Do you have a favorite summer memory?

• Maybe your family camped or went to the beach.
• Maybe you enjoyed picking fresh veggies from your garden or spitting watermelon seeds at your little sibling.
• Maybe your cousins or neighbors came over for a game of whiffle ball, and everyone left with grass stains on their bare feet that pretty much stuck the entire season.

One thing for sure, come summer, people in Middlebury spend as much time as possible outside; we’ve been cooped up inside for too long, and now we are ready to throw off shoes and jackets and play hard.

Oftentimes, summertime play also brings a slew of visitors, and we wonder what to do when friends and family show up on the doorstep.
Well, that subject is the focus of this issue of inMiddlebury Magazine: We want to remind you of the plentiful activities, events, and celebrations right here in our community. There’s as much fun to be had as there are dandelions in a country field this time of year.

We trust you can use this issue to help you plan your summer and make new memories, whether you have guests, or if you’re creating a “staycation” experience for your own nuclear family.

Sometimes, living in a small community makes the familiar feel monotonous.
This summer, let’s re-discover all the beautiful things that helped us fall in love with Middlebury in the first place.
Want a slice of ice-cold watermelon?
 
Tammy Tilley & Melissa Troyer

inDetail
… All about the summer issue of inMiddlebury Magazine

inCommunity
When Friends & Family Visit

Whether you’re preparing for summer visits from friends and family or planning your own staycation, we’ll share a few of our favorite hometown attractions.

invitation 
Where to Stay
Instead of housing guests on air mattresses and pull-out sofas, consider a bed and breakfast. We highlight five inMiddlebury.

inTouch 
Ride (or jog or stroll) the ‘Vine
The Pumpkinvine Trail offers plenty of play for locals and visitors alike.

inTime
Memory Makers
Nothing tastes like summer more than ice cream, and Middlebury reflects a rich history in Vic’s Ice Cream.

inStore
A Bicycle Built for You
Whether you’re a casual, curious, or quick bike rider, Pumpkinvine Cyclery has the get up and go and the know on bikes.

inTown 
Roll Out Those…Days of Summer
Between Parks programs, Third Fridays, and the Summer Festival, Middlebury’s downtown events are destined to throw your visitors—and you—a great party all summer long.

inFocus
Celebrate Summer at the Essenhaus 
From concerts to cruise-ins, shopping to shows, Das Dutchman Essenhaus hosts its own summer-long bash with a bunch of events.

inSeason 
inMiddlebury residents offer summer lovin’ with these summer photos.

inConclusion 
Thanks & Photo Credits

Notes: You will only find inMiddlebury Magazine online! Online publishing allows us to get the stories out quicker to you, and it allows us to do something really special that print publications cannot do: show videos. You can actually click on highlighted words or video icon that will take you to YouTube where you can “hear it in their own words.” That is, you can listen to and watch our featured guests share their own stories. 

You can view the individual articles online or, to read the complete issue, you can view it in your browser, or, our recommendation is to download the pdf and view it that way.

We are sensitive to the idea that for many of you, reading online materials for pleasure is a new idea.
We hope you’ll give this format a chance; grab your favorite beverage, find a comfortable chair, and enjoy the read!

Invitation

Instead of housing guests

on air mattresses & pull-out sofas,

consider a bed & breakfast.

Varns Guest House

You know you’ll have guests visiting the summer, but what you don’t know is where you’ll house them.

You might graciously give up your bedroom for a week and instead sleep on the pull out sofa, complete with the frame’s steel bar going right across your lower back.

You might choose to put them in the pop-up tent outside, but it will be difficult to explain when the neighborhood cats take up residence in the middle of the night.

A third option is allowing them to experience the area’s selection of bed and breakfasts, of which Middlebury has plenty.

inMiddlebury Magazine features five bed and breakfasts for you to consider having your family and friends stay when they visit.

Two are off the beaten path;
two are downtown Middlebury;
and one is near the Toll Road but still secluded.

All five make for a delightful, memorable visit, ensuring you’ll never have to sleep on the pull out sofa again.

Watch this slide show featuring photos from each bed and breakfast. Then…good luck choosing!

Click here for the slide show.

Country Victorian Bed & Breakfast
This restored 1890s Victorian home is located on Main Street, Middlebury, and was once featured on the television show Oprah. Each room, from the parlor to the five bedrooms, showcases antiques and other period décor. Country Victorian also contains a whirlpool-style tub in one of its rooms, and each room comes with an amenities basket.

Breakfasts offer farm-fresh eggs and local produce prepared from scratch for each guest. Country Victorian also offers coffee, tea, cold drinks, and snacks throughout the day, as well as a special picnic lunch through a local café.

Located at 435 South Main Street, Middlebury, IN
Click here to visit their website.

Country Victorian Upstairs Bedroom

McKenzie House
Slightly south of the toll road stands a yellow farmhouse surrounded by all the beauty and serenity nature has to offer.

Housed within the carriage house are five suites, including “Courtney’s Suite,” a 450 square foot room with a king size poster bed, a mini-kitchen, Jacuzzi tub, and private deck.

McKenzie House also has an outdoor pool on the grounds, a unique amenity for bed and breakfasts in the area.

Located at 52215 SR 13, Middlebury, IN
Click here to visit their website.

That Pretty Place
The largest of all the bed and breakfasts, That Pretty Place sits on a secluded 37 acres with walking trails along the old Pumpkinvine Railroad bike trail, a stocked pond, and quiet, manicured grounds.

This location offers two distinctive experiences: You can stay in the main house that contains five rooms, one of which is a large honeymoon suite. Or, you can stay at the “Serenity Suite,” a separate housing unit that features four bedrooms, a common room, and kitchenette. This situation is ideal for groups.

You can walk a short distance through the woods and onto the grounds of Das Dutchman Essenhaus Restaurand Gift Shops.

Located at 212 U.S.20, Middlebury, Indiana
Click here to go to their website.

Varns Guest House

1898 Varns Guest House
This fully restored Victorian home is situated just a few steps from downtown Middlebury’s quaint shops and cafes, but you might be content just to sip coffee on the wide front porch as you watch the horses and buggies pass by.

On the interior, Varns Guest House has five bedrooms, antique furniture, and beautiful woodwork. The exterior’s backyard features an English garden, a large deck, and bountiful shades.

Located at 205 South Main Street, Middlebury
Phone: 574.825.9666

Illinois Room at Bright Morning Star

Bright Morning Star Bed and Breakfast
Three Amish farms surround this country bed and breakfast located between Middlebury and Shipshewana. One neighbor might be plowing the fields while an Amish mother hangs laundry. The house itself is built on three country acres where you can glance outside and see horses and buggies traveling on the country road, or view the surrounding pasture filled with cattle and horses.

Bright Morning Star, with a 900 square foot work area and lounge, provides an ideal spot for retreats.

This bed and breakfast contains five bedrooms, each with a private bath, and offers a homemade country breakfast.

Located at 0255 S 100 W, Middlebury
Click here to see their website.

inCommunity

Whether you’re preparing for summer visits from friends & family

or planning your own staycation,

. . . here are a few of our favorite hometown attractions.

For many, your vivacious personalities are enough to entertain summer guests, but others of us need a little companionship in the area of hosting friends and family.

What will we do?

Where will we go?

How do we keep loved ones from getting bored?

The answer it right in front of our eyes: learn about the Amish community.

Because we live among the Amish, we sometimes forget the intrigue visitors have about their simple ways of life. Opportunities abound for guests to interact with this not-so-mainstream community with a long storied history.

inMiddlebury Magazine recently partnered with Cathy Miller of Cathy’s Countryside Tours, and together, we offer a few suggestions about how to access the Amish culture:

1. Start off at Menno-Hof in Shipshewana. The Amish and Mennonite churches built Menno-Hof specifically so visitors can learn what these two religious entities are about and how they got where they are.
2. Take a “backroads tour” with a guide of some kind. These guides have relationships with the Amish. Says Cathy, “Trust is major with the Amish, so if you are with someone they trust, you will get a much more open perspective.
3. Patronize Amish businesses. In our area, we call them “cottage industries.”
   

   Amish cottage industry

   The Amish do enjoy bringing guests into their businesses, so as you travel through the countryside and see a sign, say for eggs or woodworking or whatever it is, feel free to stop and visit the people running those businesses; they will be very glad you stopped.

4. Attend local events. From Third Fridays to summer festivals and auctions, many local Amish also go to these events, either as vendors or as participants.
5. Experience Amish in-home dining. While many in-home dining experiences are available, one specific place is Miller’s In-Home Dining.
6. Travel the Pumpkinvine. This trail has quickly become a transportation route for the Amish as they walk or ride their bikes. They may or may not stop and visit with you, but they will greet you with a friendly smile and hello.

Remember, though, that Amish homes are private residences and not part of tourism. If a sign is out advertising a business, feel free to stop; you will be welcome into the portion where the business is, but not necessarily into the Amish home. If it’s an Amish residence, keep driving.

