Harry and I recently went to the annual AKCA seminars. Every year they are held at a different hosting city, so we have begun to make these seminars our annual vacations as well. This year's seminars where held in Nashville, TN. And despite the recent flooding there, we saw very little signs of the destruction that we all know happens with such events. But then, we didn't even try to adventure into the Opryland Resort area, which was totally devastated by the flooding. We instead concentrated our sightseeing on historical places nearby. Oh, we made it down town to the historical Honky Tonks and even took in a show at the Reiman Auditorium, but the real reason for going was, of course, the koi tradeshow and seminars themselves. The vendors are always fun to visit with and since this year I conned Harry into taking the truck instead of the teeny car we have (and usually take), I even got to buy things!!! There were several koi vendors, with beautiful koi totally out of my pocketbook range but so much fun to look at and drool over. The seminars are full of so many experts and so much knowledge, they can be overwhelming. However, I kind of found them a little repetitive this year. The AKCA judges and officers are so informative, all's you have to do is show interest and they start pouring out years of experiences and information. You can tell they truly love their hobby. The final day is the area pond tour. Never disappointing, we again saw some really beautiful ponds, fish to die for, and gardens that were out of this world. The 4 days we were there went quickly. The only fish purchase we made there was not koi at all! But instead, something called "High fin Sharks". Which are not sharks at all but a bottom feeder from China that because of its dorsal fin makes it look a lot like a shark. I had recently read about them while researching alternative fish for your ponds. And, so we decided we needed a new topic to talk about while pond side, thus the purchase. (I'll report back on their progress.)
Leaving Nashville, we decide to take the "scenic route" home, via my sisters house in Arkansas. While there Harry picked up a Box Turtle for the grandkids. Our menagerie was growing... We also stopped at a huge nursery and spent about 4 hours deciding what to buy. While there the owner said, "Hey you have koi, you want to go look at a nice garden?" Well since it was closing time, we said SURE! So off we go to a local gardener with the most fantastic koi ponds and gardens. Specializing in azaleas and maple trees, it again was beautiful. After the tour, we returned to the nursery, after hours, and bought 4 trees to bring home! (The truck is starting to get full) The nursery owner was so nice.
Waking up on Tuesday morning and knowing I had to be back to work on Wed. and wanting to stop at 2 koi farms, we knew it was going to be a long day and a long drive ahead. First stop was in Berryville, MO, a 3 hour drive away. Berryville is the home of Razorback Koi Farms. The owner, Dennis ___ had been at the AKCA show with fish and we told him we were planning on stopping on our way home. Razorback Koi Farm normally doesn't do a retail business for the public to walk in on. Since we had talked with him at the seminars and called ahead, he let us in. He keeps his fish at a farm out in the country. No ponds were to be seen anywhere. Multiple tanks are actually held in an old cattle shed. It wasn't pretty, and the truth be known, most koi farms are home based businesses. Business is done over the internet or by selling wholesale to area businesses for resale. What the farm didn't have for attractiveness, Dennis made up for in friendliness and true Missouri hospitality. His southern accent made me smile and after we bought 3 or 4 fish, he threw in 2 for free. He had exceptionally blue Shushui and a nice Sanke I picked out. He too, had fish I couldn't afford, but seemed just as happy to sell me his little guys. Again, we picked up 2 small non-koi fish. 2 albino catfish for the ponds also went into the oxygen filled bags.
"We're having fun now!" I declared, as we put the huge bag in the truck. Now, it was off to Neosha and the McBride's Koi Farm or MOKOI on the internet. Another few hours on the road and we again arrived at a great koi farm. This one at least had ponds we could see as we turned into the drive way. There must of been 10 or so plastic covered hoop greenhouses. Some had a couple huge tanks, while others had multiple blue tanks. Again, the owner, Mr. McBride told us he normally does not do retail sales, but deals both off the internet or wholesale, but since we were there, he'd be happy to sell us fish. He normally is not there even, except there was a dealers truck with tanks in his driveway from Oklahoma. So, we lucked out again. He had thousands of fish and were basically sorted by size in the tanks. Some of his larger tanks had huge and really gorgeous fish in them. Nice to look at, but again out of my price range. My wish list of koi types was pretty short. I was really only looking for Goshiki and Goromo. Both, of which he said he may or may not have one or two out of the thousands of fish he had. I had already spotted a Goromo in his "big fish" tank, but walked away. The two types are usually a little harder to find, so it didn't surprise me. Regardless, we strolled among the tanks of smaller fish. If you have ever stood by a tank of hundreds of swarming little fish, you know how difficult it can be to spot that "special one". I may see it and then it's gone again. But, fortunately I spotted both the fish I was looking for in side by side tanks! I was very happy. Then moving to the next hoop house, I spotted a third fish I liked in the 50.00 tanks. ____ was surprised himself, when I pointed out both the Goshiki and Goromo that I was looking for, in the small fish tanks. Then, as we approached the 50.00 tank and saw the Beni Kin Kikukuryu I wanted, he told me the fish was over looked and should of been in the 150.00 tank. But, since he told me they were 50.00 tanks that is what he'd let him go for. Even if he made it up, just to make me feel like I got a great deal, (which I do think I did) I was happy with my choices and the prices. So, we left with 3 fish from McBride's.
