The first nice days have already come to tease us with the promise of spring. Maple trees have sprouted pails and trees are blushing red as they bud. But winter can return in a moment in Northeast Ohio – from past experience we know we can most likely expect snow to cover the crocuses at least once.

Just those brief glimpses of spring have been enough to thaw the cold fingers of gardeners on the North Coast and reawaken their desire to dig in the dirt. Jan Pavlinak of Bluestone Perennials in Madison says now is the time to assess your existing beds, clean up and plan for the coming season. 

“Perennials need to have dead material removed, shrubs should have winter damage removed, ornamental grasses should be trimmed and general garden debris removed,” she said. “While doing this, it is a great time to rearrange perennials, work the soil in areas that will receive new plantings and dream about the flowers to come.”

Once you’ve done all that, it’s still a waiting game until that last frost. While you’re waiting, here are some places you can go to help quench that dirt-digging desire.

Holden Plant Sale

Learn from the experts

Holden Arboretum offers plenty of classes to help you imitate what they are doing in their own gorgeous gardens. Selling your home? There’s a class for that. Want to plant some trees around your home? There’s a class for that too. Don’t have a green thumb? Learn how to put in a rock garden.

The 2009 Plant Sale kicks off National Wildflower Week and will feature Holden's cultivated wildflower varieties grown from seeds out of the arboretum’s own gardens.
The annual sale is one-stop shopping for more than two dozen sources of annuals, perennials, herbs, garden accessories, shrubs and trees. From veggies to flowers, a whole bunch of vendors have what you want for your garden.

Holden checks out each Plant Sale vendor before inviting them to participate. “We want to make sure their operation is good and they have high-quality produce,” says Peg Weir, manager of special events at Holden Arboretum.

Joe Cluts from Joe’s Tomatoes of Novelty is one of 25 vendors who will be at the sale. A Plant Sale favorite, Cluts is nationally known for his collection of hundreds of varieties of hybrid and heirloom tomatoes for canning, eating, making salsa or anything else you’d like to do with a tomato.

This spring Cluts will have Mexican Sweet Salsas, Snowy Whites, Carmellos, Bloody Butchers, Better Boys, huge Kentucky Beefsteaks and many more. He sells out quick so be sure to be one of the first in line.

Also at the Plant Sale are master gardeners demonstrating proper planting, mulching and pruning; they are available for consultations. Weir suggests people come with gardening issues and problems and master gardeners will be happy to help them.

Weir says the other unique thing about coming to Holden for the Plant Sale is that you can see the plants you are considering for purchase in their mature state.

“So if someone wants to see what they look like full-size they can see it somewhere on the arboretum,” she said.

For more information on the Plant Sale or classes, visit www.holdenarb.org.

Holden Plant Sale

Holden classes

Design for Curb Appeal
March 21 and 28, 2009
Design Your Own Herb Garden
April 25, 2009
Ornamental Shrubs for the Home Landscape
May 2 and May 3, 2009
(Being held in conjunction with plant sale, these are free programs.)
Plant Maintenance for Beginners
May 3, 2009
Small Trees for the Home Landscape
May 19, 2009
Rock Gardens and Rockeries
May 20, 2009

The Holden Arboretum 2009 Plant Sale
Member Preview Sale
When: May 1 , 2009 noon – 5 p.m.
Where: Warren H. Corning Visitor Center
Cost: Members: Free
Plant Sale (open to the public)
When: May 2 – 3, 2009 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Where: Warren H. Corning Visitor Center
Cost: Members: Free
Nonmembers: Reduced $3 gate admission

Victory Garden World War II poster

Lake County residents return to their roots

Home gardens, aka Victory gardens, are making a comeback. Only this time it’s the 2009 Recession fueling it, not the war effort. Burpee, the world's largest seed company, reports business is up at least 20 percent.

Industry surveys show double-digit growth in the number of home gardeners this year as they are cultivating vegetables in their backyards to squeeze every penny out of their food budget. Some mail-order companies have even run out of seeds for basic vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers.

Locally, Lake Metropark’s Farmers' Market manager Cheryl Hammon developed a class called the New Victory Garden at Farmpark in Kirtland. Participants learned about proper irrigation and mulching, soil composition, how to read a seed catalog and more.

Hammon will hold a condensed version of the class at Farmpark during Earth Day festivities April 19, 2009.

The practice harkens back to World War I and II when people planted home gardens to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort. Nearly 20 million Americans produced up to 40 percent of all the vegetable produce being consumed nationally.

Today, Hammon is encouraging people to grow their own gardens to reduce petroleum use. Because food is shipped an average of 1,500 miles, the amount of fuel used to ship food and vegetables across the country, and often from other countries, has spiked. This well-traveled food is nicknamed “oily food.”

