Stjohnsmagoptimized october 2013

St. Johns

OCTOBER 2013

magazine

Tommy’s Pumpkin Patch & Fun Zone Pet Lovers Issue s tjohnsmag.com

For Some Good Old Fashioned Family Fun! Hay Rides, Corn Maze , Petting Zoo & More!

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St. Johns magazine

PET ISSUE w w w. s t j o h n s m a g . c o m

October 2013

CAT person? or DOG person?

CAT = Complicated DOG = Easy Going

St. Johns Magazine 904-687-8538

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All rights reserved ©2013 St. Johns Magazine LLC Publishedmonthly and distributed free of charge, in print and on the web.

Dear Reader,

October is one of my favorite months. I get excited about Halloween with my kids, the weather is a tad cooler, and there is nothing overly stressful going on since Christmas is still far off.

In this issue we are interested in pets. Humans and animals often have a special connection that is difficult to measure or understand. I know that when I first saw our cat Keiko at the St. Johns County Pet Center I knew he was meant for our family. He was tiny and bold and hid from me but there was just something about him that made him irresistable. He has definitely made our lives better. photo by Grahm Martin

There are so many pets out there who Ancient City Photography need homes and that is why this issue is dedicated to connecting you with your next perfect pet by getting you thinking about all the love and joy they bring.

Maybe when you see the faces of the animals up for adoption right now ( page 21 ) you help give them a loving home.

Please enjoy our other articles about Real Estate, Health, and Parenting as well as our excellent local calendar that helps you sift through all the happenings on keiko the First Coast.

As always, thank you for reading St. Johns Magazine.

CONTENTS 6 8

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Debbie Gaylord

10 16

ON THE COVER: The

photo of Eva was taken by her Mom Donna at Tommy’s Pumpkni Patch in 2012.

Learn all about this local legend in this month’s business profile.

4

PET ISSUE SPECIAL FEATURES: Are you looking for

a fun dog park to take your pooch? We have a review that gives you the skinny from a Dog’s perspective. On page 21 find out about the Humane Society’s latest fundraiser.

REAL ESTATE: Finding the

Perfect Agent is one of the most important decisions you make when selling your home or buying a new one. Learn about what to consider.

Mom’s Perspective on Halloween Local

Mom of 3 Buffy Smith has a humourous take on this time of year, and some tips on how to make the most of it with the kiddos

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A Family Business

Bringing Halloween Fun to Our Neighborhood

When Tommy Outley was growing up in St. Augus-

In effect, they have done everything possible to bring

tine, he recalled going to pumpkin patches with fields filled

the farm and the wonder of it to the suburbs.

with hundreds of pumpkins at Halloween. A few years ago, he

decided to recreate this American pastime here on CR210, where

where locals come to find anything from mulch to pavers to

there were hundreds of local families to enjoy it, and Tommy’s

barbeque grills. He owned a landscaping business in St. Augus-

Pumpkin Patch and Fun Zone was born.

tine before selling it and opening his current location here on

CR 210 West. He has always had a long-term vision and he has

Tommy set out to make it the fun for kids, and says that

Tommy’s year-round business is Superior Landscape

as he began talking about it with his wife and business partner

big plans for a new hardware store at his current site in the near

Carmen and his daughter Rachel, the ideas just began to flow.

future. So stay tuned.

That special brand of

Family is the main ingredient

Ingenuity and creativity have made

that makes both Tommy’s Pumpkin

Tommy’s Pumpkin Patch a legend

Patch and Superior Landscape on

among local kids, who ride by in

CR 210 West extraordinary. Anyone

the back seat of minivans and beg

who stops by is met with a friendly

their parents to take them for a visit.

smile by Tommy, Rachel, Greg or

With a corn maze, a cow train, hay

Carmen, and a simple “old school”

rides, even a petting zoo with every

approach centered on customer

type of farm animal from goats

service.

