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Table of Contents
9
7
Middlebury Parks Department
Outdoor Living, 6 Dr. Carla Gull Farm Grown Flowers
14 Scholar Athlete of the Month: Kaitlin Simons
Middlebury’s First ACRES Nature Preserve! Elma Chapman
Slow cooking into Autumn
Middlebury Boys & Girls Club Lemonade Stand, 8
18
CONTRIBUTORS: PUBLISHER:
Middlebury Fall Festival
Old-Timer’s Meeting, 22
Dogwood Hills Tree Farm, 11 Chris Wheeler
27 Give a Shout of Gratitude! 27
The Northridge Raider band in the Middlebury Summer Festival Parade. – Photo by Desirée Beauchamp-Boucher
Don L. Hurd
EDITOR:
Desirée Beauchamp-Boucher
ADVERTISING: Scott Faust
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Magdalena Franke
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Dr. Carla Gull, Chris Wheeler, Elma Chapman Desirée Beauchamp-Boucher
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Russ Draper, Carla Gull, Linnea Wheeler Desirée Beauchamp-Boucher
Advertise with us Share your message with every home and business within the Middlebury School Corporation. We mail the magazine to homes and businesses throughout the Middlebury School District and publish it online. Your ad can reach each home for as low as 1.5¢ per address. Design is free with purchase of your ad. Our Account Managers are here to help, just give us a call at 574-228-3080 or email advertising@hurdmedia.com.
Advertising deadline for the October issue
is September 15.
inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021 3
COMMUNITY CALENDAR Hello Middlebury!
SEPTEMBER
WEEKLY
WED: Middlebury Exchange Club, Essenhaus – 6:30 a.m. FRI: Optimist Club Breakfast, Essenhaus – 6:30 a.m.
MONTHLY AMERICAN LEGION DINNERS 5 -7 p.m., Public welcome 1st Friday: All-You-Can-Eat Fish by the Legion 2nd Friday: Grilled Smoked Pork Chops by Legion Riders 3rd Friday: Shrimp or Chicken Tender Dinner by SAL 4th Friday: Manhattan Dinner by the Legion 5th Friday: Brats by Boy Scout Troop 7 Last Saturday: Steak Grill – Call 825-5121 for more info 1ST & 3RD MONDAYS: Town Council Meetings at Town Hall – 6 p.m. 1ST & 3RD WEDNESDAYS: Middlebury Men’s Club Meetings at the American Legion – 7 p.m. 2ND AND 4TH MONDAYS: Middlebury Lions Club - 7 p.m., American Legion Hall
It was so wonderful seeing the town out and about last month at the Summer Festival and Parade which went off without a hitch. The hustle and bustle of school has begun and with it comes excitement. I must apologize for an error in the August issue, we did not credit the Summer Reads article. It was written by Chris Wheeler and we thank him for sharing some of his family’s favorite books with us. I would like to wish all of the Middlebury students and staff a wonderful year full of growth and success. - Desirée Beauchamp-Boucher
Middlebury Then & Now Self-Guided Tours, Year Round Pick up your free tour book at the Middlebury Community Historical Musuem, Das Dutchman Essenhaus, Middlebury Visitors Center or other area locations and walk or drive to various historical homes, businesses, cemeteries, parks and landmarks throughout the Middlebury area. Trail Tales, Year Round Bring the family outdoors to read a children’s book while walking a short path at Riverbend Park; book pages are placed in special kiosks along the path. New books are installed monthly. Faces of Middlebury, May-September Grab your cameras and the map to locate each “face of Middlebury” and insert your face for the perfect picture. Maps are available at local businesses, our Facebook page and our website. Post your pictures on Middlebury Then & Now’s Facebook page or on Instagram using #facesofmiddlebury Historic Middlebury Guided Walking Tours, September 11 The following tours will be available during Fall Festival For Gangsters, Saloons & Buggies on Roofs – Middlebury Community Library, 101 E. Winslow St., Approx. 1 hour. Free For Giant Toadstools and the World’s Fair – Middlebury Community Historical Museum, 301 Bristol Ave., Approx. 1 hour. Free Flashback Friday Movies in the Park, September 11 Family-friendly movie at 8:00 p.m. prior to fireworks on the Essenhaus Campus. Free Feathered Friends, September 17 4:00-6:00 p.m.; Lake Milton Raptor Program and build a platform bird feeder or a mason bee house. Food will be available for purchase; Riverbend Park. Free
4 inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021
September Birthdays
9/2 9/2 9/7 9/10 9/12
Brook Friesner Ivan King, 38 Dan Bowman Ernie Miller, 80 Nicole Deckers
9/16 9/16 9/20 9/23
Kris Mueller Claire Presley Tracy Wogoman Daniel Otto, 1
Anniversaries 9/2
Happy 1st Birthday Daniel! Love mom, dad & brother
Tracy & Jason Wogoman
Happy 80th Birthday Ernie Miller! We love you Sally, Jaci, Tom, Payton, Joli, Rob, Sydney, Samuel, Allison, David, Brady & Susie
Have a celebration in October?
