With mother’s day right around the corner, sons and daughters all across the United States are scrambling to find those perfect Mother’s Day gifts.
What will most moms receive this year? Flowers, of course.
Beginning Saturday, perhaps the largest annual plant sale gets underway at the Excelsior Fire Hall on First Street in Bellwood. And there will be something there for all the special mothers on the shopping list.
“We started this about eight years ago and it has just grown and grown,” said Janet Schmittle, a member of the Bellwood-Antis Community Farm Show committee. “For the first few years, we set up shop in a pavilion at the Bellwood-Antis Community Park, but as we grew and grew, we had to find more space. Luckily, the firehall became available to us a few years ago, and we’ve been there ever since.”
According to Schmittle, the annual plant sale is the largest fundraiser for another growing event – B-A’s Farm Show, which will be held this fall. Last year, she said the group sold more than $42,000 worth of plants and flowers.
This year, the eighth, Schmittle said they hope to do more.
“We really do a lot with what few people we have,” said Schmittle, concerning the committee who organizes the plant sale. “We have about 10 faithfuls, and a good number of others who also help out. We start ordering plants in the fall, and continue ordering right up through the week of the event.”
She noted that some of the plants available are grown exclusively for the plant sale by area Amish folk and other growers.
“We’re bigger and better than ever,” said Schmittle. “There will be billions of blooms, 1,200 hanging baskets ideal for mothers day, bedding plants, flowers, vegetables, and lots more.”
The plant sale is open weekdays from noon to 8 p.m. and weekends beginning at 8 a.m. from May 8 through May 16.
For additional information, contact 742-8541.