Gohn Brothers sells Amish clothing like these hats

Specific businesses where you can interact with the Amish include:
Deutsch Kase Haus, owned by Guggisberg Cheese, where in the morning, you can see cheese being made;
Dutch Country Market, a typical Amish business;
Varns & Hoover, who employ several Amish workers;
Country Lane Bakery;
Gohn Brothers who make Amish clothing and carry Amish fabric and goods;
Amish owned Legacy Furniture downtown Middlebury.

Deutsch Kase Haus

inTouch

Welcome to the Pumpkinvine Trail

The Pumpkinvine Trail offers plenty of play for locals & visitors alike.

His name is Mark. He is in fifth grade at a local Amish school. You’ll find him many evenings rollerblading along the trail….

They call their group the “Wild Pigs,” a take off from the movie “Wild Hogs” featuring three men who take up riding as a means of combatting their middle-age blues. Unlike the movie, the Middlebury group rides bikes instead of motorcycles, and like the movie, the group consists of close-knit men who tease—and care for—each other mercilessly….

Another bike-riding group meets each Wednesday, 6 pm, outside the Pumpkinvine Cyclery. This group varies in gender, age, and ability level, oftentimes breaking into two groups—the recreational group, and the more advanced group—to conquer the trail.

All of these people have one thing in common:
They spend time each week, some of them each day, on the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail.

There’s much to see and do as you ride, jog, or stroll the ‘Vine. Click the video below to watch some scenes you’ll find along the way.

What is “The Pumpkinvine?”

According to Pumpkinvine.org, this stretch of railroad was constructed in 1888, and on November 5 of that year, the first passenger train ran from Middlebury to Goshen. Because of the many turns along the way, the rail inherited the name, “Pumpkin Vine.” In its day, the line showed great success, but as other means of transportation progressed, it eventually was shut down and the rails were removed.

View from the Pumpkinvine

Throughout the decades, money has been raised and efforts made to create a public trail along what was once the railroad trail. Most recently, Middlebury has experienced its own progression of the trail from Krider Garden all the way into Shipshewana. In 2013, another length of trail will be completely paved, connecting the trail from Goshen all the way in to Middlebury.

The nature trail runs through rural countryside, surrounded by farms, woods, flowers, and the occasional recreational vehicle factory.

Camels? in Middlebury? Yes! Along the Pumpkinvine!

What Does The Pumpkinvine Trail Mean for Visitors?

Today, residents and visitors all enjoy the beauty along the trail as they utilize it for walking, jogging, rollerblading, and bicycling. Many of the Amish use the Pumpkinvine Trail as a means of bicycle transportation to and from work.

During some hours of the day, the trail is virtually uninhabited, except for squirrels and birds in the trees, and cows, horses, and yes, camels inhabiting the Amish farms. Other times throughout the day, especially in the summer, the trail flourishes with activity.

What Does The Pumpkinvine Trail Mean for Middlebury Residents?
     If you are interested in joining the group of bicyclists at the Pumpkinvine Cyclery, just bring your bike and show up at the Pumpkinvine Cyclery located at 420 N. Main Street, Middlebury, 6pm every Wednesday.

The "Wild Pigs" biking group

If you are interested in joining the “Wild Pigs,” this group meets at the home of Kevin Gibson, located on the corners of CR 14 and 8, each evening at 6:15.

For more information on the annual Pumpkinvine Bike Ride, this year June 16, click here.

inTime

Nothing tastes like summer
more than ice cream,
and Middlebury reflects a rich history
in Vic’s Ice Cream.

By: Tina Menefee

The warmth of summer brings a community to life. Outdoor activities arrive in abundance. Everywhere you look, the signs point to summer as bicyclists and motorcycles take to the road. The outdoor overflows with people soaking in the season, while anticipating picnics and evenings on the porch or in the back yard. All of these activities evoke memories of childhood and friends.

Vic Hooley

The Man Behind the Mixer
One friend of the Middlebury community who is brought to mind during those moments of reflection is Vic Hooley. He probably didn’t know he was getting in the business of making memories when he purchased the Middlebury Dairy from Lawrence Breniser in 1960. The dairy sold and delivered ice cream and dairy products to over 125 families in the Middlebury area. Vic knew the dairy industry well after working at the shop for Breniser for 18 years.

Vic & Ruth Hooley

Eventually, Vic and his wife Ruth became the proud owners of the soda shop known as Vic’s Ice Cream. Vic eventually made 60 different flavors of ice cream in his shop. He took pride in the fact that his ice cream was made of pure fruits and natural flavors.

According to the Goshen News, in 1986, Vic was making about 20,000 gallons of that delicious, pure ice cream a year. But, Vic probably didn’t know his business not only was stirring up ice cream, it also was creating lifelong memories for Middlebury residents.

From the beginning of the Middlebury Dairy in 1932, the ice cream and dairy delivery business expanded with the addition of the soda shop in 1939. After Lawrence Briesner purchased the dairy in 1948, he began to phase out the home delivery aspect of the business. Vic Hooley ran the business until 1989.

Making Memories
When mentioning Vic to anyone who knew him, a smile is usually the first response. The thought of Vic’s Ice Cream not only makes the mouth water, but it also prompts warm feelings for those who knew Vic personally.

One such comment comes from Missy Pixley as she shares from her own experience: “We always got our milk and ice cream at Vic’s. During the blizzard of ’78 he called our house and told Mom, ‘I have 2 gallons of milk held back for you whenever you can get in to get them.’ That was Vic.”

Vic’s is still located just north of what is currently the Middlebury Elementary building. Until 1969, that same school served students in grades one through twelve. Former students remember leaving school during lunch and going to Vic’s on “spinach day.” They also fondly remember ice cream after soccer games, free samples that were generously given when Vic was around, and the chance to watch the ice cream being made. They remember Vic’s welcoming environment and atmosphere.

Many high school students have worked behind the counter and had the opportunity to work closely with the ice cream connoisseur. According to one former employee, they were allowed to eat as much ice cream as they wanted. Stacey James also remembers that an employee’s height determined their ability to scoop the ice cream.

Ayrton James enjoying all you can eat ice cream on his 1st birthday.

Says James, “You had to be able to reach the ice cream, and if you weren’t very tall, it was difficult.” James worked at Vic’s when she was in high school. After Stacey married and had children, she fondly remembers taking her son Ayrton to Vic’s on his first birthday.

Vics Ice Cream is still being served today.

Today
Vic’s was eventually purchased by Paul and Debra Heinrich, in 1994. Vic’s ice cream is still made in Middlebury, and is now sold alongside pizzas and grinders as part of the restaurant chain Mancino’s.

Still scooping out Vic's original recipes.

Vic’s ice cream is still available on a hot summer day, or even in the middle of winter, and is still located on south Main Street. Although Vic and his wife are long gone, customers are still greeted by an old fashion soda shop setting.

The shop offers many flavors of ice cream from the original recipes.

And…Vic’s is still in the business of making memories.

Vic’s ice cream is found alongside Samuel Mancino’s
located at 422 S. Main St.
Middlebury, IN 46540
P: 574-825-2565

inStore
Whether you’re a casual, curious, or quick bike rider, Pumpkinvine Cyclery has the get up and go and the know on bikes.

Pumpkinvine Cyclery has bikes for any style rider, including rentals.

inMiddlebury Magazine recently visited with Spencer Short, co-owner with Wife Brittany, of Pumpkinvine Cyclery.

Spencer has worked in the cycling industry for eight years and is certified in bike fit. He answers a few questions about bicycling as well as what his store offers.

inMiddlebury: What is the purpose of a bicycling club, or group, that you organize?

Spencer: Biking is a major social thing. Everybody likes biking with other people, not to mention the accountability involved. Biking in a group makes people work harder. Our group is open to any age, any skill level. The more the merrier.

The group also holds me accountable for taking the time and getting out there myself.

inMiddlebury: Do you think the addition of the Pumpkinvine Trail has increased an interest in bicycling?

Spencer: Absolutely. Having a trail like that gives people a place to feel comfortable. They’re not out on the open road.

inMiddlebury: What advice do you have for those who are just starting to ride more seriously?

Spencer: Just get on the bike and start riding. Start building the habit into your routine. Don’t go out with big lofty expectations. Start small, maybe two to three rides per week, just a few miles each way. Then build from there.

Another approach is to make a long-term goal for by signing up for one of literally hundreds of biking events throughout Indiana or Michigan. Doing so gives you a marker or goal to look forward to and work toward. I have a catalog in the shop that’s nothing but bike rides.

inMiddlebury: You are certified in bike fit. How do you help someone choose the right bike?

Spencer: It really is important to get a bike that fits well; I allow you to test ride bikes, sit on them, and try to get comfortable on them.

Tire size makes a big difference, so you want to consider surfaces you’ll be riding on, whether that’s off-road, limestone, or pavement.

