Sometimes I envy the Amish.

[punkin]

Last week we made a trip to an Amish community, roughly about 20 miles away. We went to the market, which was so crowded with customers, you couldn't turn around. Their produce is beautiful and fresh. It was the only place I could find red bell peppers for roasting. (.75 cents each, Wally-World had them for 1.89 each). We drove back through the farmland and looked at their fields, beautiful, weed-free fields. They had tomato plants 8-10 feet tall in huge hoop houses. Corn, beans and melons had been progressively planted.

The scene was so quite and peaceful, with the exception of our diesel truck. I felt a little guilty as we passed a few horses with buggies. All of them waved, so I suppose they are used to it.

Yesterday, our power went out for about an hour. I had a loaf of banana bread in the oven that lacked about 30 minutes of baking time. I told my DH, "That's something the Amish don't worry about." Their bread would have baked on just fine - mine fell flat.

Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy my modern conveniences that make what I do easier and quicker. Running hot water, washer, A/C, electricity, internet are just some of the things that would be extremely difficult for me to give up.

God (though my beliefs are different from theirs), family and a good, strong work ethic are the core of their lives. They don't stick their aging parents in nursing homes because they think it would make their lives easier (no offense to those who have no alternatives), or grow old and stiff because they set in front of the TV all day.

I would like to go "hang out" with them. I'll bet I would learn alot.

 

[enjoy the ride]

If I wanted to live like the Amish, there is nothing to prevent it. But no way..............
I admire the work ethic and the independent streak- the respect for tradition too. But if that meant that I as a woman was required to do housework and not raise animals or train my horses or go where I wanted when I wanted - to be married or not as my choice or simply to make choices for myself, heck no.
Everyone could have the time to live life more basically, although I imagine that the Amish have as many problems in their way as anyone else. Just different ones.
Turn off the TV, computer and phone. Mostly stay at home to work as the season demands. Make all your social connections with like minded people who will form co-ops helping each other.
Never take a trip to see Yosemite or Yellowstone, the ocean or the Rockies- or a play or movie or read a novel - those are all time wasters.
This very post is a time waster- better stop now.

 

[Beekissed]

I agree. Self-sufficiency starts in little ways. Like training yourself to be able to sleep under most any condition(not to need a fan, radio, TV, noisemaker running to lull you to sleep), to live without the convenience of a shower/running water (how would you wash your hair, clothing, etc.), to live without the constant and instant entertainment of the TV (play games, read, work a craft, just sit and talk), to have things available in case their is no electricity (and I don't mean a generator) like kerosene lamps, Coleman lanterns, etc. , to learn to live without A/C (it just makes all the harder to go outside!), to learn to kill and dress your own meat (deer, chickens, groundhog, squirrel, etc. ), training yourself to get going in the mornings without caffeine, or getting through the day without caffeine, or having nicotine to "calm my nerves". The list goes on. To train yourself to do without, for those times you may have to do without...

I started out my kids with the mindset of not getting so dependent on something that you "can't" or "won't" do without it. This way, you're not so unprepared and at a disadvantage when you DO have to do without it. I had to ban radios being played at bedtime when they started saying, "It helps me go to sleep!" Well, if you have trouble getting to sleep when you are a teenager, then you must not have done enough in the day to make you tired! (a Mom standby, if I ever heard one) I also initiated no movies, no computer, no anything with noise days. These days are for reading, playing games, or any other quiet activity that doesn't require electricity, or an assault on someone else's senses. To do without pop, as I feel this is a dependency issue before long...very addictive!

I know folks who play their TV all day, "just to have the noise" so they won't "get nervous being alone in the house"! What?

Dependency comes in sooooo many forms. Self-sufficiency isn't only about trimming the fat on the finances and making things from scratch.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

*takes deep breath*

I don't tell too many people this because someone once made me feel ashamed about it but with the way the economy is going I don't think I should be ashamed about it BUT...

We haven't had running water in the house for 7 years!!

There, I said it, got it out...can breath now! lol

Seriously, we met an Amish man who was logging my parents woods. He and his logging partner needed a ride home. My husband offered (since the woods are right across from our house) and he asked if they cared if the kids and I rode along, too so they could see an Amish community. They said no problem and were very nice about it. They talked our ears off!! Jonathon, the boss lol, invited us into his home. His wife was away visiting family in another state and it was just him and the five kids at home.

We were showed the cows and he told us that his wife was getting chickens soon. Then the girls asked their dad about dinner. I asked if he was going to cook and he said, "No way! We're ordering pizza!" His oldest daughter said "but dad, no phone!" It was funny. He asked my husband to drive him to the community phone and he trusted me to watch his five kids while they went!! Had a nice conversation with the kids. They had running water in their house and when I explained that we didn't, oh I wish you could have seen their faces!! You could have knocked them over with a feather!!

And before anyone asks, we made the choice about the water because it meant we could live here without having a mortgage or property payment. We haul our water in, usually only have to haul it in once a week. We also catch rain water. I heat water on the stove and fill the tub (not full, but about 4 gallons) with warm water to scrub the kids. Sometimes we run over to grandmas for a shower LOL We also use our dishwater after I have washed the dishes to flush the toilet. That way, no outhouse is needed, and the toilet is flushed plenty! I just rather use dirty water to flush it than clean water.

