There’s simply nothing better like the smell of dinner cooking as you walk through the front door.
Welcome home!
After a long day at work, the aroma welcomes you back home. But wait… Dinner is really almost ready??? You have been gone all day… yes, the Crock-Pot has magically been slowly simmering your dinner nonstop and the smell of a delicious dinner yet to come is wafting throughout your home. The aroma is welcoming you back, like two little, happy puppies wagging their tails anxiously awaiting to greet you as you enter the front door.
These two are waiting for their favorite humans to come back home!
Crock-Pot recipes are a mainstay in the playbook of comfort foods 101 in my opinion. The advantages of using a crock-pot or a slow cooker are plentiful. For one, the crock-pot will use less electricity than cooking a full meal on your stovetop.
Baked potatoes in crockpot??? Try it if you haven’t done that before. Yes, save electricity by using your crockpot and cook on high for 2-3 hours instead of using your oven. I brush mine with olive oil and salt pepper and cover it and walk away for a few hours.. dinner success!
Another advantage of using a crock-pot, Family evening meals can be prepared ahead of time… meaning that it can save you time, and of course, less dishes to clean up after the meal! If you are a meal planning cook, the crock-pot is for you! That’s a definite win in the family meal game plan!
This creamy chicken crock-pot recipe is one of the most versatile dishes that I make that can be used as a base for chicken pie, chicken casserole, or served over pasta. The leftovers can make a creamy chicken soup.
The last advantage of using a crock-pot is simply the monetary savings from each grocery storetrip. When you slow cook in the crock-pot, you can buy a tougher cut of meat ( saving a bit of money) and it will come out tender after cooking low and slow all day long. Crock-pots are designed to tenderize and add complexity of flavors to your protein as it simmers low and slow.The slow cooking process helps to preserve the nutrients. In a higher heat setting, those nutrients can be rapidly broken down, reducing the flavor profile.
As I write this blog post, I realize that some are probably rolling their eyes saying, “good grief girl, get in the 21st century and buy an instant pot”. Here’s my reply… Well, honestly I don’t want one. I love the idea of prepping before I leave for the day, and simmering my food low and slow all day long… nothing beats spaghetti sauce that’s been cooking all day long in the crock-pot and we love it. I’m the “set it and forget it until later” meal game planner.
I don’t think of a crock-pot meal as a “boring meal” that is often repetitive… week after week… “Mom, we are eating the same old stuff” type meals… that’s the whole point of “Crocktober”. Thinking outside of the usual crock-pot mindset and experimenting with new ways to use the traditional slow cooker.
SO…. Here’s a sampling of some of the amazing products that Wilkes County Hardware has to offer you that could add some extra flavor to your favorite proteins or vegetables slowly simmering away in your crock-pot. Hopefully you can find a bit of inspiration for some new “Crocktober Recipes” to make for your family.
This rub is a great addition brings flavor to any type of steak, or beef roast in your crock-pot! Hand choppers are great for making quick work of a large cooked pork lion, or even chicken as you make chopped BBQ or tacos in the crock-pot The best BBQ sauce… AND it’s locally made!Traeger sauces and rubs can add extra flavor to your crock-pot meals Pick your favorite! Use your imagination and available ingredients from your pantry and refrigerator and get cooking in your crock-pot for October! The options are endless!!! It’s Crocktober
Let’s celebrate the month of October with the Crock-pot… and get the slow simmer going … it’s Crocktober time!
FYI: Two recipes are linked in this blog post if y’all are curious… Happy slow cooking!
When people walk into our hardware store, they often say y’all have just a little bit of everything here don’t you!!! As we have entered into year number 8 of business, we have slowly expanded and refined our offerings to our customers. Here’s a sampling of our product offerings via ABC’s of Wilkes County Hardware.
Top down view overlooking the back corner of Wilkes County Hardware
Let’s begin by diving into the Amazing finds from All Around the Hardware Store! Sometimes our building might be considered an “Antique” due to its advanced age…1905 is A long time AGO!
A- Almanac, acetone, axe, American Flags, animal repellents
Deer repellent, snake and more!
B- bird feeder & seed, BBQ sauce, brooms, bi-fold door hardware, bungee cords, batteries, black iron fittings and pipe cut to size, bolts
C- Customers! We can’t do this without you!!!Thank you for shopping with local with us! It’s soooo easy to forget about local businesses when you’re busy running errands or just headed to that “box store” for something on your to do list. Keep the CASH in our community!