You also want to think about how hard you want to ride. Leisure, exercise, race, all play a role in the type of bike you choose, from an upright relaxed ride with a comfort bike all the way to an aggressive ride with a racing bike.

Some people think that only the size is important in choosing a bike, such as a 20 inch bike or a 26 inch bike. There’s more to it than that. You really need to consider a body’s inseam length, torso length, arm length, even the length of the femur. The knee has to sit correctly over the pedal. There’s a lot to look at in order to get the best fit.

You can find a bike at any price point that will suit your riding style.

Spencer Short enjoys the Pumpkinvine Trail.

inMiddlebury: Share about your store, Pumpkinvine Cyclery.

Spencer: The store has been around for two years, and Brittany and I have owned it for one year.

We carry the brand “Specialized Bikes,” a line that includes kids’ bikes, comfort bikes, hybrids, all the way up to high performance bikes.

The other brand we carry is “Electra.” This brand is nothing but recreational comfort bikes. This brand provides a very comfortable, relaxed ride.

Then, we have other supplies: parts, accessories, kids trailers, tagalongs, and clothing.

inMiddlebury: Do you rent bikes?

Spencer: Many people don’t know that we rent bicycles. We rent several styles as well as kids’ trailers and tagalong bikes. We will rent anywhere from a day up to weeks.

inMiddlebury: Do you service bikes?

Spencer: Absolutely. I have a repair shop and offer a variety of services, from just a small tune-up and check on tires all the way up to an overhaul.

inMiddlebury: Anything else?

Spencer: Stop by! Coffee and conversation are free.

Be sure to visit Pumpkinvine Cylery’s Facebook Page.

inTown

Between the Parks Department programs
. . . Third Fridays
. . . and August’s Summer Festival,

Middlebury is destined to throw your visitors
—and you—a great party all summer long.

Copyright Gloria Salavarria

How do you spend summer days?
Lazy?          Hazy?          Crazy?

However we choose to spend our days, most of us wish that “summer could always be here,” at least according to the 1963 hit song sung by Nat King Cole.

inMiddlebury Magazine offers a “taste” of summer with a list of ideas below.
Break out the flip flops or go barefoot, grab the sunscreen or the lounge chair, and celebrate summer!

 5 Ideas for a Low-Key Day:

1. Check out one of the latest summer must-reads at Middlebury Community Public Library. Find the perfect afternoon shade, and lose yourself in another place and time. Snoozing allowed.
2. Take a slow stroll through Krider Garden. See our feature article to help identify today’s garden with its history by clicking here.
3. Tie up a sheet outside between two trees, grab a projector, and create an outdoor movie theater. No projector? That’s okay. Cozy up with the family around the laptop screen.
4. Visit Yup’s, Vic’s, or attend the July 20 Third Friday to lick up the town’s best ice cream.
5. End your day on June 5-6 by watching the “solar transit,” when Venus moves across the sun.

5 Ideas for a High Energy Day:

1. Ride the length of the Pumpkinvine Trail from Dairy Queen in Middlebury into Shipshewana. National Trails Day bike ride is Sat., June 2 (click here for more information). The Pumpkinvine Trail Ride is June 16 (click here for more information).
2. On May 18 as part of Third Friday, meet at Memorial Park and try your hand at disc golf, a popular Frisbee oriented sport. Participate in a putting contest and win a prize.
3. Spend a day at one of the nation’s best county 4-H fairs in Elkhart County, July 20-28. While you’re at it, take in an evening concert at the 4-H Grandstand (click here for more information).
4. Have fun August 10 & 11 at the Middlebury Summer Festival. Enjoy concerts, food vendors, and contests.
5. Convince the kids there really is a national window-washing day. Get the entire family involved with the goal of cleaning the windows, not necessarily leaving them smudge-free. Then, put that garden hose to good use by filling water balloons and battling it out. Who can stay the driest?

5 Ideas for the Grandparents:

1. Pack a picnic, head to the pavilion at Riverbend Park, and let the grandkids fish or wade in the Little Elkhart River.
2. Meet up with folks from Middlebury Parks at Krider Gardens to learn about native flowers and shrubs that will attract birds; then help spruce up the Bird Garden. Thurs., June 7, 6:30-8:00.
3. Visit Ace Hardware’s new location and take a stroll through time by looking at the 513 year-old slab of wood from Africa’s bubinga tree. Each ring is marked with a reminder of what happened in history that year. Then, browse the gift shop and general store.
4. Visit a farmer’s market or roadside produce stand. Let the grandkids choose the fresh veggies, and then make a salad together.
5. Check out the bee hives at Dutch Country Market.

5 Ideas for a Staycation:

1. Don’t cook at least one Thursday evening. Instead, treat your family, friends, and visitors to some prize-winning smoked ribs from Old Hoosier Meats. Call ahead to reserve a rack or two! 825-2940.
2. Look for the camels on the Pumpkinvine Trail while you rollerblade.
3. Celebrate downtown at one of our Third Friday events: May 18, June 15, July 20, August 17. Live entertainment, festivities, and retail discounts are offered.
4. Tour the Jayco plant on one of its trolley tours. Jayco runs tours of the sewing shop and fifth wheel line all year Monday through Friday at noon. Although no reservations are required, it is advisable to call ahead to make certain of tour availability. Call the Jayco Visitors Center at 1-800-RV-JAYCO.
5. Re-acquaint yourself with the Amish’ simpler ways of life by visiting Amish retailers such as F&L Store; Miller’s Smoke House; Shady Ridge Weaving; Country Lane Bakery; Pumpkin Patch Market; Legacy Furniture; Gohn Brothers.

Let us help you plan your summer!

• Make sure to visit our website’s calendar, 
• and be sure to sign up for our e-newsletters (coming very soon) for an entire summer’s worth of events.

Have ideas and suggestions for other fun activities?
Keep the conversation alive and leave a comment below!
What are your favorite things to do inMiddlebury during the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer? 

inFocus

From concerts to cruise-ins,
shopping to shows,
Das Dutchman Essenhaus hosts its own
summer-long bash with a bunch of events.

Photo by M. Adams

No tee time needed here!
The putt-putt greens at the Essenhaus are available
for the whole family
11am-9:30 pm, Mon-Thurs., 10am-9:30 pm Fri-Sat.

Marvel at a different kind of “artwork” each Thursday

at the Classic Car Cruise-In,
a free event, 4:30-8:00, May through September.

The Bankesters

Take in a concert at Essenhaus’ newest venue, Heritage Hall.
Concerts include :

• Spinney Brothers May 18;
• Bankesters June 8;
• Misty Werner July 21;
• and Mountain Faith August 17.

Tractor Show

Older IS better at the Antique Tractor Show
June 23 on the Essenhaus grounds.

Celebrate Independence Day the entire week of July 2-6
at the July Jubilee throughout the Village Shops.
Retailers will have special discounts, gifts, and giveaways.

The popular Essenhaus Quilt Show
comes together seamlessly for two days, August 10 & 11, at the Essenhaus Inn.

For information on these and other events hosted by Essenhaus, click here.

inMiddlebury residents offer summer lovin’ with these summer photos.

Many people in the Amish community, like this Amish man, still make a living from growing and harvesting crops.
Can’t you just taste a home-grown tomato on a B.L.T?

Fragrance floats through the summer air with these summer- splashed flowers, just waiting to be sniffed, clipped, and enjoyed.

“I ‘heart’ my BFFs” is the language of summer friendship.

Nothing says “Summer” quite like a lounge in the hammock with a loved one, sharing secrets and giggles, making a lifetime of memories.

Eat. This. Page.
Or better yet, go buy some fresh produce at a local Amish farm or roadside produce stand.

We continue to rely on the assistance of others in helping share the beautiful stories, people, and places of Middlebury, Indiana. We especially would like to thank:

Kris Mueller, for her GORGEOUS cover photo of the sunflower, along with the photo on pages 3, 38, and on the advertising pages. Kris, we owe you many, many cups of coffee!

Tina Menefee, for authoring the inTime piece about Vic’s Ice Cream. Tina is a transplant from the South, and we believe her love for our town has grown more endearing, thanks to this piece. Tina also took the photo of the Vic’s/Mancino’s building on page 22.

Stacey James, for contributing her cherished photo of her son Ayrton with Vic, page 22.

Gloria Salavaria, for permitting us to use her photo on page 27 of the boy and his frog. Gloria also takes many wonderful photos for the Parks Department. She tells stories through the camera lens.

David Arment, our go-to-photographer. We are David’s biggest fan! His photograph appears on page 37 of the buggy and garden as well as on his ad on page 23. Copyright David Arment. No reproduction allowed without consent from the photographer. Be sure to check out all David’s photos and maybe purchase one or ten at www.DavidArmentPhoto.com.

Our Facebook friends, who allowed us to upload photos of Vic Hooley. Sam Yoder is one of those gracious people.

