Arthur Home and Garden Expo
Mar. 8th, 2025 08:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithI finally finished organzing all the stuff I picked up yesterday, but by then it was too late to post, so this is a followup to the Today's Adventures.
The Arthur Home and Garden Expo was at the Otto Center. Here's their list of exhibitors so you can see the few we missed, but it's not linked to business pages, alas. There are lots of pictures with more on the Facebook page.
The expo held a scavenger hunt of multiple booths, each with a question to ask. I think there were about 9 on the card, but we had to turn them in to enter the drawing, and I didn't think to grab a blank one. Alas. It was absolutely an effective way to make us look at all the booths instead of skimming for personal interests alone. Without that, we would definitely have missed a lot of things that turned out to be very useful. Congratulations on a job well done, expo planners.
We picked up a LOT of swag. Why collect so much?
* Almost everything had a business name on it, and for some, that's what they handed out instead of business cards.
* It's a good way to stock up on handy things we'll use. I used to do that at the county fair, but that's a sad shadow of its former glory.
* Using things means seeing the name and being reminded of the business, whether for us or someone else. The rule is, swag is meant to advertise a business, so if somebody says they're looking for that kind of business, I will give them the pen or whatever, unless it's the last one I have and I desperately need to keep it in which case I will copy the information for them.
* Admittedly, we did goof a bit and accidentally picked up duplicates of a few things. I know the rulers were stuck together because they were still stuck when I took them out of the bag. The other duplicates came from us being in a hurry and one accidentally grabbing something the other had already picked up. I may bundle some of the duplicates and hand them to one of our charity thrift stores to spread out the resources.
* I plan to go through the previous containers of pens in the house and toss the ones that don't work, which I can only do when get a whole bunch of new ones.
* I basically barter for the swag with word of mouth advertising, because I do the trip reports and I talk about who I saw. If someone asks me later, I can usually turn up something for them. I have been called a walking billboard.
* When I get a huge haul like this, I organize the materials so we'll have them for reference later. We have basically assembled a guide to most of the home and yard businesses in the Arthur area, less the nurseries because only a couple of them came. I put the flyers in a binder and business cards held in a chip clip, all alphabetized. Doug's handful of stuff is on the left and everything else on the right.
It's also really interesting to look at patterns. Some people collect pens. I'm not that much into it, but I can see and feel that some of these are very light plastic while others are heavier metal. Most of the metal touches are silver, but there are several with copper, which is quite rare. I didn't get any gold ones this year. Some have finger grips at the bottom. The greenhouse pen is plastic with roses on it, which is really cute. That's the only picture pen this time, which is normally a popular style.
The carpenter pencils are rectangles so they can't roll away while you're working, which I love. They also have a really thick lead that resists breaking. I looked it up and there actually are sharpeners for these things -- I thought I'd have to do it by hand, but I'll look for a sharpener. (A carpenter pencil sharpener would've been a savvy handout too.) These will go in our toolbus to be available for, yes, handiwork projects. I do think it's awesome that the construction folks had carpenter pencils, also tape measures and rulers. The bank was one of the booths giving out rain gauges: save for a rainy day. I think it's cute when the swag actually refers back to the business somehow.
Some of these we'll use a lot. The chip clips, rain gauges, bottle openers, and tape measures will likely see heavy use. Some of this will go in my purse or the car. With 2 different rain gauges, I can find different places to put them outside. I just tend to love practical swag. Admittedly, I picked up the ball because it flashes when dropped and it makes me smile.
First place for most useful swag is a tie between First Neighbor Bank and Power Plus Equipment LLC for the rain gauges, but the tape measures from Power Plus and Mid-America Gutters came a very close second. Oh hey, Power Plus was in both of those categories, so I declare them the winner! \o/ But for sheer fun, it's the light-up ball from Olmstead Brothers Insulation.