to a baby calf, it is not surprising

that so many people love it. Let’s

*photo by Grahm Martin

Tommy Outley, Rachel Lord & Greg Lord

Tommy and Carmen’s daugh-

ter Rachel Lord has worked in the family business in one way or

not forget the pumpkins. Kids and adults come there to choose the perfect pumpkin for decorat-

another since she was about nine years old. She says that she

ing or making jack-o-lanterns. The selection is huge, from very

learned a lot just being around her parents and watching them

tiny to over-the-top giant, like the 550 lb behemoth they had

interact with the customers. At the ripe old age of twenty-two,

last year (pictured above)! Many of the activities actually have an

she is already a great business woman.

educational componenent for today’s kids, who sometimes think

food originates at the grocery store. For instance, at Tommy’s it

every aspect of the business. As he said himself, “No one does

isn’t just your average hay ride. Tommy’s son Shane, who drives

it quite like we do”. He credits his success to his family, and the

the tractor for the hayride, even teaches kids where pumpkins

fact that he has never been scared to make things happen. Ev-

come from and fun facts about the animals at the petting zoo.

eryone has dreams but only a few have the courage to put them

To top it off, they have added old fashioned touches like funnel

into action.

cakes to make it feel like an all out Fall festival.

6

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Loretta Lynn Bell’s

Dog Park Review!

By Loretta Lynn Bell

I must say upfront that I am filling in for my owner who usually does the writing. She has been gracious enough to let me write this month, so that the article would be more personal and authentic.

Let me tell you, I was thrilled to find out there are so many places in St. Johns County for me to go and socialize with my peers. Not only are there special dog parks, made just for our enjoyment, but there are many other parks where we can also mingle with the public.

Our first visit was to Veterans Park, which is on Veterans Parkway, so that makes it easy to remember and find. I get excited when I see the white fence and huge fountain because I know we’re almost there! This place has two sides; one for large dogs (I guess that’s me though I’m really medium sized and very fit), and one for the smaller dogs. With a total of three acres, there is

Major

room to romp and party! There is even a shelter with a picnic table if your owners want to sit and socialize with their own kind. On my recent visit on a Friday morning I met Cupid and Toby. Toby brings his owner, Cindy, to the park two or three times a week.

We hit two parks on one Saturday and I was overjoyed!

First was Trails for Tails in the Community Park at Nocatee. When we arrived there were lots of little kids in football uniforms. I was relieved to find out my owner had not signed me up for football!

At the dog park across from the football fields there is a paved path that goes around a pond and our owners seem to like that.

We dogs wander on and off the path. I met a shepherd named Major and siblings Happy and Bashful. And, no, they weren’t dwarves. We were on our way out when I spotted a familiar face.

It was Ice Cream! I’d seen him at Veterans Park the day before!

Our owners began to chat, so I got to hang out with him for a while.

Next, we went down the road a short ride to Davis Park.

8

s’s

ohn S t. J

Loretta & Owner - Angie It’s on Davis Park Blvd. (again, so easy to find). This one has a nice, big pond with a fountain in it and lots of dogs swimming and splashing around. I had a lot of fun playing with Ellie. We raced around together, down to the little wooden bridge and back. Her owner, Amanda, brings her there a lot, so I hope I get to see her again! I also met Lola, who is tiny but full of pep, and George, also tiny, who is kind of shy but seemed to be making friends.

On another Friday morning, we traveled in St. Augustine to check out parks there. First we went to Joe Pomar Park on Masters Drive. This one has a special name: The Kids Care Canine Corral. There is a lot of space to run, with shade trees on one end and a gazebo on the other. The morning we arrived it was empty, but the grass had been freshly mown, so we decided to enjoy a few minutes there. Soon afterwards, Diego arrived so I had someone to run with. According to his owner he comes up there nearly every day. It was his owner that suggested we take a look at the pier/kayak launch and pointed the way. It was a spectacular view! The small creek there goes into the San Sebastian River.

Our last visit was to Paws Dog Park (love the name!) inside the Treaty Park Complex. In this ¾ acre park there is a park for the small doggies and one for us “larger” dogs. Our side is way cooler, with several watering holes and a mock fire hydrant.