Hammon said another reason to grow your own vegetables is to ensure food safety. With food scares like the recent peanut butter recall, families just want to know where their food is coming from.

“And because people want fresh, nutritious food for the table,” she said. “It’s also more economical for a family to grow their own.”
Burpee sells a Money Garden for $10 that combines $20 worth of pea, tomato, pepper, bean, lettuce and carrot seeds. The Web site claims the seeds will produce “over $650 worth of vegetables.”

The same combination can be assembled right here in Lake County at one of the many nurseries or garden centers.

Victory Garden World War I poster

Holiday shopping in Lake County, Ohio
Buying local helps with gifts for those who have everything
By Laura Freeman

Are you checking your holiday shopping list filled with people who have everything three times wondering where you’ll ever find something for everyone? Lake County has lots of shops, stores and even a museum or two filled with gifts from the traditional to the eclectic.

Here’s a rundown of neat places to browse and shop along with a number of unique gift suggestions for those hard-to-buy-for family and friends. And they’re all available in locally owned and operated establishments in Lake County.

A glass candle holder produced by Iittala.

Finnish Treasures Gift Shop
Lake County has its share of ethnic shops. Finnish Treasures Gift Shop, 316 High St.  in Fairport Harbor, reflects the village’s rich Finnish history.

Finn Laura Malkamaki, owner, ticked off a list of Scandinavian imports: Iittala glasswork, candlestick holders from Sweden, Finland and Norway, rugs, Christmas linens, jewelry, handmade wall hangings, Finnish knives, books, foods, coffee cups, soaps, Scandinavian food and coffee.

Malkamaki says she has items you can’t find anywhere else. Her customers range from Finns who live locally and all over the U.S. to international visitors from Sweden, France and Finland.

“Everything is very unique and Scandinavian design is very beautiful. They make great gifts,” she said.

A 15 percent off sale is going on now through Dec. 24, 2009. The shop is open Tuesday-Friday noon to six, Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday noon – 4 p.m., and closed Monday. Call 440-478-5485.

An Irish Santa at the Irish Crossroads in Wickliffe.

Irish Crossroads
Looking for a bit ’o the Irish? Irish Crossroads in Wickliffe is nothing if not traditional. Irish Santas, Celtic-designed manger scenes, and traditional ecru Aran sweaters, complete with shamrock accent, fill the shelves. You’ll also find Celtic earrings, pendants and rings.

Other Irish gifts include flat caps with the traditional herringbone pattern, baby gift sets, plaques with Irish greetings and Beelleek china including ornaments and vases.

Owner Michelle Morgan says it’s all traditional Irish.

 “These are unique gifts for someone with an Irish background,” Morgan said. “Many of the gifts have a lot of history. It’s kind of like giving something a little more personal as they would understand the symbolism of the gift.”

The shop is located at 30432 Euclid Ave. in Wickliffe and can be reached at 440-944-9030. After nine years in Wickliffe, Irish Crossroads and Plant Magic Florist are moving to the downtown Willoughby area early next year. The florist shop carries poinsettias and seasonal centerpieces during the holidays.

The great room at Fitzgerald's Irish Bed & Breakfast.

Fitzgerald’s Irish Bed & Breakfast
Speaking of Ireland, how about Fitzgerald’s Irish Bed & Breakfast gift certificates for visiting friends and relatives? Perhaps you don’t have room at your home, or maybe you have an occasional guest you’d rather have stay elsewhere – they’ll feel right at home if you send them to Fitzgerald’s.

Fitzgerald's gift certificates can be purchased in dollar amounts and then applied to an overnight stay in any room. Unlike many gift certificates that are good for just one year, Fitzgerald’s are valid for two years from the date of purchase. They can also be applied to any of the Fitzgeralds’ escorted tours.

And if you’re worried about buying gift certificates in the current economic climate, rest assured. Fitzgerald's has been in business more than eight years and the B&B is home to proprietors Tom and Debra Fitzgerald...they aren't going anywhere.

Fitzgerald's was named one of the top 15 B&Bs in North America. Especially at this time of year, nothing sounds better than curling up next to a blazing fire near the 11-foot fireplace in the great room of this 16-room French Tudor mansion. It has modern updates like wireless Internet, Jacuzzis in two suites, in-room refrigerators, microwaves and flat-screen televisions. And don't pass up Tom's scones for breakfast.

And with all the talk of staycations, (despite the currently low gas prices, word on the street is they won’t be staying that way) it’s an ideal gift for a getaway retreat just around the corner.

For more information, visit www.Fitzgeraldsbnb.com or call 440-639-0845.

Indian Museum
For something with ties a bit closer to home, the gift shop at the Indian Museum in Willoughby has all kinds of Native American-made gifts ranging from $4 to $200.