Let us know by Sept. 15. Email inmiddleburymagazine@gmail.com or call 260-463-3660. Be sure to include Name, Birth or Anniversary Date, Age or Years. Celebrating. Don’t forget a photo and a short note if you like. inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021 5
OUTDOOR LIVING
A new option for cutting fresh flowers has popped up on County Road 37 in Middlebury this summer. Beth Eash and family started Farm Grown Flowers, a U-Pick flower spot on their family farm. Sunflowers, Zinnias, Cosmos, and other wildflowers are planted in a succession type system, allowing fresh stems for cutting all season long. New rows are regularly planted while older plants feed and nourish the soil once again.
Beth Eash and employee tend to the flowers and customers.
Bees are busy on the flowers!
The Zinnias are beautiful!
Leave a leaf near the flower for best results when cutting.
Opening in July, Farm Grown Flowers has posted regular hours on their Facebook page, along with gorgeous pictures of their blooms. Several events have already happened, such as date night or girls’ night with a food truck, flower picking, and photography. Other special days have included prearranged flower bundles. They expect to be open July through mid-October each year. I took our two youngest boys out to the flower farm. Buckets and clippers were available for our use, along with a demonstration on which flowers to pick. Staff suggested looking for firm stems and petals not yet completely unfurled. With so many varieties, it was hard to choose, but it was fun to search for them all. We enjoyed the experience of family time, being part of nature, supporting local businesses, and interacting with our community. Pollinators were busy throughout the flowers. We reminded ourselves that bees leave us alone if we leave them alone. In reality, the bees were interested in the flowers, not us. We made small bouquet jars with a few flowers each to share with the women in my family. Farm Grown Flowers has a variety of sunflower species, such as Teddy Bear, Mexican, Gold Rush, Rouge Royale, Goldy Double, Double Quick Orange, Florenza, Firecracker, and more. Each has unique characteristics, and all are beautiful! They accept card, cash, and Venmo for the reasonably priced flowers. You can contact them at 574-370-2667 or farmgrownflowers@gmail.com. When you go, remember to take a bucket or container to transport your flowers. For optimal freshness, change the water and trim the stems every few days, favoring hard water over soft water. Enjoy the fresh blooms!
Our flower haul!
6 inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021
Dr. Carla Gull blogs at www.insideoutsidemichiana. com and hosts the podcast Loose Parts Nature Play. She is often seen with four tag-along explorers in the greater Michiana area.
THANK YOU TO OUR RIVERFEST SPONSORS
Riverfest can’t happen without the help of the community. The Riverfest Planning Committee, the Middlebury Parks Staff, and the Park Board would like to extend their sincerest appreciation to Jayco, Tri-state Bovine, Little Elkhart Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Forks County Line Store, and First State Bank. Remember them when you need a product or services—local businesses build strong communities!
VOLUNTEER VOICES For four years I’ve volunteered for Middlebury Parks as a member of the Riverfest Planning Committee. Two years ago, I dressed as the Riverfest mascot in the Summer Festival parade and during the festival. For the last two years I also monitor two trails, the Warren Street trail from First Source Bank to Berry Street and the Middlebury section of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail from the bridge to Dairy Queen. I am an Advanced Indiana Master Naturalist which is a program led by the Soil and Water Conservation District of Elkhart County and the Elkhart County Parks. It’s a nine-week class that teaches about the ecology of Indiana. Each year I log volunteer and education hours to retain my Advanced IMN status. I enjoy helping out our parks in any way I can. As a volunteer I’ve gained a desire to educate the community about keeping our environment safe and clean for humans and animals. I’ve also gained friends and fun from both opportunities.
LAST CHANCE TO SEE THE FLORAL BEAUTY Fall and frost will be here before you know it. Check out the lovely individual gardens inside Krider World’s Fair Garden before it all disappears until next summer. THIS PAGE SPONSORED BY
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inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021 7
Lemonade Day There’s nothing like a refreshing glass of lemonade on a hot summer day. But members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Elkhart County are taking the lemon theme to a new level this summer – and learning about business at the same time.
As part of the Lemonade Days program partnership with Junior Achievement, members spent the summer working with area businesses to create a product and place it in stores. Teens at the Middlebury Clubhouse partnered with Legendary Grind.
The Lemonade Day program was started in 2007 to empower young people to become entrepreneurs through helping them start, own and operate their own businesses. The program walks them from a dream to a business plan, while teaching them the same principles required to start any company. The goal of the program is to inspire kids to work hard and make a profit. They are also taught to spend some, save some and share some by giving back to their community.
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Slow Cooking
Into Autumn 5-INGREDIENT
WHITE CHICKEN CHILI Ingredients
• 6 cups chicken stock • 3 to 4 cups cooked shredded chicken • 2 (15-ounce) cans beans of your choice, rinsed and drained (I used Great Northern beans) • 2 cups (16 ounces) salsa verde (store-bought or homemade) • 2 teaspoons ground cumin • Optional toppings: diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, chopped red or green onions, sour cream, crumbled tortilla chips Directions Combine ingredients. Stir together chicken stock, shredded chicken, beans, salsa and cumin in large croc pot. Bring to a simmer. Cook on high heat until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer. Serve. Serve immediately, garnished with your favorite toppings.