Thanks for shopping local and keeping the CASH in our community!
Sometimes all you need it just one bolt or fastener… that’s ok with us, no need to buy a whole box. This area of our store is often full of customers all day long.
G- Gardening tools, garden seeds, grass seed, gloves, glues, grilling accessories, Greased Lightning, gas cans, galvanized fittings and pipe cut to size, window glass cut to size
Lawn and Garden area has been moved towards the front of the hardware store. We are excited to offer new products in this busy area for our customers.
H- hammers, hooks, hinges, hand tools, hose barb, Howard wood cleaning products, honey(it’s local y’all!)
Only local honey sold at Wilkes County Hardware!!
I-I didn’t know you had this! I should have come here first… we have heard this a few times over the last 8 years when folks find what they need and more as they shop.
I- Iron Out, ice melt
J- Juxtaposition of old school hardware store with excellent customer service found in 2023 versus “the box store experience”in 2023, no self service checkout here.
J-Japanese beetle traps, joint compound
K-keys duplicated with ease, knives, kerosene heaters & replacement wicks
Wayne has been a fixture inside Wilkes County Hardware for over 20 years. He just celebrated his 85th birthday!!! I bet Wayne has made a key or two for you.
L- Ladder wall, this wall showcases some of our amazing local artisans work.
Our local artisans are prominently featured along the back ladder wall.
M- Mural.. have y’all noticed the new mural on the front side of the building? Why the chicken??? Our building was a poultry processing plant in its early years.
N-nails … we don’t sell these by the pound anymore but we have small size packs available for purchase as well as larger sizes, National Hardware what an amazing selection of all things related to home hardware and more!
O- Order it for me please! Yes, we special order items for our customers each and every week
O- O-rings of all shapes and sizes!
P- Pool supplies, paper towels, PVC fittings, PB Blaster, Pex fittings, plungers, plumbing supplies galore! PVC pipe, padlocks, potting soils, polyurethane and and plethora of so much more!
Our plumbing section has been recently updated
Q- Quite a step back into time.. our building dates back to 1905, they don’t build them like this anymore. You can quickly find what you need and save TIME by not driving to a box store fighting the traffic or the crowd… and if you need our help we are here to answer any questions you may have about your project.
Q- Quick knife/scissors sharpening done in a matter of a few minutes, Quartz piston clock… locally made
R- Repairs made to lamps, kerosene heaters, re-screening windows, and tool handle replacement
Fall and winter season is a busy time for Kerosene heater repairs
R- Ready Seal, rodent control products, Rid-X , rope cut to size or just buy it by the package.
Rocking chair… we brought this chair from our house once we bought the hardware store. I rocked my son as a baby in this rocking chair. It was a sweet reminder of home. Harry loved this chair as well.
S-Staff… we are blessed with an amazing team!
Richard & Coby … these two can fix just about anything! Wayne … the key master! Tim … expert in glass Lisa .. we can’t live without her! She is a gemAngie… I’m not sure what to say 😂😂😂Lastly, Carter Call … I don’t seem to have a good photo of him but he has been a star pool guy all summer long! Look for him at the hardware store in the afternoons and Saturdays to come!
S-snow shovels and sleds, locally made soaps, suet, screws ( sheet metal, lag, stainless, self tapping, wood, deck), spray paint, Shark Bite, sandpaper, stove pipe, screwdrivers and much more!
T- Take a few minutes to wander from the front of the store to the back of the store.. you never know what you might find!
We keep a variety of pellets in stock for our established Traeger customers.
U- U-bolts and unique gifts from locally sourced artisans
V- Don’t be vexed by our selection of furnace filters, we have so many different sizes in stock!
Furnace filters of all sizes!
V- Vulcan 55 gallon drum liners for your trash can
W- Wood stove… warm by the fire on those cold days
It won’t be long until this stove will be back in action again!
W- wheelbarrow, WD-40, window glazing, water hoses, locally made wooden bowls and boards, weed eater trimmer line, wing nuts, wrench
X- Xacto blades, Xtreme contractor trash bags
Y-y’all are always welcome
Our doors are normally open for most of the warmer months, and conversations are usually flowing most of the day… near the old wood stove.
Y- Yellow Quell- did you know that we sell pool supplies and test pool water???
Pool season runs from May to September for most of our pool customers. Thanks for shopping locally with us!