Air freshener -- 2
Ball -- 1
Chip clip -- 3
Coupon -- 1
Cup sleeves -- 3
Frisbee -- 1
Jar opener -- 1
Keychain -- 4 (1 carabiner, 1 leather, 2 bottle openers from Legacy Solar)
Lanyard -- 1
Notepad -- 2
Tote bags -- 2
Pencils
* carpenter -- 6 (2 from Graber Building Supply)
* round -- 1
Pens -- 23 (1 blank, 2 from First Neighbor Bank, 2 from Graber Building Supply, 2 from Olmstead Brothers Insulation, 2 from Power Plus)
Peppermints -- 1
Rain gauges -- 2
Ruler -- (2 from Otto's Canvas)
Stickers -- 2 stars (on same paper)
Tape measure -- 3 (1 from Mid-America Gutters, 2 from Power Plus)
Total swag = 6 1/4 pounds
Some thoughts:
If I'd known the expo would be this huge, I would've brought some supplies to organize the swag. A couple folders, paperclips, and some baggies would've helped a lot. Once I realized how big it was, I should have picked up extra bags and not crammed most of the swag into one. But we were rushing, and that makes for mistakes. Yes, I'm serious enough about swagging to have an actual methodology for it and thus know when I goofed.
Shoppers, write down the business name and contact information on paper swag that doesn't have it already there. Use paperclips, bags, folders, etc. to group handfuls of stuff from the same vendor so you remember who sold what and/or to rough-sort things by category so they tangle less.
If you want a specific product from a vendor, write it on their business card, flyer, or somewhere else so you remember what you wanted from whom.
Ideally, write the event name and date on the card or flyer so you'll know where you found the booth. However, this quickly becomes unfeasible when you're picking up dozens, so I just put them all together and the event's guidebook is in there too which tells me what that folder is from.
Vendors, make sure your business name and contact information is on EVERY piece of swag and catalog, in case they get separated in someone's loot bag. Some booths stickered or stamped their brand catalogs with their local business data, but a lot of people forgot that part.
Good features in swag: affordable enough to give away, something people will want to use or play with, unique always stands out from the crowd, and related to your business helps them remember it too. One I didn't see that is always useful and you can run off on your home printer: bookmarks. Put your business information and any event sales on the front, leaving the back blank so people can take notes.
* * *
Doug Stuff
These were things my partner Doug picked up or handed to me. The folding sample sets of shingles were the heaviest things we picked up free. Some of these are places to contact later for intended projects.
Aerus
Portable air purifiers
Matt Barton, Branch Manager
1401 N Prospect Ave., Suite 12
Champaign, IL 61820
www.aerusofspringfield.com
www.beyondbyaerus.com
Central Roofing
Jeran Craig, Project Manager
Swag: tote bag, carpenter pencil, foam cup sleeve, frisbee
Iko Performance Nordic & Dynasty Shingles
First Neighbor Bank
Kelley Bean, Branch Manager
601 South Vine Street
Arthur, IL 61911
(on back)
Beverly Reisner
Income tax prep
Charleston office
Swag: rain gauge, jar opener / waterproof mat, round pencil, 2 pens with finger grip
Legacy Building Supply
Open house March 21, 2025 8 AM - 8 PM
Swag: ribbon lanyard, pen, carpenter pencil
Legacy Solar + Electric
Swag (2 bottle opener keychains, pen)
Owens Corning TruDefinition Duration Shingles
Pinnacle Point Graphics
They printed the excellent guidebook to the event, complete with map, that we didn't even look at onsite because we were in a hurry. Next year, check the guidebook first.
1059 E Columbia
Arthur, IL
Swag: pen
Rubix Storage Solved (brand name, not business name)
Batteries for solar panels
West Point Woodworking, LLC
6565 West 200 N
Shipshewana, IN 46565
Swag: pen
* * *
Purchases
These are things we bought at the expo.
Aerus
Portable air purifiers -- we ordered one for the bedroom.
Matt Barton, Branch Manager
1401 N Prospect Ave., Suite 12
Champaign, IL 61820
www.aerusofspringfield.com
www.beyondbyaerus.com
Golden Ridge Farms
Pure maple products and more (from Wisconsin)
Excellent maple root beer! We bought one cold, and 10 minutes later went back to buy a 4-pack. If we see them at another event we will happily buy more.
Mini Bronuts
Food truck with fresh hot mini donuts with toppings including cinnamon sugar, powded sugar, cookies & cream, maple, and raspberry
We bought 2 each of cinnamon sugar, maple, and raspberry. Best fresh mini donuts ever, by a very large margin. If we see them again at another event, we won't bother with the ordinary flavors but will focus on the fancy toppings. Also we'll likely get 12 instead of 6 because those did not last long at all.
The Ultimate Harvest
Freeze-dried foods, freeze-dryers, and custom freeze-drying service
This booth offered free tasting samples of available foods, so I was able to try several things and pick out favorites. That's how I got one small bag each of strawberries and apples, instead of gambling on just one.