Ryan Smeltzer, Middlebury resident and the next generation heritage-keeper. His photo appears on page 15.

Hannah Walsh, events coordinator at Das Dutchman Essenhaus, who, when asked for photos, e mails them within five minutes. She’s a go-getter, for sure! Essenhaus photos appear on pages 33-34.

M. Adams,  who snapped a prize-winning photo of the Essenhaus bridge that appears on page 33.

Jerry Bontrager, who captured the “taste” of the produce bounty shown on page 38.

Hope: A four-letter word that packs a powerful punch of positivity to the soul.

Without it, life feels…well…hopeless!

But with hope, the sun shines brighter, birds sing more loudly, and flowers burst with brighter color.

Hope and springtime sound ironically similar, don’t they? Though it may seem cliché, hope really is re-born once we begin to see signs of spring. Something mysteriously beautiful and hopeful transpires when that first crocus pops through the ground, the robin tweets outside a sun-splashed window, and when the grass and tree limb slowly resurrect from brown death to green life.

And of course, who can’t think of spring or hope without thinking of our wonderfully-celebrated spring holiday, Easter? Eggs, chicks, rabbits…family gatherings, food, church…. Each component, once again, describes “spring.”

Hopefully you’ll find symbols of hope and spring sprinkled throughout this issue of inMiddlebury.

You will read about egg carver and artist Jerry Bontrager, whose decorating tools are a bit more sophisticated than vinegar and dye tablets.

Tom & Sonya Miller have their green thumbs stuck in the dirt already, preparing fragile plants for the promise of quilt gardens.

Das Dutchman Essenhaus events bring together family fun, food, and festivities that could make the most hopeless person smile.

Krider Garden, Middlebury’s long-standing symbol of hope, is celebrated in the joy it brings to people both past and present.

And you, Middlebury. You ARE hope. Through your efforts of care, comfort, and concern, you reach out to the hurting and support those who need an extra boost of love. Read about yourself in “inCommunity.”

Celebrate hope.      Celebrate spring.       Celebrate.

Melissa Troyer
& Tammy Tilley

 You will only find inMiddlebury magazine online!

That’s because publishing online eliminates printing costs and saves trees in the process.

Online publishing allows us to do something really special that print publications cannot do: show videos. You can actually click on highlighted words that will take you to YouTube where you can “hear it in their own words.” That is, you can listen to and watch our featured guests share their own stories.

Unlike the last two issues of inMiddlebury Magazine where you flipped virtual pages just as you would a typical magazine, this month’s issue offers the magazine in PDF format. You just scroll down the page to see the variety of articles waiting for you to read.

We are sensitive to the idea that for many of you, reading online materials for pleasure is a new idea. We hope you’ll give this format a chance; grab your favorite beverage, find a comfortable chair, and enjoy the read.

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Welcome to inMiddlebury

inDetail …Table of Contents

All about this issue of inMiddlebury

inStore …A Honey of an Amish Store
Dutch Country Market boasts hoards of honey and oodles of noodles that the Norman Lehman family produces right here inMiddlebury.

inTouch …From Seeds to Quilt Garden
Tom & Sonya Miller of Country Comfort Greenhouses have their green thumbs ready to grow plants for the Quilt Gardens Along the Heritage Trail.

inCommunity …Middlebury “Shelters” Families
Read how two struggling families have experienced the emotional shelter of Middlebury’s residents.

inEssence …Artist Egg-straordinaire
Meet Jerry Bontrager, artist of egg-straordinary proportions.

inTime …Krider Garden Blooms Past & Present
Just as hope springs eternal, Krider Garden prospers throughout the years, symbolizing connections, memories, and beauty for Middlebury residents past and present.

inFocus …Essenhaus Hosts Train Show  and …Essenhaus Hosts Cooking Show
Essenhaus toots its horn and comes out smokin’ at its annual Train Show in February and Cooking Show in March.

inTown …Buy Local for Easter Dinner
Do you dream of serving up the most delicious Easter meal ever? Let our local retailers help!

inSeason …Sprigs of Spring
Middlebury residents offer “Easter eye candy” with these spring photos.

inConclusion
Thanks & Photo Credits

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inStore

Dutch Country Market boasts hoards of honey and oodles of noodles that the Norman Lehman family produces right here inMiddlebury.

Stop in at Dutch Country Market on any given day, and you’ll see an Amish enterprise where the workers are busy bees.

Literally.

In order to sustain their Amish way of life by utilizing their natural gifts of gardening, cooking, and honey making, Norman and Katie Lehman own and run Dutch Country Market, located on Middlebury-Shipshewana Road.

And, like most Amish businesses, the six children are involved as well.

“Devon, the oldest son, is here all the time,” explains Norman as he walks through the store visiting with customers. “Marilyn, our oldest girl, is here a lot too. When we first opened, the youngest was only two or three years old. She could barely climb onto the counter. She’d sit right next to the cash register while I worked it,” he recalls, laughing at the memory.

Norman reflects that with a home business, they do have to guard their family time. “We could work all the time, but we have to have down time and let the kids be kids. The boys especially like playing volleyball or basketball with their friends.”

Busy they are, as they produce approximately 24 tons of noodles annually right on the store premises.

In the summertime, they sell locally grown produce, and they care for 25 beehives with 80,000 bees in each hive. Then they sell the honey in their store.

Hoards of Honey
Year-round inside Dutch Country Market, the Lehmans display an enclosed observation beehive filled with working bees and honey. “That’s the Queen Bee,” Norman says, pointing to the largest bee with a white dot on its back.

“We produce 36,000 pounds of honey products a year,” adds Norman, turning and pointing to the shelves of honey products. “It can’t get much fresher than from the hive to the jar. And because the bees make the honey with local pollen, some people say that a teaspoon a day will help with [seasonal] allergies.”

On the shelves, customers discover honey products ranging from candles to honeycomb, lip balm to hand cream, and of course honey, either pasteurized and in nine different flavors, or unpasteurized.

“We sell a lot of the flavored honey,” adds Norman. “People tell me the honey candles burn evenly and for a long time.”

Oodles of Noodles
Inside the store resides a huge observation window overlooking a pristine but simple kitchen. Only two or three industrial-size mixers stand in one corner; in the other corner stands a hand-crank pasta machine. In between the two towers a tall drying rack.

In this kitchen each day, Norman’s wife Katie, along with her daughters, make from scratch 400 pounds of noodles from Katie’s own recipe.

“We use Durum wheat flour, egg, and water. That’s it. No preservatives,” said Norman.

After Katie and the girls make the noodles and allow them to dry, they place the noodles of varying sizes into one-pound bags for retail sale.

One-pound bags times 400 each day, yielding close to 48,000 pounds of noodles annually, translates into oodles and oodles of noodles.

Widths include narrow, narrow thick, fine, wide, wide thick, extra wide, and extra wide thick.

Regarding the extra wide thick noodles, Norman explains, “That’s something our competition can’t do. We set our sheeter to make a different thickness. A lot of the older people especially remember their mom or grandma making them by hand, and this is what they had. She never got them this thin,” pointing to the thinner noodles, “by rolling them out by hand. So when they’re cooked, you can stick them with a fork and eat them that way.”

On the back of each bag contains the cooking instructions. That featured recipe belongs to Katie herself. “That’s exactly how she cooks them,” said Norman.

Other Surprises

• The Lehman family carries an abundance of other unique products inside Dutch Country Market as well as their honey and noodles.
• They have a peanut grinder where the public can make their own peanut butter.
• They carry canned food items stored in glass jars much like home-canned goods.
• They sell canned meat and broths, popcorn, fresh flour, and jams.
• They sell hand-woven rugs from unused RV upholstery fabric, made locally.
• They carry “jumbo jelly beans” in 14 different flavors.
• Dutch Country Market also participates in the Quilt Garden Tour along the Heritage Trail.

Recipe for Katie’s Homemade Noodles
The Lehmans offer an Easter gift by sharing wife Katie’s noodle recipe.

1 pint of meat broth: chicken, beef, or turkey
1-tablespoon soup base
Precooked chicken, beef, or turkey
Water

In a 3-quart saucepan, bring 1 ½ quart water, 1 pint of broth, and precooked chicken, beef or turkey meat to a boil. Turn off heat and stir in a couple handfuls of Katie’s Homemade Noodles and 1 tablespoon of soup base. Bring to a boil again, then immediately turn off heat and let set until tender. Add more soup base or salt if you prefer before serving. Please note: Our thick noodles will have to set longer, and they will be chewy when ready to eat.
Enjoy!

To see a video of the Lehmans making noodles, click here.[youtube]http://youtu.be/b-GsjG0Pd0I[/youtube]

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inTouch

Tom & Sonya Miller of Country Comfort Greenhouses grow flowers for the Quilt Gardens Along the Heritage Trail.

She stuck in her (green) thumb & pulled out a quilt garden.

