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Cool, practical pet products: Beds, perches, toys

Catering to cats and dogs could put you out of house and home. Or not. If you don’t have thousands to spend or unlimited space, consider these relatively low-cost pet treats:

Jeld-Wen has a vinyl sliding patio door ($900) with an integrated panel (additional $450) for medium, large and extra large pets (see pet size and weight chart recommendations at www.JELD-WEN.com, 800-535-3936). A magnetic pull prevents the clear flap from being blown open by strong winds.

Max Marvin of Portland was inspired by his dog’s down moods in the gray days of winter to shine a light on pets suffering from seasonal affective disorder. He came up with Pawsitive Lighting Sol Box ($129.99, 503-395-7299, www.pawsitivelighting.com)‎, a free-standing, portable light that emits 10,000 lux of full spectrum white light, equivalent to a sunny day.

Dogs who chow down too quickly at the expense of their gut can go on a slow-speed food hunt with Dog Games Slo-Bowl ($25, 800-477-5735, www.slo-bowls.com), a plastic feeder with a maze of ridges and valleys. A non-slip rubber base holds the in bowls – available in purple, orange, gray and other colors – in place, even during exuberant eating. The bowls hold up to 2 cups of dry dog food and are safe to clean in the top rack of the dishwasher.

Larry and Claudia Clark of Tualatin-based Critter Beds (503-625-5844, critterbeds.com) make plush dog beds and loungers from American-made washable, reversible fabric. The covers have Berber lining and Thermo-bonded batting. The beds come in a range of prints, sizes, shapes and start at $33.

Gone Doggin has 80 breeds depicted in tiles ($25, 530-477-5925, www.gonedoggin.com) and Susan Osher’s customers install them in kitchen back splashs, bathrooms or use them as trivets. “Dog people are a little crazy,” she says. “They come up with all kinds of ideas.”

Matt Warford (503-253-8035, www.bigdogart.com) creates frameable, original oil paintings on canvas (starting at $475) that bring out the character and personality of his subjects: from tiny pugs to frisky golden retrievers. He works from photos or personal meetings, treating the work as he would a human portrait, still life or landscape.

When cats and dogs shed, clothing, furniture and car interiors get shaggy. The new Rowenta Ultrasteam Steambrush ($40, at discount and department stores) has a fabric brush, lint pad and travel brush for removing threads, hair and pet fur.

Sure Fit‘s waterproof pet covers for sofas, loveseats, chairs, beds or car seats come in styles to match your decor or your dog’s pedigree, from Ballad Bouquet to Bright Suede. The wrinkle-resistant covers ($49.99) and mats are also being used in homes with sticky-fingered toddlers and in dorm rooms with drink-spilling coeds. Coordinating pieces include dining room chair covers, furniture throws and pillows.

Cats who love to play in plain old boxes can move up to stylishly modern Catty Stacks condos ($14.99, www.cattystacks.com), stackable modules with round holes for a 20-pound cat or smaller to crawl into and peek out of. The boxes are made of recycled, industrial-strength, corrugated Ultraboard and colorized with vegetable-based ink.

Lakeside Products has MagnaBox whelping boxes (starting at $320, 877-362-7980, www.lakesideproducts.com) made of kitchen cutting board-grade plastic that will not rust, stain or discolor. Nook and slot connectors make it easy to disassemble and clean these cribs, and rails are self supporting so there are no legs to trap puppies. A playpen can be attached to the front to double the running around area.

Organic and gluten-free dog treats can be homemade with the Bake A Bone The Original Electric Dog Treat Maker ($39.99, www.kohls.com). Nonstick stainless steel plates can make four bones at a time. A cookbook with 30 organic and gluten-free recipes is include.

Cats can take their rightful watchful position with this leopard-print window perch with bolster by KH Pet ($54.99, www.kohls.com). The soft orthopedic foam and micro fleece cover is removable for machine washing.

Sharpen your kitties’ natural predatory behaviors or just tease and please them with Pioneer Pet SmartCat Peek-A-Prize Toy Box ($29.99, www.kohls.com). Partially hide toys or treats in the wooden box and then watch cats fish them out.

— Janet Eastman

Search for landscaping ideas, and you could find a treasure

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Interested in adding a little style and charm to your yard? Belgard Hardscapes may be just the thing you’re looking for. With a variety of styles and colors to choose from, you’ll have no problem finding just the right product for your project.

