Visit Amish Country Theater when you Travel to Ohio Amish Country 23 May 2012, 11:18 am
The next time you travel to Ohio Amish Country you will find another attraction. Last night I had the opportunity to visit the all new Amish Country Theater in Walnut Creek. It was an evening of fun and laughter. If you have ever seen the television show, Hee Haw, the format was very much like that. They have a Blue Grass band, comedy skits, magic acts, and even some audience participation. There is a character called "Lynard" that really had us laughing. Another favorite act was a couple of actors dressed as young Amish men sharing some jokes. They really have the accent down good! My husband was chosen a couple of times to be part of the show and I wish I had a camera.There were 300 seats and all of them had a good view of the stage, no obstructions. The show is appropriate for children as well as adults. In the lobby of the theater is the "Hen House" where you will be greeted by chickens (not live ones) as you enter the gift shop. Next to the Hen House is a concession stand that includes homemade Amish concessions.
The shows run on Thursday, Friday & Saturday including evening performances when most of Amish Country is closed. Our Ohio bed and breakfast has discount coupons to offer guests staying at our place. So the next time you travel to Ohio Amish Country be sure to take in a show at the Amish Country Theater.
Written by Carol Steffey, Garden Gate Get-A-Way Bed & Breakfast, Millersburg, Ohio (330) 674-7608 www.garden-gate.com
Make Rails to Trails Benefit Auction part of your Ohio Weekend Getaways 9 May 2012, 7:03 am
When you are looking for Ohio weekend getaways then mark your calendar for June 11, 2012. That is the date of the annual benefit auction to raise funds for the Holmes County, Ohio Rails to Trails. It starts at 9 a.m. and the proceeds will benefit the trail that runs from Fredericksburg to Brinkhaven. The auction feature in 2012 will be a log cabin! They will also auction off quilts, furniture, crafts, clocks, and more.The Holmes County Rails to Trails has the only section of this National biking/hiking path that has lane for Amish buggies and another for bikers/hikers. For those people that wish to use the Trail on the day of he auction you can pick it up from Hipp Station in Millersburg or from the Walmart parking lot.
Written by Carol Steffey, Garden Gate Get-A-Way Bed & Breakfast, Millersburg, Ohio (330) 674-7608 www.garden-gate.com
Holmes County Ohio Amish Tourist Attractions or Shipshewana, Indiana? 7 May 2012, 1:45 pm
About 10 years ago our family moved to Holmes County, Ohio where there are many Amish and tourist attractions. Recently I had the opportunity to visit Shipshewana, Indiana for the first time. I have heard people compare the two Amish destinations and now I can speak from experience.
When you first enter Holmes County you begin to realize that you are in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. There are many rolling hills and a lot of beautiful countryside. When you are driving in to Shipshewana the landscape is very flat.
The Holmes County area is home to many Swiss immigrants. Their yards and gardens are absolutely breath taking. Many of the homes near Shipshewana had no flowers, bushes, or landscaping.
When you drive the back roads in Holmes County you will see signs in front of some of the homes advertising candles, baskets, bulk foods, furniture, etc. The Amish in the area have businesses on their farms and homesteads and you don’t have to be Amish to shop there. I didn’t see any such signs in the Shipshewana area.
We had lunch at the Blue Gate Restaurant & Bakery. It reminded me of the mega-restaurants in Holmes County such as Der Dutchman. The food at both places is very good and so is the pie!
In the area of Blue Gate Restaurant there were a lot of gift shops and the area reminded me of Berlin, Ohio.
Holmes County has so many tourist attractions such as: fine gifts, flea markets, antiques, animal ranches, cheese factories, chocolate factory, wineries, museums, historical homes, Amish farm house tours, golf, etc. I did not see that kind of variety in Shipshewana.
From this writer’s perspective, you will have a much better vacation in Holmes County, Ohio than you would in Shipshewana, Indiana.