Six years, 91 gardens, and nearly 600,000 flowers ago, Sonya Miller started on a journey.

Actually, the journey began before then, but Sonya and her husband Tom, owners of Country Comfort Greenhouses, got “discovered” six years ago, much like a talented athlete or musician. The Millers’ talent, however, is self-taught horticulture.

They raise flowers, and not just any flowers; they start from seed and raise flowers for over half of the quilt gardens featured on the Quilt Gardens Along the Heritage Trail.

Twenty-four years ago, the couple purchased a small farm with several greenhouses, with one of the greenhouses measuring 130 feet long. The couple immediately set in raising hydroponic lettuce for many years. Then, the market dried up and the greenhouse sat empty for six months.

“That time was kind of depressing,” Sonya said, mixing potting soil, fertilizer, and other ingredients together as she talked. “It was hard to see the greenhouse empty. But after about six months, a gentleman from Nappanee approached me and asked if I would grow 600 flats of flowers for him. Since we were heating the greenhouse for him, I went ahead and stuck in 300 more flats of my own, and that’s how our retail business began.”

They have been growing more and more—quite literally—ever since.

“We are now up to 3,000 flats, counting the flats I do for the quilt gardens. We have 1,400 hanging baskets, thousands of perennials, tens of thousands of 4-inch pots,” Sonya said. 

Of that number, 42,000 flowers, or 875 flats, are raised for the Quilt Gardens Tour.

“The Quilt Garden project is the brain child of Elkhart County Tourism,” the gardener explains. “The county wanted to promote tourism by growing the gardens with new quilt designs and different plants every year. So, when visitors want to make annual trips to see the Quilt Gardens, they will see something different each year they return.”

For several years, Sonya and Tom grew all the plants themselves, but now she grows a little over half; in order to keep transportation costs down, other growers are utilized throughout the county.

Probably the biggest reason Elkhart County Tourism tapped the Millers on their shoulders is because they wanted someone within the county who didn’t buy the plants from somewhere else and then grow them. The Millers grow the flowers for the gardens from seed except for begonias and petunias.

Sonya Harmon-Nash, Project Manager for the Quilt Gardens Tour, complimented Miller:

“She is an excellent grower with a natural affinity for quality, organic and green, and locally grown products. An added benefit is that she’s a quilter.”

Miller begins the growing process right after Valentine’s Day and finishes with the Quilt Gardens flowers near Memorial Day. Also during that time, she opens her greenhouses to the public for retail sales. Once her busy season is completed, Tom and Sonya take several trips on their motorcycle throughout the summer to visit the quilt gardens.

“I love any quilt pattern,” Sonya adds.” “We have found that marigolds, begonias, and impatiens are the most commonly used flowers because they grow nice and flat and even so you can work out a design in them.”

Sonya also enjoys the fact that the sites each pick their own garden design based on their history, mentioning specifically Menno-Hof in Shipshewana. “Their designs usually have something related to peace, because as part of the Mennonite and Amish tradition, peace is promoted as much as possible.”

Even though Sonya says her joints and knees hurt more with each passing year, she continues to love her work.

“My season is a short window, so I work hard during the time. Still, I can start at 9 in the morning and finish at 6 and not know what’s happened in-between.”

For the retailers, Sonya is trying her horticultural hand at something new and interesting for her this year: fairy gardens. “I’m trying to figure out which plants work well in wheelbarrows or wagons or containers, so that’s the new and exciting thing for me for this year.”

This year in Middlebury, Quilt Gardens can be viewed at Dutch Country Market; Krider Gardens; Greencroft Middlebury; and Das Dutchman Essenhaus.  Here’s a list of all the Quilt Gardens and Murals: 2012 Quilt Gardens Site List.

To see a video of Sonya showing off “her babies” before they grow into flowers, click here. [youtube]http://youtu.be/CQq5NwaMlEE[/youtube]

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inCommunity

Shelter: noun
\ˈshel-tər\: The state of being covered and protected.
Syn: Sanctuary.

Shelters can be found in cities. They offer hope to the hungry and warmth to the homeless. Their mission is appreciated but often unseen by comfortable city dwellers who hustle off to work or to the symphony. Shelters can be found in towns like Middlebury, too.
However, our shelters are not buildings made of brick and mortar, but rather of hearts and hands and arms that stretch all across the community. These small town shelters are built on the belief that our lives are connected one to another; when one struggles, another supports. When one falls, another lifts up.
And the entire town bears witness to the shelter.
Two families are currently experiencing the emotional shelter our town has lovingly offered as they struggle on a journey they never asked for, never wanted.

Meet Christy Fisher
Ten years ago, Brian and Christy Fisher were living the American dream. Christy had a great job, and Brian was working on obtaining his teaching degree. They had just purchased a new house, were driving two nice cars, traveled when they wanted. Most of all, Christy enjoyed scooping up her kids and running off to softball or baseball practices.

Five years ago, Christy reported back to work at Coachmen after the Christmas holiday. Brian was coming off a great season as one of Northridge’s assistant coach for varsity football and head coach for the JV team, still taking steps toward his college degree.

On that day, however, one event irrevocably altered Christy’s life: She passed out at work. Several days later, she passed out again. Christy spent three years passing out, without warning, going anywhere from one to three days between incidents. No one could diagnose her problem.

She has suffered from muscle and ligament tears, over eight concussions (they stopped counting at eight), and numerous other issues that go along with chronic health conditions.

Then two years ago when Christy shared her journey on stage at church, a cousin of Burt Culver, owner of Middlebury’s Culver Duck, just happened to be visiting Burt and his wife. This cousin, Dr. Raymond Damadian, went to church with them and heard Christy’s story.

It also happens that  Dr. Damadian invented the first MRI. Upon hearing Christy’s story, he said, “I can help her.” And he did.

First, Dr. Damadian diagnosed Christy’s condition as Chairis Syndrome.

Then, he connected Christy with a chiropractic specialist in New York who has helped Christy but not healed her.

“I still pass out,” Christy explains, wearing a helmet to protect her head, “but I can go longer than three days. The trick is to get the adjustment to ‘stick’ for as long as it can. Medical massage helps. Dr. Rosa, my Chiropractor, wants me to get to three months between fainting spells. That hasn’t happened yet, but I’m hoping it will some day.”

In the meantime, Christy relies on the support of her friends, her church, and her Bible study ladies.

“I honestly don’t think I would have made it without such caring people,” Christy reflects tearfully.

“I think it’s hard to put into words that we’re such a part of a giving community where you have a need and a day later get a card in the mail. Or when we get groceries from what my daughter calls our ‘grocery fairy.’ Or someone just stops by and meets a need.

“That’s what happens when you’re in a small town, where in a big city, you’re a number. You wouldn’t have the people who are supportive of you.

“There just aren’t words how important the care has been to us. We are not alone on this journey, and that knowledge has kept me going. Literally.”

To Christy, Brian, and Cheyenne:
“We must all believe our lives are not our own
 We all belong…  And we will never walk alone.”

Since Christy’s medical needs are ongoing, the public can offer financial support by donating to the Christy Fisher Medical Fund at First State Bank, Middlebury.

Meet The Grewes
Because of their own contributions to Middlebury, from their business to their positions on boards and PTAs, it seems as if everyone in town knows the Grewes, Randy and Michelle, and their two teen kids, Audrey and Sam.

By now, virtually everyone knows them for a different reason: Their 13-year-old son Sam was recently diagnosed with osteosarcoma, bone cancer in his knee that requires lengthy treatments and surgeries.

Nothing beautiful comes from cancer. But something beautiful that has come from this situation is that the Grewes are living in the shelter of care the entire town of Middlebury is building around them.

 Many have said they’ve never seen anything like it.

Signs are posted around town encouraging the family. A community Facebook page that has been devoted to Sam holds over 1,100 “likes,” along with messages of support and love.

In February prior to a high school basketball game, a dinner fundraiser was held; during the game the cheer block chanted, “Go Sam, Beat Cancer!” in their yellow Samstrong shirts and arm bands; at halftime a head-shaving party was held; and in the end, the community raised over $21,000 for health costs.
 Other fundraisers are in the works, including a March 24 Benefit and Casino Night at the American Legion.

Friend and neighbor Uyen Dugle has set up an online “meals” directory where Middlebury families can sign up to take a dinner to the Grewes.

To say the least, the Grewes are both humbled and overwhelmed at the display of support. Several weeks ago on the Old Hoosier Meats sign, Randy posted, “Thank You Thank You Thank You,” to express his gratitude. Both Michelle and he continue to post their gratitude on the Sam Grewe Updates Facebook page.

Michelle shares, “Randy and I are constantly amazed with the outpouring of support we’ve experienced since the December 23 diagnosis of cancer. Cards, texts, money, food, and gifts have come from so many people, including some we don’t know.

