I actually would love to have 2 radio flyers (I know I'm a little greedy...). A vintage one that I can use as a planter and a new one to haul gardening supplies and other things. One of the chores I hate to do the most is hauling groceries from the car into the house. We don't park our cars in our garage since it's hubby's workshop so just hauling the bags is a pain in the you know what.
How much easier would this be... why heck I might even start to enjoy it!
Photo credit: Slash Foods websiteI love just about anything vintage and the Radio Flyer is an American icon.
The company was started by Antonio Pasin who had immigrated to Chicago from Venice Italy in the late 1900s. Below you can see 16 year old Antonio in his woodworking shop. Pasin started out as a cabinet maker but had a dream of forming his own company. He began by crafting little wooden wagons for local boys and girls in his neighborhood.
Photo credit: Radio Flyer websiteHis little wooden wagons became so popular he was able to hire a few employees in 1923 and start his own company, which he named the Liberty Coaster Company after the statue of liberty (an appropriate name I think for an immigrant who came through Ellis Island and whose first sights of our country were of this lovely lady).
Photo credit: Radio Flyer websiteIn 1930, the company was renamed Radio Steel & Manufacturing from Liberty Coaster Manufacturing, Co. and is already the world's largest producer of toy coaster wagons. With new designs for its now classic wagons, Radio Flyer now featured them to the public with a series of brochures and trade shows. The radio name came from Pasin's fascination with radio, which was becoming very popular at the time.
Today vintage Radio Flyers are prized items in many homes and bring back memories of our youth. Did you have one as a child? I sure did and wish I still had mine.
Radio Flyers are not only utilitarian but can be beautiful as well. Here's one that a fellow blogger (Old Red Barn Company) painted aqua on the inside (a woman after my own heart!). She uses it to store and display handmade quilts.
Photo Credit: Old Red Barn Company blog What about this! How cute can you get.
Photo credit: Zim Family CockersEllie would love to go for a ride in a wagon. She loves riding in the wheelbarrow so I know she'd have a blast with this too.
A vintage radio flyer would make the perfect planter that I'd change out seasonally.
For spring some daffodils...
In summer some bright red geraniums...
In autumn a bounty of pumpkins and gourds would take center stage as a display in my yard. *sigh* one can dream...
Photo credit: Kino Eye FlickrDo you have a little wagon? If so how do you use it? I'd love to hear your ideas.
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15 comments:
Hi Jackie~~ My kids had a Radio Flyer but I can't recall what happened to it which a little disturbing. I've got an old rusty vintage mini-wagon that holds potted plants. This year I've got a large potted miniature rose in it with a wire trellis behind it. I've not had as much success with planting directly into the wagon. I'm not sure why.... Maybe you can get a new one [easier for Santa to find] for utility and a vintage one [scouting antique-junk stores] for aesthetic. They are very cool. I agree.
I have a little red wagon, now pink from being left out in the elements, and a little green wagon with an expanded metal bed that is handy, too.
I recommend the wider tires.
My Daddy had a saying, about not meddling in other people's business: 'That's his little red wagon, he can push it or pull it.'
What great ideas for the wagon! I never had one (boo hoo) but sometimes I see vintage ones in antique stores. I have bought several push grocery carts (like the elderly take their groceries home in) at Goodwill and use them to push heavy bags of fertilizer and potting soil @ the yard. I agree that the flowers displayed in the wagon would be so cute though.
Everyone should have at least one radio flyer, they are the coolest thing, the vintage pictures are just the best, I enjoyed the visit
I desperately want an old wagon!!! I have had my eye out for one for two years now...I might just have to stoop and buy a new one and "distress" it a bit! lol
I love Radio Flyers. We have one from when my oldest was little. It's currently used by my girls to pull all sorts of things around in. Often times a jumprope is tied through the handle, no idea why they do that :) I plan to keep it once they are done and use it somewhere in the garden. It'll be a fun memory to have.
I have two, a large one and a smaller one. I love mine! I use the large one in the garden to haul plants around and working gear. The small one is in storage in the garage right now. I try to keep them out of the weather so I've not planted them but they do look good planted. You can sometimes find them at yard sales. One of mine was a gift to my twins 26 years ago when they were two (from their grandfather), the other one I picked up second hand somewhere. Not sure where.
Hi Jackie! I can't think of a better group of wagon users than gardeners! I especially loved the wagon filled with daffodils! What a great idea~!
Great post -- it's like reading an excerpt from the Antiques Road Show, which I love. Those cocker puppies in the wagon are just too darn cute. :) I don't have a wagon, just big wheelbarrows from Lowe's, one blue and one yellow.
I could not imagine my gardens without my Radio Flyer!!! It's left over from my daycar!!!
I do use my radio flyer to haul garden supplies. It works great for my narrow garden paths. I can easily pull it around with all sorts of heavy bags. Like your decorating ideas in yours. You ought to get another just for decorating, as you love it so. Feed your love.
Absolutely! Why didn't I keep the one my boys had? Pictures mums and pumpkins sitting in the wagon on the front porch. Perfect. :)
We used our Radio Flyer wagon just this weekend at the plant sale at the Wildflower Center! We have one of the wooden ones where you can remove the red sides if you like. We also use our wagon every 4th of July, hauling kids or dogs in a parade. It might not get used all year long, but when we do use it, we are soooo glad we have it.
I got Radio Flyer Wagoon for my birthday just before this Christmas :) İt's absouletly FANTASTİC.
Loves from Turkiye
Ashley
Real Estate Flyer
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