Z- Zep products, Zip ties(cable ties) , Zero-G lightweight hose
The best water hose for watering plants
That’s just a glimpse of some of the familiar hardware products that we have inside Wilkes County Hardware. Richard and I are proud to continue into year 8 with new products to be added into the hardware store lineup as the next year progresses. Thank you for your business and continued support.
April 25th is National Hug your Plumber Day. When you need a plumber, you usually need one ASAP!! I would say that a good chunk of our customers that walk into our hardware store are seeking help with some type current plumbing issue or seeking a replacement plumbing fitting. That being said, this might be a “fitting” blog post to “plunge” into today.
The plumbing aisle is usually a busy place on most days of the week inside our hardware store. Plumbing issues can become time consuming and can be expensive, especially if you lack the equipment and expertise that a plumber has.
As we all know, Home maintenance is ongoing, and can get expensive. Being proactive with your maintenance tasks, can give you an opportunity to move forward with other projects.
No worries y’all, just following these tips could add to your existing knowledge base about plumbing 🪠 so let’s plunge into the tips!
WCH Recommends … every home should have a plunger. Now, Let’s “plunge” into these great tips!
1. Know where your main water shutoff is located. Enough said! If you don’t know where your water shutoff is located, then make it your mission to find out ASAP! A water issue can be controlled much easier when you know where the main shutoff is found. Instead of a looming disaster with water everywhere inside your home, you can divert the danger by immediately turning the water off.
A very kind plumber who came to our home several years ago on a small plumbing project took the time to show me where our main shutoff is located. I value and appreciate his expertise and friendship .
2. Don’t use bleach to clean with regularly if you are on a septic tank system(Think about the toilet bowl drop ins and cleaning chemicals you are using the most often.) . The bleach can kill off the good bacteria in your system. When the good bacteria are destroyed, your tank won’t be able to break down waste effectively, meaning a clogged septic tank could be inevitable. 😳
Always available at Wilkes County Hardware!
3. What goes in must come out… and everything is not flushable! Yes, to most folks this is common sense. But everyone doesn’t know that baby wipes, Q-tips, grease, feminine hygiene products, diapers, paper towels, tissues are not flushable or acceptable for drains! Yes, even coffee grounds can clump up as well as cat litter and can lead to a clog. All of these items can reek havoc on your pipes/toilets and cost you a small fortune in order to get rid of a massive clog!
This 🧻 Decomposing at a faster rate! A camping & boating essential! Now available at WCH!!
4. When you do have a clog, deal with IT effectively. Using a Plunger or a snake is your first line of attack against a clog.Powerful Chemicals are secondary… especially if your plumbing lines are older. The harsh chemicals can break down your current, older plumbing lines even more quickly. 😳 AND if you have to use a chemical agent, read the directions and use it as directed!!! Be safe!
WCH Recommended item: if you need to deal with a clog, this is a good, safe option and eco friendly.
5. Check out your Insulation around water lines in basements and crawl space. If you don’t like what see, it is a good idea, especially during the extremely cold months to add insulation. Don’t forget to also check your Well pumps and pressure tanks, they should also have insulation around them too.
We stock essential homeowner necessities for plumbing….Glues, tape, fittings, insulation wrap, CPVC, and more!
6. Disconnect your water hose at the end of the growing season and cover your outdoor faucets. Outdoor faucets will freeze and create greater problems for you!
WCH Recommended item: These are great to have in hand before the first frost hits at the end of the long hot summer.
7. Do a bit of Reconnaissance work as a homeowner… a visual inspection of your plumbing . It is necessary as a homeowner- check your whole house water filters, look for any leaky hoses, or visible water around base of toilet( this can become a costly repair) are your toilets flushing properly, do you see leaks around hot water heater, visible water under your sink??? The small cost of a roll of plumbers tape is definitely worth the investment to add to your home toolbox. Lastly, Some leaks are not visible… pay close attention to your water bill each month to examine any spikes in your monthly costs. If you see a noticeable increase, definitely get this checked out!
WCH Recommends: A roll of plumbers tape is good to keep on hand at home for quick fixes.
8. Know when to call in an expert. Even the best DIY homeowners often know their limits and will call in the professionals when necessary.
That’s all folks! These tips are based on my own personal experience. Your experiences are uniquely relevant as well. I hope that you find this information helpful and useful as a homeowner.