Visit the huge Belgard trailer display to see the latest Belgard hardscape products for your yard and landscape. Tour Belgard’s mobile showroom, packed full of ideas for your outdoor living space. The trailer features a wide variety of Belgard products, including an outdoor kitchen, waterfall, fireplace and a wood fired brick oven, all on top of a floor that’s been finished with some of Belgard’s most popular pavers.

These days, more people are making the choice to stay and improve their current home versus purchasing a new one. Because of that, they are looking for new and interesting ways to utilize their space. Many of these people have taken to the outdoors, adding paver driveways and walkways, but one of the more popular trends in the home improvement industry is the outdoor living space.

Your patio can be much more than just a concrete slab and should be thought of as another room attached to your home. Your patio is a place that you share moments with your family and entertain guests. Why not invest in making it an extension of your home? With a good contractor and a little bit of creativity, it’s easy to turn that boring concrete slab into a beautiful outdoor room.

Belgard specializes in making products to transform your back patio into a new living room, dining room, or even a kitchen. They also offer a list of Belgard Authorized Contractors. Authorized Contractors provide installation services following ICPI standards and are approved by Belgard through a rigorous screening process. With products ranging from pavers and retaining walls to wood fired brick ovens and fireplaces, Belgard has everything you need to create the outdoor living space you’ve been dreaming of and can help you find the contractor to do it.

Search the show for the latest landscaping materials and ideas, and you might find a treasure! Show visitors can participate in the Belgard Treasure Hunt and register to win an outdoor fireplace. Go to Belgard Hardscapes, Booth 503, to receive a map showing the landscapes in the show that feature Belgard hardscape materials. Visit these booths and find the “treasure” located in each one. Return the map to Belgard’s booth, vote for your favorite landscape and you will be entered to win an outdoor fireplace. Some restrictions apply.

Sponsored by 106.5 The Arch

Residents, food flourish at Camillus House garden

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Among the flourishing collard greens, cabbage and eggplants is where Teresa Conyers feels most at peace.

Peace was once an elusive concept to the 50-year-old recovering drug addict who once slept in abandoned warehouses. Her days revolved around scheming to get her next high.

“My life was a living hell. I used to sell my body. I got beat up in the streets. I didn’t know where my next meal was coming from, but I just couldn’t stop,” she said.

Conyers is one of 300 transitioning homeless clients who live at Camillus House’s new state-of-the-art facility at 1603 NW Seventh Ave. She lives in a dormitory-style room with five other women. Her days consist of a variety of meetings including therapy and life skills.

The meetings help, Conyers said.

But it is an unlikely place in the middle of the sprawling campus where Conyers and other recovering homeless find a different kind of healing — some call it spiritual.

Tucked behind the dining hall on an undeveloped parcel of land sits rows of cinder blocks bursting with kale, collard greens, peppers and different types of herbs. The 1-year-old garden is run by clients like Conyers who volunteer to plant and harvest the crops. The fresh produce is eventually served to the 500 homeless and transitioning homeless guests who visit the dining hall daily.

The garden volunteers at Camillus House learn about nutrition and agriculture and develop work skills.

“To me it’s not just a garden. It gives me hope that I can make it another day,” Conyers said.

The Camillus House garden was developed by Marvin Dunn, a psychologist and director of Roots in the City, a nonprofit organization with urban gardens in Overtown.

Dunn is a proponent of the therapeutic value of gardens. He said it has a positive impact on the physical and mental well being.

“It really helps improve the therapeutic environment. There’s something that is very calming to have plants around, particularly food,’’ he said. “Some get nostalgic remembering an earlier happier period of their life.”

Holding up a bunch of freshly cut collard green leaves to the sky, Conyers said her life is analogous to the crops she tends to.

She explains, “When you first plant the seeds and it turns into a plant, sometimes the plant struggles. The leaves turn brown and you think, ‘It’s not going to make it.’ You tend to it, you water it, you talk to it, you don’t give up on it and then one day you come out here and you see it survived. I struggled too. I survived.”

Darrick Bradford is also a survivor.

A former client of Camillus House, he now lives on his own and is a chef in the dining hall.

He takes pride in the meals he serve to the public; he never puts anything on a plate he hasn’t tasted himself. The harvests from the garden add another dimension to his cooking, he says.

“It’s the difference between cooking with freshly caught fish and buying the prepacked stuff,” the self-taught cook said. “It’s amazing to come out here and get fresh greens and salad tomatoes. People think you should feed the homeless anything. We don’t.”

Bradford said the garden volunteers who haul in plastic bags and clear buckets full of the latest pickings remind him of his journey from addiction.

