May 21, 2008 04:00 am The Perennial Field at 25 Main St., Otego, is opening a garden shop. Owner Ruby Rice-Mitchell said the Blue Door Garden Shoppe will offer high-quality goods, including hand-forged stainless steel spades, planting shovels, trowels, pruners, form-fitting gloves for wet springs and summer heat, watering and soil supplies, and container pots for decks and patios. "I hope to bring the finest quality gardening goods to our area _ tools I have been using through the years," she said. The business has been growing perennial flowers, herbs and ornamental grasses environmentally for more than 20 years, specializing in field-grown plants, which provides vigorous plants in large clumps, Rice-Mitchell said. With more than 300 varieties, the selection includes plants for sun or shade and wet or dry locations. Deer-resistant plants are also available. The Blue Door Garden Shoppe will open Saturday. Spring hours at Perennial Field on state Route 7 will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. For more information, call 988-9009, e-mail perennialfield@hotmail.com or visit www.perennialfield.com. Chamber to recognize works in Chenango Commerce Chenango has announced the 2008 award recipients who will be honored at the seventh annual Report to the Membership Luncheon on Thursday at the Fox Run Event Center in Norwich. Maria Stamatatos, owner of Gus' Steakhouse in Norwich, will receive the Woman/Minority-Owned Business of the Year award, based on her commitment to Chenango County, work to provide events to the elderly and those less fortunate, and the success of her business, a media release said. John Mitchell has been named Agriculture Advocate of the Year for raising awareness of issues faced by the industry. Mitchell, who previously owned I.L. Richer, is with Blue Seal Richer Dairy Nutrition, officials said. The Non-Profit Agency of the Year award will be given to Chenango United Way for its programs and advocacy on issues of health care, housing and fighting hunger. Deb Sylstra, of Frontier, will be honored as volunteer of the year. Registration for the luncheon, sponsored by Preferred Mutual Insurance Co. and Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, will begin at 11:45 a.m. To make a reservation, call the chamber at 334-1402. Fund listed on WSJ scorecard The Wall Street Journal listed the FAM Equity-Income Fund (FAMEX) of Cobleskill on the "Mutual Fund Scorecard" as a top-10 performer for the year-to-date ending May 14. The scorecard is based on equity income funds "seeking high current income and growth of income by investing in stocks," according to a media release from the fund. "We appreciate the recognition," said FAM Equity-Income Fund co-manager Paul Hogan. "We are value investors and strive to preserve our investors' assets and maximize total return on capital by seeking investments that demonstrate promising long-term growth potential." Fenimore Asset Management Inc. is the investment advisor to FAM Funds, the FAM Value Fund and the FAM Equity-Income Fund. For more information or a prospectus, call (800) 932-3271 or visit www.famfunds.com. Fox and CDPHP launch product A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital and the Capital District Physician's Health Plan have created an insurance product for chamber of commerce members and other small businesses in Otsego and Delaware counties. Fox First is a lower-cost product that provides access to a range of high-quality health-care services at A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital and the Albany Medical Center, according to a release from the hospital in Oneonta. Preventive care and specialized care are included in the coverage, providers said, at a price 15 percent lower than some options. Chamber members and others interested in more information may call their chamber office or CDPHP at (800) 993-7299. ___ To suggest a business story, announce a new business or changes to an existing one, e-mail drichardson@thedailystar.com or call Denise Richardson at 432-1000 or (800) 721-1000, ext. 213.
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