Lehman’s Country Life

Are you bugged by pests in your garden? Hopping mad because the rabbits ate your lettuce crop for lunch? Deerly regretting planting raspberry bushes because the…you know where I am going with this, right. Sorry, I just love a good pun. Or a pun, at any rate.

But if, like me, you live in a rural area because you enjoy nature, you are faced with the age-old struggle of man vs. beast. Or in my case, woman vs. bunny. And if, like me, you prefer not to use poisons and pesticides in your yard and garden, let me offer a few suggestions. Some are tried and true and some, well, are just tried. You be the judge. And let me know how they work for you!
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Have you ever posted a tweet on Twitter? Written on a wall in Facebook? If you have, you can skip this article and go directly to our Facebook profile.

But if not, please read on. Because we want to reach you, our customer, when and how you want to be reached, we have always used technology. Yes, it’s true. We use high tech to sell low tech. Years ago it was adding phone lines. Then a toll-free fax. Today, of course, it involves computers. In our efforts to get products to you, a missionary couple in Uganada; or a hunter in a cabin in Michigan; or a second home owner vacationing in the Bahamas; or simply Mom looking for a rag doll just like she used to have, we have to be there.

So again we are embracing technology. Today this means Facebook, Twitter, blogging, YouTube and much more. I invite you to follow Galen, my brother and the president of Lehman’s, on his Twitter account and to keep up with us at our Facebook page. One of the best things about this new technology is that we can inititate a conversation. That’s right. Two-way communication between people. We’d love to hear from you!

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We have a fun section in our store, titled What in the world is it? There is also a sign, much to the delight of both parents and children, that says Please DO touch. The shelves are right next to our busy check-out registers, so while parents are paying attention to, well paying, the children can be guessing what the items were (and still are) used for.

Today, when you get a hole in your sock, what do you do? Throw it away and buy a new pair? Well, in the old days when you had to raise the sheep, shear the wool, spin the wool and then knit the sock, you didn’t throw the sock away. You fixed it. You darned it. And you needed this round sock darning ball, or egg, as some call it, to ensure a smooth mend. Why? Because the most common place to get a hole in your sock is the heel. And if you don’t have a smooth mend, you will get a blister. So this product, while it takes no batteries, IT equipment, or extension cords, was a much-needed part of every home in the 19th century.

Don’t touch that mouse — tune in next week for the second installment of WHAT IN THE WORLD IS IT?

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE KIDRON, OH – May 12, 2009: Dutch oven enthusiasts from all over northeast Ohio are holding their second annual Dutch Oven Gathering at Lehman’s in Kidron on Saturday, May 23, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Over 30 cooks have already signed up for this fun event but more are welcome. Dutch oven cooks of all skill levels are invited. Individuals as well as groups like Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are welcome. Bring all your supplies and a favorite dish or two to cook.

Never cooked in a Dutch oven before and want to learn? No problem: “Dutch Oven” Dave Horton will be here from Buffalo, NY to put on one of his Dutch oven training classes in Lehman’s Buggy Barn. And Lehman’s has a large selection of cast iron pots and accessories for you to choose from.

Last year’s Dutch Oven Cook-off at Lehman’s drew lots of great cooks – and great taste testers! The cooks will begin set up at 10 am – so plan on eating a great pot-luck style meal at 4:00p.m.

For more information on this event or to sign-up, please call or email: Matt Buser at 330-603-7266 or mebuser@neo.rr.com

In addition, the popular local bluegrass band Northwest Territory will be playing at Lehman’s from 11 am to 2 pm. Since 1989, Northwest Territory has been entertaining audiences with unique style and enthusiasm. Bluegrass, gospel, country, fiddle tunes and more are all in the band’s repertoire. It’s foot tapping fun for the whole family!

There is no charge for either event – don’t miss the great food, entertaining music, and fantastic shopping at Lehman’s, on the Square in Kidron, on Saturday, May 23.

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Having grown up with the name Lehman, I have lived the life of misspellings. Now that I go by two last names, as in Glenda Lehman Ervin, the chances for a typo have increased dramatically. So much so, in fact that I keep a file. Irvin, Erwin, Glenna, Linda, Brenda — you get the idea. And that is understandable. I should thank the (former) Lehman’s Brothers for at least popularizing the spelling of my maiden name.