You’ll find Christmas items like ornaments, various kinds of baskets including horsehair; kachinas and pin cushion dolls; pots; rattles; Navajo rugs from big to small; sand paintings; dreamcatchers; birch bark items; beaded headbands; drums; and quite a bit of Navajo jewelry and even necklaces made of porcupine quills and corn.

“Our prices on the Navajo jewelry are pretty good as we have a person who goes out to Arizona and New Mexico and buys it from the people who make it,” said Indian Museum Director Anne Dewald.

One of her favorite items in the gift shop is a talking stick. The person who is holding it is the one who is allowed to do the talking.

“Everyone else has to be quiet and listen,” said Dewald, who bought her first Native American item when she was 9.

Earrings, bracelets, necklaces and rings, some turquoise, and inlaid Zuni items, make up the jewelry selection.

“If you want a gift of something that is unusual, ours are. And they’re all handmade so each one will be slightly different. And of course we have books, all kinds,” Dewald said.

She said buying these Native American items is akin to giving a gift to those who make them as well as the person receiving it.

“It does help the people who actually make them,” she said. “It is one of the ways they try to make some money which isn’t always the easiest thing for them.”

The museum sees hundreds of visitors each year, many of them school children on tours before Thanksgiving. The museum moved three years ago to the Willoughby-Eastlake Technical Center at 25 Public Square on the corner of Center and River streets, after 28 years in Painesville in the basement of Lake Erie College.

Dewald said it has worked out well.

“We’re still a little hard to find, but (the space) is five times bigger than what we had in Painesville,” she said.

Since it is located in a school building, the museum will observe the school’s holiday vacation so shop now – it will be closed Dec. 20 through Jan. 11. The shop can be reached at 440-951-3813.

One of the many prints available through Just a Moment Canvas Images

Just a Moment Canvas Images
Thinking of giving the gift of a family photo to parents or grandparents? Put a twist on the traditional shot with a canvas image from Just a Moment Canvas Images in Mentor.

Just a Moment takes actual photos or digitized pictures from a disk or e-mail, and turns them into what looks like an oil painting on canvas. What’s better about canvas images than traditional photos?

The process includes internal framing, called a museum wrap, which requires no additional frame and with no glass, glare is not a problem. All photos are printed with archival inks rated to last 99 years. A special coating doubles the life of the ink.

“And they’re very lightweight,” said Jackie Swanson, owner of Just a Moment. “I have them hung in my studio with push pins.”

Swanson says anyone receiving one of her canvas images will get a lifetime of enjoyment out of it.

“They’ll be getting a lasting memory, a ready-to-hang work of art,” she said. “I love to help people preserve their memories and give great gifts.”

She can make canvas images from as small as 10 x 13 to as large as 37 x 31, depending on the size of the original image. Pricing starts at $54. She also can do collages, vintage pictures, digital maps, even piece torn or tattered photos back together like a puzzle.

“One of the most unusual things I’ve done is I scanned some wallpaper border and made it into a picture,” she said. “It looked better than the wallpaper.”

For more information, call 440-639-8761, visit www.justamomentimages.com or just stop in and see what she has hanging on her walls at 9350 Progress Parkway in Mentor.

Holden Gift Shop
Treat yourself to a trip to Holden Arboretum and after a walk through the wintery woods, stop in for some lemon rosemary soap to stuff in stockings and some ornaments for your tree.

Holden Arboretum’s Gifts from the Heart of Nature artist sale is going on now through Dec. 28. Handcrafted gifts from a number of regional artists celebrate nature’s splendor, all inspired by the beauty of Northeast Ohio.

Browse the show for original gifts in a wide range of prices, with many of the nature-inspired works made from environmentally responsible materials. Featured, jury-selected art includes: Framed pen and ink prints and paintings, felt art, flagstones, wooden bowls and vases, apparel and accessories, stone, beach glass, fused glass and precious metal clay jewelry, pottery, ornaments, pressed flowers, sand castings, burned fungus, rock candles, calligraphy, gourds and soaps and more.

Holden’s Corning Visitor Center always has a selection of adults’ and children’s books, Holden gear and nature-related gifts.

For artist sale hours, call 440-946-4400.

Lake Metroparks Farmpark Gift Shop/
Nature Store at Penitentiary Glen Reservation
Lake Metroparks has a few places to shop, including gift shops at Farmpark and Penitentiary Glen. Farmpark’s specialty items include maple syrup and honey. The Nature Store at Penitentiary Glen Reservation has the new Mr. Jingling ornament, bird feeders and an assortment of nature apparel.

For the golfer on your list, the pro shops at Pine Ridge Country Club and Erie Shores Golf Course have everything from clubs and apparel to accessories and the always practical gift certificates – the parks aren’t going anywhere either.

For gift shop hours, call 440-639-PARK (7275) or 800-227-PARK (7275).

