Amish Country Blog

Twitter Party! We’ll be online and in person at the Elkhart County Visitor Center talking about our Quilt Gardens and Hope Along the Heritage Trail.

The 2010 Quilt Gardens and Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer are partnering to raise funds for breast cancer research by raffling an original quilt wall hanging.

Please join Heidi Floyd, Development Ambassador for the Vera Bradley Foundation and Sonya Nash, Quilt Gardens Project Manager. Heidi will be talking about The Vera Bradley Foundation, the latest cancer research, inspirational stories, Vera Bradley products and more! Sonya will be on hand to answer your questions about the Quilt Gardens event. Of course we will have lots of fun prize opportunities for our Twitter Party guests!

WHEN:
Date: Wednesday, May 26th
Time: 12:30-1:30 (light lunch provided)
Hashtag: #QuiltGardenTour

Follow us on Twitter: @QuiltGardenTour @AmishCountry @FollowHeidi
Event Tweet Grid: Use the following link to set up a unique TweetGrid to follow the party hosts.  http://is.gd/c3eGi

Registration: To be eligible to win great prizes!
1. RSVP by leaving your Twitter handle/username below where it says Click here to enter.
2. Tweet the details of the party before the start time and share the details with your friends.  Be sure to include @QuiltGardenTour, @AmishCountry, @FollowHeidi and post a link back here to RSVP.  (Be sure to add @QuiltGardenTour in your tweet).
3. Sit back and tweet with us during the party or join us at the Elkhart County Visitor Center during the event as we learn all about the 2010 Quilt Gardens Tour and Hope Along the Heritage Trail campaign!

Pre-register to win our Grand Prize! Anyone registering (according to the directions above) between now and May 25th by Noon EST will be entered to win one of our great prizes!

1. Grand Prize – A One Night’s Stay at Jameson Inn Elkhart!
2. Set of 2 Quilt Gardens Tour Travel Mugs (black)
3. Set of 2 Quilt Gardens Tour ceramic coffee mugs (red & blue)
4. Quilt Gardens Tour rain guage & reusuable grocery bagVera Bradley Clutch (retired pattern) & A Vera Bradley Lipstick holder (Loves Me pattern)
5. Vera Bradley Clear Lotion Bag (Hope Garden pattern) & A Vera Bradley Lipstick holder (Loves Me pattern)
6. Vera Bradley Mini Notebook (Hope Garden pattern)

Winners will be selected using Random.org from all party attendees following the instructions.  Must be 18 or older to register.  Open to residents of the US and Canada.  Canadian winners will be required to pay shipping. Registration is not required to attend the Twitter Party.

Elkhart County Visitor Center
219 Caravan Drive, Elkhart, IN 46561
We’re located in Elkhart at North Pointe Plaza, just off the I80/90 Toll Road (Exit 92) behind the Cracker Barrel Restaurant.

To RSVP and be registered for party prizes enter your Twitter username and link to your Twitter username below.
Example:
Blog or Link Title: @UserName
Link: http://www.twitter.com/UserName

RSVP with your Twitter Link and Twitter ID below! Click here to enter your link/RSVP for the party!

The Elkhart County, IN CVB was just named the winner of the 2010 Efroymson Award for Excellence in Cultural Tourism Development for the Quilt Gardens Along the Heritage Trail. The announcement was made today at the Annual Indiana Cultural Tourism Conference held in Indianapolis, IN.

You’re Invited to the Indiana 500 Tour Kick-off

Tuesday, May 11, 2010, 1:30 – 3:30 PM at
Amish Acres Historic Farm & Heritage Resort

Join us for Free Ice Cream at The Log Cabin Soda Shop and  Fudgery – Classic Vehicle Display – Wagon Tours – Opening Remarks by State Representative Wes Culver

*Classic car owners and motorcycle enthusiasts are encouraged to bring your vehicles!

The Indiana 500 Tour spans 500 miles and over 100 stops chronicling Indiana’s transportation and motorsports heritage.

Elkhart County is pleased to announce its 2010 Trail participants:
RV/MH Hall of Fame & Museum
New York Central Railroad Museum
Simonton Lake Drive-in
Elkhart River Queen
Amish Acres Wagon Farm Tour
Nappanee Railroad Depot / Nappanee Center
The nationally-recognized Heritage Trail

Event Location: Amish Acres Historic Farm & Heritage Resort (1600 West Market Street / Nappanee, IN 46550)

Please RSVP by May 5, 2010
Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau
574.262.8161 or ecconv@amishcountry.org

Linton’s Enchanted Garden is one of my most favorite places in Amish Country. There is so much to look at, and many things to do there. The garden center is packed full of items for the house. There are always unique and lovely things to help make the inside of your house beautiful, especially during this time of the year. They have lots of fall and Christmas decorations. The Garden Center also holds the floral shop, so you can pick up your fresh flowers too.