There’s plenty of room to run around, plus there’s a shaded area with benches for owners. Here I met Samson, a handsome greyhound, who was there with his grandowner. By this time I was pretty tired, so we just exchanged pleasantries while our people talked about us. By the way, all my friendships are strictly platonic; my originals owners made sure of that.

The rules in these places are pretty simple. We don’t need a leash once we’re inside the fenced area. Our owners must clean up after us, but, hey, that’s what owners are for, right?

I’m so glad I live in a dog-friendly county. And I can’t wait to hit the parks again!

For a complete list of dog parks see page 14

**

RISKY BUSINESS A Message from The Vet

Dr. Veling, DVM Palencia Pet Clinic

The appointment schedule was full for this late summer Thursday. Nicholas, my veterinary assistant, came back and said there was a dog fight victim on the way, bleeding pretty badly. A few minutes later I left the patient with whom I was already working because Muffy, a four year old, 18 pound King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, arrived. Thankfully, she had stopped bleeding. She had been playing in a group of dogs when a 50 plus pounder grabbed her by the neck and shook her like a ragdoll. She was in a lot of neck pain as she would not lift her head. She was lethargic. Her gums were pale pink. She had several lacerations of both sides of her neck. Her long hair had been driven into the wounds by the canine teeth of her attacker. She was lucky.

The wounds on the left side came very close to her jugular vein but did not tear it.

We gave her pain medication right away and started antibiotics. Then we cleaned up the wounds, sewing a V shaped laceration closed under local anesthesia. In the meantime, another patient came in with seizures.

We hospitalized Muffy and helped the other patient. We went on to take care of our regular patients.

There was basically no reason for Muffy to have been injured. In pet care today the trend is to have dogs go to “Day Care.� This can be part of boarding or a daily event. Most dogs can handle

it. They come in, sniff some butts and start to play. The critical part of day care is human ntrol. When a pet is dropped off there is a critical few moments when the attitude and actions of any new playtime entrant must be watched closely. If a problem occurrs, the pets must be interrupted immediately for their safety. The group must be watched closely at all times for bad actors.

This is where I get nervous. Who is it that is watching the dogs and what kind of experience and training does that person have? Is this a high school kid getting paid minimum wage while texting on his or her cell phone? This is very much like texting and driving. It takes a split second for one dog to take exception to that nose at its rear end and the blood flows.

The bottom line is that this is a risky business. I owned a boarding facility in Indiana. We did not do group play times. The dogs were allowed to play outside in enclosed play areas by themselves or in family groups.

They were watched the whole time. We never once had a dog fight. No cell phones were allowed. We trained our people to keep dogs apart on the way in and out. I am not comfortable letting my own dogs go into group situations without me. Dog parks have similar risk but, there, the owners have to be present. Too much risk for me, and Muffy.

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real estate

Finding The Right Agent

by George Ballou

The real estate business is the only industry I can think of where it doesn’t cost one dime more to use the best in the business than it does to use someone who just started yesterday! Think about that with lawyers, doctors, accountants, chefs, artists, athletes whomever you choose the better they are the more it costs to use them….except a real estate agent.

It would seem that the obvious thing to do when looking for an agent is to pick one of the leading agents in your area and go with them. Odds are that going with one of the market leaders will get you the results you are hoping for….after all they must be pretty good if they are one the top performers. So if what I just said is so obvious why do so many people do just the opposite?

Buyers and Sellers place importance on the wrong things. There are many factors rolling through the minds of stressed out buyers and sellers that affect their decision on who to use. On average most buyers and sellers are in the market for real estate services every 7 years so most do not know which agent to turn to. Their process then starts by asking co-workers, neighbors and paying attention to real estate signs and so begins the separation process from the obvious to the unexplainable.

How do sellers get off track from the obvious?

10

Tell a seller their house is worth more than anyone else told them it is worth and 9 out of 10 times that agent will get the listing even when the sellers knows it is unrealistic. A seller’s Achilles heel is always how badly they want to hear that their home is worth more than it really is. There is an expression in our industry that agents know well and that is that a house that is overpriced is not really for sale. Top agents avoid falling into that trap and consequently they might not get the listing.