Lake County Historical Society’s new home gives history room to grow
By Laura Freeman

Lake County Historical Society archives and artifacts have taken up residence in their new home: the 30,000-square-foot former Lake County Home in Painesville Township.

Until January, the history center for Ohio’s smallest county had been located (since 1983) in Kirtland Hills at Shadybrook, the turn-of-the-century summer home of the Arthur D. Baldwin family. While the surrounding grounds were a great place to hold its signature event, the popular Little Mountain Heritage Festival, the center had outgrown the 5,000-square-foot space.

“We were literally bursting at the seams at Shadybrook,” said Kathie Purmal, executive director of the center. “We have room to grow for another 10 years here.”

Purmal said a major problem for local historical societies is lack of space.

“How do you tell the stories if you don’t have the stuff?” she said.

Lack of space is no longer a problem for LCHS. The two-story, T-shaped Italianate structure is a typical example of an 1800s institutional building. Its construction in 1876 was mandated by state law to replace the former Lake County Infirmary, also known as the County Poor House.

Designed by Benjamin F. Morse and built by Col. Arthur McAllister of Cleveland, whose reputation was built on the homes on Millionaires Row and the Soldiers and Sailors monument on Public Square in Cleveland, Purmal says the home is ideal for a museum.

At the front of the building, four rooms on the first and second floors were designated as superintendent’s quarters. Two wings extending from each side housed residents – men and women in separate wings.

By 2004, the Lake County Home was one of the few operating facilities left in the state. The remaining 12 residents were transferred to other facilities and the home was closed and sold to Riverside Local Schools, whose property abuts the center’s 8 acres.

In 2007, LCHS worked with the school district to purchase the property and now is refurbishing the building. The first phase of the plan – an elevator to make the entire building handicap-accessible and a new main entrance – is almost complete.

Move-in condition
The first order of business was to have the 122-year-old building inspected by structural engineers. They went through every room and examined every beam, even cutting away flooring to make sure the home was sound.

“The inspectors told us the building is here for another 100 years,” Purmal said. “It’s so well-built and taken care of by the county – from a new roof put on in the late ‘80s to a sprinkling system and full building security system – so it provided us a gargantuan leap forward in protecting the archives of the county.”

The private quarters have become a Victorian drawing room and will be used for exhibit galleries. A mini-museum is now open for school classes, researchers and visitors. One wing is being used as collection storage for now; the other wing holds staff and volunteer offices as well as a boardroom.

The 50-foot-long reception hall is now called Heritage Hall. The space, with 16-foot, punched-tin ceilings, has become a community gathering room that will be rented out for private events and meetings.

The Western Reserve Junior Service League volunteered to tackle the former laundry room, painting it and fixing it up into a caterer’s kitchen.

“At this point we’ve done a lot more than we thought we’d do,” Purmal said. “We had all these people just show up at the door and offer to help.”

Planning for the future of the past
Purmal hates to think what might have happened.

“This is an extraordinary building that was almost torn down,” she says. “Because of the timing and the excitement the historical society gave to this building it resulted in Lake County having arguably one of the finest county history centers in Ohio. And Lake County now has one single repository for all of its historical documents and memorabilia.”

Other plans include a library/research wing for private and personal documents as well as business archives which Purmal considers every bit as important as other historical documents.

“We get as many people here looking for business documentation as we do other researchers,” she said.

The history center truly has something for everyone. The archives even include a Latter-Day Saints, or Mormon, history section. Purmal says the Center receives many visitors who are in the area to see Historic Kirtland and the Kirtland Temple not far away.

“We are a fountain of information,” Purmal said.

Upcoming events
Lake County History Center
415 Riverside Drive
Painesville Township, OH 44077
440-639-2945

Nov. 15, 2008 Veterans Salute Steak Roast & Raffle
A salute to area members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Uniforms and memorabilia from several wars will be on display in Heritage Hall. Area military families will participate in oral history projects, “Over There - America’s Wars Remembered” and “Don’t Forget the Homefront! - WWII at Home in Lake County.”Sing along with a century of wartime songs and try your luck in a 50/50 raffle. Make reservations by Nov. 13 at 440-639-2945. $20 for veterans, $22 for LCHS members and $25 for the general public.

Dec. 4-6, 2008 Home for the Holidays
Victorian holiday splendor waits at the 1876 home of the Lake County Historical Society. The home will be decked out in all its holiday colors, bangles and beads. The Thymes Past gift shop and Society volunteers will fill the museum space with museum-quality gifts to purchase. The Victorian Tea Room will be open with complimentary holiday treats and the Music Box gallery will feature the playing of the historic music boxes on permanent loan from the Music Box Society Internationale. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free admission.

