Even though it’s technically still spring, Memorial Day weekend just seems to be the launch of summer.    And what better way to celebrate than with ice cream?     Velvet Ice Cream in Utica (just 30 minutes away from the inn) has a great ice cream festival on the long weekend every year.   It features fun activities for all ages, with entertainment on the stages, a motorcycle show, music, magic, and what else but ICE CREAM.     Admission is free.   For more information and to see a schedule of events go to the festival website.

Guests enjoying the ice cream festival at Velvet Ice Cream

Velvet Ice Cream is open May to October, with an old-fashioned ice cream parlor, a viewing window to the factory where you can watch them make ice cream, and a milling and ice cream museum on the premises.   

There are lots of other fun activities to enjoy near to the inn on the long weekend and we still have a few rooms open,  so give us a call if you’d like to make a mini-vacation out of your trip.   740-599-6107

And if your path takes you to the ice cream festival this weekend, be sure to enjoy a Raspberry Fudge Cordial cone for me!

We recently dropped by the Amish Country Furniture store, just outside Danville.  It’s only about a 15 minute drive from the inn, and we ordered all the furniture for our cottages from there.    Well, all we can say is that we always thought the furniture was great quality and value before, but now it’s over the top.   The store is now under new owner Raymond Weaver.   Raymond is justifiably proud of the workmanship and design that goes into all of his pieces.  From his nearby workshop his Amish workers make heirloom-quality furniture that is sold and shipped all over the country.   We were particularly impressed with one bedroom suite,   made out of solid white oak, (no particle board or veneer in any of Raymond’s work)  and with a design that is so special there’s a patent pending.     The smaller of the two dressers in the set weighs 350 lbs!   This is furniture that will last for generations.

I was kicking myself for not remembering to bring my camera along so I could take some pictures to show everyone on here.    Next time, I promise.

In addition to furniture, the store also sells beautiful Polish Pottery pieces like the one pictured below.

Typical Polish Pottery design

In the same location as the furniture store is the Gateway To Amish Country travel and tourism information center.     Visitors to the area will be able to pick up maps and brochures of many local points of interest.

The store is located right on highway 62, between Danville and Brinkhaven.   And before we end up in a “who’s on first?” type routine, and you start asking, “But Yvonne, what’s the name of the Amish Country Furniture store?”, the name really is Amish Country Furniture.

Gosh we had so much fun this morning.   We went off to the Owl Creek Produce Auction.   You know you’ve been buying too much when the auctioneer has your bidder’s number memorized within the first 30 minutes.  Which makes my husband very grateful that the auction barn is a 45 minute drive from the inn and the auctions take place in the mornings, so usually I’m too busy at the inn to get there very often.

This auction is a way for local farmers and producers to get their fresh produce and plants into the hands of restaurants, stores and the public.    It’s located just a few miles off I-71, mid-way between Columbus and Cleveland, so it’s convenient for buyers to pull up, buy what they want and get back on the highway quickly.

The goods on consignment are whatever is in season, and range from large lots grown by bigger farms, right down to one cabbage grown by an Amish family.

The auctioneer usually starts off selling the bigger lots first.   There were plenty of yellow squash and zucchinis today.     One seller had something called “eight ball zucchini”   Perfectly round softball size zucchinis.   I thought they’d be interesting for dinners at the inn, perhaps halved and stuffed, but they were being sold in 4 peck lots and I just couldn’t use that many.      I was disappointed that local strawberries were more expensive than usual.   Flats of 8 quarts were selling for $32.    At that price we won’t be making strawberry jam this year.   I guess the weather has been too dry to get a good crop.

I did manage to get some bargains though.   5 huge tomato plants for $1 each.   I really only wanted 2 but they came in a lot of 5, so I guess I’ll share with a friend or two.    8 herb plants in a flat for 50 cents.    Huge bags of broccoli for a quarter.   Big bags of looseleaf lettuce for $1 each.   The best buy of all was two beautiful 5 foot tall Purple Sand Cherry bushes to plant by the inn gazebo.   Just $6 each.    I bet I’d have paid at least $40 at the nursery for a plant this size.

The auction takes place May to October, Mondays at 11 a.m., Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and Fridays at 9 a.m..    It’s on Waterford Road, near Fredericktown.       Great free entertainment if you can resist bidding!

plants from Owl Creek auction

Lettuce and beets bought at the Owl Creek Auction