LOW COUNTRY BOIL
Ingredients • 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, on the small side • 1 (14-ounce) package smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces • 3 ears corn, cut into thirds • 1 tablespoon liquid shrimp and crab boil\
With summer passing and the school year beginning life gets very busy for many families. Here are some of our families favorite easy crock pot recipes for anyone on the go. You can prepare them the night before or even several and freeze them uncooked and ready to drop in the crock pot on a busy day. I hope you try and enjoy some of these. I would love for you to share pictures if you do, and as always please feel welcome to send in your own family recipes to be featured in an upcoming issue of InMiddlebury Magazine. Entries can be submitted to Delightfullyhere@gmail.com with InMiddlebury Recipes as the subject.
• 3 teaspoons creole or cajun seasoning, divided • 1 1/4 pounds medium to large shrimp • 1/2 cup butter, melted • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Instructions Place the first six ingredients in the Croc Pot. Put lid on Croc Pot and cook on medium heat while out for the day. Place butter and garlic powder in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until butter is melted. Serve with the shrimp boil. The shrimp and potatoes taste wonderful dipped in it.
CROC POT FAJITAS
Ingredients • 2 pounds beef, sliced • 2 bell peppers, sliced • 1 large onion, sliced • 15 ounces diced tomatoes • 2 tbsp fajita seasoning • 1 tbsp oil (for electric pressure cooker) • 1/4 cup beef broth or water Slow Cooker Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well. Cook HIGH 2-3 hours, LOW 4-6. Instant Pot Turn on the IP and select Sauté. Once hot add oil and beef to the pot. Cook 2-4 minutes or until beef is browned. Remove beef. Add onions & bell peppers. Cook 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Pour in broth or water and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon. Add beef back to the pot along with diced tomatoes and fajita seasoning. Stir to mix well. Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure for 9 minutes. Quick release the pressure. Stir & serve.
Split Pea Soup with Ham
Ingredients • 1 cup diced ham + ham bone* • 1 onion, diced • 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled & cut • 4 carrots, peeled & sliced • 1 tablespoon oil • 1 pound dry split peas • 6 cups chicken broth • 3 bay leaves • 1/2 teaspoon thyme • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper Directions Simply drop everything g into the croc pot turn to medium heat and wait 3-5 hours.
Mississippi Pot Roast
Ingredients • 3-4 pounds chuck roast • salt and pepper • 1/4 cup liquid from pepperoncinis jar • 1 envelope au jus mix • 1 envelope ranch dressing mix • 1 stick of salted butter • 10 pepperoncinis Instructions Drop everything in croc pot and turn to medium heat. Allow to cook till roast can be shredded. *we like to serve it over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021 9
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DOGWOOD HILLS TREE FARM
Strong Roots and Steady Growth
By Chris Wheeler, Photos by Linnea Wheeler
Curtis Bontrager joined the workforce at the ripe old age of 12, pulling weeds and picking up rocks at the tree farm owned by his neighbors, Todd and Cindy Lederman. As a homeschooler, he had the flexibility of finishing his homework early enough that he could have an after-school job. And as a member of a large family, he found on-hand cash to be especially liberating. “I remember the first time going into a gas station and having money to buy a candy bar without having to ask my dad. That was my first taste of freedom!”
Being the “rich sibling” had many privileges, but the biggest benefit was simply the lesson he learned early on about the rewards of hard work. Now he and Melody, his wife and business partner, have taken over that same tree farm, and that early lesson
continues to bear fruit.
Dogwood Hills Tree Farm was started by Todd and Cindy Lederman in 1993. After a few years of expanding nursery stock and selling at tree auctions, the Ledermans decided to sell their excavation business of 14 years and dive into the business of trees. When Curtis joined the team full-time, he was the “shovel boy” for their oldest son Joel on installation jobs, and as the company grew he took on different roles. When he got his license, his first solo drive was in a Dogwood Hills truck, pulling a trailer to a job site. The Ledermans grew the farm from the ground up, creating a strong reputation in the area and building a business with an incredible capacity for growth. Curtis is quick to point out the necessity of those roots: “I bought a business that was in good shape, was healthy, and had a good reputation. We just have inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021 11
only does this pruning make for an attractive tree, it cuts down on the amount of care required of home and business owners.