Written by Carol Steffey, Garden Gate Get-A-Way Bed & Breakfast, Millersburg, Ohio (330) 674-7608 www.garden-gate.com
See THE CONFESSION musical on your next Ohio Amish Country Getaway 2 May 2012, 8:09 am
On your next Ohio Amish Country Getaway be sure to make reservations to see the musical, comedy, The Confession. The musical is based on the Beverly Lewis best selling novel. I had the opportunity to see this musical last week in Shipshewana, Indiana. I wasn't sure, knowing the plot of the book, how they could turn this novel in to a musical comedy but they did. I laughed, I cried, and was awestruck by some of the songs. There was one number where three women sang and the harmonies brought chills to me. The characters of the butler and the maid had us laughing quite a bit. The story is of a young woman who discovers that while she has been raised in an Amish home she is adopted. She is on a quest to find her birth mother during the play. While the story is fiction you do learn some things about the Amish lifestyle.Starting June 7, 2012 The Confession will debut in Sugarcreek, Ohio at the Carlisle Inn. There will be afternoon matinees as well as evening performances when most of Amish Country is closed. This Amish love story/musical will be running through December 15, 2012 and is something that will appeal to both men and women.
Garden Gate Get-A-Way Bed & Breakfast has created a package the weekend of September 21, 2012. Guests will be taken by bus to see The Confession and have dinner prior to the show on Saturday night. It is part of a 10th Anniversary celebration for the innkeepers.
Guests may book rooms at the bed and breakfast for any of the dates that this musical is running and the innkeepers will assist them in getting tickets for the show and also dinner. This is one show that you will not want to miss!
Written by Carol Steffey, Garden Gate Get-A-Way Bed & Breakfast, Millersburg, Ohio (330) 674-7608 www.garden-gate.com
For Millersburg Antiques Shop Antiques in the Alley 20 Apr 2012, 12:10 pm
If you've been to Millersburg, Ohio to shop for antiques then you will want to return for Antiques in the Alley. 2012 will mark the 8th year of this event and there are two dates set as of this writing: May 12 and August 4. Not only are there antique shops along Main Street in Historic Downtown Millersburg, but the alleys and lawns in the village will be set up with antique dealers with plenty to sell. Shop for everything from garden accents to furniture to art decor, etc. There will also be craft vendors set up this year!Written by Carol Steffey, Garden Gate Get-A-Way Bed & Breakfast, Millersburg, Ohio (330) 674-7608 www.garden-gate.com
New Wine Tasting Weekends in Ohio 18 Apr 2012, 8:22 am
If you like wine then you will want to check out these New wine tasting weekends in Amish Country, Ohio beginning May 2012. The first Ohio bed and breakfast to purchase their own tour bus has put together a wine tasting weekend for their B&B guests. You'll love having a designated driver so that you can enjoy all of the wine you want throughout the tour. This weekend package offers a tour on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 9-10 p.m. Your itinerary will include cheese factories, chocolate factory, wineries, wine tasting showrooms, winery tours, lunch, and dinner. The wine tasting at each stop is included in the price of the weekend packages. If you want a really fun time then get a group of friends together and take over the bed and breakfast/bus! For more information and pricing be sure to visit the website.Written by Carol Steffey, Garden Gate Get-A-Way Bed & Breakfast, Millersburg, Ohio (330) 674-7608 www.garden-gate.com
Take an Ohio Amish Country Tour on your next Vacation 16 Apr 2012, 10:29 am
If you really want to get in touch with the Amish, take an Ohio Amish Country tour on your next vacation. Garden Gate Get-A-Way Bed & Breakfast has their own tour bus and offer 2-hour and 4-hour back roads tours of Amish Country. Being surrounded by Amish neighbors has helped the owners to learn about culture and customs in their area. Guests will learn how the Amish live in church communities and what that means. They will hear about education, weddings, funerals, how the Amish run a business without electricity, and more. Both tours make stops along the route so that you have the opportunity to shop at Amish-owned businesses. Whether you like unique and unusual crafts and furniture, or you need to purchase a gift, you are sure so find something in the area. The Amish culture tours are offered throughout the week and by appointment. One guest told us that she thought that everyone should start their vacation with a 2-hour tour because it was so informative. Another said, "We truly enjoyed the 2 hour bus tour with Herb, what a wonderful tour guide with so much knowledge about the Amish."There are also specialty tours such as wine tasting weekends. For more information on dates and itineraries be sure to check out their website.