1-5 p.m., Dec. 7, 2008 Lake County Christmas Church Tour & Buffet
Begin your holiday season with a visit to some of Lake County’s most beautiful churches bedecked for the holiday. Narrators tell stories of Christmas traditions and passengers have a chance to share their own traditions as well. Guests receive a cookie tin to fill along the way. A holiday buffet dinner greets returning passengers. Members $35; nonmembers $40.

Note: LCHS has special holiday hours between Dec. 23 and Jan. 6. Call to confirm hours at 440-639-2945. Open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays by appointment and when there is a special event.

Lake County decks itself out for fall
By Laura Freeman

Whether you are hiking or enjoying a Sunday drive through the country, Lake County has its share of beautiful scenery to see. The largely wooded county on the shores of Lake Erie, crisscrossed with two major rivers, an inland lake, and many ponds, will encourage you to ditch the car and wander around the county enjoying the gorgeous fall color and the at times perfect fall weather.

Lake Metroparks – More than a walk in the park

Hike the 41 miles of trails in the Lake Metroparks for breathtaking views of nature taking its course through what one could argue is the most beautiful of seasons. From an easy stroll on a flat, paved path, to a steep trek down into a creek valley, or a rugged, 6-mile roundtrip hike, Lake Metroparks has something for everyone wanting to check out fall colors.

Pat Morse, interpretive manager for Lake Metroparks, couldn’t pick her favorite park.

“I like different parks in different seasons. It’s like saying who’s your favorite child – I like them all,” said Morse, who has worked for the park system for 21 years.

Now stationed at Penitentiary Glen, she admits it’s one of her favorites, but says she recommends anywhere there is a nice scenic view.

She listed a few of her other favorite sites, and sights:

1. Chapin Forest, Kirtland – Scenic Overlook (accessible via Lucky Stone Loop trail)
2. Indian Point, Leroy Township – A great view of the Grand River at the point
3. Paine Falls, Leroy Township – the waterfall is a must-see
4. Hidden Valley, Madison Township – along the Grand River

“Anytime you have water and the chance of a reflection, I like that,” Morse said. “The trail at Hidden Valley is a nice easy trail, not very long, just out and back. It’s really pretty in the fall.”

The Chapin Forest Scenic Overlook trail brings hikers out to a cliff at the edge of an old gravel quarry. The view looks toward Cleveland and Lake Erie.

“Cleveland is about 18 miles away as the crow flies,” Morse said. “It reminds me of the ‘Wizard of Oz,’ – with the Emerald City visible in the distance.”

Something for everyone
She said for a little bit of everything, Penitentiary Glen has a great variety of trails, including a paved trail for strollers and those with mobility issues. And Lake Shore Reservation in North Perry Village has one of the first All-People’s Trails, built in the ’70s when society first started thinking about accessibility. The trail is barrier-free, opening the wonders of nature to people of all physical abilities.

On the other end of the scale, for those who want to push it, Morse suggests Hell Hollow Wilderness Area in Leroy Township.

“There are 262 steps that take you down into the creek valley,” she said. “The trails are not very developed; it’s a nice challenging hike.”

And Girdled Road Reservation, also in Leroy, is another challenging hike. Following the trail from the north to the south entrance and back is a 5.2-mile roundtrip hike.

Fall colors are just as beautiful from the seat of a canoe or kayak. Paddle a 9-mile stretch of the Grand River from Hidden Valley Park in Madison Township to Mason’s Landing in Perry Township.

For more information on Lake Metroparks, or to register for free Fall Colors Hikes, call 440-358-7275 or register online at www.lakemetroparks.com. Preregistration required. Ages 8 and up; under 18 with adult.

Penitentiary Glen Reservation
2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008

Indian Point Park
Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008

Buckeye Trail – Follow the blue blazes
Fall is a great time to hike the Buckeye Trail. Made up of 26 sections, all marked with blue blazes, this diverse, 1,444-mile trail makes a loop around the entire state. In Northeast Ohio, the Bedford Section ends at Headlands Beach State Park, the trail's northern terminus.

The Burton Section heads south through Grand River and Painesville where it joins the Lake Metroparks Greenway Trail before meandering through Girdled Road Reservation. The Reservation’s 902 acres offers the beauty of many different types of habitats – dense forests, fields and wetlands.

The trail is maintained and managed by the Buckeye Trail Association, a private, nonprofit volunteer organization. The BTA will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2009.

Since it is a loop, one can hike seemingly forever, beginning and ending wherever the hiker’s heart desires. Camping is available in designated areas along the trail by reservation.

For more information, visit www.buckeyetrail.org.

Holden Arboretum – Connecting people with nature
Holden Arboretum’s 3,500 acres are a beautiful place to visit in the fall. Families will enjoy taking self-guided leaf hikes. Pick up a brochure in the visitor’s center, collect leaves from designated trees and try to determine what types of trees they come from before heading back to the visitor’s center and looking at the leaf key.

