There is always something interesting to see as you drive round Lancaster County and the adjoining counties such as a farmer preparing his fields for planting. Or a Mennonite woman heading down a county road on her bicycle… Or a covered bridge… Or corn starting to grow in a field… Or a peaceful stream at…
Tag: Culture
Wandering the Country Roads
I spent some time last weekend driving around the countryside and enjoying the farms and the scenery. After the drabness of winter, it is so wonderful to see all of the “green” and the farmers working the fields once again.
Rural Church Tradition
I grew up in rural southeastern Arkansas and lived way out in the woods. The small church I attended until it disbanded was also way out in the woods but only a couple of miles from our house. Although the church stopped being active many years ago as the families who once lived in the…
Auction Day
We stopped by the annual auction at the Fivepointville Firehouse last weekend. There was an abundance of farm and garden equipment for sale, along with household materials, bicycles and buggies. There is a large Old Order Mennonite community in the Fivepointville area plus Amish so many people arrived by buggy or bicycle. It was a…
Fastnachts (German Doughnuts)
Today is Fastnacht Day here in the Pennsylvania German area of Pennsylvania. I have copied my post from last year about fastnachts below. Happy Fastnacht Day! There are two different traditions in my life related to the German yeast doughnuts known as fastnachts or fashnachts. My German mother-in-law made fastnachts on Good Friday because they abstained from meat…
Frosty Morn
With temperatures hovering around freezing, it was a frosty morning for the horse pulling the Old Order Mennonite buggy. (The Mennonite buggies are black while Amish buggies in this part of Pennsylvania are gray.)
A Bit of Butter
The 2013 Pennsylvania Farm Show just completed a week-long celebration of agriculture in Pennsylvania with exhibits, lots of food, animal exhibits and judging (over 6,000 animals), special events and then there is always the butter sculpture. This year’s butter sculpture focused on Pennsylvania’s products. The PA Farm Show is the largest indoor agricultural event in…
A German and Southern Happy New Year! (A Little Late)
I just realized yesterday that I never clicked on “Publish” for the New Years’ post. So, even though it is now January 7, Happy New Year! Original post below. Our New Years Day meal combines my husband’s German heritage and the Pennsylvania German area where we live with my southern roots. The tradition for the…
School’s Out
The Amish and Old Order Mennonite children enjoy a break from school during the summer. However, rather than spending time at the pool or playing video games, they are helping on the farm, working in the garden and manning the produce stands that are in front of many of the homes. Lancaster County has over…
Tobacco Growing
The Amish farmers use tobacco as a cash crop and most dairy farms have several rows of tobacco growing in front of the corn.The corn, which is plentiful in this area, is used to feed the dairy cows. While it has been a very dry summer, the corn is still green and our conditions do…
Getting Around Town
Some of the various type of Amish and Old Order Mennonite buggies in this area of Pennsylvania.
In the Adjoining Field…
In the field next to where the Amish farmer was baling hay in the previous post, his son was raking the hay in preparation for baling.
Hay Baling-Amish Style
Here are some photos of a local Amish farmer baling hay. The hay is scooped up with the yellow roller and goes back into the baler. Here the farmer is clearing the baler. Time to turn and go the other way… Now we will go the other direction. Now watch…. Open wide… Now it is time to…
Hay Raking
Local Amish youth using the draft horses to rake hay.
Finding Treasures
This area of Pennsylvania is a mecca for antique and flea market lovers. Adamstown is home to Renninger’s, Black Angus, Shupps Grove and many other shops, both large and small. A personal favorite of mine is Fiesta Ware and other kitchen objects. At one time I collected Depression glass. I also collect Pennsylvania redware pottery…
Spring Planting with Mule Power
It is time for spring plowing and planting. This is an Old Order Mennonite farmer with a team of five mules working his field. There are two different “horse and buggy” groups who live in this area — Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonite. They differ in their dress and customs but share many practices such…
Covered Bridges of Berks County
We spent an afternoon during the Easter weekend making a tour of the five covered bridges in Berks County. Four of the bridges are still used by traffic and one is located in the Berks County Heritage Center park. The Greater Reading Convention & Visitors’ Bureau has a map and guide to the bridges which you can print by…
Cornbread – The Essential Food of the Rural South
I grew up in rural southeastern Arkansas. When I say rural, I mean 10 miles on a gravel road from the nearest town which had a population a little below 3,000. We did not have electricity nor indoor plumbing until I was in the first grade. Getting a telephone line out to the house took a lot longer and that did…
Fastnachts (German Doughnuts)
There are two different traditions in my life related to the German yeast doughnuts known as fastnachts or fashnachts. My German mother-in-law made fastnachts on Good Friday because they abstained from meat on that day (I never understood how eating warm freshly made yeast doughnuts was a sacrifice but I considered it a great tradition every Good Friday…
Nature and Life Notes 