So from Nashville and the annual AKCA seminars, to Arkansas, to Missouri, and back home to Iowa, we certainly made the rounds. What a great way to spend a vacation in my opinion. Some people are into antiques, some into cars, while others like the water parks and sightseeing. We had fish, trees, and turtles. I was as happy as a pig in mud. I thoroughly enjoyed our "Koi Odyssey". And, I think Harry did too, but am thinking he's going to insist on taking the car next year!!
Not great pictures, but here are some of my new babies that are, by the way, in the QT tank, not the ponds at home.
Leaving Nashville, we decide to take the "scenic route" home, via my sisters house in Arkansas. While there Harry picked up a Box Turtle for the grandkids. Our menagerie was growing... We also stopped at a huge nursery and spent about 4 hours deciding what to buy. While there the owner said, "Hey you have koi, you want to go look at a nice garden?" Well since it was closing time, we said SURE! So off we go to a local gardener with the most fantastic koi ponds and gardens. Specializing in azaleas and maple trees, it again was beautiful. After the tour, we returned to the nursery, after hours, and bought 4 trees to bring home! (The truck is starting to get full) The nursery owner was so nice.
Waking up on Tuesday morning and knowing I had to be back to work on Wed. and wanting to stop at 2 koi farms, we knew it was going to be a long day and a long drive ahead. First stop was in Berryville, MO, a 3 hour drive away. Berryville is the home of Razorback Koi Farms. The owner, Dennis ___ had been at the AKCA show with fish and we told him we were planning on stopping on our way home. Razorback Koi Farm normally doesn't do a retail business for the public to walk in on. Since we had talked with him at the seminars and called ahead, he let us in. He keeps his fish at a farm out in the country. No ponds were to be seen anywhere. Multiple tanks are actually held in an old cattle shed. It wasn't pretty, and the truth be known, most koi farms are home based businesses. Business is done over the internet or by selling wholesale to area businesses for resale. What the farm didn't have for attractiveness, Dennis made up for in friendliness and true Missouri hospitality. His southern accent made me smile and after we bought 3 or 4 fish, he threw in 2 for free. He had exceptionally blue Shushui and a nice Sanke I picked out. He too, had fish I couldn't afford, but seemed just as happy to sell me his little guys. Again, we picked up 2 small non-koi fish. 2 albino catfish for the ponds also went into the oxygen filled bags.
"We're having fun now!" I declared, as we put the huge bag in the truck. Now, it was off to Neosha and the McBride's Koi Farm or MOKOI on the internet. Another few hours on the road and we again arrived at a great koi farm. This one at least had ponds we could see as we turned into the drive way. There must of been 10 or so plastic covered hoop greenhouses. Some had a couple huge tanks, while others had multiple blue tanks. Again, the owner, Mr. McBride told us he normally does not do retail sales, but deals both off the internet or wholesale, but since we were there, he'd be happy to sell us fish. He normally is not there even, except there was a dealers truck with tanks in his driveway from Oklahoma. So, we lucked out again. He had thousands of fish and were basically sorted by size in the tanks. Some of his larger tanks had huge and really gorgeous fish in them. Nice to look at, but again out of my price range. My wish list of koi types was pretty short. I was really only looking for Goshiki and Goromo. Both, of which he said he may or may not have one or two out of the thousands of fish he had. I had already spotted a Goromo in his "big fish" tank, but walked away. The two types are usually a little harder to find, so it didn't surprise me. Regardless, we strolled among the tanks of smaller fish. If you have ever stood by a tank of hundreds of swarming little fish, you know how difficult it can be to spot that "special one". I may see it and then it's gone again. But, fortunately I spotted both the fish I was looking for in side by side tanks! I was very happy. Then moving to the next hoop house, I spotted a third fish I liked in the 50.00 tanks. ____ was surprised himself, when I pointed out both the Goshiki and Goromo that I was looking for, in the small fish tanks. Then, as we approached the 50.00 tank and saw the Beni Kin Kikukuryu I wanted, he told me the fish was over looked and should of been in the 150.00 tank. But, since he told me they were 50.00 tanks that is what he'd let him go for. Even if he made it up, just to make me feel like I got a great deal, (which I do think I did) I was happy with my choices and the prices. So, we left with 3 fish from McBride's.
So from Nashville and the annual AKCA seminars, to Arkansas, to Missouri, and back home to Iowa, we certainly made the rounds. What a great way to spend a vacation in my opinion. Some people are into antiques, some into cars, while others like the water parks and sightseeing. We had fish, trees, and turtles. I was as happy as a pig in mud. I thoroughly enjoyed our "Koi Odyssey". And, I think Harry did too, but am thinking he's going to insist on taking the car next year!!
Not great pictures, but here are some of my new babies that are, by the way, in the QT tank, not the ponds at home.
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