What criteria do you have in determining which agent to use; proven track record as one of the leading agents in your area, knows the territory, knows the process for a smooth transaction, can help with financing, trustworthy, straight forward? So how did you end up making the decision on your last house? Did you go with the odds and the obvious? It is usually the biggest financial decision you make in your life and you chose who?

Buyers often like the idea that the agent they hooked up with is willing to show them 10-15 houses in a day to find the right house. Generally a top agent won’t and can’t do that and so they sometimes lose those buyers.

A top agent listens carefully to what you want and focus their showings on properties that meet those criteria. They know their market and direct you accordingly. They are effi-

cient with their time and yours. The best agents are judged by their results which is a function of how effectively they use their time. Successful agents who work with buyers are not only plugged into what is available but what is about to become available. They tap into their relationships with other brokers and past customers and that is why they are successful at what they do and people return to them.

Something all agents know is that their business depends on personal referrals from people they have worked with in the past or who know about them. A common trait among all top performing agents.

A very successful friend of mine lived by this motto; follow a trail of dirt you pick up dirt, follow a trail of gold you pick up gold. What I have just discussed is an over simplification of a complex industry and its relationships with its customers but it is not rocket science. When I need an agent I always go with the obvious and I pick up gold!

George L. Ballou II i CDPE LMC , Broker Associate / REALTOR with Watson Realty. He may be reached at 904-436-1338 or GLBallouII@gmail.com or visit www.georgeballou.com

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October

2013

12th Annual Tactile Art Show

October 4-27 (closed Mondays) The St. Augustine Art Association, as part of the International “Art Beyond Sight Initiative,” presents touchable art for the blind and visually impaired. This event features art from the Louvre in Paris, the Metropolitan Muesum of Art in NYC, and the Cummer in Jacksonville The St. Augustine Art Association is proud to partner with the FL School for the Deaf & Blind to present this interactive experience for our community. Admission is free. For more information go to www.staaa.org or call (904) 824-2310.

First Friday Art Walk in St. Augustine – Friday, October 4, 5:00-9:00pm

Come and experience exhibits, music, entertainment and refreshments from over 20 participating galleries. Tours begin at the San Sebastian Winery (157 King Street). Complimentary shuttle service is offered by St. Augustine Sightseeing Trains and Old Town Trolleys.

For more information visit www.artgalleriesofstaugustine.com or call (904) 829-0065.

Brew at the Zoo – October 4, 7:00-10:30 pm at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

place. The mission of SAiRA is to ....... The desire to keep funds local and working in our community extends to the group’s passion to collectively give back. tickets $45 in advance or $50 at the door. For more information visit www.staugustinerestaurants.com Flavors Top Chef Cook-Off a Benefit for Home Again St. Johns - October 10, 6-9pm Rennaissance World Golf Resort. Watch as First Coast Chefs compete; sample tastings and cast your vote. Tickets are available now - $30 per person. Proceeds will benefit Home Again St. Johns. contact 800-494-1420 or visit www.historiccoastflavors.com

Tommy’s Pumpkin Patch and Fun Zone – Sept. 28-Oct. 31

Sunday-Thursday: 10am-8pm, Friday and Saturday 10am-9pm. Hayrides, bounce houses, petting zoo, cow train, mega slide, play area, corn maze, funnel cakes and much more! Bring the kids and have a blast. For more information visit them on facebook, call (904) 342-2092, or come on by to 2460 C.R. 210 West, Saint Augustine, FL 32259.

Fun food and drink festival for adults, featuring local restaurants and breweries, as well as three live bands. For more information visit www.jacksonvillezoo.org

Conner’s A-maizeing Acres – Open se-

Timberlin Creek’s Fall Carnival – October 6, 2:00-6:00pm

lect days in October This working farm boasts a Corn Maize, Kiddy Corral, Tractor Hayrides… this place is plain ol’ fun.

