Letter from Jayne

By Alice Jayne Casebeer Lartz

Hello dear friends & family- The store is looking so beautiful - both inside as well as outside. ’Tis my favorite time of the year.(You’ve heard me say that before - haven’t you?) Well,it’s the same old place and old "Ma & Pa" are getting older, but we’re still here - as the saying goes. As you come in the front door to your left - you’ll see the handcrafted Meadowbrook Gourds. This is probably the largest display from that company that we have ever had for both fall & Christmas. Across the room you’ll see our Annalee collectibles for autumn, Thanksgiving and Christmas - another store favorite for so many, many years. The detail on these felt dolls just seems to get better.

New Christmas sculptures from Isabel Bloom have arrived with more new to come. We have the larger pieces in their garden line as well - in a new color called Moss Rose. The new scents of the Woodwick Candles are Evergreen, Honey Butter, Noel, Snowflake, Spiced Eggnog & Vanilla Latte - very yummy.
Old World Christmas ornaments have a large area in our little store. Wait till you see this selection! Mike enjoyed selecting G. DeBrekht Russian Santas & ornaments at market for the store. Casey made the selection of Erzgebirge wooden smokers - probably because of memories of his Grandmother Casebeer’s home. He’s so excited for you to see the Pumpkin Chimineas - sorry we don’t have a warehouse full of them - they are great!
The "girls" do most of the buying for the store - gone are the days when Ray & I would agonize over going to market for the store, but they were great years. Bearington Bear Company has introduced a New Baby Line - everything so soft & cuddly - that will be hard to resist for your "special someone". A Christmas tree for "Baby" will be one of the featured trees this year.
The fresh floral department has become so very busy - I know you will enjoy talking with the friendly girls in that area - they even invite you into the big cooler if you want.
As I write to you today - the mums are making the outside look so good - there’s bittersweet, Indian Corn, pumpkins, gourds. We’ve "Got It All For Fall" including caramel apples, kettle corn & our ever popular Fannie May candies.
Well, its another year for us - I look forward to seeing our old friends & of course, making some new friends.
My heart to you all -
Jayne
PS - You’ll probably find me in a chair in the office, but not napping I hope!

Back to top

Thinking of Going Green?

If you want to do more "green living", try organic gardening! By making our gardens and back yards friendly to wildlife we can help struggling populations of birds, insects and small animals. Providing food and shelter for wildlife helps them get from one bio-friendly area to another. There are several different approaches and techniques used in organic gardening. You may find that you are using some of them already. If you have selected cultivars that are resistant to pests or drought, you are involved in one form of organic gardening. If you put out a scarecrow or bars of hand soap to keep animals away, this too is organic gardening. Compost is an organic fertilizer. Organic techniques are around in many gardens already. By utilizing them more you can improve the environment and lead a healthier lifestyle.
There are different levels of organic gardening and different reasons why people choose organic methods. Some people are not opposed to pest control and extermination but they don’t want to add any more chemicals to the environment or to the food that they eat. Others go organic as a means of getting back to a more historic, natural, and even challenging way of gardening. You will need to decide which methods match your personal philosophies and reasons for going organic.
For helpful hints on simple things you can do to protect the environment and lead a healthier gardening lifestyle visit our website: www.caseysgardenshop.com and click on Monthly Garden Tips!

Back to top

Full line of organic/hydroponic solutions now available!

Casey’s decided a number of years ago to offer organic solutions for our customer’s lawn and gardening needs. Over the years, customer interest in organics has grown and we have expanded our offerings. We carry a full line of organic solutions for your lawn, garden and home. In deciding to use organic methods, you first will need to accept the fact that you will likely have more pest damage and lower crop yields than if you were employing chemicals. Many people are willing to make this trade off. From diatomaceous (what a mouthful) earth to Bacillus thuringiensis (even a bigger mouth) to worm castings, neem oil, blood meal, bone meal, bat and seabird guano, fish emulsion and more...we carry organics supplies for lawn care, pest control, garden fertilization and soil amendments.

Hydroponic supplies are also carried at Casey’s. Organic fertilizers as well as inorganics are included in this line. Cloning gels, catalysts, pH adjusters, rockwool, geolite, as well as a complete line of metal halide high output lighting and more are carried in stock and many other items can be special ordered for you. Hydroponically grown flowers, vegetables and fruits do grow faster - about a third faster - than those grown in soil. This is because plants do not have to search or compete for available nutrients as they do in soil. Hydroponically grown fruit and vegetables have the same nutritional values as those grown in soil. For more information on our organic and hydroponic supplies stop in the store and talk to Dan. He has years of experience and a wealth of information to pass along!

Many of our products have an OMRI label. OMRI stands for the Organic Materials Review Institute, a national nonprofit organization that determines which input products are allowed for use in organic production and processing. For more detail on OMRI lawn and garden products, visit their web site at www.omri.org.

Back to top

What’s new in Collectibles
Casey’s features a unique selection of unusual gifts and collectibles, from artisans around the world. Our collectibles shop offers fine gift items for the collector in your life or even for yourself. We special order items for our customers and can even incorporate your collectible into a floral arrangement for a unique gift combination. Come in and browse to discover the treasures we have to offer!

• G. DeBrekht Artistic Studios - following the traditions of the old school of Russian painting making every piece one-of-a-kind.
  
• German Erzgebirge pyramids and smokers from Gunter Flath & Sohn and Dregeno
  
• Isabel Bloom - Original concrete cast and hand-finished designs resembling weathered bronze garden sculptures of the Victorian era.
  
• The Bearington Collection - Plush collectibles that are highly detailed and have limited production runs.
  
• Merck Family’s Old World Christmas - figural glass ornaments hand crafted in age-old tradition using the same techniques that originated in the 1800’s.
  
• Meadowbrook Gourds - Hand painted and carved holiday and seasonal figures made in Carlisle, PA.
  
• Annalee - Felt and wire doll creations have become a national tradition.
  
• Big League Checkers - Checkers featuring two of your favorite sports teams.
  

Back to top