(also)
Sunny Ridge Naturals
Martha Plank
* * *
Items of Interest
These are things we paid attention to and might take a closer look at later.
Amish Country Heirlooms
Furniture
This vendor had a unique end table. It's narrow with a top that folds in on itself, kind of like a reverse drop leaf, so it can be wide or narrow. The top part swivels, and under it is a solid table part, so you basically have two table sections in that mode. But the really cool thing is that it has a metal jack underneath to raise that top part upward, so you can be sitting in a chair or bed and swivel it over your lap. It's not quite a gizmo but is close enough to make me think of one. I'm not sure I want to pay $650 for an end table, but it is super well made and memorable. Excellent piece for an apartment or other tight space.
Swag: leather keychain
Arthur and Amish Country Activities
2025 Calendar of Events
Arthur Area Association of Commerce & Simply Arthur
Yes, events for the WHOLE YEAR listed in early March. There's an online calendar too. Let's give them a round of applause for extreme competence.
Farmstead Fabrics & Variety
I didn't actually see anyone selling fabric, but there was a booth selling window coverings, so that might have been it. If not, I somehow missed it. Scouting Amish area fabric stores is on my task list due to Joann's closing.
1638 County Road 2000 N
Arthur, IL, United States, Illinois
Swag: pen
GDS Enterprises
Generators, mowers, tillers; BCS 2-wheel tractors; Ferris mowers
I am frankly coveting that 2-wheeled tractor which has a ton of attachments. I'm particularly interested in a brush hog and a snow blower. The idea is that you buy ONE engine and then a bunch of attachments for different tasks, instead of having to pay for a separate engine every time. Plus it's more maneuverable than our lawn tractor.
Glen Schlabach
179 N Spruce Street
Arthur, IL 61911
Graber's Greenhouse
Plants, seeds, and supplies
They had a flowerpot with attached tomato cage. I WANT some of these. Alas, the greenhouse isn't open yet. If they'd brought a stack for sale I would've bought some on the spot. It's small, but that's okay, I want something less prone to wind-tipping.
1877 Jonathan Creek
Sullivan , IL 61951
Temporary Closed Until Spring
Swag: pen
Greenhouse on display
I'm not sure who brought this but it was much better than other ones I've seen locally. It had a wraparound bench at about hip height. There were 3 operable windows on each long wall and two on one short wall, plus a roof vent, for ventilation. It was very sturdy and attractive. Miller's Storage Buildings had a sign nearby, so it might be theirs.
Pampered Chef
Rosina Miller
Purveyor of our favorite almond pound cake that she didn't have at the expo, but does bring to the street fairs, and which we will definitely buy at the Strawberry Jam later this year.
Power Plus Equipment LLC
Echo yard tools
Arthur, IL
Swag: rain gauge, 2 pens, 2 keychain tape measures (flexible metal tape, metric/standard, with lock)
Seamless Exterior Solutions
Metal roofing
Swag: carpenter pencil, pen
* * *
Other
This is other stuff, mostly of less immediate interest.
Busey 150
Bank
Swag: pen
C-U Trade Services
Heating, Ventilating & Air Conditioning Service
1153 County Rd 1200 E
Champaign, IL, United States, Illinois
Swag: heavy-duty chip clip with strong spring, teeth, and magnet
Central Illinois Seamless Gutters
Arcola, IL
Central Power Products
Generators and custom systems
131 State Rt. 133
Arthur, IL 61911
Swag: pen
Choice Rental LLC
They rent medium to heavy equipment including brush hogs and stump grinders.
131 State Rt 133
Arthur, IL 61911
Country Shoe LLC
2068 North Co Road 1800 East
Arthur, Illinois 61911
Swag: pen
Countryside Flooring
Carpet, hardwood, laminate and vinyl flooring
Serving Tuscola, Arthur, Sullivan, Charleston, Champaign and surrounding areas
551 E. CR 300 North
Arcola, IL 61910
Swag: pen with finger grip, spiral notepad with elastic closure and attached pen
Eco Easy Products
Housecleaning supplies
Distributor, Kim Schoch
1324 Springdale North
Quincy, IL 62305
Four Seasons Sunrooms & Windows
Utterly gorgeous glass-enclosed living spaces with high-tech glass so it doesn't turn into an oven.
