Longaberger Homestead displays the world’s largest apple basket. measuring twenty-nine feet tall.
What’s your excuse for not following your dream? It better be a good one as Dave Longaberger had three big excuses not to be successful, and overcame them all.
Born in 1934, Dave arrived in a poor family, stuttered so much that people had trouble understanding him, and was afflicted with epilepsy. School was a difficult proposition and he was 21 years old before an adamant Dave graduated high school. After all, he spent three years in fifth grade.
During his school years, Dave always worked at some job to make extra money. He shoveled snow, mowed lawns, ran a movie projector at the theater, and delivered newspapers. Since he was always making money some way, his family called him “the twenty-five cent millionaire”.
J W Longaberger, Dave’s father, started his own basket company, The Ohio Ware Basket, whose baskets were basically used for carrying pottery.
Dave’s determination was stronger than his education, as he began early in life to try opening his own businesses – a small diner, a local grocery store, and a basket company to sell his father’s baskets.
This woven bell attracts attention in the museum area.
During this time he discovered three principles for success in business:
- Listening to others
- Having trust in others
- Maintaining a sense of humor
Using these three principles, he started a small company making baskets like those his father had so successfully made in the past few years. That business, Longaberger Baskets, created a web of home consultants that promoted personal service and high quality.
Then came Longaberger Homestead, the company’s main retail hub. Here you can browse through a gigantic showroom filled with everything Longaberger.
These new baskets are created with an eye to the future.
One interesting feature is the Longaberger Museum, which shows its past, present and future. Beautiful handcrafted baskets of different shapes and sizes are on display. There are no two baskets alike as each one was hand made and thus has a special touch.
Their baskets of the future are shown in the Couture Collection, which started in 2014. These are not ordinary baskets, but works of art as each is handwoven with intricate patterns.
Perhaps you would like to make your own basket. Knowledgeable weavers are present to guide you through the many steps and help you when it just doesn’t seem possible. Creating your own basket would be quite a treasure. One woman said, “My family wouldn’t believe it if they saw me making a basket.”
Statue of Dave Longaberger rests at the edge of a pond in Memorial Sculpture Garden, where he overlooks his dream come true.
The best way to make certain you see everything would be to take the Heritage Walk, which leads you to the museum, apple basket, workshop, reconstructed home, Crawford Barn, and the Dave Longaberger Memorial Garden.
This is a transition time for Longaberger after selling about a year ago to its new owner from Texas, but Dave always said that everything is subject to change. However, Longaberger Homestead is still a first class showcase. More vendors inside give more variety, thus attracting more visitors.
Longaberger Homestead would be a great place to have a little fun while picking up some beautiful gifts for springtime. Like Dave said, “Every day should be at least 25% fun.”
Longaberger Homestead, located between Newark and Coshocton, Ohio, can be reached off OH-16 north of I-70. Take the Old Riley Road Exit near Frazeysburg and you will be able to see the Homestead at 5563 Raiders Road.
A Dickens Victorian Village Tea and Fashion Show did not at first sound appealing to me, but it turned out to be quite an interesting and enjoyable event. The first surprise came upon entering the stunning Masonic Ballroom with its floor to ceiling windows, gleaming dance floor, and ornate tin ceiling.
Many of those in attendance were dressed in Victorian style with beautiful, large hats and long skirts – a special part of the day. They felt part of a time long past as they enjoyed conversation with friends.
The crow holds a special attraction to her as she feels it has a magical quality. It holds the magical key to the womb of fundamental energy where all possibilities exist. Crows live all around the world, reminding us that magic can be found everywhere. They often are associated with healing and the universal law.
Owl is Mindi’s dream-time guide helping to navigate the unconscious world. The Owl serves as the keeper of ancient wisdom and can see the secrets and agendas of others. The Owl is a prophet who can see, hear, and feel events before they transpire. 
Her dream catchers are up-cycled art with the center web being a doily, with a hand macrame hoop and fringe made with cotton twine and yarn. Dream catchers have been part of Native American culture for generations. They are usually hung by the bed at night to catch bad dreams before they disturb your sleep. There is a hole in the center to let the good dreams slip through.
Feathers are important in the Native American tradition also, as they are seen as gifts from the sky, the sea and the trees. Often a feather has a message as it lands on or near someone. It reminds them of a spiritual connection that we all have to our creator and with passed loved ones. The gift of the feather is represented by passion – passion for your gift from the Creator – Mindi’s passion being artistic vision.
Upon leaving the art show, a beautifully decorated Christmas tree glowed in the hallway. The Mound Museum Christmas tree is decorated with plants that were important to those prehistoric Native Americans living in the area. The people who built Grave Creek Mound probably grew small gardens, which included squash, sunflowers, pumpkins, gourds, and goosefoot – the decorations on this tree.
However, “The Angel in Disguise” had a different idea. When he lost both parents as a young child, Rudy learned to appreciate the small things in life. He was the kind of man who would try to brighten up a child’s world by buying the youngster an ice cream cone.
Gypsy Road Trip 