Johnson's Home & Garden

08/20/2026

If I had a nickel for every time a customer stopped at the sales counter, stared at the display, and said, "I didn't know they still made those," I’d be retired by now.
Those nostalgic little boxes are candy ci******es, and the reason they're officially labeled "World's" (or "World's Original") comes down to World Candies, the company that has been keeping this classic treat alive for decades.
Here is a quick look at the history behind those familiar little boxes:
The Early Days: Candy ci******es first hit the market in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Originally made of chalky sugar, bubble gum, or chocolate wrapped in paper, they were explicitly designed to mimic real cigarette packs of the era.
The Golden Age: During the mid-20th century, dozens of manufacturers jumped into the market. Brands like World, Stark, and Necco produced millions of packs. Some versions even included powdered sugar inside paper wrappers so kids could blow "smoke."
Industry Pushback & Changes: By the 1970s and 1980s, public pressure and regulations began to mount over concerns about marketing adult habits to children. Major candy makers faced bans in several countries. To adapt, manufacturers dropped the word "cigarette" from the packaging, removed the signature red dye "ember" from the tips, and rebranded them simply as "Candy Sticks."
Still Around Today: Despite changing times, World Candies kept producing them. While you won't see them on every supermarket shelf, they remain a beloved novelty item in specialty shops, hardware stores, and general counters across the country.
Stop by the counter and grab a box for a little trip down memory lane. ******es

08/20/2026

Happy Thursday, folks. Before you clean out that backyard garden this fall, let me give you a money-saving tip: don’t throw all that good organic material away. Use your garden bed as a compost pile.

This is often called sheet composting or lasagna gardening, and Eastern Kentucky gardens can benefit tremendously from it. Instead of hauling everything to the trash, you can put that organic material right back into the soil where you’ll need it next spring.

Here’s what you CAN put in your garden:

Healthy, spent vegetable plants and annuals
Fruit and vegetable kitchen scraps
Fresh green grass clippings and other green yard waste
Shredded fall leaves
Straw
Chopped dry corn stalks
Small twigs and other woody material

The key is to have a good mixture of green, nitrogen-rich material and brown, carbon-rich material. A good rule of thumb is about two parts brown material to one part green material.

Here’s what you SHOULD NOT put in your garden compost:

Diseased or insect-infested plants
Weeds that have mature seeds
Dog or cat waste
Meat, bones or dairy products
Anything treated with chemicals that you wouldn’t want breaking down in your garden

After you’ve finished harvesting, pull out the healthy plants and chop up the larger stems and stalks. Spread your brown and green materials over the garden bed in layers. Water everything well so the material is damp, but not soaking wet. Then finish with a good layer of shredded leaves on top. You can also cover the bed if you want to help hold moisture through the winter.

Over the fall and winter, nature will do the work for you. Earthworms, bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms will break that material down and turn it into valuable organic matter.

Come spring, you’ll have soil that is richer, holds moisture better, drains better and has more nutrients available for your plants.

And there’s another benefit: you’re putting less material in the landfill, reducing what you have to haul away, and you’re not having to buy as much compost, soil amendment or fertilizer down the road.

Why throw away something your garden can use?

In Eastern Kentucky, we’ve got plenty of leaves, grass clippings, garden residue and other organic material available every fall. Put it back where it came from and let your garden turn yesterday’s leftovers into next year’s growing power.

A little work this fall can save you money next spring and help build a healthier garden for years to come.

08/20/2026

Happy Thursday morning!

It is 70 degrees outside this morning, with temperatures expected to climb into the mid 80s today. We have a 100% chance of rain this morning, so be prepared for a wet start to the day.

Traffic on U.S. 23 between Prestonsburg and Pikeville is all clear this morning.

Have a blessed and safe Thursday #

08/19/2026

I hate to admit how accurate this is😬

08/19/2026

One of the most talked-about and photographed items in my store is my antique cash register.

It’s a National cash register, made in Dayton, Ohio, and interestingly enough, it was originally made for a man in Cincinnati. Customers are always asking me how old it is, and when I tell them it’s over 100 years old, they usually look at me like, “How do you know that?”

Well, the secret is on the bottom of the cash drawer. There’s a certificate that tells you who it was made for, who inspected it, the date it was made, the serial numbers, and all kinds of other pertinent information. It was made in 1924. There’s even a patent marking on the bottom.

What really amazes me is that this thing operated completely mechanically. No electricity whatsoever. If you look inside, there’s nothing but springs, gears, cogs and all kinds of mechanical parts. It makes you want to close it right back up because you sure don’t want to mess anything up.

And this thing is heavy. I’m guessing it weighs well over 100 pounds. I don’t know if that was partly to keep somebody from trying to carry it out of the store, but it certainly would have made that a difficult task.

From what I’ve been able to determine, this particular register came from an apparel-type department store in Cincinnati. It even has counters for keeping track of the number of customers and daily sales. When you stop and think about everything this machine could do without electricity, it’s pretty amazing.

I’ve even had a few people ask me if this was the cash register I started using when I opened my store in 1997. I have to look at them a little oddly when they ask that. This register was already more than 70 years old when I opened the store.

Anyway, I thought you might enjoy seeing the pictures and taking a look at a little piece of old-time nostalgia. Things like this really make you appreciate just how well some of these old machines were built.

08/19/2026

08/19/2026

If you love fresh garden peas, boy, do I have some good news for you!