to keep up.” Todd and Cindy still live nearby, and are mentors to the Bontragers. When Curtis and Melody officially bought the place in 2017, the Ledermans had expanded their stock to around 10,000 trees. In the span of four years, including their purchase of Stanger Tree Farm’s nursery stock this spring, the Bontragers have built that number up to around 27,000 trees on over 100 acres. They carry three primary categories of trees: shade trees (maple, oak, sweet gum, tulip, etc.), flowering ornamentals (cherry, red bud, the titular dogwood, etc.) and conifers (pines, spruces, firs, etc.). Those categories encompass over 140 different varieties. Curtis’s visual memory and extensive row guides help him to keep track of where each tree is. And of course, “I planted most of them. I remember where they are because this is where I spent all of my days.” Curtis’s memory also helps him keep track of customers and job sites from years back. Dogwood Hills has trees across the Michiana area, serving individuals, landscapers in need of high-end trees for high-end projects, and the cities of Middlebury, Goshen, Culver, Syracuse (around Lake Wawasee), and Dowagiac among others. They planted 200 trees throughout Michigan City’s streets and parks last year, and provide trees for Goshen College and Notre Dame. NIPSCO contracts them for replacement work stateline to stateline. “If you see a freshly-planted tree, there’s a two out of three chance it’s one of ours.” Dogwood Hills trees are identifiable by their straight central leaders from the ground to the tip of the tree, proper branching and spacing, and uniform shape. The Dogwood Hills team attempts to trim every tree they own during the winter, and if they accomplish it Curtis treats everyone to a steak dinner. He notes that, “Like a lot of things, when they’re young you can stake them up and get them the way you want them, but when they’re big you can’t do that anymore.” Not 12 inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021
Melody, who grew up in Granger but has since fallen in love with Middlebury, matches his long field experience with business acumen. At 16 she passed over typical high school fast food jobs for an internship at a local bank, gaining experience in insurance and basic business principles along the way. They met and married at New Life Christian Center on US-120, where they still attend with their two children, JJ (3) and Piper (2). When they purchased Dogwood Hills, Melody began working in the office providing organization and infrastructure, as well as innovative ideas. One of her ideas is a brand new business she is launching with her sister to serve their customer base in new ways: Interior Gardens by Dogwood Hills Tree Farm. Interior Gardens sells plants and trees for interior decorating and provides weekly service (watering, dusting, oiling, and treatment) for any number of plants. They offer free installs and deliveries, free replacements if anything dies, and free advice - as well as large-scale design for commercial properties. Via their storefront in Granger (15616 State Rd 23), customers can take Instagram-perfect pictures on swings in front of a massive moss wall, purchase indoor plants, make custom orders, and more. Melody says, “Our belief is that there is beauty in simplicity. You don’t have to buy something plastic, you can take nature and bring it in, and make it look beautiful.” They are planning a grand opening for September 11. Melody’s experiences may have prepared her to build up Dogwood Hills and launch Interior Gardens, but nothing could have prepared her for Curtis’s obsession with trees. From the day they met, he was always pointing out trees to her, whether because he had planted them, or because they were just “a really cool tree.” She says, “He’s always been
annoying about trees. He would quiz me: what kind of tree is that?” The first tree she learned was the sycamore, by its distinctive camouflage pattern. “I could never remember the name of the tree, so I always had to sing the song about Zaccheus.” Curtis and Melody have worked hard to build a team of great people. In a time when businesses are struggling to find employees, Curtis has been turning away summer help. Every year they receive 50-75 thank-you notes from customers praising the team members. He chalks it up to “good customer service and people honestly trying to do a good job. It’s a rare commodity these days, and people want to encourage it and don’t want to see it disappear... No matter what, Dogwood Hills would never make it without the team we have. Everyone is vital.” Part of the strength of the Dogwood Hills team lies in the environment they nurture. “I want to build a place where everybody has the same vision and same goals and it’s a safe place to be. We start our days off with a devotional and a prayer. We understand that we’re called to work. We can enjoy
it and not just go and sell trees, but also be an encouragement and a blessing while we do it.” The Bontrager’s servant-hearted faith is central to how they run their business, and it sustained them through the chaos of COVID. During a time when many businesses had to shut down, Dogwood Hills grew by 25%. Melody says, “We are a Christian company and we run it like a Christian company. Everything we have accomplished and everything we have to show for it is because God has blessed us and His hand is over our company.” Looking ahead, Curtis and Melody are excited to continue living in and serving Middlebury. They appreciate its sturdy, hard-working values and selfless small-town feel. In this sense, it’s not unlike one of Dogwood Hills’ trees. Curtis says, “The thing I like about trees is that you plant them and they will be there for a long time, especially if you care for them. A lot of them are going to outlive me… Even some of the trees that grow painfully slow and aren’t going to ever mature in my lifetime, somebody’s going to come along and say: that’s a really cool tree.”
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NORTHRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE MONTH KAITLIN SIMONS My name is Kaitlin Simons, daughter of Laura and Gerry Simons, and I am currently a senior at Northridge High School. I am a diver on the Northridge Swim and Dive Team. I have been a 3 time state finalist coming in 9th my freshman year, medaling 5th my sophomore year, 3rd my junior year, and shooting for state champion senior year. The thing I enjoy most about being in a sport is the team. There is so much comradery and love for one another all while pushing each other to be our very best. In addition to diving, I am Treasurer of National Honor Society, Vice President of Junior Optimist Club, and I participate in Science Olympiad and Band. During the fall I play the clarinet for Marching Band and the rest of the year I play the oboe for Symphonic Band. After high school I plan to continue diving into college, though I’m still unsure where at. I want to study something in the Health Science field like Dietetics because I like cooking and baking, or something to do with Biomechanics because I find it fascinating. Wherever I go or whatever I do, I know I will have determination and passion driving me forward.
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Middlebury’s First ACRES Nature Preserve!