Each weekend in October has a special event like Moonlight Hayrides, Redneck Olympics, and the Field of Screams (if you dare). For more information go to www.connersa-maize-ing-acres.com .

Come out and support the TCE Eagles at our Fall Carnival. There will be bounce houses, food, games, prizes and entertainment. Complimentary shuttle bus service is provided From Publix and Faith Community Church on Carnival Day.

Un-Scary” Halloween Party for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers!

October 10th, 10:15 – 11:15 am, Ponte Vedra Branch Library

St. Augustine Food & Wine Festival - Oct 6 12n-4pm

Innovative cuisine coupled with Florida’s array of fresh produce and seafood has made local eateries a vibrant part of the city’s attraction and culture. Nearly twenty established, independently owned restaurateurs recognized the opportunity to collaborate and join together to promote the impact “dining locally.” SAiRA, better known as St. Augustine’s Independent Restaurant Association was born in 2007, into a heavily competitive market-

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Spooktacular – October 18-

20, 25-31 at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Great Halloween fun for the whole family. Come dressed up and enjoy playing in the enchanted forest, visiting Charlie Brown’s Pumpkin Patch, and dancing to DJ’s Halloween music, and more.

Select animal exhibits will be open, as well as candy stations throughout the zoo. Admission is $10 for guests three and older, $8 for members. For more information visit www.jacksonvillezoo.org

United Martial Arts THURSDAY OCTOBER 31 4-7pm

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St. Augustine Spanish Wine Festival – October 21-26

Festival to honor the Spanish roots of the City of St. Augustine. International wine and food experts, as well as Spanish winemakers, will gather to celebrate the city’s Spanish heritage. Proceeds benefit three local charities. For tickets and more information go to www.spanishwinefestival.com.

Walk Through the Haunted House Enjoy Games & Prizes with your Neighborhood Ghosts & Goblins Come in Your Costume & Receive a Goody Bag with Treats & a Certificate for 1 Week Unlimited Classes!!

United Martial Arts Family Fun Night Halloween Party - Thursday, October 31 4p-7pm. This free event is going to be great! Wear your costume, play games, dance and have fun - Call 568-1782 for details.

If you have an event that you would like to have considered for our calendar, please email Debbie@stjohnsmag.co

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Loretta with her friend Diego

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Dog Park List

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HAppy Halloween!

Reality Check

by Buffy Smith

It’s actually October people. And though we don’t see a lot of leaves changing here in St. Johns County, the signs of Fall are difficult to miss. Pumpkin patches are springing up on the roadsides, the scent of cinnamon brooms is wafting through the stores, and most importantly Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back at Starbucks.

Oh yeah, and football.

I love all this Fall stuff. It allows me to trick myself into thinking that temperatures are cooling and that I might be able to wear a long sleeved shirt at some point in the near future. If you’re a parent, though, Fall really only means one thing…Halloween. That joyous time of year where our kids get all in a tizzy about their costumes, beg us to spend more than we want on face paint and colored hair spray, and run around crazy on a sugar high for the next month. Lovely.

There are SO many things going on. Festivals, pumpkin patches, church carnivals, neighborhood bouncy house/hay ride parties. It’s all really fun! But it can also be really a lot. I don’t know

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about you, but I like my weekends to be both fun AND relaxing, so shuffling my family to so many of these events leaves my kids exhausted and the hubby and me feeling like some kind of Halloween Grinch.

So here’s what I suggest, dear reader…give yourself a break. Pick one or two things you know your family will enjoy and have a blast. Spend a Saturday picking out your pumpkin and carve it, have your kids help put together their costumes, or hit that neighborhood fall festival if it’s something you all enjoy.

Whatever you do, though, don’t try to do it all. Sometimes less really is more. And you may free up a Sunday afternoon to crank down the A/C, snuggle up under a blanket and sip some hot cider.

Hey, a girl can dream.