“I was addicted to cocaine. When I got here in 2008 I was fresh out of jail,” he said. “You have to get involved in something that is not about you. You have to give back and pay it forward. That’s what they’re doing out here every time they work in the garden. We all get something out of it.”

On a recent sunny afternoon, Ricky McGowan hoisted a semi-filled bucket of tomatoes onto his shoulders. Dressed in a one-piece green jumpsuit, his head covered with a straw hat, McGowan stopped to take in the sight of the garden.

He once owned his own landscaping business, but his vices led to him lose his livelihood. McGowan, 47, landed on the streets. When he completes the six-month program at Camillus House, he said he’ll have a better work ethic this time around.

“When I come out here I take it all in. It’s always looking beautiful,” he said of the garden.

Conyers stooped over nearby pruning a bunch of collard greens.

“I tell people all the time, ‘If you don’t believe in God just plant something,’ ” she said. “Watch it grow. It’s a miracle.”

Tour five beautiful feature gardens

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We’ve endured a long, cold, snowy winter, waiting impatiently for the first signs of spring. It’s still winter, but inside the Home Garden Show, spring is here! The Show has long been known for its beautiful landscapes filled with fabulous flowers, hardscape materials, water features and the newest ideas for your yard and garden. Stroll through five fantastic gardens and be inspired to create your own retreat.

The theme for the gardens at this year’s show is Treasures of Spring, and the landscapers have worked hard to create gardens that are beautiful outdoor retreats and creative living spaces great for relaxation, family time and entertaining.

Frisella Nursery has created Rustic Spring Beauty. A pavilion made of stone and hand-hewn timber sits atop a hillside setting of boulder shelves and outcroppings. A stream flows into a waterfall that cascades to a flagstone patio with a kitchen and natural stone fireplace, and unique plant material forced into bloom creates a colorful spring display.

Outdoor Systems Inc. showcases Modern Style. Clean lines, simple colors and trendy style come together in the landscape for the Feature Home. This garden expands the creative possibilities for outdoor spaces with the newest products for natural stone retaining walls and a sharp, functional inground pool with the latest in water feature technology.

Prestige Landscape has built An American Garden. Antique freestanding stone fences give the garden a feeling of space and tranquility, and the sound of water trickling over rocks focuses your attention on the mossy waterfall. Tall evergreens and flowering trees will make you forget you are inside at the Home Show. Flowers in such abundance will cause you to pause and take in the beauty of this small space garden.

Rivers West Landscaping presents Elements of Nature. This garden features a bounty of natural elements, with an impressive 1,000 pound sandstone boulder with a fire feature at its centerpiece. A wide variety of pavers make up the landscape’s structure, including a fire pit, a seating wall and lighted columns. The natural stone bar with limestone countertop and outdoor cooking pit are perfect for entertaining friends. You’ll feel like you’ve gotten away from it all, surrounded by flowering shrubs, spruce trees, white pines and huge maple trees.

Signature Landscapes Design presents the Treasures of Spring. Tucked away down a stone pathway and through lush gardens, a waterfall emerges from the earth, greeting visitors. Follow the path where garden treasures can be found at each turn. It’s never cold in this garden. Cozy up to a warm, rustic fireplace and kitchen hearth that welcomes those who find their way into the heart of the garden. Discover a resting place of untold beauty, with the best that Mother Nature can provide.

Tour these beautiful gardens and be inspired to turn your yard into a fabulous outdoor living space!

Sponsored by WIL

Gardening seminars a prelude to spring – The Tribune

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JOHNSTOWN —
What better way to prepare for spring than to learn about what you can do in your yard and garden?

A series of five seminars on gardening and landscaping will be offered in March and April at the Sandyvale Greenhouse at Sandyvale Memorial Gardens and Conservancy, 80 Hickory St., Johnstown.

The seminars are “Success with Houseplants,” March 15; “Vegetable Know-How,” March 22; “Creative Home Landscaping,” March 29; “Herb Gardening 101,” April 5; and “Backyard Fruit Production,” April 12.

The seminars will be led by Ron McIntosh, who hosted the “Green Grower” gardening program that aired in the 1980s on WJAC-TV.

“I graduated from the agriculture course at Vo-Tech in 1981, and I’ve been gardening and working in the landscape industry ever since,” McIntosh said. “I have a lot of hands-on knowledge. I’ve always had my hands in the soil and am lucky to have had a job in that area.”

McIntosh said the three-hour sessions will cover a lot of material, but be easy to understand in layman’s terms.