By Elma Chapman Earlier this year, 38 acres of land along the Little Elkhart River in Middlebury was acquired by ACRES Land Trust, an organization headquartered in Huntertown, IN. ACRES protects over 100 nature preserves across northeast Indiana, northwestern Ohio, and southern Michigan. Three of their preserves are in Elkhart County, and the Wesdorp Nature Preserve is the newest. Clarence Wesdorp was the vice-president and general manager of Krider Nurseries, and his daughter Karen grew up near the nursery surrounded by fields of nursery stock. When the nursery closed in 1990, Karen purchased the growing fields and the woods and wetland behind them. Now they will be protected forever as part of the ACRES holdings. Many ACRES preserves are open to the public and most of those have hiking trails. However, for now at least, Wesdorp NP is closed to the public and there are no plans for trails, although the land is visible from the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail. You may have noticed an antenna that mysteriously appeared on the property this summer. This property will be used as a research station in a joint venture by ACRES and the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. The antenna is a Motus tower, one of nine in Indiana. Motus Wildlife Tracking System is a worldwide project to study the movement and/or migration of small animals. Researchers around the world participating in the Motus Wildlife Tracking System fit small, lightweight radio-transmitters on animals such as birds, bats, and large insects. When these animals are within range of a Motus tower, their signal is detected via automated radio telemetry arrays. The data from the towers is sent to the Birds Canada National Data Centre, where it is analyzed and uploaded to the online public network. Each radio transmitter emits a unique signal that allows researchers to determine what type of animal is moving, where it’s going, how fast it’s moving between towers and 16 inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021
how long it stays in an area. Locally, the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo has funded the materials to build several towers in northeast Indiana. One is located at the Zoo and the others are on ACRES properties. ACRES staff help the Zoo staff install the towers, and Zoo staff use the data to understand our local fauna. Originally there were three ACRES sites along the same latitude as the zoo. Because the towers’ ranges overlap a little bit, they are able to get a complete picture of what’s moving across that part of the state. Now a second latitudinal line is being established with the Wesdorp tower and another one at Grass Lake NP in LaGrange County. On June 14 ACRES’ land management staff and summer interns met Zoo staff at Wesdorp to dig a hole and pour concrete for the tower’s base. They gave the concrete time to set and returned July 5 to finish the installation. Land donor Karen Wesdorp also came out to watch the installation. The teams were on site at Wesdorp for 2-3 hours each of the two days. With some maintenance, the towers will remain standing for years to continue tracking wildlife. Joe Smith, DVM, Director of Animal Programs at the Zoo, said they have detected multiple birds from the four older towers every year. That data is freely available on the Motus website (www.motus.org ). If you click “Explore Data” then “Receiver Locations” you will see a map of the active stations. If you click a station, it will have a link available to see all of the detections that station has received. Though ACRES doesn’t currently use the data, they are happy to partner with the Zoo to offer the necessary space for the Motus towers and be part of a larger international research network. And now Middlebury is part of that international research network. To find out more about Wesdorp Nature Preserve, the ACRES organization, and how you can become a member or volunteer, visit their webpage at www.acreslandtrust.org/
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SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
AT THE FALL FESTIVAL This year’s Middlebury Fall Festival will look a little different due to the paving and construction project on Brown Street and the refurbishing of the Middlebury Township Fire Station. However, the festival will be as “homegrown” as ever! The festival takes place in downtown Middlebury parks on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 10 and 11.
Essenhaus Inn campus grounds.
Fall Festival’s old favorites will remain the same – homegrown vegetables and fruits, pumpkins, ornamental gourds, colorful fall mums, local woodcarvers and blacksmiths in action, potters’ on-site creations, and Amish art.
All downtown shops will be open for extended hours during the festival for shopping convenience. Visit the General Store, Varns and Hoover old-time Hardware; in business for 134 plus years with the same creaky floors. Stop by Amish-owned Legacy Furniture featuring beautiful heirloom furniture, and don’t forget Gohn Brothers for your sewing and quilting needs.
Begin your Saturday morning with a pancake and sausage fundraiser breakfast in East Park, 7 am – 9 am. Bring lawn chairs to the downtown parks and enjoy live music entertainment throughout the weekend. At 4:30 pm, don’t miss the Then and Now Flashback Movie, Upside-Down Magic, an opening act for the incredible Friday night fireworks on the Das Dutchman
Join the annual Saturday Corn Hole Tournament held at high noon in Memorial Park/Brown Street. “Caring Hands” fundraiser cannot happen this year due to the fire station renovations, but will return next year, providing the fire station is available.
From the Crystal Spring Amish School Booth, grab your favorite Amish fried pies and Calico Beans. You can’t forget kettle corn, wood-fired pizza, Country Amish Rolled Cream, or corn on the cob from the Northridge Music Parents Association.
For information, contact the Middlebury Chamber of Commerce at 574-825-4300, Executive Director Sheri Howland at director@ middleburyinchamber.com, or Community Outreach Coordinator Carmen Carpenter at carmencarpenter@middleburyinchamber.com 18 inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021
Don’t miss our
20 Annual th
Friday, September 10 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Concessions, Vendor Booths
Food, Arts, Crafts, Demo, & Commercial
Memorial Park/East Park 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Face Painting by Samara East Park
10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
St. Joseph Valley Forgers/John Latowki (Blacksmith) Memorial Park
10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Children’s Bounce House, Waterslide, and Obstacle Course East Park
10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Woodworker/Carver Demo Memorial Park/Large Pavilion
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Surf Inc. - 50’s & 60’s Rock Band Bring your own lawn chairs Entertainment Tent/East Park
8:00 p.m.