If you are inside shopping at our hardware store, you will probably hear the phone ring ☎️. We field lots of questions each and every day of the week. Here’s a list of the top 5 most popular questions that we address on the phone and in personal conversations with our customers
1. What time ⏰ do you close today ???
AND along the same lines…
Are y’all still closing early on Wednesday afternoons? NO! We have regular store hours on Wednesday and have had normal store hours on Wednesday afternoon for about 7 years now.
Old newspaper research… came across this ad that may help explain why businesses closed early on Wednesday in our small town so many years ago.
2. Can I park in the back parking lot and come in the back door? 🚪Yes! Absolutely! The lot is public parking and parking is also available on 10th Street in front of our store.
The back door is used by our staff as an entrance and many of our regular customers. You don’t have to use the front entrance on 10th Street if you’re having a hard time finding a parking spot.
3. Is it possible for you to order this item for me???💻 Yes! I’ll be glad to check our current inventory and get a price on that item for you.
We have added several new inventory items over the last few years BUT if you can’t find it quickly, ask us if we can order it for you.
4. Can you make me a key?🔑 If you have an existing key, then we probably can… no key, call Bill, the locksmith next door.
This item is a best seller! Hiding a key 🔑 so you don’t lose your new key!
5. How’s business going? 🛍️We need your support each and every day. We appreciate your loyalty and making purchases inside our small business so that we can continue to add new products, staff and grow our economic community in Wilkes. We want to be here for YOU years down the road. When you shop local, your money stays in our community. Please support all small businesses( retail, restaurants, and service providers) in our two towns. They need your continued support always! Local supports local!!!
Thank you for your supportas we approach year 8 in the hardware business!
Did that opening title have you think about the classic song 🎵 from MC Hammer??? This blog post isn’t intended to discuss music today BUT to get y’all thinking about those surfaces in your home that you DON’T need to touch before you disinfect.
Can you easily identify the “high-touch surfaces” in your home? Do a quick visual survey of your surroundings inside your home.
After complying this list of Top 10 “high-touch” surfaces I can quickly see which areas I should give extra attention to within this picture. I have a more “intentional cleaning focus” now when I’m cleaning. Cleaning and disinfecting will be much easier and will help keep my family healthy. But still is takes a bit of work. 🤪
Whoever does the cleaning in your home is likely to catch several of these “high-touchsurfaces” on a day to day basis. I hope that these tips for finding “high-touch” areas will be useful.
Spring is less than 30 days away now and it may have you thinking about a good healthy dose of cleaning. So let’s begin with a few basics below.
Spring in full bloom
What are “high-touch surfaces”??? These are the surfaces in your home that receive the most direct daily contact with your family. High-touch surfaces are the areas where dirt, dust, and germs if left unchecked, will thrive. High-touch surfaces should be regularly cleaned and disinfected daily.
Your hands may not ever be this dirty.. mine from gardening, but germs can build up and make your family sick. Don’t forget to disinfect your sink handles!
When I use the term disinfect, here’s the gist of what happens when you do that…to disinfect is using a chemical cleaner to remove viruses and bacteria.
Now the quick breakdown of TEN high-touch surfaces, to disinfect inside your home. These TEN areas are based upon my own personal experience as a mom AND also as one who actively works in and participates in the hardware life. I’ll be curious to know if you found several of your “high-touch” surfaces in your quick surroundings survey of your own home, are you a novice or a pro??? Or maybe somewhere in between???
Top Ten Hardware Life High-Touch Surfaces
1. Think about Small and large appliances (ex. coffee pot, microwave, refrigerator) that are frequently used by each member of the family each day. Don’t forget about things like a can opener, or even the knife block!
Your coffee pot may not be a “high-touch surface” for your family, but it is at my house. Think about the appliances you use everyday and make sure you disinfect them regularly. In my kitchen, the refrigerator is definitely a high use appliance. Fingerprints on the door.., etc BUT don’t forget to disinfect the ice and water area too!
2. Door knobs and light switches, & even your house keys!
Your keys go with you all day long to all different places. Give them a good wipe down.
3. The Kitchen Sink. Yes, it is definite.. a highly used kitchen item and don’t forget to clean the faucet handles.
4. The Countertop. This is where food gets cooked & consumed… often my counter gets scattered with keys, phones, and mail. Our kitchen counter is a drop zone of sorts. Yikes! Keys and cellphones are also high-touch! 😳
At our house the kitchen countertops are often wiped down multiple times a day 😳.
