Besides the places you can easily Google like Ace Hardware, Lowe’s, Kroger, and Walmart, there are a slew of other Christmas tree farms operating in our back yards.
For a real, live, sap-making Christmas tree, consider paying the following local businesses a visit:
Taylor Christmas Tree Farm
868 West Lane Avenue Unit Z, Columbus
(614) 488-8877
“We have the best selection of Christmas trees in Columbus and probably even in Ohio because we meticulously hand-pick each tree and manicure them all year long and grow them in colder climates there for producing trees that are full and very shapely.” –Taylor Christmas Tree Farm website
HTH Christmas Tree Lot
2340 W Dublin Granville Rd, Columbus
(614) 396-6313
“HTH is your full service Christmas Tree Lot, open the Friday after Thanksgiving through December 23rd, 7 days a week. We carry beautiful Ohio and North Carolina grown Fraser Fir, Blue Spruce’, Scotch Pine, Douglas Fir and White Pine trees ranging from 2 feet to 11 feet. We also have Fraser Fir Wreaths, Garland, Tree Stands and much more.” –HTH Christmas Tree Lot website
You wont need the chainsaw for this visit, but you will needs lots of hands to carry not only your new, live, pre-cut tree, but also the copious amounts of christmas decorations you’ll be purchasing in the shop.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Mr. Tree Farm
1099 Reynoldsburg – New Albany Rd, Blacklick
(614) 577-0081
With over 12,000 trees, Mr. Tree provides a wide variety of live, cut trees including Scotch Pine, White Pine, Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Balsam Fir, Canaan Fir, Concolor Fir, Colorado Spruce, and Norway Spruce.
Fly A Way Farm
1950 Lackey Old State Rd, Delaware
(740) 548-7355
This farm features Canaan Fir, Scotch Pine and White Pine trees. Customers are met on the drive into the farm by greeters who will provide saws and direction on which trees to cut. Fly A Way Farm will only be open December 7th and 8th from 9am until dusk.
Homestead Farm
2573 Loudon St, Granville
(740) 587-1345
“Here at Homestead Farm, we believe picking out your REAL Christmas tree should be a memorable experience for all! You are sure to enjoy the beauty of the country and we will make your visit as pleasant as possible.” –Homestead Farm website
Distracted by the raucous sounds of the festival beyond the garden walls, you almost don’t notice the shrouded figure emerging from behind the old statue. You and your companions turn to leave, but hesitate when the mysterious man calls out to each of you by name. When pressed, the stranger warns of a malevolent force known as “Hunger,” which is gathering its power somewhere deep in the nearby forest. He knows you and your stalwart party of adventurers will do what must be done...
If you’ve spent any time with Dungeons & Dragons or
its various progeny, you can probably guess where this is
going. A journey into the enchanted forest, traps, treasures,
attribute checks and plenty of scribbled notes on pieces of
scratch paper. But even if you’re an old hand at the tabletop
stuff, odds are your campaign never included golden chicken
nuggets and sentient cheeseburgers.
Dublin-based fast food chain Wendy’s has never shied
away from the improbable. When nearly all of burgerdom
had settled on circular patties, Wendy’s went square.
Competitors hocking frozen meat? Wendy’s tackled
logistical challenges to serve “fresh, never frozen” burgers.
Even in the new frontier of social media, the brand was
an early standout in the trend of corporate-tied accounts
adopting sassy, comical voices.
The trick with innovation is that it’s hard to stay ahead
of the curve. With a Twitter war raging between two
Southern-style chicken sandwiches, or Colonel Sanders
launching a finger lickin’ good dating app, a witty online
presence can only take you so far. In the increasingly
polarizing and absurd meta-conversation surrounding fast
food online, how’s a brand to stay above the fray? If you’re
Wendy’s, you swing for a critical hit by launching a comically
overwrought, burger-themed D&D-style table-top game.
Photos: Brian Kaiser
At first blush, the rulebook for “Feast of Legends: Rise
From the Deep Freeze” seems like nothing more than a
marketing campaign disguised as an absurd extended joke.
Upon cracking into the 91-page tome, (made available by
Wendy’s as a free downloadable PDF) would-be adventurers
will discover that this game actually packs some beef.
If that last pun caused you to cringe, this is probably not
the game for you. The adventure depicted here takes place
in “the realm of Beef’s Keep,” located in the kingdom of
Freshtovia. Ruled over by the good queen Wendy, Freshtovia
is locked in an eternal struggle against the wickedness of the
United Clown Nations and its Jester king (a thinly-veiled
allusion to Ronald McDonald).
In spite of never letting the user forget the Wendy’s angle,
the Feast of Legends rulebook is every bit as thoughtful
and detailed as many traditional, non-burger-based RPGs.
Before tackling the main adventure, the reader can peruse
around 25 pages explaining everything from gameplay
mechanics to character creation and the various “orders”—
think classes in D&D—that a player can elect to join. OK,
so maybe the weapons sheet includes sporks and spatulas
for your warrior from the esteemed “Order of the Chicken
Sandwich” to wield—the fact remains that this RPG seems
like it might have some real potential for fun (in addition to
the fun of mocking its very existence, that is).
Eager to put this theory to the test, an enterprising group of (614) staff set out on a quest to explore the realm of Freshtovia. Our goal? To put the playability of this bizarre game to the test, and to perhaps uncover why,
if for any reason, Wendy’s made the damn thing in the
first place.