505 E Chestnut St
Bondville, IL
Furniture Plus
2062 N. CR 1800 East.
Arthur, IL 61911
Swag: heavy-duty chip clip with strong spring, teeth, and magnet
Gingerich Tree Farm
From the price list, they're specializing in larger landscape-sized trees for when you really want something visible immediately.
2226 CR 1700 E
Arthur, IL 61911
Graber Building Supply
Arcola (also 3 other towns)
Swag: construction pencil, 2 pens with finger grip
Graber & Sons Construction
Serving East Central IL and Surrounding Areas
Swag: air freshener (Cool Water scent), construction pencil
Iconic Insulation
Sprayfoam insulation
Swag: magnetic chip clip, pen
Kaskaskia Kreations
Custom decorated china
Styles range from simple and elegant to elaborate florals and fanciful edges. It instantly caught my eye as a splendid wedding gift, although they support other memorable occasions too -- baby shower gifts, collectible plates, personalized mugs, etc. If you're into cottagecore at all you will love this.
456 E County Road 675 N
Tuscola, IL 61953-7534
Kaufmann Amish Furniture Outlet
Plus Amish goods and foods
468 E Springfield Rd
Arcola, IL 61910
Mid-America Gutters LLC
2165 COUNTY ROAD 850 EAST
LOVINGTON, IL 61937
Swag: air freshener (spicy aftershave scent), pen with finger grip, medium-size tape measure (wrist loop, belt clip stiff metal tape with metric and standard, pause button, and lock)
Miller Building Systems LLC
Steel buildings
433 E County Road 100N
Arcola, IL 61910
Miller's Storage Buildings
I'm not sure who brought the greenhouse, but this business had a sign nearby.
Olmstead Brothers Insulation
654 Castle Drive
Charleston, IL 61920
Swag: 2 pens, light-up blue ball
Pilot G-2 O7
Swag: pen
Poly-Furniture
Product flyer, but no business name
Made with Tangent sustainable lumber
This was really nice park-quality furniture made from synthetic materials.
Pure Water Solutions
106 Peace Road
Arthur, IL 61911
Swag: pen
Otto's Canvas LLC
Custom canvas: boat covers, boat enclosures, tarps, grill covers and window shades.
1749B St. Hwy. 133
Arthur, IL 61911
Swag: 7-inch ruler with lanyard hole
Renewal by Andersen
Full-service window & door replacement
Swag: foam cup sleeve
Rent-a-Tent
Eco Slab ground protection system 100% recycled and recyclable
hexagons, slip resistant, slotted for drainage or closed
I was really impressed with these things. They remind me of the military's modular portable units for creating roads, docks, or bridges. They can be used for temporary or permanent coverage.
317 E Lincoln Street
Arthur, IL 61911
S&S Heating
Fireplaces, woodstoves, and supplies
359 N CR 475 E
Arthur, Illinois 61910
Swag: pen
Superior Floor Coatings
Epoxy flooring
This was one of the prettier floor covering options.
Gary Herschberger
Tools Plus
Our go-to hardware store in Arthur for lawn equipment.
2096 N Co Rd 1800 E.
Arthur, IL 61911
Swag: Milwaukee foam cup sleeve
Trailside Farm
Hoop buildings
649 N CR 125E
Arthur, IL 61911
Tri-County Woodcrafts
Beautiful, sturdy furniture in a rustic "log-cabin" style
1758 B CR 1550 N
Arthur, IL 61911
Trimmed Up Trees, Inc.
Tree removal and trimming
Sadly they had to reduce their service area to what they could handle in a timely manner, and no longer cover our locale. Lack of blue-collar workers in our area is becoming a serious problem.
125 N 1425 East Rd
Atwood, Illinois, 61913
Swag: flat case of sugarfree peppermints with business card glued to front, carabiner-style keychain
Wellspring Solar
120 E CR 100 N, Arthur, IL 61911
Swag: pen
The Woodpecker
Custom cabinetry, furniture, and more
1369 CR 2000 N
Sullivan, IL 61951
Yoder's Kettle Corn
Popcorn
Swag: coupon
The Arthur Home and Garden Expo was at the Otto Center. Here's their list of exhibitors so you can see the few we missed, but it's not linked to business pages, alas. There are lots of pictures with more on the Facebook page.