(Buffy is a wife and mother to three girls. She lives in St. Johns County and can be found most afternoons toting her kids around in her super sporty Honda Odyssey. To find out more, visit Buffy’s blog at www. sleeplessinjacksonville. blogspot. com)

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TECHNOLOGY MARCHES ON

By Dr. Rosann Faull

Technology marches on and helps our lives in so many ways. Everything from telephones, TV’s, computers and medicine has been helped with technological advancements. Writing this article on my laptop with spell check, grammar check, auto erase and clear instant printing reminds me how far we’ve come since I was

in graduate school. In graduate school I could not afford to pay someone to type my assignments, so it was a slow process to hand-in assignments without spelling/typing errors. More than one copy required carbon paper, awful stuff! Now just hit the ‘print’ button and get as many clear copies as I want.

Hearing aid technology that I was taught in the dark ages of the 1970’s, when I received my Master’s Degree, has significantly changed and improved. Gone are analog hearing aids and all the limitations

of that circuitry. Not only are hearing aids smaller but their digital circuitry allows for automatic volume control, noise reduction, directional microphones to hear what’s in front of you, and connection to your cell phone via Bluetooth devices. Now the hearing aid wearer’s voice sounds better, not as loud, and not like it is echoing in a barrel.

All these advancements came to mind when I was visiting dear, old friends in Canada. They are like a second set of parents to me and part of the ‘Greatest Generation’. Bill is a WWII veteran and career army man. Without his hearing aids he cannot hear conversation, but with his old hearing aids his voice sounds so loud to him, that he speaks so softly no one can hear him. I wish Bill was in my office so I could fit him with better, newer hearing aid technology.

Hearing aids, like nearly everything else have improved.

Forget what you may have heard about hearing aids and try the newer technology and styles. I would never use a manual typewriter again, even if I could find one.

Now is the time for an update. Allow technology to improve your hearing, hear the sounds around you, and enjoy conversation with family and friends.

Rosann W. Faull, Au.D. CCC-A Board Certified Doctor of Audiology Your Community Resource for Better Hearing www.drfaull.com/ 904-262-5550

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St Augustine

Humane Society

- Cool Chica from the calendar

PAWTINI HOUR fundraiser

The St. Augustine Humane Society will hold its 3rd Annual Pawtini Hour fundraiser on Thursday, October 10. The event will run from 6 pm until 8 pm at the Raintree Restaurant, 102 San Marco Ave. in St. Augustine.

Pawtini has proven to be an entertaining fundraiser to support many safety net programs designed to assist pet owners and to eliminate the need to relinquish pets to shelters.

Additionally, the 2014 Pin Up Paws pet photo contest calendars will be available and features photos of winning pets in celebrity attire.

An online silent auction features high-end merchandise and other items including a NASCAR pit stop package, Disney tickets, vacation accommodation in the Bahamas, restaurant and theater gift certificates, Burt’s Bees gift basket, Jaguars game tickets, and numerous others. The Flagler College Rotaract Club will oversee the silent auction along with online and event bidding. Visit the silent auction website at www.pawtiniauction.com.

Specifically, participants can pre-bid online until October 9. The high bid online becomes the low bid on the event night. Proxy bids are being held by Flagler College stu-

dents with new items added each day.

The event cost is $40 per person for advanced admission and $50 at the door. Guests will receive a swag bag with merchandise, gift certificates, and more along with one signature martini drink in a collectible Pawtini event glass.

Volunteer and restaurant bartenders will shake, stir and mix it up to get drink tips as additional donations to the Humane Society. Calendars are also for sale at $5, a 50 percent discount from the $10 purchase price. Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served. Live entertainment will be provided by Jim Aselta.

All proceeds will be donated to the St. Augustine Humane Society.

“This is our major fundraiser of the year. We appreciate the community’s support during this worthwhile event to help pets and their owners in St. Johns County,” said Carolyn Smith, St. Augustine Humane Society’s Executive Director. The Raintree Restaurant is again donating the space, food, liquor and non-alcoholic drinks, bar hands and wait staff to help with serving.

For more information, call 904.829.2737 or email admin1@ staughumane.org.

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