“We hope one outcome of this journey will be the youth of the community learning ways to respond to unfortunate situations by watching the positive role models in their lives. Interestingly, we’ve seen examples of the kids being role models for the grown ups too! This role modeling will help keep Middlebury the supportive town it is today.”

To the entire Grewe Family:
“May this place of rest in the fold of your journey
  Bind you to hope, you will never walk alone.”*
“In the shelter of each other, we will live, we will live….”*

For more information on the Sam Grewe Benefit and Casino Night, click here.

For information on how to sign up to take a meal to the family, click here.
Last Name: “Grewe.” Password: “SamGrewe.”

For local stories and video on Sam, click on any of the following links:

• Fox28 story
• Elkhart Truth article 1-29-12
• Elkhart Truth article 2-5-12

*For a link to the song “Shelter” by Jars of Clay that inspired this article, click here.

“Shelter” copyright 2010 Bridge Building / Pogostick Music (BMI). All rights for the world on behalf of Pogostick Music administered by Bridge Building. Used with permission.

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inEssence

Meet Jerry Bontrager, Carver Egg-strordinaire.

Time flies when he’s having fun (pun intended).

That’s because he’s carving something that’s light as a feather.

It’s egg-zactly what he wants to do.

With a blithe soul and a delicate touch, Jerry Bontrager takes fragile duck, emu, goose, and other eggs, and carves into each of them a beautiful design, creating a very special work of art.

“I guess carving for me is kind of like fishing for other people,” the Middlebury resident muses. “Time flies. I really am into the creative part of things. And it feels very rewarding when it turns out and I end up with a nice-looking egg.”

Jerry, who has been carving eggs for 15 years, first noticed this unique art when he saw some eggs carved by a lady from Illinois, and the concept intrigued him.

“I’m mostly self-taught,” he shares. “I have taken some lessons on how to do scrimshaw, which is carving fine designs into bone and other hard natural materials, but I’ve learned how to carve the eggs by trial and error.”

It took him awhile to find the ideal tool, but Jerry eventually settled on a small dentist’s drill to create these delicate pieces of art with custom designs. Patterns vary in shape and size, from monograms or logos, to intricate lace or colored layers in emu eggs.

As far as he knows, Jerry is the only egg carver in the area; a Chicago artist is the closest in proximity to him. Nevertheless, he is pleasantly surprised at the number of egg collectors who visit his studio in Shipshewana, at the Courtyard of Arts.

“Most collectors come from cities like Detroit or Chicago, but I’ve met people from all over the country and all over the world, for that matter. A few collectors come back year after year to add to their collection.

“I love to talk to people about how I carve eggs, and I love to show people how I do it. Chances are if you stop by the studio, I’ll be in the middle of carving something. If you know you’re coming, give me a call and I’ll be sure to have a project going so you can see how it’s done.”

Getting Personal
Jerry and his wife Julie have lived in Middlebury for 45 years. While Julie is originally from Middlebury, Jerry is from neighboring Shipshewana, where his family was Amish until he turned five years of age. While raising his two daughters, who also live in Middlebury, he worked in a local factory until he retired. Jerry and Julie are also active in their local church and in their grandchildren’s lives.

“I have so many fond memories and experiences from living here, I honestly can’t imagine living anywhere else,” he concludes.

You can learn more about Jerry Bontrager by visiting his website at www.JerrysEggs.com, or by clicking here.

To see a video where Jerry talks about some of his carvings, click here. [youtube]http://youtu.be/wFwpxSZvku0[/youtube]

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inTime

Krider Garden symbolizes connections, memories, and beauty for Middlebury residents past and present.

It’s been said that hope springs eternal.

It can also be said that history springs eternal, especially when history blooms each spring and summer at Krider Garden.

While all the gardens and parks are important places that add richer experiences to Middlebury living, this park in particular is unique both in present-day form and because of its past.

Today…

People both from the Middlebury area and from far away visit Krider Garden for its current-day beauty.

Grown-ups sit on wrought iron and sunburst benches or swing on the porch-style swing. Passers-by marvel at the quilt garden mural; children play hide-and seek under the ten-foot toadstools or tall, blue windmill. Teens ride their bikes on the adjoining trail.

“This is a really unique place,” shared a couple last summer, who traveled from Wisconsin to view the Quilt Gardens Along the Heritage Trail, of which Krider Garden is a part. “The windmill is really neat.” Pointing to the plaque near the entrance of the park, they added, “We didn’t know there was so much history connected to it.”

Neither did many current-day Middlebury Community Schools students until recently. As part of its curriculum, students study and visit each of the “Seven Wonders of Middlebury,” with Krider Garden being one of those stops. Several students can be seen sticking fingers in the pond or on the water wheel. Other students are surprised to find out the homes they currently live in sit on the property of what used to be part of the 500-acre Krider Nurseries, Inc.

Simply put, Krider Garden, with its statues and flowers and water and benches, is a lovely place to be. It’s also a place to learn about the history of Middlebury.

…Mixed With The Past…

While some folks are making new memories, others are either discovering or remembering the history connected to this nursery-turned-park.

Kenneth Krider

Take, for example, Facebook friends who recently posted comments, recalling special moments from their past:

Ann Krider Cooksey, great-granddaughter of Vernon, posted: “I used to go into the nursery office across the street and get a handful of peanuts from the machine and cross the street into the garden. I’d eat a couple of peanuts and pretend to shrink and then I’d be Alice in Wonderland by the toadstools…. It was the place where the imagination of an eight-year-old girl ran wild.”

Mark Roebuck recalls his mother’s stories. Mary Anne maintained the garden when she worked at Krider Nurseries in the 1970s and 80s. He writes, “She just recently gave our son Tyler her old Barlow knife that she used there.”

Krider has a long and luxurious history, beginning in 1896 when Mr. Vernon H. Krider purchased 30 acres, and then over the years, added significantly to the land known as Krider Nurseries, Inc. At one time, Krider Nurseries was the largest industry in Middlebury, employing around 100 people

Then in 1934, it was announced that Chicago would host the World’s Fair from May to October, and the theme would be called, “Century of Progress.”

Seeing the fair as an opportunity to expand his catalog business, Vernon, along with locals Aloysius John Vocke and Levi N. Miller, created an enormous garden exhibit called “Krider’s Diversified Garden,” representing numerous places and cultures throughout the world. Afterwards, the garden returned to Middlebury, and today stands as a historical monument to the energy and excitement of its town and time.

Some remaining artifacts include:

• The mushrooms, or “toadstools” as Vernon called them, sat at the entrance of the exhibit.

• The windmill stood in the Holland garden.

• The German garden featured the Sunrise Bench.

• The New England garden showcased the Green Iron Bench.

• The Allegheny Garden housed the mill wheel.

The idea that Vernon’s involvement at the World’s Fair helped his business is an understatement; he received over 250,000 names from the fair that helped launch the nurseries’ very successful national mail-order business.

Krider Nursery founder Vernon with grandson twins Rex & Ross.

Rex Krider, Vernon’s grandson, completed the details by adding that in 1988, the nursery fazed out. For several years, the garden stood in disrepair. In 1995, Middlebury Parks took over the garden and began the restoration process.

Said Rex, “My grandfather had a great vision. I worked in the nursery as a young boy, and now I walk through the garden. I’ll have an occasional lunch there in the summer. I can’t help but bend down and pull a few weeds every now and then; I guess that’s still in my blood.”

…Comes Full Circle

Back to today, Krider Garden is now maintained by the Middlebury Parks Department and its volunteer partner, Friends of the Middlebury Parks. The town and community work hard to maintain the beauty and history by planting flowers and picking up debris. Last fall, Friends of Middlebury Parks purchased and installed HEBE, a seven-foot replica statue representative of the original from the World’s Fair Garden. Hebe, holding her pitcher, is the goddess of youth and forgiveness.

While many community members take an active role in the beautification process, some people simply delight in the beauty and history. One of those people is Marla Krider, married to Greg, Vernon’s great-grandson.

“The words that come to my mind [about Krider Garden] are ‘connected’ and ‘enduring.’ This place was a vital part of our community for several decades. Now, it’s a testimony to mother nature, to beauty, to simplicity, to hard work….

“I’m so glad the Parks Department has maintained the garden with respect for its history.”

"Hebe," the goddess of youth and forgiveness, replicates the original statue in the 1934 World's Fair Garden

Special thanks to Marla Krider, Richard Smith, and Rex Krider for sharing the history of Krider Garden.

Friends of Middlebury Parks is holding a Volunteer Day on Saturday, May 5, 9am-11am at Krider Garden. Check www.inMiddlebury.com, inMiddlebury Facebook page, and www.middleburyin.org for ongoing updated information.

To see a video of Middlebury Community Historical Society Museum’s director, Richard Smith, talking about a special visitor to Krider Garden, click here.