The expo held a scavenger hunt of multiple booths, each with a question to ask. I think there were about 9 on the card, but we had to turn them in to enter the drawing, and I didn't think to grab a blank one. Alas. It was absolutely an effective way to make us look at all the booths instead of skimming for personal interests alone. Without that, we would definitely have missed a lot of things that turned out to be very useful. Congratulations on a job well done, expo planners.
We picked up a LOT of swag. Why collect so much?
* Almost everything had a business name on it, and for some, that's what they handed out instead of business cards.
* It's a good way to stock up on handy things we'll use. I used to do that at the county fair, but that's a sad shadow of its former glory.
* Using things means seeing the name and being reminded of the business, whether for us or someone else. The rule is, swag is meant to advertise a business, so if somebody says they're looking for that kind of business, I will give them the pen or whatever, unless it's the last one I have and I desperately need to keep it in which case I will copy the information for them.
* Admittedly, we did goof a bit and accidentally picked up duplicates of a few things. I know the rulers were stuck together because they were still stuck when I took them out of the bag. The other duplicates came from us being in a hurry and one accidentally grabbing something the other had already picked up. I may bundle some of the duplicates and hand them to one of our charity thrift stores to spread out the resources.
* I plan to go through the previous containers of pens in the house and toss the ones that don't work, which I can only do when get a whole bunch of new ones.
* I basically barter for the swag with word of mouth advertising, because I do the trip reports and I talk about who I saw. If someone asks me later, I can usually turn up something for them. I have been called a walking billboard.
* When I get a huge haul like this, I organize the materials so we'll have them for reference later. We have basically assembled a guide to most of the home and yard businesses in the Arthur area, less the nurseries because only a couple of them came. I put the flyers in a binder and business cards held in a chip clip, all alphabetized. Doug's handful of stuff is on the left and everything else on the right.
It's also really interesting to look at patterns. Some people collect pens. I'm not that much into it, but I can see and feel that some of these are very light plastic while others are heavier metal. Most of the metal touches are silver, but there are several with copper, which is quite rare. I didn't get any gold ones this year. Some have finger grips at the bottom. The greenhouse pen is plastic with roses on it, which is really cute. That's the only picture pen this time, which is normally a popular style.
The carpenter pencils are rectangles so they can't roll away while you're working, which I love. They also have a really thick lead that resists breaking. I looked it up and there actually are sharpeners for these things -- I thought I'd have to do it by hand, but I'll look for a sharpener. (A carpenter pencil sharpener would've been a savvy handout too.) These will go in our toolbus to be available for, yes, handiwork projects. I do think it's awesome that the construction folks had carpenter pencils, also tape measures and rulers. The bank was one of the booths giving out rain gauges: save for a rainy day. I think it's cute when the swag actually refers back to the business somehow.
Some of these we'll use a lot. The chip clips, rain gauges, bottle openers, and tape measures will likely see heavy use. Some of this will go in my purse or the car. With 2 different rain gauges, I can find different places to put them outside. I just tend to love practical swag. Admittedly, I picked up the ball because it flashes when dropped and it makes me smile.
First place for most useful swag is a tie between First Neighbor Bank and Power Plus Equipment LLC for the rain gauges, but the tape measures from Power Plus and Mid-America Gutters came a very close second. Oh hey, Power Plus was in both of those categories, so I declare them the winner! \o/ But for sheer fun, it's the light-up ball from Olmstead Brothers Insulation.
Air freshener -- 2
Ball -- 1
Chip clip -- 3
Coupon -- 1
Cup sleeves -- 3
Frisbee -- 1
Jar opener -- 1
Keychain -- 4 (1 carabiner, 1 leather, 2 bottle openers from Legacy Solar)
Lanyard -- 1
Notepad -- 2
Tote bags -- 2
Pencils
* carpenter -- 6 (2 from Graber Building Supply)
* round -- 1
Pens -- 23 (1 blank, 2 from First Neighbor Bank, 2 from Graber Building Supply, 2 from Olmstead Brothers Insulation, 2 from Power Plus)
Peppermints -- 1
Rain gauges -- 2
Ruler -- (2 from Otto's Canvas)
Stickers -- 2 stars (on same paper)
Tape measure -- 3 (1 from Mid-America Gutters, 2 from Power Plus)
Total swag = 6 1/4 pounds
Some thoughts:
If I'd known the expo would be this huge, I would've brought some supplies to organize the swag. A couple folders, paperclips, and some baggies would've helped a lot. Once I realized how big it was, I should have picked up extra bags and not crammed most of the swag into one. But we were rushing, and that makes for mistakes. Yes, I'm serious enough about swagging to have an actual methodology for it and thus know when I goofed.