Then & Now Movie Upside-Down Magic Das Dutchman Essenhaus near covered bridge
Dusk
Fireworks Display Bring your own lawn chairs/blankets Das Dutchman Essenhaus
inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021 19
Saturday, September 11 7:00 – 9:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Fundraiser Pancake & Sausage Breakfast/Food Pantry & Blessing Backpack Volunteers East Park Pavilion Concessions, Vendor Booths
Food, Arts, Crafts, Demo, & Commercial
East/Memorial Park Face painting by Samara East Park
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
St. Joseph Valley Forgers/John Latowski (Blacksmith) Memorial Park
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Children’s Bounce House, Water Slide, Obstacle Course East Park Cornhole Registration Row Call 11:30, bags fly immediately afterward Memorial Park/Brown Street
10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Woodworker/Carvers Demo Memorial Park/Large Pavilion Ben Benedict Band - Bluegrass Bring your own lawn chairs Entertainment Tent/East Park Heartland Country Cloggers Bring your own lawn chairs Entertainment Tent/East Park Boulevard Billies Bring your own lawn chairs Entertainment Tent/East Park
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Essenhaus, Inc. Jones Petrie Rafinski Corp. L&W Engineering Nuway Construction Royal RV & Auto Center, Inc.
INterra Credit Union Jayco Inc. Lake City Bank Monteith’s Best One Tire & Service In Memory of Wood Mishler
20 inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021
Copper Sponsors Bill’s Collision Caribbean Auto Spa Drs. Cripe, Stephens & Stickel Edward Jones Fay Schwartz, Attorney at Law First State Insurance Agency
Legacy Home Furniture Old Hoosier Meat Mechanical Man Inc. Middlebury Community Historical Museum Middlebury Hardwood Products
Fireworks Sponsors GOLD:
Napa/Jenkins Automotive
Culver Duck Farms
Royal RV & Auto Center
Sorg Chevrolet, Inc.
Forks County Line
The Element Masters
Hawkins Water Tech
Hampton Inn & Suites
The Element Masters
Hawkins Water Tech
The Paper
L & W Engineering
Varns & Hoover Hardware
ShowHauler Trucks
COPPER:
Hummel Group
Village Inn
SILVER:
Bill’s Collision
Joyfully Home Furniture
OSCM
Miller’s Garage
Tackle Shack
Gohn Bros MFG Greencroft Community
Chupps Herbs
inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021 21
Shared History: The 26th Annual Middlebury Old-Timer’s Meeting By Chris Wheeler On Tuesday, August 3, over 100 people with long connections to the Middlebury community gathered at the Essenhaus Conference Center to tell stories of the good old days and celebrate their shared experiences. The Old-Timer’s Meeting was started by Vernon Miller. At a Middlebury library event he attended in 1993, the lecturer had given the audience a chance to share their own memories. Vernon noticed how much everyone enjoyed doing so, and set up an event to create that opportunity annually. This year was the 26th annual gathering; the 2020 meeting was cancelled due to COVID, and the traditional May date was pushed forward to August so everyone had the best chance of attending. Now sponsored by the Middlebury Community Historical Museum and made possible by the organization and cookie-making skills of the Miller family (of Miller’s Cider Mill), the event is still exactly what Vernon envisioned. Every meeting is recorded to keep a permanent record for future generations, and stored at the Middlebury Community Library. Richard Smith of the Historical Museum led the proceedings, which included presentations by Rex Krider and Karen Wesdorp on their childhood memories of Krider Gardens, conversation over cookies and punch, and honoring the memory of those old-timers who had passed on. Participants also had the opportunity to look to the future with an update on future construction projects by town manager Mary Cripe. Karen Wesdorp, who’s father Clarence was the vice president and general manager of Krider Nurseries, shared a number of memories of her childhood. She recalls picnic lunches with her siblings under the giant toadstool, visiting the big workhorses Pat and Mike during their plowing breaks, and watching her dad develop landscape designs on the big desk in the Krider 22 inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021
office for customers. At nine years old, her first afterschool job was stuffing catalogs with order blanks and return envelopes for mailing to customers. She and her siblings would receive 15 cents for every 100 catalogs they put together, and on Saturdays they made big bucks by doing over a 1000 at a time. Rex Krider recounted the humble beginnings of Krider Nurseries, when his grandfather Vernon started growing and selling Cumberland raspberries, blackberries, and dewberries. In this first full year of business in 1896 he made $205 wholesaling berry plants. He had a plaque made with the names of all of his customers that year, which can be seen at the Museum. Rex also shared about the 1933-34 World’s Fair (when his brother Roger, four years old at the time, went missing and was found asleep in the Krider Garden windmill), and the time he and his brother Ross liberated a railroad handcart and took off down the Pumpkinvine Railroad on it. They made it from Brown Street as far as the old trestle bridge and back, where they found their mother waiting at the door with a yardstick. Rex noted that “Ross got the spanking first, and the yardstick broke so I didn’t get a spanking. He’s always held that against me.” After a break, in which attendees enjoyed raisin-filled, chocolate chip, and peanut butter cookies, everyone gathered to share their own stories. One person shared about taking his little red wagon to Krider Nurseries to buy a lilac for his mother. Others reminisced about Middlebury’s legendary 1957-58 basketball and baseball teams (find out more at the current sports exhibit at the museum), Girl Scout camping trips up to the hills above the nursery, the glamorous Krider sisters, and the generosity and care of people in the Middlebury community for each other. The next meeting will be on May 10th, 2022 at 1:30pm. Follow the Middlebury Historical Museum on Facebook for updates.