Now is the time to be thinking about planting peas for a fall crop here in Eastern Kentucky!

Peas are a cool season crop, and while most people think about planting them in the spring, a late summer planting can give you a fantastic fall harvest.

And here’s one of the reasons I really like fall peas: cooler weather is your friend!

When peas are trying to grow during the heat of spring, they’re racing the clock before temperatures get too hot. In the fall, they’re growing toward cooler days and cooler nights. Those cooler conditions help the peas retain their sweetness because the sugars in freshly harvested peas begin converting to starch when they’re exposed to warmer temperatures.

How to plant them:
Choose a location that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight and has well-drained soil. Plant the seeds about 1 inch deep and follow the spacing recommendations for the variety you’re growing. Dwarf varieties can support one another, while taller varieties will do much better with a trellis, fence or other support. Keep the soil consistently moist while they’re getting established. (Extension Publications⁠)

When to harvest:
For garden peas, wait until the pods are well filled, but pick them before the peas become hard and the pods start fading. Pick regularly because letting peas get oversized can reduce continued production. Snap and snow peas are harvested earlier, while the pods are still tender.

And don’t forget about storage!
Get those peas cooled down as quickly as possible after picking. Fresh peas are at their sweetest right after harvest, and keeping them cool slows the conversion of sugar to starch. Leave shelling peas in their pods until you’re ready to use them, and they’ll keep for about a week in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. If you have more than you can eat, freezing is an excellent way to save that fresh garden flavor for later.

So if you’ve been wanting to grow your own fresh, sweet garden peas, don’t wait until fall arrives. Get those seeds in the ground now and give them a chance to grow while we’re moving from those hot summer days into cooler fall weather!

And if you need your fall garden seeds, stop by Johnson’s Home and Garden. I’ve got you covered!

Have a blessed and great day!

08/19/2026

Happy Wednesday morning!

It’s 69 degrees this morning and, thankfully, it’s not nearly as humid as it has been the last few days. We’re headed for the upper 80s today.

It is foggy out this morning, so use a little extra caution while you’re traveling. I also noticed highway right of way mowing equipment along the road, so be mindful that there will be workers and mowing equipment along U.S. 23 today.

Everything on U.S. 23 between Pikeville and Prestonsburg is clear, except for the fog.

Be safe out there, have a great Wednesday, and make it a good one! update

08/18/2026

I just made a fresh batch of hummingbird feed, and they are absolutely going crazy over it. I have never seen so many hummingbirds at one feeder at the same time. It has been fun to sit back and watch them.

The best way to make hummingbird feed is simple. Use four parts water to one part plain white sugar. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then remove it from the stove. Stir in the sugar and continue stirring for about two minutes, or until it is completely dissolved. Let the mixture cool before filling your feeders. Any extra can be stored in the refrigerator for later use.

During the summer, it’s a good idea to replace the nectar every two to four days, depending on the weather. Fresh nectar helps keep hummingbirds healthy and encourages them to return.

One more tip. Avoid using prepackaged hummingbird nectar that contains red dye. Experts recommend using a red hummingbird feeder instead, since the dye offers no benefit and may be harmful to the birds.

If you enjoy watching hummingbirds as much as I do, give this recipe a try. You might be surprised at how many visitors stop by your feeder.

08/18/2026

Which is your favorite mustard, curly or flat?

We’re smack dab in the middle of planting fall greens, and one of the most common questions I get from new customers is:

“What’s the difference between Southern Giant Curled Mustard and Florida Broadleaf Mustard?”

Around here, we usually make it simple. Southern Giant Curled is the “curly mustard,” and Florida Broadleaf is the “flat mustard.” The obvious difference is the leaves. Curly mustard has those frilly, deeply curled leaves, while Florida Broadleaf has much larger, smooth, flat leaves.

But there’s more to it than looks.

Southern Giant Curled has a stronger, more peppery and mustard-like flavor. It tends to have a little more bite and is especially good if you like your greens with some kick. Florida Broadleaf has a milder, more tender flavor and large leaves that make it great for cooking as greens.

Both are packed with good nutrition. Mustard greens are naturally low in calories and provide vitamins A, C and K, along with folate, calcium, iron and antioxidants. They’re a great way to add some nutrition to your fall meals.

Now, once you get them home, what do you do with them?

First, pick the leaves while they’re young and tender for the best flavor and texture. Remove any yellow, damaged or tough leaves. Give them a good rinse in cold water to remove dirt and grit. I like to wash them several times, especially if they came straight out of the garden, because nobody wants a little extra “crunch” in their greens.

For cooking, remove the tougher stems and ribs if the leaves are large. You can chop the leaves into smaller pieces and cook them just like other Southern greens. They’re great simmered with bacon, ham, or another seasoning meat, along with onions and your favorite seasonings. You can also sauté younger mustard greens or add them to soups and other dishes.

And if you harvest more than you can eat right away, don’t worry. Fresh mustard greens can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Don’t wash them until you’re ready to use them if you’re storing them fresh. Wrap them loosely in a damp paper towel and place them in a plastic bag or produce bag with a little ventilation. For longer storage, mustard greens can also be blanched and frozen.

So whether you’re a fan of the curly mustard with a little more bite or the big, flat leaves of Florida Broadleaf, both are excellent choices for the fall garden.

And if you’re planting fall greens, stop by and see me. I’ve got the seeds you need to get your fall garden growing.

Happy gardening!