We also catch rain water for outside use.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Oh thank you! I am going to cry just from all the positive responses I have had on here! No one has ever responsded so positively to my water situation

 

[MorelCabin]

I've always wanted to go hang out with them and learn from them too...I wonder if they would allow that, especially if you are a believer anyway. We went to buy a shed from the Amish near here and I felt so out of place in my 'pants'

I don't have to worry about my banana bread going flat if the power goes out here...I actually bought a propane stove that doesn't have that electric ignition they all seem to have now. Mine is more designed for a hunt camp but it doesn't look so bad and I can cook with no power

 

[the simple life]

They definitely have a different way of life. It seems much simpler at least.
When I was looking for a new puppy a friend told me that they knew an amish family that was selling some from their litter.
They told them about me and they agreed to meet.
I had to call a phone somewhere in their vicinity. When the man answered it he told me that it was a community phone and when they located the person I was looking for he would contact me.
He did call me and gave me directions to his house.
When we got there he met us outside and told us to head into his house while he put his buggy away.

I felt funny just going in without him, his family was in the living room when we walked in.
His wife had a beautiful quilt out that she was working on and they were all very gracious.
The kids were all dressed like the traditional amish and they were looking at my kids up and down and kind of curious.
I suddenly became very self concious in my pants and shirt.They didn't make me feel that way but it was definitely two different cultures and I was on their turf.
Which is probably how they feel every time they have to go into town.

The husband took my kids out to see his horse and buggy and all that, it was really a once in a lifetime experience to see first hand how they live and I really appreciated it.
They were very gracious about explaining their way of living and asking about ours.
They explained that alot of the younger amish are now getting phones and computers and working outside the community.

I think the husband almost fell over when it was time to discuss business and I whipped out the check book.
He had sat down at the table and said well lets talk about these pups, my husband motioned for me to go ahead since I was the one getting the puppies (ended up buying 2) so I sat down and opened my check book and said how do you want this made out.
He looked genuinely shocked for a minute and looked at my husband who wasn't fazed in the least and then he regained his composure.
The wife looked surprised too and the I saw her look at her daughters and they were kind of grinning at eachother.
I hadn't thought about it before hand it was just a natural way of doing things for me and then I worried that he was offended. My husband said he didn't get that vibe at all and he thinks he was just surprised.

I know the amish are usually very private and they were so hospitable that I felt like I as intruding into their lives.
It was really amazing to be in their house, and have the wife show me how she was working on that enormous quilt and her husband showing us around the property.

To see my kids running around the front lawn with the amish children was really special.
I have the utmost respect for the Amish and how they live.

 

[pioneergirl]

Since we're telling Amish stories, I have one myself. We live about 20-ish miles from a community. About 3 years ago my neighbors were having some work done on their house and barn, and had hired an Amish man and his 3 older sons. Well, I needed my deck built, and my in-laws needed some roof work done. So, I was the one elected to go pick them up and take them home each day.

As with everyone else, I felt a bit odd because I was not only wearing pants, but I was driving (being a woman, I wasn't sure how they would take it)...but they were so nice. His name was Freddy, and he had 9 children all together, including 2 sets of twins!! I never met his wife, nor went into his house, but after about a month of riding around with them, I did gain some knowledge.

His boys started helping him in carpentry when they were about 6 years old. Doing odd things like picking up nails, and running tools, etc. As they got older, they were given more responsibility. The girls (I saw 3 young ones only once) were treated the same way only with household chores. I saw 2 of them, with one set of the twins, and they were butchering chickens for the meals that day. There were probably 5 headless chickens in a wheelbarrow they were taking to the house. The younger boys (pre-teen and younger) were hitching up horses to the fertilizer spreader for the fields, and a few were filling the wagon. It was all very inspiring, and humbling at the same time. Freddy didn't have a phone. If you wanted his services, you either went to his house, or wrote him a letter. It was really great!!

I too, sometimes wonder what it would be like to live as they do. Yes, I would dearly miss my A/C, my computer, and even my tv a bit...but just think how much more we'd get done in a day!! LOL

 

[Dodgegal79]

I would love to live the way they do. I love the simple way of doing things and taking care of your family.

 

[FarmerChick]

I respect their living their lives the way they want. Me, I sure couldn't do it.

I think if you never had the conveniences, then you don't miss what you didn't grow up with. I grew up with all conveniences....so it is very hard for me to give things up. Maybe I don't want to enough..LOL

I do ENVY one thing about their lifestyle, they do live on their own timetable more than I do. I live on the world's timetable and schedule more or less, and I hate it. I hate set times for anything! I want a free day everyday without the stress of, Oh I must drive here by 1 pm, then over to the bank by 5 pm, then over to here by 9 pm cause they are closing, up early to call so and so by 10 am....UGH

So I don't know...just rambling. I think of the "grass is always greener on the other side"--til you get there..LOL