Home and garden show turns cabin fever into spring fever

The Amish Country Home and Garden show was held March 3-5 at the Buckeye Event Center at Dalton. More than 100 exhibitors were on hand to give their expertise to the visitors suffering from cabin fever that arrived, many before the doors even opened.

Each day the first 150 visitors were given a miniature potted rose courtesy of JW Promotions and Yoder’s Greenhouse.

The arrival of spring brings a desire to motivate and get the house and yard in order. Winter can do some serious damage to homes, yards and gardens, but fortunately the region is full of businesses that provide the goods and services homeowners need to get the job done.

With spring just around the corner, the show was a prelude to getting outdoors and improving homes and gardens with all the latest products and techniques. Visitors were able to browse the array of exhibits, and talk with manufacturer’s reps, builders and store owners to gain tips on redecorating, renovating, landscaping, cooking and gardening.

The exhibitors in attendance represented builders, roofers, patio installers, landscaping and lawn care, garden and home crafts, cabinetmakers, solar power, fencing, grain mills, children’s outdoor play sets, locally produced mattresses, greenhouses, chicken coops, indoor and outdoor furniture, specialty cleaning products and more. Massages were even available for visitors in need of deep tissue therapy after too many months indoors.

Visitors to the show were interested in ways to save money and be better stewards of the environment. Kathy Kobilarcsik, of Koby Electric, said, “Customers are interested in solar power more than ever. Including solar panels in their home electric system can save them money and have less of an impact on the environment.”

Nora Hochstetler, of Woodland Mulch, said, “Our customers are interested in healthy living. More and more are growing their own food in gardens and seeking natural mulches and ground covers to make their gardens look nice and be more productive.”

Self sufficiency was definitely an interest to many visitors as they learned about greenhouses for extending the growing season and chicken coops for raising their own birds in a sustainable manner for both eggs and meat.

A representative from Dutch Country Grains said, “Customers are interested in our grain mills. We have electric and hand crank models. People want to know where their food comes from and know it is safe. We sell grain that is chemical free and our customers like that they can grind as much as they need for their baking needs to better retain the nutritional value.”

Vendors had products and services available for customers of all income levels. Jay Crosser, of Steiner Fence, said, “We have products and services available even if you are on a budget. When you consider a well-maintained fence can protect your home and possessions, prevent young children and pets from venturing out of your yard without your knowledge, and keep unwelcome intruders out, it’s a good investment.”

Many vendors explained customers are interested in beautifying their homes and yards and outdoor rooms are all the rage. The demand for outdoor rooms for cooking and relaxing are fueling a design craze in the industry. High end kitchen equipment featuring stainless steel looks great and can withstand even the elements Ohio weather has to offer. Furniture is designed with the weather in mind and fabrics that can tolerate sun and rain are available in colors and patterns to suit everyone’s taste.

The show was an inspiration for homeowners to start the long awaited projects they have been thinking about all winter. Cabin fever turns to spring fever and local residents are ready to take on springtime in Ohio.