Shoppers, write down the business name and contact information on paper swag that doesn't have it already there. Use paperclips, bags, folders, etc. to group handfuls of stuff from the same vendor so you remember who sold what and/or to rough-sort things by category so they tangle less.
If you want a specific product from a vendor, write it on their business card, flyer, or somewhere else so you remember what you wanted from whom.
Ideally, write the event name and date on the card or flyer so you'll know where you found the booth. However, this quickly becomes unfeasible when you're picking up dozens, so I just put them all together and the event's guidebook is in there too which tells me what that folder is from.
Vendors, make sure your business name and contact information is on EVERY piece of swag and catalog, in case they get separated in someone's loot bag. Some booths stickered or stamped their brand catalogs with their local business data, but a lot of people forgot that part.
Good features in swag: affordable enough to give away, something people will want to use or play with, unique always stands out from the crowd, and related to your business helps them remember it too. One I didn't see that is always useful and you can run off on your home printer: bookmarks. Put your business information and any event sales on the front, leaving the back blank so people can take notes.
* * *
Doug Stuff
These were things my partner Doug picked up or handed to me. The folding sample sets of shingles were the heaviest things we picked up free. Some of these are places to contact later for intended projects.
Aerus
Portable air purifiers
Matt Barton, Branch Manager
1401 N Prospect Ave., Suite 12
Champaign, IL 61820
www.aerusofspringfield.com
www.beyondbyaerus.com
Central Roofing
Jeran Craig, Project Manager
Swag: tote bag, carpenter pencil, foam cup sleeve, frisbee
Iko Performance Nordic & Dynasty Shingles
First Neighbor Bank
Kelley Bean, Branch Manager
601 South Vine Street
Arthur, IL 61911
(on back)
Beverly Reisner
Income tax prep
Charleston office
Swag: rain gauge, jar opener / waterproof mat, round pencil, 2 pens with finger grip
Legacy Building Supply
Open house March 21, 2025 8 AM - 8 PM
Swag: ribbon lanyard, pen, carpenter pencil
Legacy Solar + Electric
Swag (2 bottle opener keychains, pen)
Owens Corning TruDefinition Duration Shingles
Pinnacle Point Graphics
They printed the excellent guidebook to the event, complete with map, that we didn't even look at onsite because we were in a hurry. Next year, check the guidebook first.
1059 E Columbia
Arthur, IL
Swag: pen
Rubix Storage Solved (brand name, not business name)
Batteries for solar panels
West Point Woodworking, LLC
6565 West 200 N
Shipshewana, IN 46565
Swag: pen
* * *
Purchases
These are things we bought at the expo.
Aerus
Portable air purifiers -- we ordered one for the bedroom.
Matt Barton, Branch Manager
1401 N Prospect Ave., Suite 12
Champaign, IL 61820
www.aerusofspringfield.com
www.beyondbyaerus.com
Golden Ridge Farms
Pure maple products and more (from Wisconsin)
Excellent maple root beer! We bought one cold, and 10 minutes later went back to buy a 4-pack. If we see them at another event we will happily buy more.
Mini Bronuts
Food truck with fresh hot mini donuts with toppings including cinnamon sugar, powded sugar, cookies & cream, maple, and raspberry
We bought 2 each of cinnamon sugar, maple, and raspberry. Best fresh mini donuts ever, by a very large margin. If we see them again at another event, we won't bother with the ordinary flavors but will focus on the fancy toppings. Also we'll likely get 12 instead of 6 because those did not last long at all.
The Ultimate Harvest
Freeze-dried foods, freeze-dryers, and custom freeze-drying service
This booth offered free tasting samples of available foods, so I was able to try several things and pick out favorites. That's how I got one small bag each of strawberries and apples, instead of gambling on just one.
(also)
Sunny Ridge Naturals
Martha Plank
* * *
Items of Interest
These are things we paid attention to and might take a closer look at later.
Amish Country Heirlooms
Furniture
This vendor had a unique end table. It's narrow with a top that folds in on itself, kind of like a reverse drop leaf, so it can be wide or narrow. The top part swivels, and under it is a solid table part, so you basically have two table sections in that mode. But the really cool thing is that it has a metal jack underneath to raise that top part upward, so you can be sitting in a chair or bed and swivel it over your lap. It's not quite a gizmo but is close enough to make me think of one. I'm not sure I want to pay $650 for an end table, but it is super well made and memorable. Excellent piece for an apartment or other tight space.