To see a video of Rex recalling a childhood memory from working at Krider Nursery, click here. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pPLYBVu8Tk[/youtube]

To see a video of  Vernon’s Grandson, Rex, remembering when the 1934 World’s Fair display was built, click here.[youtube]http://youtu.be/dyPev2bFIeQ[/youtube]

To see a slide show of Krider Garden then and now, click here.[youtube]http://youtu.be/fzhzlEK4No4[/youtube]

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inFocus

Essenhaus toots its horn at its annual Train Show in February.

Das Dutchman Essenhaus is the busiest restaurant in the state of Indiana for many reasons. It serves up succulent home-style meals; its campus is home to retail shops, buggy rides, and an inviting Inn. The family atmosphere celebrates long-held traditions of the Mennonite and Amish cultures.

Once a month, Das Dutchman Essenhaus is busy for yet another reason: Fun, exciting, family-centered events are being offered to the public.

February’s Train Show

During the month of February, Essenhaus held its annual Train Show housed throughout the restaurant, shops, and the newly-added Heritage Hall.

Thirteen working toy trains were showcased, along with 44 vendors and hundreds of tables displaying a variety of train products. Two craft tables were also set up for little ones to design train-related artwork.

The most attention-garnering display was of a lego-built train and community.  Jason Spears, one of the builders of the display, said although it’s nearly impossible to guess how many lego pieces his team uses to build the display, he estimates 120,000 pieces are used to build and showcase the exhibition.

What’s Next

April 5, 6, and 7, “Peter: The Rock” is a production by Northern Indiana Biblical Drama Association that provides a unique look inside the story from the first Communion to the Resurrection of Christ.

April 18 and 19 presents the latest in home and fashion décor at the annual Home and Fashion Show, held at the Conference Center.

For more information on Essenhaus upcoming events, click here.

To view a video of the Train Show, click here. [youtube]http://youtu.be/QZNWkS-XxVQ[/youtube]

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Essenhaus comes out smokin’ at its annual Cooking Show in March.

Standing room only was the scenario in the upstairs section of the Essenhaus Restaurant at the annual cooking show, with this year’s theme being “Savor the Flavor.” Notable names in preparing family foods provided entertainment and cooking tips, with their front-stage demonstrations showcased on big screens.

Heritage Hall

Essenhaus’ latest addition to their campus is Heritage Hall, located on Wayne Street directly across from the restaurant.

Heritage Hall is used for special events, activities, performances, meetings, and as a rental facility.

Jeff Miller, Operations Manager, said Heritage Hall provides “a venue for entertainment that has charm, flexibility and convenience that we hope will be a benefit to our entire community.”

To view a slide show of the Cooking Show, click here.[youtube]http://youtu.be/JXYTj0A3AmU[/youtube]

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Between devoted readers and residents with an eye for detail, we’re able to offer some spring photos that delight the senses and please the soul. Enjoy these images from all around and inMiddlebury.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/oC7hGYZgVHA[/youtube]

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inTown

Do you dream of serving up the most delicious Easter meal ever? Let our local retailers help!

From baskets to jelly beans, from hams to hot rolls, you have everything you need for your Easter meal right here inMiddlebury.

Old Hoosier Meats offers the freshest hams, beef, chicken, and pork around.

Country Lane Bakery, an Amish establishment, delivers on airy breads, perfectly-round cookies, pies, and cakes. Fork’s County Line stores carries “Grandma’s Jellies,” made by Middlebury’s Furman Hostetler family.

Village Inn, Middlebury’s perennial downtown gathering place, offers made-from-scratch pies. No need to go out and purchase a rolling pin when you can buy homemade desserts here!

Flower Petal’r and Ace Hardware custom design centerpieces fit for a royal family: yours.

Easter egg coloring supplies can be found at Dollar Daze.

For those one-of-a-kind Easter baskets, grab up those unique jumbo jelly beans from Dutch Country Market. Before you buy, sample from their 14 unique flavors until you find your favorite.

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Creating a magazine is never a solitary enterprise. We’re grateful for all those who affirm our efforts and those who volunteer time and energy to help out, using their talents simply because the love our town. This month we would like to give credit to:

Tina Menefee, for proofreading copy and adding a splash of creativity here and there.

Khing Mounsithiraj, for taking still-life photos and having an eye for beauty. Khing’s photo appears in the InSeason story and video.

Ryan Smeltzer, who can take something ordinary and find something extraordinary when he looks at it through a camera lens. Ryan also worked patiently with a cute but skiddish bunny. Ryan’s photographs appear in the Stuck in her Thumb, Food for Thought, and inSeason articles and videos.

Sonya Harmon-Nash, from the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau, who kindly allowed us to re-publish photos from the Quilt Gardens Tour.

David Arment, a self-proclaimed “amateur” photographer who takes professional-quality pictures. To see more of David’s work, visit his website at DavidArmentPhoto.zenfolio.com/. His photographs in this issue appear on the cover and on page 3. Copyright David Arment Photography. All rights Reserved. No reproductions allowed.

Marla Krider, who allowed us to publish original photographs about Krider Garden taken at the 1934 World’s Fair.

Middlebury Parks Dept. and Friends of Middlebury Parks, who gave us free reign with an abundance of photos. Their photos appear on pages 2, 27, 35 and 37.

Thank you for taking the time to enjoy. Now that you are at the end of this issue, we trust you feel more hopeful.

Please spread the word about our magazine, Facebook page and website. We are very busy adding to each aspect on a weekly basis.

If you are a business-owner and would like to discuss marketing opportunities, please e mail us at: info@inMiddlebury.com.

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Here are some scenes from spirited, family-friendly Middlebury events.

• Linda Pieri hosts a young student to her beginner art class. Pieri Design Studio offers classes throughout the year;
• The Essenhaus hosted its Annual Toy Show, bringing in well over 100 vendors with toys old and new, unique and rare, handmade and hard-to-find;
• The Ice Festival, part of 3rd Friday activities, showcased the extraordinary talents of nearly a dozen ice carvers sculpting displays unique only to Middlebury.

Life is all about choices.

Sometimes we make them impulsively,
and other times we think before we act.

Some are good and some aren’t so good,
so hopefully we live and learn.

We may solicit advice before we choose;
other times, we act from our own experiences.

Sometimes, we even have to make choices because of circumstances forced upon us that we never would have chosen.
Nevertheless, we still choose.

I recall the simple line from a favored movie
where the wife says to her husband, “I choose us.”

I am glad I get to make choices. I’m glad others make choices I can benefit from:

Like Robert Morris,
who chose both tenacity and patience to take the perfect picture of special places in Middlebury.

Like Lori Lyles,
who chose to not waste extra goat milk, but instead, put it to very special use.

Like the Shoup family,
who have chosen to blaze a bus trail in Middlebury since 1923.

Like Becky Fogle,
who chooses to help everyone make better choices about their health.

Like our business owners
who work hard to make our town a very special, exciting place to live.

For choosing friendship. For choosing beauty. For choosing fun, thank you.
Those choices make the world a brighter, happier place.

For your choosing to spend time reading inMiddlebury Magazine and enjoying the photos, thank you.
That choice deepens relationships and builds a more solid community.

Great choice.

Warmest wishes,
Tammy Tilley
Melissa Troyer

We are keenly aware that each of you, like each small town, has a very special story,
whether you work here or just live here,
were born here or have moved here.
We can’t wait to get to know you and those stories,
so stay in touch with us through www.InMiddlebury.com as well as our Facebook page.

You will only find inMiddlebury magazine online! 
Online publishing allows us to do something really special that print publications cannot do: show videos.
You can actually click on highlighted words that will take you to YouTube where you can “hear it in their own words.”
That is, you can listen to and watch our featured guests share their own stories.

We are sensitive to the idea that for many of you, reading online materials for pleasure is a new idea.
We hope you’ll enjoy this new format!

Boot Camp Becky
Of all the New Year’s resolutions, most likely the one that garners most focus is the weight-loss resolution. Come early January, people determine to lose weight or get in better shape than what they’re currently in. But by February, oftentimes willpower has gone to the wayside.

In order to stay focused, inMiddlebury offers help from someone who has dedicated her life to that process. She shares some tips on how to be successful and then tells us how she can help along the way.

Here’s to a new dedication to weight loss.
May you never find that weight again.
And here’s to a year of healthy living.
May you embrace the change for the good.
See you at the gym!…or on the track!…or in the great outdoors!

Meet Becky Fogle
 By looking at Becky, one would never guess she ever struggled with a weight issue. “I’m from the south,” she says with a deep Texan accent. “I used to think if food isn’t covered with a biscuit and some gravy, then you don’t eat it. “So my eating was wrong, and I definitely wasn’t fit. Especially after high school. At one point I was up to 195 pounds.”

Becky lost her dad to obesity, and it still took two more years until she made a serious change. “I attended a boot camp, and that was my beginning. Then, with the encouragement of my husband Jim, I opened Becky’s Boot Camp.”

