Howard Life - June 2008-September 2008 - (Page 14)

What is your first Enchanted Forest memory? I remember going to someone's birthday party as a child. I remember going with my grandmother several times. I remember taking Nora when she was 1 1/2 and really enjoying sharing it with her. And I remember it was closed by the time Nathan was old enough to go. How did you convince Kimco to give you all the figures? They were wonderful from the moment I started dealing with them. Once I had acquired the Pumpkin Coach and had it for the fall season of 2004, I think they were able to see that my intentions were honorable and that everyone thought our place was the perfect second home for the pieces. They trusted me to take good care of everything. What was the most challenging aspect of saving the Enchanted Forest? Finding people able to move the structures and finding people creative enough to figure out how to make the repairs to these very unusual items. Over the last three years, I have worked with the most amazing and creative people I have ever met. Marty Levine from Excel Tree Experts, who moved many of the structures to the farm, never saw a problem he couldn't solve. George Miller rebuilt the structures once they were at the farm with artistry and creativity. I'm never very good about planning ahead—usually when we are driving down Centennial Lane, I am making the decision about where the item on the trailer behind me is going to go. And you have to make the decision right the first time, because you don't move a 30,000lb. shoe more than once in a lifetime! What’s been the greatest reward of saving the Enchanted Forest? I enjoy so much having people come to the farm and see the animals and enjoy a little slice of life down on the farm. Having the 14 howardLIFE Enchanted Forest items at the farm has made more people aware of our existence. I also enjoy seeing three generations of a family come to visit. They enjoy the animals and they have a great time getting reacquainted with old Enchanted Forest "friends" and introducing the grandchildren to the figures they remembered visiting a generation ago. Describe how you moved and restored each figure. The process involved planning the move. Getting in and out of the Enchanted Forest with its hills and deteriorating paths and overhanging trees was a challenge. Preparing the site at the farm. Scraping off all the old paint. Patching and repairing walls, roofs, windows, fiberglass, concrete. Researching paint colors and checking pictures of the structures and figures from old photos and our DVD. Priming and painting. Landscaping. We had the help of countless enchanted volunteers, many of whom are listed on our website. What is your favorite figure? It's always the figure I am working on at the time. When I was painting the Old Woman's Shoe that wonderful purple shade, that was my favorite. When I was painting the Three Bears’ House red, yellow, blue, and green, and furnishing it with porridge bowls and beds, it was my favorite. When I was refiberglassing the roof on the Merry Miller's House, it was my favorite. I think the dragon on the entrance castle is my current favorite. Who most loves the Enchanted Forest—the Baby Boomers, Gen-Xers, or Millennials? Since 1955, people from all walks of life, all races, all ages went to the Enchanted Forest and understood what a magical place it was. There is something special about it even for people who never had the chance to visit it in person. We have young people come in to take pictures and see what it was all about. It is great fun introducing a whole new generation to the magic of the Enchanted Forest. I

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Howard Life - June 2008-September 2008

Howard Life - June 2008-September 2008 Contents Important Numbers Welcome to Howard County, Maryland Join Howard County Tourism The Good Life Events Clark’s Elioak Farm: Home of the Enchanted Forest Farms Merriweather Post Pavilion Ghost Tours Howard County’s Famous Firsts History Resources Volunteerism Getaways: Trips for the Guys and the Girls Golf Resources Spas and Wellness Resources Recreation Resources Howard County Map Ellicott City Walking Tour Savage Mill Artists Art and Music Resources Dining Profiles: Aida Bistro, Jordan’s Steakhouse, and Tersiguel’s Dining Resources Shopping Shopping Resources For the Event Planner Where to Stay Relocation Resources Business and Service Listings

Howard Life - June 2008-September 2008

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