In the first session on houseplants on March 15, McIntosh will cover the basic care needed to keep them happy and healthy.

“We’ll talk about how to choose the right plant for the lighting conditions in various rooms of the home,” he said. “Every room is different.”

Potting soil, containers, watering, fertilizers, pests, lighting and propagating also will be discussed.

“Vegetable Know-How” on March 22 will feature choosing the right site for a garden while considering sun and shade.

How to start garden plants from seeds indoors, using mulch, addressing the problems of pests and disease, growing a garden in containers, soil, how to extend the area’s short growing season and how to harvest the bounty by freezing and canning also will be discussed.

“Creative Home Landscaping” on March 29 will be all about making a landscape plan to work on over a period of years, whether gardeners are working with a new or existing property.

“Participants will measure their property and identify problems such as wet and dry areas,” McIntosh said. “Selecting the right plants is key to me. You don’t want a plant in the wrong spot where it won’t do well.”

Proper planting methods for trees and shrubs, pruning, maintenance, mulching and fertilizing also will be discussed.

The session on herb gardening on April 5 will have information on the culinary and medicinal uses and scent properties of herbs.

“Herbs are becoming bigger every year,” McIntosh said. “They’re hardy for the area and come back every year. (Participants) will learn how to design a kitchen garden or formal herb garden.”

Propagation, growing from seed, harvesting and drying also will be discussed.

“Backyard Fruit Production” on April 12 will tell what types of fruit can be grown in the area and add in some more exotic fruits such as lemons, limes, oranges and figs, which can be brought indoors and treated as house plants after the summer.

“We will discuss how big their property is and what type of fruit can be grown on it,” McIntosh said. “You can grow a dwarf apple or pear tree in 10 square feet.”

Purchasing trees and berry bushes, making them deer and racoon proof, pruning, pests and disease, fertilizing, harvesting and storage also will be discussed.

“This is all very much hands on, and I’ll make it as simple as possible,” McIntosh said. “The best teacher is to do it and learn for yourself.”

Class size will be limited to 30 seats per session, and registration and payment must be received at least one week prior to the desired seminar.

Registration forms are available by emailing dmkdaylily@atlanticbb.net or on Sandyvale’s website at www.sandy valememorialgardens.org.

Ruth Rice covers Features for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow her on Twitter at Twitter.com/RuthRiceTD.

Gardening program draws locals to Auburn for tips on green, healthy lifestyles

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AUBURN | With only a handful of weeks left in winter, the Cayuga County Health Department is getting locals prepped for spring.

The department hosted a free gardening program at the Auburn Public Theater on Sunday. The event brought together a number of local organizations to promote healthy living and awareness of Auburn-area foods.

“It shows you can get great local food in Cayuga County,” said Sabrina Hesford of the Cayuga County Health Department. “And when you spend local, your money stays local.”

The program was a five-hour event with different activities and presentations planned throughout the day. Attendees were educated in the ways of smart gardening through presentations on pest management and effective means of growing food.

Beyond the scheduled presentations, the APT was transformed into an open house of sorts for the gathered organizations and businesses. Several of these — such as the Cornell Cooperative Extension, Seymour Library and the health department — provided attendees with various resources concerning healthy living.

Others were informative about some local initiatives such as the Auburn Housing Authority’s community gardening project and Community Supported Agriculture’s local food distribution system.

Representing the farmers market of Auburn was Dave Wilczek, of Wilczek Farms in Fleming. Wilczek, the vice president of the farmers market board, handed out contact information for local farmers and apples from Owen Orchards as part of the market’s method of promoting local awareness.

Much of the farms’ community outreach comes before April, which is when things start to get busy around the farms as the snow starts to thaw, he said.

“For us, it helps people realize what the farmers market is and where the food is coming from,” Wilczek said. “Something like this helps to get people out, I guess.”

The contacts will prove valuable in the future, said Auburn resident Sicily Rumpf. Rumpf, who found out about the event through signage, said the event helped catered to her interests in fruits, vegetables and gardening.

In connecting with the local farmers, the Auburn resident said she’d like to do the best she can to buy local when possible.

“I’m going to try to support them,” she said.

New home? Tips for getting to know the garden

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Americans are a restless bunch. They change locations with a frequency that would tire a migrating songbird.

But there is more to moving day than unpacking boxes; there’s also learning to care for that garden inherited with the new home.

If you were thinking ahead, you asked for an inventory of the plants and accessories that came with the house.