What’s A “Boot Camp?”
The word “boot camp” conjures up negative ideas of six weeks of basic training in the armed forces, where the toughest of men and women barely survive obstacle courses and 4 a.m. runs, all the while, drill sergeants yelling in their faces. In the fitness world, “boot camp” is more about a beginning and an end, about being in the company of others, and about having someone cheer you on. All while you try to make life changes.

“Boot camp is for anyone, because everything is based on your own level,” said Becky. “I do everything on a stopwatch, not numbers. So, within a minute you might do two or five of something while Mr. Advanced does 15. Wherever you start, you will see progress. I see it all the time,” she adds emphatically. Boot camp offers a full body workout that combines cardio with strength raining. “It’s nice if you can bring hand weights,” Becky explains, “but ultimately, everything you need, you’re wearing. You don’t need anything except arms and legs and motivation.”

Boot Camp or Not… Just Get Moving
Becky realizes boot camp isn’t for everyone, so she also offers a few suggestions on exercising at home.

“There’s a ton of stuff you can do at home. Any static exercise you do, if you add bounding or jumping to it, you’re doing cardio. Cardio is when you get your heart rate up for an extended amount of time and break a sweat. You can run up and down stairs. You can jump rope. Do the trampoline.

“Do from 30 minutes to an hour of cardio each day. Break it up if you need to. Do two 30 minute sessions or three 20 minute sessions.” She also says strength exercises can be achieved with an individual’s own body weight. (See the end of the article for a link to a video where Becky teaches four of her favorite exercises.)

You Are What You Eat
Becky teaches that if you really want to see the results she’s talking about, you must combine the exercise with healthy eating. For more information on Becky and her boot camps, visit her website at www.BeckysBootCamp.com. For an instruction video on performing four of Becky’s favorite exercises, click here.

Healthy you…Happy Me!
Becky is happiest when she observes how Becky’s Boot Camp helps others.

“My motto is ‘Healthy you…Happy Me!’

“I see bodies change all the time in my classes because the people change their thought processes from negative to positive. It takes some effort, but it works.” What’s better than a person finding joy in their effort?

Here are her rules:
Stay away from processed foods. “Food that you hunt, gather, pick, fish, or grow, that’s what you want to eat.”
Eat 5-6 small meals each day to keep your blood levels on even keel.

An example includes:
Breakfast: Omelette with vegetables.
Snack: Apple and almond butter.
Lunch: Grilled chicken breast with a huge salad.
Snack: Banana and almonds.
Supper: Your smallest meal of protein and fresh vegetables or salad.

“Eat like a king at breakfast, a prince at lunch, and a pauper at supper,” she says. Make sue you have protein at every meal. “Protein burns fat and builds muscle.”

Drink water. “If you don’t change anything else, drink a lot of pure, clean water. Water flushes out your system and keeps your liver and kidneys clean. It is essential to keeping your body hydrated, thinking better, and having clear skin.”

Ann Yoder remembers…
The year was 1949. Ann, a precocious ten-year-old, wouldboard the bus with either her mom or her dad to take her young brother to Goshen. At the time, they lived east of Shipshewana, where they would drive their horse and buggy four and a half miles into town, board the bus, and ride to Middlebury and on into Goshen.
“I thought riding the bus was fantastic. We could get on this bus that a nice man drove, and all those people were on the bus, and everybody would talk to everybody else.”

Julie Blyley remembers…
As young teenagers in 1954, Julie and her friend Carolyn would ride the bus from Middlebury into Goshen. Each Saturday,they would visit the Lincoln Theater to watch a movie.
“They were cowboy movies back then, usually starring Gene Autry or Roy Rogers.
“After the movie, we would go to the Coffee Cup for a burger and fries. Then, at about 5 pm we would get back on the bus and come home.
“That bus was a very important part of our lives and our mem­ories. I feel a real fondness for that time in my life.”

Carmon Cripe remembers…
With a sly look on his face, he shares, “I was a junior or senior in high school, and several of us fellas were go­ing to go into Goshen on the bus. We hopped on at South Main in Middlebury, but we didn’t get far. Smoke started coming out of the front of the bus.
“It all ended okay, though. I ran to the neighbor and called the fire department, and Shoup brought over a different bus. We still made it to Goshen.”

inTime
About the Shoups and Cardinal Buses
Many more people share sim­ilar memories about riding the bus, most likely be­cause the Shoup family has owned and operated their bus business in Middlebury since 1923.

Branston and Gertrude Shoup purchased the bus line in 1923, offering service be­tween Middlebury and To­peka in their five-passenger Model T touring car. They soon expanded the route to include service to and from Shipshewana and Topeka.

Second generation owner John Shoup continued the service as well as expanded the line, and he changed the name from Middlebury Bus Lines to Shoup Buses, Inc.

In 1954, they pur­chased Cardinal Buses, and thus began their charter bus business. Today, John can be seen still in the office on some days, but most of the daily business is run by third generation Dan, Matt, and Becky and her husband.

Cardinal Buses also has three locations, one in Middlebury, a second in Holland, Michigan, and a third location in Mishawa­ka. Matt clarifies that instead of running trips to Goshen and Shipshewana, Cardinal Buses now runs through­out the United States, with most of their business coming from school field trips and sporting events.

Then...

Both John and Matt affirm their love for the busi­ness. “It a family business,” said John. I was born into it, and so were Matt and Dan.”

...now!

“It means a lot,” concludes Matt.

To see John’s somewhat hu­morous analysis of how bus tours have changed through the years, click here.

For more information on Cardinal Buses, visit their website at www.CardinalBus­es.com.

*Some information from this article was taken from the book, Middlebury, The Town Beautiful 1836-1986.

What do you do for winter fun?

When you live in Middlebury, you can count on a few things every year:

• the Elkhart County 4-H Fair in the summer;
• daffodils in spring;
• sweat­shirts and Friday night high school football in the autumn;
• and in the winter… SNOW.

Some see snow as a nuisance, and others see snow as a veritable play­ground of fun. In Middlebury, all can have fun when you know where to go. So grab your cross-country skis, your sled, and go play in the snow!

Sims Hills Golf Course

But during the winter, when those holes are covered with snow, the greens become an inviting host for cross-country skiers, snowshoe buffs and sledding enthusiasts.

The main sledding hill, right off the park­ing lot, is wide and offers a variety of height and steepness choices. The middle of the hill allows for long distance flight with shorter downhill options available towards the sides of the hill. Cross-country skiers or snowshoe buffs can also start their trip at the main entrance. These options start left of the hill and wind back into the scenic heart of the course.

As Sims Oak Hills is a public golf course, there is no cost to use the hill or course for winter activities. There are also no specific hours of operation. On the down side, there is no warming house or restrooms for those who bring coffee or cocoa to the sledding hill.
Bonneyville Mill County Park

The park encompasses hundreds of miles and offers cross-country skiers a vari­ety of terrain and distance options. There are also two sledding hills that offer good flight and distance.

Another nice quality offered by this location is that nature can be seen at its brightest and most beautiful during heavy snowfall. The Little Elkhart River sings a happy song as it laps against rock and frozen banks. Mallards surprise the hiker with a loud honk and winged flight. Snow, especially untouched, spar­kles like a million stars scattered across the galaxy.

There is no fee for cross-country ski­ing or sledding. However, the park is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and park officials stoke the fires in a warming house.
Your Own Backyard

• Build a snowman.
• Create an igloo or fort.
• Get into a snowball fight.

Middlebury has some special scen­ery since the area is home to the Amish community. In order to have some winter fun, some Amish children hook up a sled or tube behind a horse. Who needs fancy sleighs or snowmobiles? All you have to do is have a child­like, playful attitude. When you re-envision snow as a time to renew that carefree spirit, you might just surprise yourself with a new thought of: “Gee, I guess the snow isn’t so bad after all.”

Have a blast in winter’s wild playground!

Chai is another word for “tea” and commonly refers to a spiced tea brewed with milk.

In recent years, chai has become a popular cold weather drink, as this hot drink contains spices and flavorings usually associated with winter.

In Middlebury, you can always visit a local restaurant for your favorite blend,
but if it happens to be a stay at home in your pajamas kind of day, you can make your own as well.

In town, Fork’s County Line Stores has a great selection of spices and vanilla.
Harding’s Supermarket car­ries fresh ginger as well as Darjeel­ing blend tea.

Recipe for Chai Tea

• 4 – 1 1/2 in. slices fresh ginger (use vegetable peeler)
• 1 two inch cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 heaping spoon powdered carda­mom
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 dash nutmeg
• 1 heaping Tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 Darjeeling blend tea bags
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups milk

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and toss in teabags, then all other ingredi­ents in order above.
Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring oc­casionally. Add milk and bring to boil.
Remove from heat. Strain through strainer or coffee filters and serve hot or in a tall glass filled with ice.
Refrigerate unused portion. Reheat in the microwave for 1 minute.

 Enjoy!