Brand Spotlight: Yellowstone Leather Products for 40 Years Runnin’

October 5, 2016 - posted by EmmaLee Sessions

We here at Smith and Edwards have often wondered, “What makes a good, leather work glove?” The folks at Yellowstone Leather Products have been showing us what a good quality work glove looks like for the past 47 years, and we couldn’t be more excited about it!

Kevin, from our hardware department, modeling our Yellowstone elkskin and deerskin gloves.

Yellowstone Leather Products is an Idaho-based business that opened in 1960. In 1969, now owner, Boyd Zollinger bought the company and went to work marketing and distributing American made work gloves. Zollinger said, “I was back east for school and was looking for a way to get back to Idaho,” where he was originally from. “My family and I looked at this company that was for sale and we thought, ‘we could work with that.'” That’s exactly what they have been doing now for the last 47 years.

Smith & Edwards has had a long partnership with Boyd and Yellowstone, reaching back to 1969:

“We found their quality is far superior to any other glove we carry,” said Jim Smith, president of Smith & Edwards, an Ogden, Utah, retailer that has stocked Yellowstone Gloves for more than 35 years. “Most people who buy Yellowstone know they are quality gloves that will last longer than two or three other pairs they could buy cheaper.”
– Article from 2010 by Clark Corbin with the Idaho Falls Post Register

What makes Yellowstone Leather work gloves different?

The patented pattern of Yellowstone work gloves is really, what sets them apart from other work gloves. All of the premium leather gloves made at their warehouse in Idaho Falls feature both a seamless palm and back, making these work gloves form fitting. They fit tighter to your hand, Zollinger said, thus making it more like working with your bare hands, but with the protection necessary for even the toughest jobs.

Jean, one of our managers, modeling our Yellowstone elkskin and deerskin gloves. Jean manages the gloves department as well as our famous candy section!

Talking about premium leather, these gloves are made from some of the finest, hand selected elk, deer, and goatskin in the western United States. When asked about the difference in materials, Smith and Edwards’ own Jean Dimick said, “Elkskin and deerskin last longer than traditional cowhide gloves. They won’t get hard and brittle if they get wet.” You can enjoy soft, supple gloves no matter what.

What projects can I use my Yellowstone Leather work gloves for?

These deer and elkskin gloves can be used for any job, big or small, tough or easy. Elkskin is a heavier leather than deerskin and are best for heavy-duty jobs, such as fencing and other ranch work and construction. Deerskin gloves are more pliable and comfortable, and better for easy jobs.

Smith and Edwards own Kevin and Jean modeling our Yellowstone elkskin and deerskin gloves.

We would rave about these gloves all day if we could. So come on in and find out for yourself what makes these work gloves so special. We know you’ll fall in love with the Idaho-based, made in USA, leather work gloves that we have come to love and depend on too. Yellowstone Leather also distributes a high quality, imported brand of leather work gloves called Rocky Mountain Gloves.

What they wore:

Kevin:

102216412LTLL Carhartt Hubbard Classic Plaid Button Up Shirt

MNVBLKL Wyoming Traders Black Nevada Vest

428-1738 Bailey Stampede Silver Wool Felt Hat

Kevin wears a size 9 in the Yellowstone Premium Leather work gloves and an XL in the Rocky Mountain gloves.

Jean (the buyer):

5039-75K-7 Stormy Kromer Button Up Partridge Plaid Hat (brown plaid)

5067-40P-SM Stormy Kromer Aurora Snowdrift Cap (green plaid)

Jean wears a size 8 in the Yellowstone Premium Leather work gloves.

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Brand Spotlight: Cox Honeyland – Why We LOVE Honey

April 19, 2016 - posted by Jerica Parker

Henderson and Marion Cox started in the bee industry in St. George, Utah. Since then, the family has carried the tradition of bee keeping and honey production, and in 1989, Cox Honeyland opened for business. Now, the fourth generation of family is running the business in Logan, Utah, with more things than just honey, including lotions and other food items.

Here at Smith & Edwards, we have proudly carried Cox Honeyland for the past 20 years.

Honey has so many benefits!

Besides being all natural, healthy, yummy and sweet, it makes a great food storage item!

On top of that, there are other cosmetic uses that not many know about.

What’s even better? Finding honey that is harvested locally!

Why is local honey better?

We love the local Cache County honey from Cox Honeyland.

Have you ever had honey that tastes or looks a little different than other jars? Honey bees fly as much as 55,000 miles within a 5 mile radius, all the while collecting nectar from flowers. The nectar gathered from a specific region will give the honey produced a slightly different taste and color. Cox Honeyland honey has three different honey varieties: Clover-alfalfa (lighter color and mild taste), Cache Valley (darker with more flavor), and Mountain Snowberry (mountain wildflower flavor).

So wherever you get your honey from, it will be slightly different than honey from another place.

Fight those allergies!

A benefit of getting local honey is that it is said to help boost immunity for seasonal allergies. Naturally made, honey is healthy for you.

Tip: Have a sore throat? Mix honey with a spoonful of lemon juice in a mug filled with steaming hot water to soothe your throat and relieve congestion.

Pure and Healthy

You can tell honey is pure when it crystalizes. That means that there are no preservatives added to the honey. The great thing is that honey never expires! (Which makes it great as a food storage item!) When it does crystalize, simply place the jar in a pan of warmed water and it will soften back to its smooth texture.

What else?

Honey is great for various different uses, some can be surprising! As a natural sweetener, honey makes a great substitute in recipes for sugar. Using this replacement in some recipes reduces up to half of the sugar a recipe calls for.

Cox Honeyland has recipes using honey – View them here!