INDIANA TRANSPORT
Your Transportation Solution • Family owned and operated since 2009 • Committed to driver retention • Most aggressive reload program in the industry • Highest percentage of overall loaded miles • Proud Community Sponsor
2311 S. Nappanee St. • Elkhart, IN • 574-293-3642 www.indianatransport.com
inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021 23
Northridge
Athletics Photos by Russ Draper
24 inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021
inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021 25
Chamber Chat is Back Tuesday, September 28 Coffee at 8:30 a.m. Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center 210 S. Main St., Middlebury
WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS Jimbo & Co. Transport Skinny Guy Campers The Barns at Nappanee Driven Automotive Lochmueller Group
SAVE THE DATE:
SMALL BUSINESS
SATURDAY NOV. 27, 2021
– BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP – The Middlebury Chamber of Commerce was established in Middlebury, Indiana, in 2002. We are a collaborative organization, leading businesses and the community to achieve an environment ripe for growth and innovation. We offer leadership, advocacy, programs and resources, all aimed at creating a pro-business climate. We create and convene powerful partnerships that leverage the talents and resources of our member businesses. Everything the chamber does is to enhance the social and civic environment of Middlebury. For more information on any of the resources covered in the Guide to Membership, contact Executive Director Sheri Howland at 574.825.4300, director@ middleburyinchamber.com or Carmen Carpenter at carmencarpenter@middleburyinchamber.com VISIBILITY & RECOGNITION Sixty-three percent of people are more likely to patronize a business that is member of their local chamber of commerce than a nonmember business. Show off your investment proudly with your member decal and use of the Chamber logo. Get maximum exposure for your business. BUSINESS DIRECTORY LISTING Receive a listing in the Middlebury Chamber Online Membership Directory, with a link to your website. You can be included in as many as two directory categories at no charge. In fact, local chambers are the
26 inMiddlebury inMiddleburyMagazine Magazine | |SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER2021 2021 26
number one place people go to when searching for information on a community. Your company information is included on the membership roster, distributed to fellow member businesses upon request and available for purchase. NEW MEMBERS As a new member, we’ll include your information in the Chamber section of inMiddlebury magazine (distributed to 11,500 mailboxes). If you have newsworthy items that you would like publicized, the Middlebury Chamber offers a variety of communication vehicles to promote your information, including inMiddlebury magazine and our social media networks. NETWORKING Numerous events on the calendar to connect with other member contacts throughout the year, including morning, lunch and after hours events. If you can’t make it to an event, participate in our social media communities. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter. RIBBON CUTTINGS / GRAND OPENINGS Let us help you celebrate your new business or new location. We will publicize your grand opening on our social media and website, invite the Ambassador team and bring along our official “grand opening” oversized scissors. Photos will be taken and provided to you for your use. We’ll also use the photos in our various communication pieces, as appropriate.
Shout out to Kory Cripe and Jane Allen for their work in getting Stable Grounds up and on it’s way to running. Thank you to Dave Harms for getting our new sports complex completed. Thank you to all the people who maintain the beauty at Krider Gardens. We love seeing the succession of blooms throughout the year! - Linnea Wheeler A big thanks to the grooming staff at Healthy Pets for putting up with our crazy girls Dutchess and Dixie. - the Taylor family Thank you to Spencer Short and his staff, because I know they all work hard. - A thankful Middlebury cyclist I want to give a shout of thanks to our wonderful community library! Throughout the pandemic they made it possible for us to have books to read! They are the best ! - Martha Huebert
If you know of a community member or group of people whom you would like to offer out a SHOUT of gratitude in a future magazine, please send your nomination to our editor Desirée Beauchamp-Boucher at Delightfullyhere@gmail.com “Summer Fun would like to give a HUGE shout out to the Middlebury Food Pantry for allowing us to use their facility on rainy days so that we did not have to cancel camp for weather. We appreciate it so much!” -Middlebury Summer Fun I am very proud of the man my son Austin Taylor is growing into. He has spent this summer working at Boy Scout camp. He was one of only 2 that volunteered to work with the younger campers; teaching them First Aid and how to tie knots. He enjoyed it so much that he wants to return next summer. Great job, I love you! - Mama Thankful for quick work by the Middlebury Police, Middlebury Fire Department, and The Element Masters. A couple months we had a smoke scare when we had HVAC issues. Luckily everyone acted quickly and got it under control. - Nathan Miller How about a shout out to Spencer Short and the Pumpkinvine Cyclery for organizing fun and challenging summer group rides and keeping the community stocked up with all of the summer biking necessities! - Jennifer Miller I would like to give a shout out to all the people that help maintain Krider Gardens. It is so beautiful from the pathways to the plants! It is always a pleasant surprise to see what is currently in bloom. - Middlebury resident, Brook Friesner
I would like to give the owners and employees of Varns and Hoover a huge shout out for their willingness to go above and beyond during all of the road construction. For example, they helped me take heavy things to my car numerous times when I had to park far away.