Swag: leather keychain
Arthur and Amish Country Activities
2025 Calendar of Events
Arthur Area Association of Commerce & Simply Arthur
Yes, events for the WHOLE YEAR listed in early March. There's an online calendar too. Let's give them a round of applause for extreme competence.
Farmstead Fabrics & Variety
I didn't actually see anyone selling fabric, but there was a booth selling window coverings, so that might have been it. If not, I somehow missed it. Scouting Amish area fabric stores is on my task list due to Joann's closing.
1638 County Road 2000 N
Arthur, IL, United States, Illinois
Swag: pen
GDS Enterprises
Generators, mowers, tillers; BCS 2-wheel tractors; Ferris mowers
I am frankly coveting that 2-wheeled tractor which has a ton of attachments. I'm particularly interested in a brush hog and a snow blower. The idea is that you buy ONE engine and then a bunch of attachments for different tasks, instead of having to pay for a separate engine every time. Plus it's more maneuverable than our lawn tractor.
Glen Schlabach
179 N Spruce Street
Arthur, IL 61911
Graber's Greenhouse
Plants, seeds, and supplies
They had a flowerpot with attached tomato cage. I WANT some of these. Alas, the greenhouse isn't open yet. If they'd brought a stack for sale I would've bought some on the spot. It's small, but that's okay, I want something less prone to wind-tipping.
1877 Jonathan Creek
Sullivan , IL 61951
Temporary Closed Until Spring
Swag: pen
Greenhouse on display
I'm not sure who brought this but it was much better than other ones I've seen locally. It had a wraparound bench at about hip height. There were 3 operable windows on each long wall and two on one short wall, plus a roof vent, for ventilation. It was very sturdy and attractive. Miller's Storage Buildings had a sign nearby, so it might be theirs.
Pampered Chef
Rosina Miller
Purveyor of our favorite almond pound cake that she didn't have at the expo, but does bring to the street fairs, and which we will definitely buy at the Strawberry Jam later this year.
Power Plus Equipment LLC
Echo yard tools
Arthur, IL
Swag: rain gauge, 2 pens, 2 keychain tape measures (flexible metal tape, metric/standard, with lock)
Seamless Exterior Solutions
Metal roofing
Swag: carpenter pencil, pen
* * *
Other
This is other stuff, mostly of less immediate interest.
Busey 150
Bank
Swag: pen
C-U Trade Services
Heating, Ventilating & Air Conditioning Service
1153 County Rd 1200 E
Champaign, IL, United States, Illinois
Swag: heavy-duty chip clip with strong spring, teeth, and magnet
Central Illinois Seamless Gutters
Arcola, IL
Central Power Products
Generators and custom systems
131 State Rt. 133
Arthur, IL 61911
Swag: pen
Choice Rental LLC
They rent medium to heavy equipment including brush hogs and stump grinders.
131 State Rt 133
Arthur, IL 61911
Country Shoe LLC
2068 North Co Road 1800 East
Arthur, Illinois 61911
Swag: pen
Countryside Flooring
Carpet, hardwood, laminate and vinyl flooring
Serving Tuscola, Arthur, Sullivan, Charleston, Champaign and surrounding areas
551 E. CR 300 North
Arcola, IL 61910
Swag: pen with finger grip, spiral notepad with elastic closure and attached pen
Eco Easy Products
Housecleaning supplies
Distributor, Kim Schoch
1324 Springdale North
Quincy, IL 62305
Four Seasons Sunrooms & Windows
Utterly gorgeous glass-enclosed living spaces with high-tech glass so it doesn't turn into an oven.
505 E Chestnut St
Bondville, IL
Furniture Plus
2062 N. CR 1800 East.
Arthur, IL 61911
Swag: heavy-duty chip clip with strong spring, teeth, and magnet
Gingerich Tree Farm
From the price list, they're specializing in larger landscape-sized trees for when you really want something visible immediately.
