Lehman’s Country Life

SNOW! It’s SNOWING outside our windows here at Lehman’s (in northeast Ohio). Ok, ok, we realize many of you have already SEEN the white stuff this fall, but we were caught offguard this morning. Brrr…it’s chilly out, too. Time to fire up the wood stoves!

The scene outside our office window this morning - can you see the flakes?

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See Musings From Mom School’s blog – she recently tested (well, her two boys tested) and reviewed our new recycled plastic dump truck and tool set. One of her readers has a  chance to win one of these great toys. Will it be you? Hurry – the contest ends Nov. 5th.

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Article by Tim Matson, author of The Book of Non-Electric Lighting,

Earth Ponds A to Z and the Earth Ponds Sourcebook

Here it comes: heavy fall rain, the lights are flickering, and there’s a tree on the power line a mile up the road  the utility company hasn’t fixed in over a month. Put ‘em together and what have you got? Firelight time. Check the lamp fuel supply, trim the wicks, clean the chimneys, restock the candles.

But aside from the practical value of having a reliable stash of emergency lamps and candles at hand, I like firelight whether the power works or not. Evenings, it’s a pleasant way to dial down the go-go pace of the workday and relax. Turning out the electric lights and lighting a few candles is like meditation. Or maybe it’s nostalgia. Walking into a room lit by lanterns or candles is a way to step into the past, perhaps a distant century you can use your imagination to conjur up, or a past you may have lived, in a cabin or a house off the grid.
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This morning on my drive in to work, my eyes were dazzled at every turn by the sparkling colors of the foliage right now. In fact, I was almost sorry to pull into the Lehman’s parking lot and end my  scenic drive. We are having an exceptionally lovely fall, and the peak color is promised this week and next. So, if you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to visit Amish Country and Lehman’s, that time is now. We’re located about an hour south of Cleveland (or an hour and a half northeast of Columbus), on the square in the village of Kidron. (Get directions here.) As a bonus, the Amish and farmers’ fruit and vegetable stands are still in full swing, offering fresh produce like apples, potatoes, squash, peppers and more (at great deals, I might add), plus homemade jams and jellies, baked goods, pumpkins, gourds, mums and all manner of fall-ish treasures. We hope to see you soon!

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Lehman’s, and our founder Jay Lehman, were recently featured in an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The reporter compared trying to get Jay to talk about himself with “yanking a 31/2-inch nail out of petrified wood.” Still, she managed to get him to tell some pretty amazing stories about his life! Read the article and see photos of Jay and the store here.

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Following are Prevention Tips to minimize getting H1N1 (Swine Flu)…

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB  (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital,  Saifee Hospital, Tata Memorial etc. Presently, he is heading the Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W). The following is a message given by him:
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If you’re still getting tomatoes and green peppers out of your garden, you’ve got to try this soup. It’s tasty, healthy, hearty and filling without being too heavy.  Plus, you basically dump a bunch of stuff in the crockpot and let it cook itself! My husband loves it,  and it really couldn’t be much easier. It takes about 15 minutes prep time.  I make it the night before, then just plug in the crockpot in the morning. Voila – dinner is done!

Stuffed Pepper Soup

1 lb. ground beef (could use sausage or ground turkey)

1 onion, chopped

4-6 large tomatoes, chopped coarsely (about 4-5 cups)

2-3 green peppers, chopped

1/4 c. uncooked rice (white or brown)

1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce

1-2 cups water

2-4 tablespoons brown sugar

garlic to taste  (fresh or dried, whatever you like or have in the house)

salt, pepper, Italian seasonings, etc. – season to your taste (my husband thinks next time I should add chili powder)

Directions: Brown meat and chopped onion with garlic in skillet. Drain and dump in crockpot.  Then dump in all the other ingredients and stir gently to mix. You’re done!

Cook on low for 8-9 hours. Makes a big crockpot full; serves 4-6.

Last night my family devoured this soup, along with cheese and crackers, fresh apples and raspberries from the farmer’s market. Yum!

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Word travels fast on the Internet…Matt Lehman and his dorm room garden were recently featured in an article in the Baltimore Sun! Click here to read the story. Way to go, Matt! Keep growing…

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Tune in this Saturday, September 12th at 11 a.m. (EST) to hear our own Jay Lehman, plus many Lehman’s products and lots of other local treasures, featured on Michael Feldman’s Whad-Ya Know radio show.

This week’s show will be broadcast live from the College of Wooster in nearby Wooster (our county seat, located about 13 miles from our store in Kidron).

With an audience of about 1.5 million, Whad’Ya Know is one of National Public Radio’s most popular weekly shows. A great jazz band, audience participation, quizz shows and Feldman’s wacky, offbeat humor are the show’s hallmarks.

Check your local NPR listings, stream live from our local affiliate, wksu.org, or get more info at notmuch.com. It’ll be wild, weird and funny for sure!

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Here in northeast Ohio, it’s potato digging time, so we thought we’d open up the blog for some great potato recipes. They can be new, old, hot or cold, but they must be delicious! Feel free to post yours as comments. For now, here’s one to get us started, from the Lehman’s 50th Anniversary Cookbook:

Golden Parmesan Potatoes

6 large potatoes (any kind), raw with skin

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/4 c. flour

3/4 tsp. salt

1/3 c. butter

Quarter the potatoes lengthwise. Combine flour, cheese, salt and pepper in a plastic bag. Moisten potato pieces in water and drain well. Place a few pieces at a time in the bag and shake gently to coat. Pour melted butter in the bottom of a 9″x13″ baking dish. Top with potato pieces and bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees. (Turn once during baking.) Serves 4.

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