marching bands, football, and new programs on TV.
Here at the Antique Barn we have been traveling many miles to find unique items for our customers.
Pictured at the left are several new purchases which include a Weber Box Wagon, a one-horse open sleigh, and a buckboard. We also have an ample supply of tables and chairs, benches, dressers, crocks, wooden boxes, trunks; and affordable furniture for that college student. In fact, our shop has the look and feel of an old “General Store” with its one-of-a-kind items from yesteryear. Stop by and see us soon – we are open Thursday thru Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and other times by appointment. In October we will be open every day except Sunday for all who may be out enjoying the fall foliage here in beautiful Ohio!

Spring Fever

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and SPRING is finally here; and at Spies Farms Antiques, the doors are open again. It’s hard to believe that this is our 8th season! There’s nothing like a few warm spring days, blue skies, and some sunshine to really inspire us to get out there and find something unique with which to spruce up our homes or gardens. We now have a large assortment of items on hand to use for planters and decorating – enamel pots, clay containers, galvanized tubs and buckets, sprinkling cans, etc. We also have items such as wooden gates, porch railings, old chairs and garden implements to use as accent pieces for lawns and flower gardens.
Pictured at the left is one of our pieces that could be used as a potting table – just the ticket if you have a green thumb. And you’ll notice that our auxiliary building next to the main barn has been painted “green” which is easy to spot as you travel past our farm. Did you know that if you have some plates or dishes that are cracked and no longer usable for eating, they can be “planted” in your flower beds to use as accent pieces until those flowers start to grow? Just turn them on edge and bury them into the ground at a right angle. And all it will cost you is a little time and effort. While you’re here, check out our wide variety of furniture at very affordable prices – a must in these tough economic times. Our hours are Thursday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (or later). We are also available at other times for appointments – just give us a call at 330-343-8358. We’d love to show you our “antiques and stuff!”

For Everthing There is a Season

Winter is one of my favorite times of the year. Here in the Midwest, it’s usually cold, snowy, and a great time to bring out all those “catsup” projects that seem to get put on the back burner during the busier months of the year. These projects might include reading, sewing, cleaning out drawers and cupboards that really need attention – jobs that always wait until we get a “round tuit.”
One of my on-going projects is a “Family Cookbook” – a collection of recipes with stories relating to that particular recipe so that future generations will be able to enjoy some of our great food and memories. Being of Swiss heritage, my cousins and I all remember going to Grandma’s house on Christmas Day and eating Swiss Pretzels – a rich cookie made with lots of butter and cream and baked on a special iron brought over from Switzerland.
Winter time is also a great time to try some new recipes that your family might enjoy. Potato soup has long been a staple in our household and remains high on the list of “comfort foods,” especially during cold weather. If you’re looking for something quick and easy to fix while you’re watching the Inauguration or the Super Bowl Game, give this a try. It keeps for hours in the crock pot:

Creamy Potato Soup

4 cups thick sliced potatoes
2 cups water
1 tsp. minced dried onion
½ tsp. dried parsley flakes
2 Tablespoons oleo or butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup cubed cheese (I use Velveeta)

Peel, quarter and slice potatoes into thick slices. Put into large saucepan and add water and dried onion. Do not salt. Bring to boil and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Pour into crock pot and turn on “Low.” In smaller saucepan, melt oleo or butter. Make chicken broth using 2 cups boiling water and 1 Tablespoon chicken soup base. Add to flour mixture heat, stirring so it doesn’t scorch. Cook for 5 minutes. Add to crock pot and mix with cooked potatoes. Stir in dried parsley and cubed cheese. Stir occasionally to blend melted cheese. Soup will thicken as it rests in crock pot. If it gets to thick, add more broth. Bits of ham may be added to make a heartier soup.
Makes 4 ample servings.

And remember, it there is something you would like to see in our antique shop, even though we may be closed due to cold and snowy weather, just give us a call to make an appointment and we will open for you.