Back in Time?

Like I said in my previous blog, me and Hubby went to Amish country for our 10th anniversary. I figured who better to learn a few things about homesteading than from the modern day homesteaders themselves? Well, I was very surprised in my findings.

First, the Amish aren't as self dependent as you would think. There were a lot of them that would use solar panels on their houses. They also used gas motors on their farming equipment. Now, their hay mower might be be drawn by horses, but, there was a gas motor running the actual mowing machine itself. They even mowed their grass with a gas push motor. They,also, milk their cows with milking machines powered by generators.

Second, they buy a lot of their food from a store. We had to pick a few things up at Wal-mart,(yes, there even is a Wal-mart in the Amish country)and we seen Amish with carts full of Pepsi and Gator Aid. How disappointing. If they buy a cake mix from a grocery store,(and they do)and bake a cake, is it still considered Amish made?

Third, they ride around in cars all the time. They might not own them, but they ride in them. They will have friend who drive cars and take them places. The Mennonites own their own cars.

Finally, and this is not really the last thing, they have telephones outside their houses in little phone booths. Now you tell me, what's the difference between having a phone booth inside your house compared to outside. Isn't that the same as not smoking in the house. Your still smoking!

Anyway, it was still fun. There was a lot of commercialism there though. The most fun we had was just driving around the back roads. Now after my rant about the modern day Amish, there still are a few old timey Amish. They are the hard core Amish. They milk their cows by hand. They don't have battery operated lights on their buggies. I wanted to ask them questions about their lives,about the way they live. But, I felt weird asking them questions and looking at them as they worked in their fields. I didn't want them to feel like they were animals at the zoo on exhibit

We do have friends that go to our church who have close friends that live up there. They are old school Amish. The next time we go up there we are taking our friends with us. That way they can introduce us to them. I'll be able to get more questions asked that way.

Now, does anybody know what these are called? Well?

Hay Doodles!!!!

How funny! I mean couldn't SOMEBODY have come up with a better name than that? I don't know, maybe straw stacks or something.

While we were there, we went to a horse and buggy auction. Now this big feller knows the true meaning of horse power.

These were a team that kept going back and forth in front of us while we were standing there. Is that considered a two horse powered tractor. How did they get the term horse power anyway?

Now this little(well not little, let's say young)feller was all hyped up. Whinnying and going around in circles. The Amish love a horse like that. Don't ask me why. I'm more confused now than I ever was.

He thought he was something though. Which he was.

We did visit Leammans while we were up there. It was AWESOME! It was HUGE! Me and Hubby walked around in it for hours. I could have stayed longer but, you know the old saying for church, "Your mind can only absorb what your butt can handle." That's what my feet kept telling me. They do have a smaller Leammans in one of the little town up there too. It's not as commercialize. We didn't have time to go there. Maybe next time.

But out of all of traveling we did, the thing I did learn was, there still is no place like home.


So until later.....

Small Farm Girl,homebody