Honey also has cosmetic benefits. “My dad would have us wash our faces with crystalized honey as kids. When honey crystalizes, it makes a great natural exfoliator”, Maleesa with Cox Honeyland told me. You can also use the beeswax to make your own lip balms, lotions, massage bars, and more.

Now that you know why we love honey so much, it’s time to get your own! Whether it’s for your food storage, cosmetic benefits, or just to enjoy now, local honey is the best!

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Prepare with 72-Hour Kits & Bug Out Bags

April 2, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

It’s that time of year to check your preparedness gear, make sure you have a communication/meetup plan for your family, & rotate your food storage.

One important piece of your preparedness plan is having a bag with all your necessities. Some people recommend a bug-out bag, but here in Utah a 72-hour kit is the most recommended pack to have.

What’s the difference? Mike Vause from our Sporting Goods department asked Ryan Seager, our Surplus manager, and Jean Dimick, our Preparedness manager, and here’s what he found.

What Ryan suggests for a Bug-Out Bag

A bug out bag, or go-bag, is a small bag designed to get your from Point A to Point B. Point B should have more supplies, such as your 72-hour kit or your food storage.

You might keep your bug-out bag in your car or truck, or in your desk at work; some place you can get to it easily and go.

So it’s a minimalist kit that has just the necessities to survive. You can buy a pre-made bug out bag, or create your own based on your needs & preferences:

1 quart water, a container, & water purification method
Food (preferably a high-calorie bar)
Bivvy or compact sleeping bag
Poncho
Paracord
First aid kit
Multitool with a good blade
Lighting: headlamp or area lighting
Gloves, hat, scarf, light jacket, and spare clothes (if possible)
Fire starter
Personal defense

Jean’s picks for a 72-Hour Kit:

A 72-hour kit has the supplies you need to survive for 3 days. You’ll store more food and supplies than a bug-out bag, and for this you should consider a large backpack from the camping department, rather than a slim tactical pack. See Hiking & Camping packs here.

You can download a list of suggested items for your family’s 72-hour kits Get a printable ID card and 72-hour kit ideas from Smith & Edwards, as well as ID cards for your children:

Did you know?

Save the Children has excellent resources for teachers, parents, and caretakers. Check them out here! You can also make your own ID cards for your children on the Child Safe Kit®’s website.

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Key Water Storage Containers & Tips

April 4, 2014 - posted by Rose Marion

You’ve probably heard the rule of 3s for survival: You cannot survive more than 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter, 3 days without water, or 3 weeks without food in an extreme situation.

Having a plan for emergency water is even more important than emergency food storage, and it’s so easy to prepare. In order to prepare your family for ice storms, long-term power outages, blizzards, and more disasters, you’ll want to have a water barrel ready – not just a case of water bottles in the basement.

How Much Water do you Need?

According to Ready.gov, you should prepare 1 gallon of water per person, per day, for drinking and keeping clean. Make sure and drink half a gallon of water per day. Children may require more water, as well as mothers and medical emergencies. In a disaster during a Utah summer, that gallon could double.

Water really is more important than food in a disaster situation – not only is being hydrated important for your body to function properly, but water will also help keep your mind sharp so you can make the best decisions for your family in a crisis.

Ready.gov recommends you keep at least a 3-day supply of water – the Red Cross recommends 2 weeks. That means a family of four needs 12 gallons, minimum, for 3 days – or 56 gallons for 2 weeks.

Water Storage Drums and Pump

Here are our picks:

55-Gallon

The 55-gallon barrel is a great size for couples and families. Our Emergency Preparedness buyer Jean Dimick has 7 of these barrels in her laundry room. That’s plenty of water for her family, and you just don’t ever know how long city lines might be down. And it’s enough to share with the neighbors, too.

The great thing about keeping them in the laundry room is it’s easy to drain and refill the barrels there!

Siphon Pump

Use this siphon pump to keep your water within reach. You can fill cups and bottles from your water barrel using this siphon pump – you could also use a siphon hose.

250-Gallon Super Tanker

If you have a large family, or you’re expecting to be a point of refuge for several families, this Super Tanker. This is great if you have a heated garage or have high ceilings where you can fit this tall water barrel.

What should you look for in Water Barrels?

There are 2 big points to look at in storing water.

First, you want to make sure your drums are opaque. We only carry the blue opaque drums because white drums are more translucent, which means algae could grow in them because of letting in sunlight. For safety, you want to stick with the blue drums.

Second, you want to think about where you’re going to store them: indoors or outdoors? In the garage, basement, or extra room? You’ll want to make sure your ceilings can accommodate the option you choose.

Make sure you pick the right room. Whatever room you choose, make sure to have a wooden base made from 2x4s or a small pallet so the water doesn’t pick up the taste of the cement floor. Some people have even built wooden cradles for their water barrels.

Also, only store your water in a heated garage, not one that will get cold in the winter. That’s because although the water barrels can move slightly, they aren’t built to have the water freeze and then thaw and expand. It’s nice to wake up to a dry garage!

Final Notes about Water Storage

Before using these drums, make sure to clean them thoroughly with dish soap and water, rinsing very well. For safety, you should replace the water in these drums every 6 months.

Some people add a bit of Clorox or water purification tablets to their stored drinking water to prevent bacteria growth. However, in most municipalities, there’s already enough chlorine in the water to keep it safe – and there’s not really enough chlorine in Clorox to make an impact. Consult your city’s water records and choose a plan for your own method of storing water for a disaster.

If you have water you’re not too sure is fresh, these Water Purification tablets from Coghlan’s are a good way to clean the water. And this water treatment will help the water taste better.

Think about it: do you know how to drain your water heater? In a disaster, that’s another source of water, and you can use that water for cleaning and washing instead of the good drinking water you’ve saved.

For More about Water Storage:

Have questions about water storage? Have a great method of your own to share? Let us know in the comments below.

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