“It’s a good way to make a nice leaf collection, and educational too,” said Marian Williams, public programs manager at Holden. “The trail goes around an area that is really pretty in the fall. There are a lot of good color reflections in the water as it takes you past the Blueberry, Foster and Lotus ponds.”

Other self-guided tours include the Woodland Trail for those with younger kids or those who don’t like to walk too far. A self-guided brochure talks about natural succession and changes in a forest ecosystem.

The Pierson Creek Valley is a ravine system with all kinds of mature trees now in full fall color. Two trails – the Old Valley Trail and the Pearson Creek Trail – provide access to a very clear and clean stream in the area.

 “For those who want a little longer, more rugged hike, Pierson Creek Trail is the prettiest hike to take this time of year,” Williams said.

For those not familiar with Holden, she suggests the Fall Highlights Tours. Held at 2 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, the tours are free with admission.

“Guides take visitors through the gardens and collections and explain them and give a little background on the history and programs at Holden so you’re a little more comfortable when you come back on your own,” she said.

Holden has a new program called Listen and Learn, in which visitors can access more information via their cell phone at designated locations in the arboretum. Just dial a phone number, press the indicated prompts and learn all about a tree or shrub, garden or planting.

Another more rugged hike includes a visit to Carver’s Pond, a three-hour roundtrip. The trail, which is opened to visitors only occasionally, brings hikers out to a ridge line overlooking a huge valley where no roads or houses are visible, just spectacular views of fall color everywhere you look.

Along with many of the Metroparks, Holden has been named an Important Bird Area by Audubon Ohio. See great blue herons, kingfishers, bank swallows and sandpipers against a backdrop of trees outfitted in their full fall regalia of bright red, orange and yellow leaves.

“If people are interested in birding, it’s a great place to see the fall migration,” Williams said. “Just the other day there were sightings of some mature bald eagles, and a lot of the smaller warblers and the sparrows are migrating through right now.”

Williams encourages people to sign up for a tour or hike, stroll the trails and enjoy the weather and fall foliage.

“This time of year, my favorite area is the rhododendron garden,” Williams said. “I like it because you still get a lot of the green with the broadleaf rhododendrons, along with all kinds of specimen trees, changing color. The area has many bodies of water, so you get a lot of the double reflection. Surprisingly enough, some of the deciduous rhododendrons, like the azaleas, actually have beautiful fall foliage.”

Holden has all sorts of course offerings from family nature classes to horticulture hikes and tours, all on the Web site at www.holdenarb.org.

Fall Highlights Walking Tour
2 - 3:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Free with admission. Enjoy a slow-paced guided walk among the collections, gardens and natural areas while learning about Holden’s history and programming. Reservations are encouraged. Call 440-602-3833 weekdays or 440-946-4400 weekends.

Celebrate Lake Erie yellow perch at PerchFest™ 2008

The fish fry to end all fish fries is just around the corner. The Lake County PerchFest™, a celebration of Lake Erie yellow perch presented annually by the Lake County Visitors Bureau, will be held Sept. 5 – 7 , 2008 in Fairport Harbor, Ohio.

The scenic, 25-acre Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park is the beachfront site for Ohio's largest Lake Erie yellow perch fish fry. In addition to great food, the pre-autumn festival features a perch fishing tournament, family activities and a kid's fishing tank.

Free admission includes live entertainment all weekend, with Sonny Geraci and The Outsiders Friday night, and Eddie & the Edsels Saturday night.

“The PerchFest™ continues to grow and gain recognition as a premiere special event, showcasing Lake County’s coastal, recreational attractions,” said Jim Shirley, PerchFest™ 2008 chairman and Visitors Bureau Board of Trustee president. “First-time attendees to the PerchFest™ are amazed at the beauty of Lake County’s Lake Erie east coast.”

Last year, the Lake County PerchFest™ sold 8,000 meals in 30 hours. Fish fry vendor Panuzzo Fish & Seafood Market uses only Lake Erie yellow perch, coated with a special breading and fried in canola oil. Perch and walleye fish fry dinners are $10.

“Perch is a delicious delicacy, which has a vast emotional and culinary appeal,” said Robert Ulas, director of the Lake County Visitors Bureau. “Perch fish fries are an autumn tradition.”

Additional food vendors and crafts are also scheduled. A Lighthouse Community Arts Festival is scheduled Saturday and Sunday.

The Fairport Marine Museum and Lighthouse will be open for tours Saturday and Sunday from 1-7 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for children.

A Karaoke Contest Sunday offers a $1,000 total purse. 