Written by Carol Steffey, Garden Gate Get-A-Way Bed & Breakfast, Millersburg, Ohio (330) 674-7608 www.garden-gate.com
Bed and Breakfast near Sugarcreek, Ohio Share History 14 Apr 2012, 7:56 am
Since our bed and breakfast is near Sugarcreek, Ohio I've always been curious about it's history and why it is called "Little Switzerland". Many people think of the intersection of State Routes 39 and 93 as "Sugarcreek". If you look at some of the signage you will see that they call that area Shanesville. I discovered that this intersection is where two Indian trails used to cross. A gentleman by the name of Abraham Shane gave the name of Shanesville to this town in 1814.Many of the people that settled in this area were Swiss descendants or German descendants. The rolling hills and country setting was much like that of their home Country. The population of the area grew so quickly because of the railroad that Shanesville was divided into two sections. The larger part of town was called East Shanesville. That part of town was near some water called Sugar Creek and they eventually changed the name from East Shanesville to have their own identity. Over time the two words were merged together to the name that we currently know, Sugarcreek.
It is no wonder why we find cheese factories in the area that produce award winning cheese since they brought their Swiss cheese making techniques to our country. Tourists today love the area for the bulk foods, gift shops, festivals such as the Ohio Swiss Festival, and for the food. Because Sugarcreek is in the area of the world's largest Amish community you will find a combination of Swiss and Amish businesses and food in the area.
Written by Carol Steffey, Garden Gate Get-A-Way Bed & Breakfast, Millersburg, Ohio (330) 674-7608 www.garden-gate.com
Bird Watching in Ohio: A Great Spring Activity 12 Apr 2012, 9:52 am
I love bird watching in Ohio but this Spring has been especially exciting. At our Ohio bed and breakfast we have some "regulars" other than people. A Robin has been making a nest on our front porch for a couple of years. It is always fun when the babies are ready to leave the nest. Guests staying in our Jacuzzi room can look out their window to find a Sparrow nesting in our Christmas wreath (didn't have the heart to take it down when a nest was being built). Near Springs Desire Cottage we have a new "guest" this year, a Killdeer decided to move in. It doesn't like us walking past it's nest and will spread its wings and squawk at us. In the Plum Tree near the campfire area we usually have a Robin nesting but this year they are fighting for territory with a Cardinal. Each evening when we sit around the campfire we can see them flying in and out. The area in between our Cottages has become home to some Mourning Doves. I find them resting in the wood chips and landscaping when I walk out to the cottages. It's nice to see our feathered friends back at our Amish Country Ohio bed and breakfast. I'm looking forward to exploring more bird watching in Ohio this Spring.Written by Carol Steffey, Garden Gate Get-A-Way Bed & Breakfast, Millersburg, Ohio (330) 674-7608 www.garden-gate.com
Ohio Bed and Breakfast Recipes Include Mom's Soft Raisin Cookies 30 Mar 2012, 7:34 am
At our Ohio bed and breakfast we put a plate of homemade cookies in our guest rooms each day. Our bed and breakfast recipes for cookies include 'Mom's Soft Raisin Cookies'. These cookies are so soft, so delicious, that no one can eat just one. This recipe was passed down from Carol's mother, who often bakes cookies for the guests.MOM'S SOFT RAISIN COOKIES
1 c. water
2 c. raisins
1 c. butter Crisco Sticks
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 t. vanilla extract
3 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
Combine raisins and water in a small saucepan; Bring to a boil; Cook 3 minutes; Remove from heat and let cool (don't drain)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla.
Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Gradually add to creamed mixture and blend thoroughly. Gently stir in raisins. (make sure they are cooled or cookies will flatten out too much when baked)
Drop by tablespoon, 2" apart, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.
Yields about 6 dozen small cookies.
Written by Carol Steffey, Garden Gate Get-A-Way Bed & Breakfast, Millersburg, Ohio (330) 674-7608 www.garden-gate.com