Hartville Elevator

06/01/2026

Ed Ringer

May 29th 1947-May 31 2026

With sadness, this newsletter is to announce the passing of Ed Ringer. Ed co-owned the Elevator with Craig Wellspring from 1980 until they sold it to me in 2023. Ed's father Virgil Ringer and Craig's father-law Hubert Brumbaugh owned the business previously from 1950-1980. Ed managed much of the operations of the Elevator, including the heating oil and feed business. I had to consult Ed a few times to figure out oddities of the building that I just couldn't figure out. He knew how this place worked. Ed's mind was still as sharp as ever, although his poor physical health forced him to step back from the day-to-day operations in 2014.

I whole heartedly enjoyed my talks with Ed over the past couple of years. He had an amazing recall of the past and has given me insight on history of the business that I never would have known otherwise. Ed's been in my shoes, and he was always encouraging and interested in what I was doing with the business. I think he was happy to see the direction the Elevator is going, although I'm sure he questioned my rationale on things like the new elevator leg and bins (still in progress). Ed had a certain warm, no-nonsense personality that I appreciated. I will miss our talks.

On behalf of the Hartville Elevator Company, I am grateful for Ed Ringer's contribution and impact on the legacy of this business. We would not be here today without him.

Thanks for reading and thank you for your business.

Christian Ramsburg
Owner

Products Worthy of Note:

Click here for an update from Hartville Elevator Co.!

05/17/2026

Your lawn is green and beautiful now I would bet. What happens to it in July when our yearly drought comes ? If it gets burnt out like most lawns out around here, consider seeding A-Listed grass seed . Our Tri -mix is an A-Listed mixture of 80% turf type tall fescue , 10% Kentucky bluegrass and 10% perennial ryegrass.

05/15/2026

If you are mulching this spring , put down a pre-emergent first so you don’t have weeds popping through the mulch in 2 weeks. Treflan is the same active ingredient as Preen but it’s 5x the concentration. Aside from being 5x more effective and longer lasting, it’s also cheaper because it’s not in a pretty bag . A step up would be T/I 2.5 g (generic Snapshot). It’s the best pre emergent money can buy.

05/06/2026

Growing Pains

In this era of the Hartville Elevator, growth is required to stay in business. Rising costs across the board make operating and growing a small business very difficult without taking on massive amounts of debt. With the prolonged high interest rates, high leverage in a low margin field is an unwise avenue. None the less we push on as we've done for 117 years, gaining ground where we can and hedging where we have to.

The good news is that our long-awaited warehouse addition is finally complete, and we will be moving the first pallets in today. In my efforts to grow the business, our current spring inventory is double or more what it has been in past springs. As seen above in the first two pictures, we have been packed to full capacity all Spring. By some miracle we have been able to rearrange enough to fit each new truckload that arrives. It has been a frustrating, what feels like an excruciatingly long process to get the point where we are today. The new warehouse addition will store our palleted lawn and landscape products; grass seed, fertilizer, lime, soil and hydroseeding materials to name a few. This expanded capacity marks the soft launch of our wholesale lawn and landscape division. I'm just beginning the marketing campaign to hopefully attract lawn and landscape professionals seeking local sourcing and a personal business relationship that the giants of the industry can't offer. Please spread the word....

Thanks for reading and thank you for your business.

Christian Ramsburg
Owner

Products Worthy of Note:
We are fully stocked with garden seeds, onion sets and seed potatoes. Hopefully the weather improves.

Click here for an update from Hartville Elevator Co.!

04/25/2026

We’ve got just about everything you need for a successful gardening season. These onions are just begging to be put in the ground! 🥕 🥦 🌼

04/24/2026

With the long awaited spring weather, the bugs are out in full force. Bifenthrin is effective in controlling things like ticks, fleas and termites in lawns, athletic fields and house perimeters. Economical and long lasting control. Available in liquid or granular

04/09/2026

Spring Birdseed Sale starts tomorrow!

Our spring birdseed sale is coming up April 10th and 11th. All birdseed and bird related items will be 10-20% off. As always, a portion of the proceeds go to the Quail Hollow Volunteer Association.

04/09/2026

It’s spring ball season ⚾️ 🥎 We have everything you need to line fields, keep them dry and maintain the playing surface. We sell by the bag or pallet.

04/02/2026

You are showing your age if you remember Funk’s “G” hybrid corn seed. The Funk Bros. Seed Company was founded in 1903. They produced the first commercial hybrid corn in 1916 which led to improved yields, disease, pest and drought resistance. The Elevator was a dealer for several decades.
Thanks to Ed Ringer for the buckle .

04/01/2026

Our spring birdseed sale is coming up April 10th and 11th. All birdseed and bird related items will be 10-20% off. As always, a portion of the proceeds go to the Quail Hollow Volunteer Association.