We often look at our reports to see how folks are coming to our site. We’re not being nosy — just trying to discover the best ways for you to find us. I was interested to see all the derivatives of the spelling of our family name.

A common, and certainly understandable, misnomer is Layman’s. After all, that’s phonetic. We also get Lemans, Leighmans, Lehmanns, Lahmans, and Leemans, well as Kidron Hardware Store, Amish Hardware Store, and Non-Electric Appliance Store. I am sure you aren’t missing the irony here — we use high tech to sell low tech so people are googling for our non-electric merchandise.

Some of the other interesting search terms include wooden buckets, grain mills, clothes line parts, wood stoves and hand-crank ice cream maker. Only at Lehman’s Amish Non-Electric Kidron Hardware Store, right?

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It’s the dead of winter here in northeast Ohio (Zone 5 for you gardeners out there).  As I write this, predictions are for the coldest week of the year with temperatures hovering near zero.  And what is long-time Lehman’s employee Kathi doing?  “Looking for sun,” she said with a smile.  Not to improve her tan, or even warm up cold fingers and toes, but for her garden.

“When I mentally plant my garden, I look outside to see when and where the sun hits.  Vegetables need sun to thrive,” she explained.  Kathi, a Master Gardener* with years of practical experience, offered to share advice for the First Time Gardeners with us.
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In today’s fast moving world of blogs, cell phones, and CNN, you may be wondering how we find the thousands of old-fashioned products that pepper our site, catalog and retail store. Who hand dips candles and weaves picnic baskets? Where can you find someone to create custom wrought iron, or make furniture out of old church pews?

And thus begins a series where I introduce you to a selection of our favorite vendors.

Scents of the Season:

I was in Lehman’s the other day, watching customers react to a lovely display of Lehman’s jelly jar candles. With fragrances like mulled cider, pure vanilla, and pine needle, each customer was first drawn to the attractive packaging (an authentic Ball jelly jar with a color-coordinated label), and then to the scent. Without fail, customers would take off the lid and sniff the candle, not once but twice, before repeating the process with another candle. Then, and only then, could the decision to purchase be made.

“Not all candles are created equally,” explains our favorite local chandler, who created this line for Lehman’s. “You might think it just takes some wax and a wick, but there is much more to it. There are specific characteristics of waxes, wicks, scents and colors. A chandler needs to know the science behind the materials.”
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It’s no surprise that retailers predict technology will be at the top of many holiday wish lists again this year. But if you’re not techno-savvy, or not comfortable with the expense of high-tech gifts, there is good news: low-tech and “no-tech” gifts can still fit every taste and budget.

“Simple, non technology gifts will always be in style,” predicts Glenda Lehman Ervin, a gift-giving expert with Lehman’s old-time general store. “Items, like food, linens, cookware, lotions and scents, and old-fashioned toys can be wonderful gifts – to give and receive – for people who are not necessarily plugged in to the high-tech trend. They can also be refreshing and fun alternatives for the ”tekkies” in your life.”

Lehman Ervin, whose family-run business has sold simple, technology-free gifts for over 50 years, offers the following tips for 10 low-tech gifts sure to enhance any holiday wish list:
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High oil prices this winter mean families using propane or heating oil, both petroleum-based products, could face a pricey winter. In the Midwest, the average heating winter bill will run more than $2,100 — 26 percent above last winter, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The hurricanes battering the Gulf Coast may also lead to higher fuel costs, as Hurricane Katrina did in 2005. The Gulf’s offshore crude oil production accounts for about a quarter of total U.S. production. The region also produces a substantial portion of the nation’s natural gas. So, if you are thinking about buying or upgrading your wood heating stove, now is the time to do it!
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This is the second of a three-part series on how to live an environmentally responsible lifestyle. This article will help you make eco-friendly choices as you shop.

Buy as little plastic as possible. Corn plastic, which is a biodedegradable substance, is now being used for everything from travel mugs to ball point pens. Every time you buy something made out of plastic, think about the 2,000 years it will take that item to biodegrade.

Buy local. There are so many reasons to do this. When you stop at a local farm market for corn or peaches, chances are that produce was very recently picked, retaining valuable nutrients (not to mention flavor). Not only does the food taste better, it is better for you. In addition, the fossil fuels used to transport that product from Florida to Ohio, for example, are almost non-existent when you buy local.
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