And definitely a thank you to Jane Allen for all the she has done for the students and staff of Middlebury Community Schools for the past 39 years. She started as a teacher, became a principal at York, was an assistant superintendent and then superintendent. It was appreciated by many students and their families seeing her at so many events that students were involved in. Hope this helps!
- Happy Customer
- Kathy Huys inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021 27
LOCAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY Global Tax & HealthyPets accounTinG Jan Plummer, CPA
O:574-825-2277 • F: 866-385-7177 globalcpa@aol.com PO Box 1135 Middlebury, IN 46540
574.971.2020 328 N Main St Middlebury, IN 46540 www.DrivenAutoShop.com
Pet Food and Accessories
851 US 20 • Middlebury 574-825-3238
Chris Gunn Groomer
574-849-6401
NISLEY
/ TCC
Home Improvement
202 W. Spring St. • Middlebury, IN
851 US 20 Next To Rulli’s Middlebury 574-358-0146
Phone 260-463-7373
Fax 260-463-4950 4425 W US Highway 20 • LaGrange
11280 US-20, Shipshewana
Specializing in Residential Interior Painting
(574) 825-7281
Steve Nisley 574-849-4788
stutzmanpower.com
Downtown Middlebury • 574-825-1902 M-F 9 am-5 pm, Sat 9 am-4 pm
Auto glass repair and replace Shower enclosures Plexiglass Glass that fits your needs glassrepair repairrepair andand replace • AutoAuto glass replace Screen Shower enclosures • Plexiglass • Glass Shower enclosures that fits Mirrors your needs • Screen repair • Mirrors Plexiglass 9216, 400 Nthat Main St, Middlebury, IN 46540 Glass fits your needs (574) 825-2225 • Mon. - Fri. 8-5 p.m. Screen repair Mirrors
Advertise in our Business Directory for as low as $50 a month! 9216, 400 N Main St, Middlebury, IN 46540 For more information call 574-228-3080 or advertising@hurdmedia.com (574) 825-2225 • Mon. - Fri. 8-5 p.m.
Promote your SMALL
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PREMIUM PRINTING • AFFORDABLE PRICES
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28 inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021
• Digital Posters • Doorhangers • Envelopes - 4 color • Envelopes - 1 color • Flyers • Flyers w/Direct Mailing • Greeting Cards • Invitations
• Labels • Letterhead • Menus • NCR Forms • Notepads • Perforated Raffle Tickets • POP Displays • Postcards
Postcards w/Direct Mailing • Posters • Presentation Folders • Rack Cards • Roll Labels • Signage • Trade Show Graphics
TO REQUEST A QUOTE AND MORE INFORMATION CALL SCOTT FAUST AT 574-228-3080
deals
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203 Wayne Street • Middlebury • 574-825-8824 • elementmasters.net
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CONVENTIONAL
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Call For Appointment.
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*must present coupon to redeem offer.
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Expires 09-30-21
Contact Scott at Cell: 574-228-3080 advertising@hurdmedia.com
23
$
/year
Call 260-463-3660 to subscribe Valid to Elkhart County residents only
PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS
to over 10,200 homes and businesses! Place a coupon for your business today! Call Scott at 574-228-3080 inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021 29
deals
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HEATING & COOLING A Fusion of Technology & Service
203 Wayne street, Middlebury
574-825-8824
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13024 US 20 • Middlebury, IN
574-825-2965
...smoked meats, cheese, and one nice butcher!
OUR PRINT SERVICES
23
$
/year
Call 260-463-3660 to subscribe Valid to Elkhart County residents only
• Bookmarks • Brochures • Brochures w/Direct Mailing • Business cards • Calendars • Catalogs • Club Flyers • Copies • Digital Posters
• Doorhangers • Envelopes 4 color • Envelopes 1 color • Flyers • Flyers w/Direct Mailing • Greeting Cards • Invitations • Labels
• Letterhead • Menus • NCR Forms • Notepads • Perforated Raffle Tickets • POP Displays • Postcards Postcards w/Direct Mailing
PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS
to over 10,200 homes and businesses! Place a coupon for your business today! Call Scott at 574-228-3080 30 inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2021
• Posters
• Presentation Folders • Rack Cards • Roll Labels • Signage • Trade Show Graphics
BACK TO SCHOOL Summer vacation always seems to end faster than we want, but as we move into a new season, we hope for a successful school year!
INSPIRINGGOOD.ORG | (574) 295-8761
We now carry
FRESHPET
refrigerated pet food. First 20 CUSTOMERS receive a free 1 lb tube of Freshpet !
Open House
Saturday, September 18 • 9 a.m. -4 p.m.
FREE NAIL TRIMS 9:00-12:00 20% OFF STOREWIDE !!
851 US 20, Middlebury • 574-825-3238
SEE US FOR BACK TO SCHOOL
SPECIALS
851 US 20 • Next To Rulli’s • Middlebury • 574-358-0146