Expanded youth activities are also scheduled for Saturday and Sunday including Capt’n Willie and the Great Brad Magic Show and an animal presentation from 1 - 2 p.m. Sunday by Lake Metroparks Wildlife Center. A youth fishing tank stocked with perch, bass, trout and bluegill involves parents and children all weekend.

“The fishing tank introduces children to fishing in an easy, entertaining way,” Don Schonauer, operator of the fishing tank.

About 300 perch fishing contest permits yearly are sold for Ohio’s Best Perch Fishing Champion™ Contest, Saturday and Sunday at the Village of Fairport Harbor Recycling Center on Water Street.

“Perch fishing gives more anglers a chance to compete,” Shirley said. “Perch fishing requires less costly fishing equipment. Minnows on a hook dropped in a hungry Lake Erie school of perch is all it takes.”

The first-place fishing contest prize is $1,000, sponsored by Senator Tim Grendell. The first-place prize goes to the adult who catches the five best perch by measurement. Second place is $500, third place $400 and fourth place $200.

A youth division will feature a $100 Gander Mountain gift certificate for first place for the three largest perch caught by measurement, a $75 Gander Mountain gift certificate for second place and a $50 Gander Mountain gift certificate for third place.

The PerchFest is open 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, and noon to 8 p.m.Sunday, Sept. 7. Lake Metroparks Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park is located at 301 Huntington Beach Drive, Fairport Harbor.

For more information, including a list of tackle outlets where you can purchase your PerchFest™ fishing permit, visit www.perchfest.net or call 800-368-LAKE (5253).

The 2008 Lake County Fair
96 years of fun for everyone

If everyone loves a parade, then everyone must really love the Lake County Fair parade as it’s just the beginning of an entire week of fair fun for everyone. This year’s Lake County Fair runs Aug. 12 - 17, 2008 in Painesville.

The 158th annual fair is full of truck and tractor pulls, motocross racing, national bands, the ever-popular demolition derby and don’t forget the fair food. Fairgoers can get their fill of fair fare beginning at 8 a.m. daily when the fairgrounds open. The Midway is open from noon - 11 p.m. daily. Exhibit buildings are open from noon - 10 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday and until 9 p.m. Sunday.

Dave Enzerra is the 2008 Lake County Fair Parade grand marshal. Enzerra is well known throughout Lake County for his community service. He has been employed at Lubrizol Corp. for 28 years and was named the 2008 Citizen of the Year by the Painesville Area Chamber of Commerce.

There’s more in store this year for kids than the rides. A Kids Circus, complete with lions, tigers and a bear, as well as a collection of children’s circus acts, are sure to delight both the young and the young at heart. And Buford Bear will drive his environmentally friendly farm truck around the grounds telling funny jokes and singing silly songs.

Where else besides a fair can you see a national act like Emerson Drive for just $5? The country band from Canada will be sure to play songs from their new album, “Countrified,” as well as their hits “I Should Be Sleeping,” “Last One Standing” and “Fall Into Me,” which was a No. 1 video on CMT's Top 20 Countdown.

Another national act, the Monument Quartet, will bring their Statler Brothers tribute show to Lake County. The group has added country, patriotic songs and comedy to their program.

Local acts on the World Music Stage in the Belcher Pavilion include Tom Todd the one-man musical band, Carpenters Hall playing bluegrass, Celtic and old fiddle tunes, and Grammy Award-winner Ron Sluga on guitar, banjo and vocals.

The Demolition Derby is Sunday at 7 p.m. Local drivers compete for two hours driving vehicles of destruction. There will be four qualifying events with the survivors moving on to the Grand Championship Feature.

The Lake County Fair is a member fair of the Buckeye Super Stakes Circuit Speed Program so fairgoers can bet on the ponies Saturday and Sunday with post times at 1 p.m.

General admission is $6 per day; admission does not include rides. Children age 12 and younger are admitted free. Grandstand admission varies, depending on the event.

For more information, including special rides and admission days such as free admission for veterans, youths and seniors, visit www.lakecountyfair.org.

More companies are chasing government business
By Michael Keating

Governments in the U.S. will spend $2.84 trillion on goods and services in 2008, up from $2.74 trillion in 2007, according to the Global Insight research firm and Government Product News magazine (www.govpro.com).

In a lot of ways, the government market is virtually recession-proof, and that may explain why there’s more interest among businesses in selling to governments at all levels (federal, state, local, special district).

“We are finding more and more businesses that are looking at selling to governments and government contracting as an option, and so they are reaching out to Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) for assistance,” says Meredith Threatt, who is interim state program manager for the state of Ohio’s PTAC program. 

PTACs help businesses sell products and services to federal, state and local governments.

“In addition, we help clients find subcontracting opportunities with large commercial entities,” Threatt says.

