Junk Ranch Spring Edition 2019

Another Junk Ranch is in the books!

Wednesday is the day we start set up.  But, this particular Wednesday was a wash out - it poured rain all day and the fields and street were flooded.  The Junk Ranch takes place in a big old field, so it was a nervous day waiting to see what Thursday would bring.  Luckily, the rain stopped late Wednesday night and the sun came out early on Thursday.  Load in was delayed until noon Thursday to give the field time to dry out.  My spot was a little soft, so I had to carry all my items into the field before setup.  I usually set up my booth on Wednesday and then have all day Thursday to get the merchandise displayed, plus a couple hours on Friday morning to finish up.  But, this time I had five hours to do it all PLUS carry it all in.  I was an emotional mess.  But, I had The Bean and The Breadman with me plus a fabulous Ranch Hand named Tadpole came to my rescue with a Gator.  The boys piled in on the Gator and Tadpole drove it to me.  I started setting up the area while they schlepped it all to me.  I ended up having it show ready in less than five hours from pull in to pull out time.  It was nice to know that I was able to do that - but I really don't want to have to do it again.  I was EXHAUSTED.  

The show hours were a bit different this year so maybe we could beat the heat.  The gates opened at 8:00 am each day and closed at 3:00 on Friday and 4:00 on Saturday.  It was still hot even though we had earlier hours and it was two weeks earlier than usual.  But, it stayed dry, so that was what really mattered for a successful show for me.  

I have found a lot of  vintage paintings this year and I found an easel, so I made a little art corner.  I sold quite a few of the paintings.  It also blocked the area where the two tent legs were awkward.  

My best friend from high school came to see me!  We have only seen each other twice in over thirty years.  I didn't have much time to talk, but it sure was sweet of her to come see me!

This little sweetie got the vintage sombrero from my booth.  It was the real deal and child sized.  I have never seen such a cute sombrero.  Or little customer, for that matter!  

The little gals were investigating the inside of the old metal dollhouse that was under the table.  

My sign out front.  I need to have it permanently painted because I have to redo it every show and sometimes every day if the moisture gets it.  

Okay, more booth shots.  I just threw it all up this time, but I did make some themed vignettes.  Side-eye Jesus got a lot of attention, but didn't sell.  That's okay by me, because he's a conversation starter.  

I really never know what all I have because I buy it, price it and store it all year long.  When I started putting it out, I had chickens, sheep, pigs, butter boxes, butter signs, milk bottles and breadboards - so a farmyard theme developed on this side.  One gal picked up a butter box and said, "What would anyone DO with an old butter box?"  Then she opened it and declared, "IT IS EMPTY".  I think she was in for a difficult day out on that field if the thought of a vintage NOS butter box baffled her that much.  It made me chuckle.  

I enjoyed the "scary doll" holding a pistol.  The gun sold pretty early, the doll did not.    

A truly horrible shot, but I took some old book pages from a 1930's Farm Animal book and framed them.  I sold most of them and now I need to find more because they were SUPER CUTE.  

I love old toys and I always take a lot, but they really don't sell well.  But, this time I sold a lot of them!  Yeah!  

Always plenty to see in my booth.

This side was pretty much all the things that I had taken to the Junk ranch a time of two, so I marked it all down and then I even had a half price sale on Saturday afternoon to move some of it out.  Now it will go to the booth.  

The souvenir plates are popular lately.  I have about 50 of them, but only took some with me.  I thought people hung them on the wall, but most of them said the actually eat on them!

This was the half off area before I made it half off, I had to pull somethings that I didn't want to practically give away.  Like that Irmi lamp.  

Cowboy area, office supply area, coffee area.  I still love my crates - easy to make small things seem like big areas.  

I had a few extra tubs full, so I just let people dig in them. It was interesting that the mentality of digging in boxes meant that they wanted it super cheap.  That's why I prefer to display it -but I'm still cheap on my prices.  

Annalee's are popular too.  Thank goodness!

Here was the line behind me at load in.

And the line in front of me.  

I had my first theft.  It really made me sick.  I wouldn't have noticed it if it hadn't of been the single most expensive thing in my booth!  I had two really old cast iron Turkey doorstops.  They were iron and super heavy and worth double the $68 I had on each one.  I had gone to the bathroom and when I came back, I noticed one was gone.  I was excited!  Until The Bean and Lara said no one had paid either of them for it.  The next day, the owners of TJR told me that someone else had a metal bird stolen from their booth.  So, someone had made a game of stealing metal birds!  I bet they took more, but people either didn't realize it or didn't report it.  

It's always fun selling at the Junk Ranch, but by the time we are all done tearing it down, we almost all say we are DONE and will never do it again.  But, then a few weeks pass and we all get excited about it again.  I think it's like having a baby.  You forget the bad part and just remember the  good stuff.  The good stuff for me are all the friends I have made with the vendors and my favorite customers that drive across town to see me and that drive from states away to see me.  They bring me gifts, cookies and homemade sweet tea.  Seriously, great folks.  

So with that, I have started making and buying all ready!  October will be here soon!  :D

PS If you read this - please leave a comment?  Just so I know that someone is reading it somewhere.