5. The Bathroom. Clean and disinfect fixtures, sinks, toilet seat, and toilet handle.
6. Remote control for tv, cell phones, iPads, game controllers.
Use an alcohol based cleaner OR spray the disinfectant directly onto a paper towel and then wipe. Allow time for drying.
7. Kitchen chairs and table. If you use it daily, then clean it often. Think about where your family meals occur everyday and clean and disinfect often.
8. Toys and play areas for your children. Kids play hard all day, and make sure to clean toys that are often used by your child everyday and disinfect often.
9. The Pantry. Think about the door knob, and other touchable areas outside/ inside (if you and have kids, or grandkids, they use it frequently throughout the day)
My pantry doors are opened numerous times in one day!
10. The Laundry Room. Wipe down your appliances AND clean your laundry basket! A laundry basket holds all of your dirty clothes AND clean clothes. Wipe them down often. I have separate baskets for clean and dirty clothes but, I regularly clean all of my laundry baskets.
This laundry basket is used solely for clean clothes to take out of dryer and putting away laundry. Cookie photo bombed my picture😎 . Here’s a look at a full and very dirty laundry basket in my house… so yes, I do have to regularly clean and disinfect these often! Your laundry may not be as dirty as mine. My plumber gets pretty dirty. But using a good disinfectant to clean touchable surfaces definitely will help keep your family healthy.
Now that you have my top ten list, what should you use to disinfect effectively?
Here are a few tips that you can use for cleaning “high-touch” areas. A more detailed guide can be found with CDC recommendations on cleaning those frequently used areas in your home and workplace. The internet is a plethora of information on the subject.
The Hardware Life Daily Cleaning Tips
1. Begin with a clean surface. Clean area first by removing any visible dirt or dust. I keep a good multi-surface spray handy for quick cleanups.
I often use a Meyers Clean Day multi surface spray for cleaning. Wilkes County Hardware has a vast selection of cleaning and disinfectant products that should be able to meet your daily cleaning needs.
2. Use gloves … a pair of disposable gloves might work best especially when disinfecting surfaces. Throw away once you finish cleaning.
3. Pick Easy disinfectant choices… Clorox or Lysol wipes. These will do the job quickly and easily.
5. Read the label on your disinfectant carefully. Do you need to rinse after application? Allow for drying time.
4. The Multi surface Cleaner… Keep a good multi-surface spray handy for quick cleanups. I keep one upstairs and have at least one multi surface spray available for cleaning in the downstairs areas my home.
Lastly, let’s evaluate some “germy“ cleaning utensils and those you might not think to clean.
1. The Sponge.. if you use a sponge to clean, let your nose to guide in your decision to keep or throw out. Your nose knows! If the sponge smells, then it is time to stop by our hardware store and pick up a new one.
2. The kitchen brush- if you have one of these brushes to scrub surfaces in your kitchen, sanitizing it is a must! Put it in the dishwasher after each use.
3. The toilet brush. It should be disinfected weekly or after each use. Rinse well after cleaning toilet, apply a disinfectant spray and allow to dry before replacing into toilet brush cover. Some experts say to replace your toilet brush every 6 months.
4. The plunger. Clean and disinfect after each use and allow to dry.
Sink and toilet plungers are readily available at Wilkes County Hardware
5. The bucket. If you carry your cleaning essentials inside your bucket as you clean at home, don’t forget to regularly disinfect your bucket.
6. The Mop. Let your nose be the guide again! If it smells, it is time for a new one. Regardless of the type of mop you use, the mop should be clean and disinfected. Your floors will be as clean as your mop. Some recommendations are to replace your mop every 3 months depending on the style of your mop.
I found this quote as I was working on this blog post, “our house is clean enough to be healthy, but dirty enough to be happy”. This reigns true in our house. Things are never perfect … shoes are often in the floor, keys are on the kitchen counter, blankets are thrown about on the couch, and two sweet pups roam absolutely everywhere. But it is HOME! I clean intentionally now that I’m more aware of surfaces that require an bit of extra “love and work”. Deep cleaning occurs when I can get to it. Whether you are a novice or a pro at finding all the frequently used areas of your home, home should always be a place a of comfort and joy. Happy Spring Cleaning Y’all!
Cookie and Joy
Living the "hardwarelife", join us in our journey of hardware store ownership
The Hardware Life - A wife's journey into the hardware business 