“There’s no problem with asking owners for a list of landscape items and for an explanation about the plantings,” said Shirley French, an agent with the Woodstock, Va., office of Funkhouser Real Estate Group. “Usually, the owners are more than happy to give you a list. In fact, if they know the purchasers are interested, that will make for good feelings on both sides.”

But where to start with a newly purchased property?

Michael Becker, president of Estate Gardeners Inc. in Omaha, Neb., suggests that new owners put safety first.

“Check out the dangers,” said Becker, a spokesman for Planet, the Professional Landcare Network that certifies green industry professionals. “Are the retaining walls stable? Are any trees leaning or diseased with dead branches?

“Assess the hardscape,” Becker said. “Is anything heaving, creating tripping hazards? Examine the drainage around the house. More often than not, it isn’t correct and may be damaging the structure. Bring in some professionals to help sort things out.”

As for plantings, be patient with the perennials.

“Learn what things look like in your yard,” Becker said. “Determine if it’s aesthetically what you want, or if it’s so high-maintenance you won’t have the time to care for it. Most perennials need pruning and deadheading.”

Other things to consider when dealing with an unfamiliar landscape:

• Do soil tests. Map the yard for sun and shade. “If you live in the city and all you have is a porch or a patio to work with, where is all that water going to go that you’ll be putting on plants?” asked Josh Kane, president and head designer at Kane Landscapes Inc. in Sterling, Va. “Also, where do you get the water? You’ll have to figure out how to care for everything.”

• Water fixtures. “Look for care instructions when dealing with special features,” Kane said. “A lot of people get put off or are scared of things like koi ponds, pools and fountains that require startups, maintenance and attention during the seasons.”

• Don’t try to do everything the first year. Mulching will keep the weeds down. Composting will improve the soil. Bringing in some annuals for window boxes, hanging baskets or containers will provide instant color. “Nothing gives you as much impact in a garden as planting annuals,” Kane said.

• Anticipate. Avoid planting trees or shrubs near sewer or water lines, to prevent root damage. Study the plat map for restrictions that could prevent expansions or additions. “A lot of people might want to build a big outdoor room or pool and find they can’t do it because of an easement on the property,” Kane said.

Young Cumbria garden designers asked to follow war theme

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Last updated at 11:21, Friday, 28 February 2014

BUDDING young garden designers are being encouraged to get creative and see their work exhibited at one of the area’s premier gardening festivals.

The North-West Evening Mail has teamed up with Holker Garden Festival and Crooklands of Dalton to run an exciting competition for children and young people of primary school age and the secondary schools years seven to nine.

This year we are asking students to create a garden design to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of World War One.

We would like groups or individuals from schools or youth organisations and clubs to produce a 3D design or collage that is no bigger than 60cm x 60cm.

Three finalists will win hundreds of pounds worth of gardening prizes from Crooklands of Dalton, and have their work displayed at the 22nd Holker Garden Festival alongside some of the best gardening and horticultural exhibitors in the country.

The festival will also present Gold, Silver and Bronze gardening awards to the finalists, just like the other successful exhibitors.

Holker Garden Festival is a three-day summer extravaganza in the grounds of Holker Hall, in Cark, running from Friday May 30 to Sunday June 1.

Our finalists will be special guests on Saturday May 31.

Frank Stretton, commercial director at the North-West Evening Mail, said: “We are delighted to once again launch our competition for young garden designers with Holker Garden Festival and Crooklands of Dalton.

“The finalists will be able to take great pride in seeing their work exhibited at the fantastic Holker Garden Festival.

“This year we felt it was important to have a commemorative garden to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of World War One.”

Jillian Rouse, festival manager, said: “We are so pleased that the younger generations are interested in gardening and design and we are looking forward to seeing all their entries.

“It is fitting to have a commemorative garden this year.”

Marc Charnley, the managing director of Crooklands of Dalton, said: “It’s great that so many young people are interested in gardening and we are delighted to be supporting them.

“It is fantastic that the competition is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the First World War.”

The competition closes on Friday April 11.

Entry forms will be avaialble here at nwemail.co.uk from Monday.

First published at 11:18, Friday, 28 February 2014
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk

Cool practical pet products: Beds, perches, toys

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Catering to cats and dogs could put you out of house and home. Or not. If you don’t have thousands to spend or unlimited space, consider these relatively low-cost pet treats:

Jeld-Wen has a vinyl sliding patio door ($900) with an integrated panel (additonal $450) for medium, large and extra large pets (see pet size and weight chart recommendations at www.JELD-WEN.com). A magnetic pull prevents the clear flap from being blown open by strong winds.

