Lehman's Country Life

Let’s be realistic. No matter how eco-conscious we are there is no way around the season where it is better to give than receive. We may have all been taught that it is the thought that counts, but we are not immune to those cultural pressures that say that presentation is all that matters. There are ways though where we can beat the super consumers at their own game and get kudos for creativity.

There are lots of ways to minimize waste and still present gifts that show care, attention and a sense of occasion. It takes a bit of time and ingenuity but it is all fun stuff and very low tech. Here are some of my tried and tested eco-Christmas stratagems.
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This morning, I went out early before work and cut down a tree. No roaring, smoke belching chainsaw. Just me and my axe.

I figured for one tree, I could use the axe and be done in about the same time it would take to start the chainsaw. What I found out is that there is a lot more pleasure to using an axe!

Instead of wearing ear plugs, I got to enjoy the steady “crack – thwack” of the axe punctuating the snowy silence. Instead of oily saw dust spraying back into my boots, I had the pleasure of watching chunks of wood fly off to my left. I made a game of trying to see how big I could make them. I reveled in what became a game of skill, rather than merely enduring the blast of noise and smoke that goes with using a chain saw.

And as the tree finally began to crack and tip, I got to enjoy the thrill of hearing the wood splinter. I felt like I accomplished something worthwhile…it was just plain more fulfilling than using a chainsaw.

Best of all, the morning exercise was much more invigorating than my usual cup of coffee!

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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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Amish Landscapes

Rug Hooking Demo

Fiber Art Demo

Beeswax Ornaments

On a typical Saturday at Lehman’s you can find an Ohio Arts and Crafts Guild member conducting educational and entertaining demos for visitors to the store. We’ve been fortunate to draw from local talent and offer a wide range of demos from fiber arts to woodturning to Amish landscape painting and lots in between! Tomorrow Holly Frantz of Two Sister’s Wool will be in to demonstrate wool rug hooking. Dennis Lipp treated us last week to winterscape Amish scenes in oil painting. Angela Seymour of Longehedges Fiber Farm shared the steps needed process raw alpaca wool into hand dyed and spun yarn. Theresa of Mind Our Beeswax used Lehman’s molds to make heirloom quality beeswax Christmas ornaments.

Still to come on the schedule is whimsical cat and dog art, working with pewter, ‘repurposing’ with vintage fabric and more. The Events Calendar link at the top of this page can be used to help plan your trip to Amish Country. Spend the day, enjoy the sights and be inspired!

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Lehman’s is proud to offer Simpson DuraBlack through our retail web site www.Lehmans.com. Our preferred chimney system for installation of our premium line of wood and coal stoves offers you excellent construction, ease of installation and a variety of options.

DuraBlack
For an economical, drip free, single-wall stovepipe, DuraBlack is an excellent choice. Built to Simpson Dura-Vent’s high standards, DuraBlack is constructed with die-formed end fittings. Adjustable lengths eliminate the need for cutting and crimping.

Lehman’s has carried Simpson Durablack stovepipe for years in our retail store in Kidron, Ohio. until now we have not sold this quality stovepipe on the web.

As with all of our heat/cook stoves, for your safety, Lehman’s highly recommends you have your stove and chimney professionally installed according to local ordinances and codes.

Lehman’s stove specialists are available to answer your questions. Call 888-438-5346 between the hours of 9:00AM and 4:30PM EST or Email stoves@lehmans.com

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Carissa and the Crust

One of the first things that I noticed when I moved to this little corner of Northeast Ohio is that Sunday is NOT a good day to get things done that require going to a store. Obviously there are exceptions like the larger chain stores, for the most part, things are closed and the streets rolled up on Sunday. Believe me, this is a small price to pay for the return you get from living in Wayne County Ohio. So Sunday is as it should be in our household, family day, we still get things done, clean up the house (full time job), and cooking.

We have become quite familiar with the concept of a crock pot in a world dominated by a lack of hours in the day. You cannot lose, dump everything into this magic appliance in the morning and several hours later – out comes a dish that even the most picky eater (my son) cannot stick a nose up at. So the morning starts out with breakfast. Then the crock pots are put together and begin their journey, tempting our senses all day.
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Lehman

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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Theresa

Sue Steiner with mural

We’ve been busy lining up a whole assortment of educational and interesting arts and crafts demos by Ohio Arts and Crafts Guild members for folks visiting Kidron, Ohio. We are just now heading into the peak of fall foliage as the trees begin to hint at the beautiful display of colors we can expect in the next week or so. As you enjoy the scenery on the drive to the store you can stop in and visit with local artist Dennis Lipp as he paints rural landscapes and local farms as part of his demo.

Last Sat. Theresa of ‘Mind Our Beeswax’ brought along her beeswax and handpainted Christmas ornaments. In the photo you see some of the process Theresa uses to create beautiful, heirloom quality ornaments. We pictured some Lehman’s molds which can be used if you’d like to give this a try at home.
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We’ve passed the autumnal equinox and now the light in the evening is dimming at an ever-quicker pace. Even though there may be more golden days, these past couple of mornings there has been a light shimmering of frost and a crispness in the air that is just a tad on the sharp side.

Artisan Wood-Burning Cookstove

This is when the cast iron casseroles and earthenware bean pots come into their own season. With our log burner glowing my appetite is ready for putting some ‘flannel’ around my own ‘lites.’

In Italy they have reinvented the antidote to fast food with the Slow Food Movement. This season is perfect for doubling up on using your heat sources. So if you have a wood cookstove like an Aga or Stanley, then the low oven is perfect for casserole preparation. You can leave, go out to work and come home to the yummiest, most soul-satisfying dinner. (A slow cooker suffices, too, but it won’t heat your house as nicely.)

Bearing in mind that cattle add to our CO2 emissions, it’s worth considering reducing the amount of meat from cattle we eat. This does not mean that you need to go vegetarian! But to lower your carbon footprint you need to consider supporting your local beef, pork and lamb producers. You can have your meat and eat it too if you reduce food mileage. It’s also important to support local food production from an economic point of view. The more we support local producers and spend money in our local communities we expend less in terms of CO2 emissions from our journeys to market globally. So look for local labels or patronise farmer’s markets where you can be confident of your food’s providence.
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