2226 CR 1700 E
Arthur, IL 61911
Graber Building Supply
Arcola (also 3 other towns)
Swag: construction pencil, 2 pens with finger grip
Graber & Sons Construction
Serving East Central IL and Surrounding Areas
Swag: air freshener (Cool Water scent), construction pencil
Iconic Insulation
Sprayfoam insulation
Swag: magnetic chip clip, pen
Kaskaskia Kreations
Custom decorated china
Styles range from simple and elegant to elaborate florals and fanciful edges. It instantly caught my eye as a splendid wedding gift, although they support other memorable occasions too -- baby shower gifts, collectible plates, personalized mugs, etc. If you're into cottagecore at all you will love this.
456 E County Road 675 N
Tuscola, IL 61953-7534
Kaufmann Amish Furniture Outlet
Plus Amish goods and foods
468 E Springfield Rd
Arcola, IL 61910
Mid-America Gutters LLC
2165 COUNTY ROAD 850 EAST
LOVINGTON, IL 61937
Swag: air freshener (spicy aftershave scent), pen with finger grip, medium-size tape measure (wrist loop, belt clip stiff metal tape with metric and standard, pause button, and lock)
Miller Building Systems LLC
Steel buildings
433 E County Road 100N
Arcola, IL 61910
Miller's Storage Buildings
I'm not sure who brought the greenhouse, but this business had a sign nearby.
Olmstead Brothers Insulation
654 Castle Drive
Charleston, IL 61920
Swag: 2 pens, light-up blue ball
Pilot G-2 O7
Swag: pen
Poly-Furniture
Product flyer, but no business name
Made with Tangent sustainable lumber
This was really nice park-quality furniture made from synthetic materials.
Pure Water Solutions
106 Peace Road
Arthur, IL 61911
Swag: pen
Otto's Canvas LLC
Custom canvas: boat covers, boat enclosures, tarps, grill covers and window shades.
1749B St. Hwy. 133
Arthur, IL 61911
Swag: 7-inch ruler with lanyard hole
Renewal by Andersen
Full-service window & door replacement
Swag: foam cup sleeve
Rent-a-Tent
Eco Slab ground protection system 100% recycled and recyclable
hexagons, slip resistant, slotted for drainage or closed
I was really impressed with these things. They remind me of the military's modular portable units for creating roads, docks, or bridges. They can be used for temporary or permanent coverage.
317 E Lincoln Street
Arthur, IL 61911
S&S Heating
Fireplaces, woodstoves, and supplies
359 N CR 475 E
Arthur, Illinois 61910
Swag: pen
Superior Floor Coatings
Epoxy flooring
This was one of the prettier floor covering options.
Gary Herschberger
Tools Plus
Our go-to hardware store in Arthur for lawn equipment.
2096 N Co Rd 1800 E.
Arthur, IL 61911
Swag: Milwaukee foam cup sleeve
Trailside Farm
Hoop buildings
649 N CR 125E
Arthur, IL 61911
Tri-County Woodcrafts
Beautiful, sturdy furniture in a rustic "log-cabin" style
1758 B CR 1550 N
Arthur, IL 61911
Trimmed Up Trees, Inc.
Tree removal and trimming
Sadly they had to reduce their service area to what they could handle in a timely manner, and no longer cover our locale. Lack of blue-collar workers in our area is becoming a serious problem.
125 N 1425 East Rd
Atwood, Illinois, 61913
Swag: flat case of sugarfree peppermints with business card glued to front, carabiner-style keychain
Wellspring Solar
120 E CR 100 N, Arthur, IL 61911
Swag: pen
The Woodpecker
Custom cabinetry, furniture, and more
1369 CR 2000 N
Sullivan, IL 61951
Yoder's Kettle Corn
Popcorn
Swag: coupon
(no subject)
Date: 2025-03-09 05:41 am (UTC)Yes ...
Date: 2025-03-09 08:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2025-03-09 10:42 am (UTC)Carpenter's pencils are also sharpenable with a utility knife; there are several specialty point types you can achieve that way.
When I'm at a show, the first thing I look for is the booths giving away tote bags. Some are incredibly useful. In the Seattle area, at least, Ikea gives away their huge blue shopping bags, and one of the credit unions (BECU) gives out Chico bags, which stuff into a stuff bag attached to the inside, and make fabulous shopping bags.
Thoughts
Date: 2025-03-09 10:54 am (UTC)I was expecting to sharpen it by hand. I'm curious whether the sharpeners would be more efficient.
>> When I'm at a show, the first thing I look for is the booths giving away tote bags. <<
:D In fact, the reception desk just inside the door was handing out bags along with event guidebooks and scavenger hunt cards.