Max Marvin of Portland was inspired by his dog’s down moods in the gray days of winter to shine a light on pets suffering from seasonal affective disorder. He came up with Pawsitive Lighting Sol Box ($129.99, www.pawsitivelighting.com)‎, a free-standing, portable light that emits 10,000 lux of full spectrum white light, equivalent to a sunny day.

Dogs who chow down too quickly at the expense of their gut can go on a slow-speed food hunt with Slo-Bowl ($25, www.slo-bowls.com), a plastic feeder with a maze of ridges and valleys. A non-slip rubber base holds the in bowls – available in purple, orange, gray and other colors – in place, even during exuberant eating. The bowls hold up to 2 cups of dry dog food and are safe to clean in the top rack of the dishwasher.

Gone Doggin has 80 breeds depicted in tiles ($25, www.gonedoggin.com) and Susan Osher’s customers install them in kitchen back splashs, bathrooms or use them as trivets. “Dog people are a little crazy,” she says. “They come up with all kinds of ideas.”

Lakeside Products has MagnaBox whelping boxes (starting at $320, www.lakesideproducts.com) made of kitchen cutting board-grade plastic that will not rust, stain or discolor. Nook and slot connectors make it easy to disassemble and clean these cribs, and rails are self supporting so there are no legs to trap puppies. A playpen can be attached to the front to double the running around area.

— Janet Eastman

Show gives homeowners ideas to improve property

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MOREHEAD CITY — Ralph and Sandy Harris of Hubert were looking late Saturday morning for ideas to create a living space at their home during the 26^th annual Coastal Home Garden Show in the Crystal Coast Civic Center.

The couple had just spoken to Gerardo Rodriguez of Pullman’s Landscape Associates Inc., based in Atlantic Beach.

Ms. Harris said they were at the show because they wanted to learn more about grass for their lawn as well as having a deck installed at their home and were talking to Mr. Rodriguez about getting an estimate.

The landscaping company was one of the 74 vendors set up inside the civic center and outside on the patio at the show that continues from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today.

Admission to the show is $3, and tickets can be purchased at the door.

Concessions will also be available with a variety of heart-healthy selections.

Ms. Harris explained that when they moved into their house four years ago, their yard was a blank slate.

“It’s been wonderful to get different ideas for our home,” she said about the show.

“The displays are great. You get to see and touch things you usually only see on television,” she said.

As the couple moved to the next row of vendors, Mr. Rodriguez had a lull in visitors at his booth.

Mr. Rodriguez was standing by his booth where an outdoor fireplace and different types of pavers were on display.

This is his fourth year attending the home and garden show, he said, mentioning that last year he won the 2013 Best Booth in Show award.

“I hope to get it this year, too,” he said.

Mr. Rodriguez said he continues to participate in the event because people show an interest in his business.

One trend he noticed so far was many people were asking about outdoor living spaces.

“They’re looking for patios, pavers and retaining walls,” he expounded.

While many visitors were learning about ways to improve their homes from area vendors, one vendor was teaching about ways to improve the body: Acupuncture Point of Morehead City.

As Dr. Stephanie Kaplan was speaking to a potential client, her assistant Christine Britten paused to explain why they chose to be part of the show.

“Our goal is to treat the community without medicine or surgery. We want to educate the public so they can educate each other,” she said.

Gina Clark, general manager of the Crystal Coast Civic Center, was at the entrance of the show answering questions.

“So far, we’re doing great,” she said. “We’ve had a steady flow and the weather is perfect for us.”

Ms. Clark added the vendors seem pleased with the show, as well.

She mentioned that this year, there were some new vendors offering tools and outdoor furniture and some, but not all, of the vendors are giving away prizes.

“Be sure to visit each booth because you don’t want to miss out,” she said. “We have some really good displays inside.”

Though generally slow on Sunday, Ms. Clark expects that day’s turnout to be fantastic, as well.

“We probably had around 3,500 between the two days last year and we are hoping for 5,000 this year,” she said.

One observation she made about the attendees Saturday is the influx of different types of families.

“I’ve seen a good mixture of age groups from young couples to retirees,” she explained.

For more information on the Crystal Coast Civic Center or the annual home and garden show, please visit www.crystalcoastcivicctr.com.

Contact Jennifer Allen at 252-726-7081, ext. 228; email jenn@thenewstimes.com; or follow on Twitter @JennAllenCCNT.