Outside, are all the plants, trees, shrubs and flowers you could want. At this time of the year, there are also pumpkins, and you can get whole or half bales of hay. I bought 3 small pumpkins, one medium, and a half of bale of hay. I don’t know if we’re going to decorate the pumpkins, but it’s as festive as I’ve gotten in five years.

October 24 and 25 is Spooktacular. You can save on plants and flowers, and the kids get treats too.

So when you need that plant or flower, go to Linton’s. You’ll find the perfect plant, and a few other things to go along with it.

- Mindy, Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor and Visitor Center Specialist

You can always find something to do in Amish Country.   September is full of Festivals.  So here is just a listing. For details, please go to our event page at amishcountry.org/events.

Bristol Storytelling Festival September 11-12
Nappanee Apple Festival September 17-20
Borkholder Dutch Village Fall Furniture Festival September 18-19
Middlebury Fall Festival September 18-19
Mennonite Relief Sale September 26
Pumpkin Chase Race September 27

If you’ve been here for one of these festivals, let us know what you enjoyed about it.  I love the Mennonite Relief Sale.  Although I can’t afford any of the auction items, I love the feel of having all those people in one place helping a great cause.  I know many people love the Nappanee Apple Festival’s 7 foot pie.  Whatever your looking for, I’m sure one of our September festivals has something to enhance your trip.

-Mindy, Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor and Visitor Center Specialist

If you’re ever interested in what is going on in Amish Country, click on our events tab.  You’ll find all kinds of events, and hopefully one of them will add to your Amish Country experience.  September is full of festivals.

The Quilt Gardens Tour is viewable for one more month.  Make sure you come and enjoy the tour.  There have been some interesting things happening to the gardens this year.  In Wakarusa, a hail storm took out part of the Quilt Garden.  In Goshen, a critter ate a little of the Quilt Garden at the 4-H fair, although the Meadow  Brook Agriquilt would have been more to his liking.

The Elkhart Civic Theatre announced their 2010-11 season.  It looks another great year for Elkhart Civic.  Premier Arts is finishing out their 2009-10 family series. Sauder Concert Hall at Goshen College has another great lineup for their 2010-11 season, I want to go see the Chieftains, and the African Children’s Choir.  The Round Barn Theatre finishes their season with Cats, which I love!  I would also check out the Blue Gate Theater in Shipshewana.
So while you plan your trip to Amish Country, check out our events page.  I bet there is something on that page you don’t want to miss.

-Mindy, Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor and Visitor Center Travel Specialist

It was a drizzling, wet day on Saturday, and I almost didn’t want to go out, but Arts in Bloom and Taste of the Garden was happening at Wellfield Botanical Gardens, and so I went.  I figured since it was raining, I would quickly look at art, and then go home. I love art shows.

The event started at 11am, and at 11am, parking was already getting full.  Some of the artist were getting out their rain gear, but they were happy to see everyone still showing up despite the rain.  I looked at most of the booths.  Dismas House of South Bend had bracelets and key chains that residents made, and I now have a new keychain.

Then after the art booths, I took walk around the pond at Wellfield.  It is a lovely place, with the creek running on the backside. A lot of work has gone on the east side of the pond to make it a beautiful resting place. With waterfalls, walk paths, and a flower garden, it is an ideal spot to spend time outside.

I did not eat, but by noon, most of the table seating under the tent for the Taste of the Garden was full.  I know the food was great, but I was a more soaked than I wanted, so I decided to go home.  It was a great event, and I can’t wait for it to happen again next year.

It’s not so surprising to see travel research ranking visiting small towns tops the list of desired vacation activities. Elkhart County is especially blessed with terrific cities and towns with vibrant main streets.

The ECCVB is showing them off in exciting new ways to motivate travelers and keep them interested by launching a series of video clips promoting our cities and towns on our  new YouTube Channel.

Take a look. This is just the beginning!

Let us know what you think of these videos, leave your comment here.

The ECCVB commissioned “Aurora – Elkhart Special” quilt is now proudly displayed in the Elkhart County Visitors Center. Come in a take a look – it’s spectacular! The quilt was exquisitely pieced by Diana Bennet (see some of her other quilts in the Visitors Center) and quilted by her good friend. Jinny Beyer pulled together a palette of 55 signature fabrics in colors to complement the Aurora mural.  Feeling ambitious?  There is a special “kit” to make your own quilt available through Jinny Beyer.  For more information call the Visitor Center at 800.262.8161

First, thank you ALL for your kind comments left on our blog! We appreciate the feedback and we’re thrilled that so many of you have such great things to say about Amish Country Northern Indiana!

And the winner of the $25 American Countryside Farmers Market Gift Card is: Kathleen Renno

Congratulations Kathleen! We’ll get your $25 American Countryside Farmers Market Gift Card right out to you. Be sure to visit back soon, we have another fun giveaway planned!

-Jessica, Amish Country Northern Indiana Technology Marketing Manager