There’s so much interest, in fact, in selling to governments, that NEOPTAC is staging a training session called “The Government Marketplace: A Great Place to Expand your Business.” The session is May 23 from 2-4 p.m. at the Morley Library, 184 Phelps St., Painesville.

Topics to be covered include:

1. Determining if your business is ready for government contracting
   
   
2. Required registrations
   
   
3. Government purchase methods
   
   
4. Where to find procurement opportunities
   
   
5. How to submit a proposal

Presenters at the session are:

Jane Stewart, Government Business Specialist, Northeast Ohio Procurement Technical Assistance Center, and

Allen Weaver, Director of the Ohio Small Business Development Center at the Lake County Port Authority

This government marketplace seminar is free, but preregistration is required. Visit www.lcedc.org or www.morleylibrary.org. You also may register in person at Morley Library.

Businesses looking to land government contracts can turn to PTACs for assistance.

“Just go to the www.aptac-us.org Web site and click on Find a PTAC,” Threatt explains. “Here, you can get contact information on PTACs in any state. The PTACs are a pretty good network, and we are not territorial, so if you are unable to reach someone at one center, you can call another center, and somebody will get back to you and make sure that you get answers to your questions.”

There are more than 200 PTAC offices around the U.S. A direct link to Find a PTAC: http://www.aptac-us.org/new/Govt_Contracting/find.php.

Bob Fenn, program director for the Northeast Ohio Procurement Technical Assistance Center, has more advice on the government market.

“I would say to a company thinking about entering the government marketplace is that they should first have an excellent commercial reputation for their services or their product and their ability to deliver on time,” he said. “The government is a very discerning buyer. They also need to ask themselves if they can devote sufficient resources (people, money, capacity) to selling to the government. If they review all of that, and still want to pursue government sales, I recommend they contact their local PTAC.”

Governments in Northeast Ohio are major consumers of many products, reports Onvia (www.onvia.com, Seattle, Wash.). Onvia looked at a representative sample of contracts awarded, and found that Ohio governments, including the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, as well as the cities of Mentor, Highland Heights, Middletown, and Springfield, have spent more than $7 million in the first quarter of 2008 on food and beverage products, services and supplies. Onvia specializes in gathering government business intelligence. Onvia’s Dominion database tracks government sales information that companies can consult to discover sales opportunities. The company’s 9,000 clients represent a variety of industries.

Another government market data source, BidNet (www.bidnet.com, Albany, N.Y.) likewise, shows Ohio governments buying a variety of products and services. A check of a sampling of bid announcements/awards from the BidNet bid library shows the following Lake County agencies awarding contracts for purchases covering a variety of items, including lab instruments, chemicals, roof replacement, road reconstruction and building renovation:

• Lake County Department of Utilities, Gary L. Kron Water Reclamation Facility
  
  
• Lake County Dog Shelter
  
  
• Lake County Forensic Laboratory
  
  
• Lake County Solid Waste Facility

Businesses looking to sell to government should consider exhibiting at the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing’s (NIGP, Herndon, Va.) Annual Forum and Products Exposition in Charlotte, N.C., July 26-30. This is the largest North American educational conference exclusively for individuals in public purchasing.

Exhibitors at the NIGP Products Exposition can display their products or services to an audience of key government buyers. More than 92 percent of delegates to the Annual Forum and Products Exposition have principal buying decision roles in their government agencies.

Last year NIGP’s Expo attracted more than 1,200 representatives from all levels of government, including federal, state, city, county and local authorities. For more information, visit the 2008 NIGP Exposition Web site at http://events.jspargo.com/nigp08.

If you have questions, contact the NIGP Exhibits Team at nigpexhibits@jspargo.com, or call 703-736-8900. The main Web site for the NIGP is http://www.nigp.org.

Michael Keating is online content editor for Government Product News, Government Procurement Journal and New Equipment Digest, all published by Penton Media Inc. Keating has written articles on the government market for more than 100 publications, including USA Today, Sanitary Maintenance, Industry Week and the Costco Connection. Keating can be reached via e-mail at Michael.Keating@penton.com or through his web site at www.mikekeat.net.

More than 100 nurseries are blooming in Lake County, Ohio

A two and a half hour drive from Pittsburgh, Lake County really is something of a gardener's mecca. The county is, as the name implies, on the shores of Lake Erie, and is home to more than 100 wholesale nurseries that supply plants to garden centers across the eastern United States.

Location is the key to this area's growing success. When prehistoric glaciers gradually formed Lake Erie, they deposited a variety of soils along the narrow crescent of its southern shores, making it possible to grow a wide range of plants with differing needs. The lake itself moderates the climate, preventing any extremes in temperature as well as providing a constant water supply. Add in the major highways that make overnight delivery to half of the nation's population a reality, and it's easy to see why the Lake County nursery industry bills more than $90 million in wholesale sales each year. more >>