From the beginning, some members of the party were less
than enthused at the prospect of playing a tabletop RPG, let
alone one with references to Frostys and spicy nugs jammed
in at every turn. By the time the group was confronted with its
first puzzle—a riddle scrawled on a statue of the late Wendy’s
founder Dave Thomas—all trepidation had subsided.
Marketing ploy or not, the players were consumed by the
game world.
Playing through an early level of mazes, the absurdity of the French Fry Forest or stumbling upon a golden baked potato was all but moot. By the time the party encountered the game’s first boss—a dreaded monster called “Hunger,” the supplied character sheets had all been personalized with care, complete with detailed portraiture of each player’s imagined warrior. The buy-in was complete. We were actually invested in an imaginary land populated by Wendy’s foodstuffs.
Without question, the minds at Wendy’s marketing
department had crafted a game that could hook players
and keep them hungry for more. The only nagging question
that remained was, why? The intricate rulebook and
campaign, complete with countless maps and professional
illustrations, was surely the work of hundreds of hours of
effort. Would anyone really go to such lengths for a joke with
no punchline? Is Wendy’s really that desperate to target the
tabletop gaming crowd?
One possible answer comes via the rulebook’s
explanation of “buffs” and “debuffs,” or powerups and
hindrances that will affect characters during gameplay.
According to the rules, eating Wendy’s products in real life
will yield various advantages to your in-game character
(+1 strength for any cheeseburger item) while consuming
competitor’s food produces an undesirable effect.
Whether produced to sell burgers-as-powerups to a select group of fast food and RPG-obsessed basement dwellers, or simply existing as one of the biggest viral marketing flexes of all time, Feast of Legends provides a surprisingly immersive and enjoyable play experience. Will it bring gamers to Wendy’s in droves? Probably not. But if our office’s experience with the game is any indication, it might be enough to hook unlikely RPG players on the tabletop experience—one enchanted burger at a time.
To embark on your own adventure, download the Feast
of Legends rulebook at FeastOfLegends.com.
Picture this: You’ve got your fuzzy socks on, a cup of hot coco in one hand, and a good book in the other. The sound of a crackling fireplace lingers in the background as you glance out to the snow-coated country side and realize…you are in your own little snow globe paradise!
Sounds lovely doesn’t it?
Oh, and let us not forget the best part…hot tubs! There is something so satisfactory about soaking in steaming hot water as the chill of winter wonderland beauty surrounds you, am I right?
No need for winter blues when you can create your own winter oasis at one of the many cozy cabins located right here in Ohio!
Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls
A perfect place for a relaxing cabin getaway. The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls is tucked away on 75 acres of woodland forest, conveniently surrounded on three sides by Hocking Hills State Park. Enjoy a secluded and relaxing weekend soaking in the whirlpool hot tub, snuggling up by the gas log fire, and enjoying the peaceful serenity provided by the wintery nature around you.
Freshly-baked cookies always await your arrival here and all accommodations include a hearty breakfast, too.
Also located in the winter wonderland of Hocking Hills are the cozy log cabins of Oakwood. Each charming yet modern cabin is set in a secluded location, giving you the privacy required for a rejuvenating getaway. Feel the cold breeze on your face as you sink into the screened-in outdoor hot tub and relax away each day by watching old DVD’s. If adventure is calling your name, strap on some winter hiking boots to explore the nearby Ash or Old Man’s Cave!
Escape to the Amish country of southern Ohio this winter by visiting the quaint cabins at Murphin Inn. Marvel at the snow-coated views of the Appalachian foothills, spanning across 140 acres of rolling woodland and farm. Spend the day exploring the Amish-owned boutiques, antique shops, and bakeries in the neighborhoods nearby. Upon return, cozy up by the indoor or outdoor fire pits with a good book and great company. Come morning time, enjoy a bountiful country breakfast with freshly squeezed orange juice.
Peacefully located on quiet country roads far from traffic or noise you will find the luxury cabins of Mohican Pines near Mohican State Park. The cabins are far from any town, allowing the stars to shine brighter than ever. Admire the snow covered pine forest and valley from the patio or steamy hot tub and enjoy your winter bliss.
The newest babies at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium may be small, but they bring big hope for one of the most endangered species on the planet.
On November 1 and 3, reptile keepers at the Zoo’s Shores region successfully hatched two rare yellow-headed temple turtles (Heosemys annandalii), the first ever hatched in an indoor zoological environment. The breakthrough is critical in efforts to boost the numbers of temple turtles, which are facing extinction, according to a release from the zoo.
Keepers note that the two hatchlings are "very active" and "very healthy." They are being cared for in behind-the-scenes habitats as they continue to grow stronger. Right now, the hatchlings are about the size of a racquetball and weigh approximately 80 grams–the same weight as a small tomato. They will grow to be up to about 2 feet long and weigh about 35 pounds.
These two turtles were the only ones to survive out of their mother's nest. Of five eggs, one turtle hatched on its own, and the care team helped another break out of its shell when it was experiencing some difficulties. Two other eggs did not contain viable hatchlings, and the fifth egg did not hatch.
“Our team is extremely proud of hatching these turtles, as well as being able to do so inside the Columbus Zoo’s Reptile House," said Becky Ellsworth, Curator of the Zoo’s Shores region. "This is a wonderful achievement as our Animal Care staff has been able to learn more information about this rare and important species, contributing significant knowledge to the zoological community working to help protect these turtles."