Harvest

Due to the beautiful weather this spring and summer, the corn is being harvested about 2 weeks early.

 

These men are cutting corn by hand to feed to their livestock.  This corn is still green, not ready for harvest. 

 

Heading out to the field for a very long day of work 

 

Perfect dry day for hay!

Fair Time

I am not native to Pennsylvania so Fair Time has always made me kinda scratch my head.  I guess these things are what a small town is all about.  The New Holland Parade starts the festivities.  It is on October 3rd.  Last Saturday, September 22nd, (11 days BEFORE the "event") the streets were beginning to look like this, everyone saving their "spot" with their chairs!  Amazingly, they don't get stolen.  On October 2, Main street will be shut down, most of the businesses will close and everything will come to a standstill until the fair ends early Sunday morning.  They set up all kinds of rides in the streets, venders come from all over and it is a BIG event, even the schools close half day on Friday so everyone can attend. This New Holland fair has been going on for 81 Years!  

Benefit Auction

 

The Amish believe in helping out their own people instead of depending on the government for help so when something happens to one of them they will have a benefit auction to help defray the costs. The benefits are usually open to the public so yesterday when I saw a sign for one I stopped in.  The auction was for a 40 year old women that because of an accident will be confined to a wheelchair for the remainder of her life.  I stopped in early to see what was going to be auctioned off and to my surprise nothing was out.  I asked the auctioneer and he told me that people will drop off their items when they arrive, no one knows exactly what is going to be on the auction block but usually they end up with a huge pile of items.  I was also told that the auction is on the honor system so the buyer (not the auction house) keeps track of the amount they owe, no other records are kept.  The really intrigued me.

At the start of the auction the auctioneer asked everyone  to pray for the auctioneer and for honesty, all the men took off their hats and had a silent prayer.   Then the auction began.  There were items as big as a $6,000 swing set and as small as a flashlight, each bringing what they could afford.  Prices were high, as I overheard one Amish women say "its only money".  I was totally amazed.

 

Amish kids love volley ball and the benefit was a perfect excuse to get one going.  One more thing... The food at these things is wonderful.  Homemade pies, chicken, ribs, shrimp you name it they have it!

School is back in session

This is an Amish one room schoolhouse.  The Amish children start school in late August with a few weeks off for harvest in September/October.  They will go to this school until they finish the 8th grade at which time they quit school and either go to work or learn a trade.

After the Nickel Mine shootings on October 2, 2006 all the schools installed fences.  At first they were locked up tight but it looks like they have become relaxed a little again.

Bird -In - Hand Half Marathon 09/08/2012

The weekend of the Bird-in-Hand Half Marathon is a weekend full of fun.  It starts on Friday night with an Amish Pasta Party, Amish Country Hot Air Balloon Fest Launch, Bird-in-Hand Kid's Fun Run and Bird-in-Hand 5K and a Bonfire & S'mores Party.  The Half Marathon is  on Saturday.

What I find interesting is the Amish involvement in this weekend.  Most people think the Amish stay to themselves but the truth is when it come to helping out they are first in line.  The marathon proceeds go to the Bird-In-Hand fire company which has quite a few Amish volunteers.   

 The Amish took care of most of the weekend, making the pasta and pizza supper on Friday, signing runners in and helping out wherever needed.

 

The Amish children gave out water at the water stations, 

horse and buggy drivers gave rides to the runners that needed assistance

Bird-in-Hand has a running club called Vella Shpringa (translated, "let's run").  It is made up mostly of Amish and Mennonite people,  they run through the country once a month when it is full moon.

An amazing weekend for everyone.

Carriage Rides Coming to Shady Maple

 

Shady Maple Smorgasbord has joined forces with Lanzelot Promenades to offer specialty carriage rides  through the countryside on magnificent parade horses.  The horses are Percheron's which are a very large draft horse that was originally bred to carry knights into battle.   The rides begin on Saturday, August 26th and will run daily though Christmas. 

Lancaster County's Best Kept Secret Tour

This year I have decided to take this unusual shopping, food and fun adventure.  The tour features 35 unique business that are off-the-beaten path, ones that you would probably never find.  The tour runs October 5th through October 20, 2012.  

If you are interested in going, the tour is a self tour, costing $7.00 each person.  Each business will provide refreshments, games, gifts, demos, tours, make and take projects and many other surprises.  Contact melissa@bestkeptsecretstour.com for more information.

Stay tuned in, I will keep you updated on the highlights and share some of the better kept secrets with you.

Growing Tobacco - A Cash Crop

Cash Crop or Devils Cabbage?

This has been a wonderful year for tobacco in Lancaster County.  Due to the abundance of rain it has grown larger that I have ever seen it.  Harvest has come early and the first sign is seeing the farmers out working with their tobacco. 

The tobacco leaves are picked and then speared onto lathes and left in the field for a few days to dry

It is then picked up and put in a tobacco shed or any warm dry area.  After a few months of drying (In November or so) the tobacco dealers will come around, examine the quality and buy it from the farmer.

Brought to the area in 1825 to combat the financial distress of  the 1820's, tobacco is called a cash crop because it is used for profit rather than consumption.  Since 1917 it has been a great controversy by Amish and Mennonite  to grow it or not.  Many believe that is wrong to "raise tobacco, or grow an article that destroys human character" and have stopped growing it calling it  the "devils cabbage".   Finally to stop the controversy some church groups made the decision that if your farm was not paid off you could grow tobacco, if it was paid off you didn't need the extra cash and were asked to refrain from growing it.

Ox Roasts - Firehouse Speciality

The Witmer Fire Company has a delicious OX Roast three times a year.  Many of their firemen are Amish and their wives sure know how to cook.  The seating is family style and passed around twice so you definitely get your fill.  Included on the menu is Lancaster county corn that was frozen by the Witmer Fire Company volunteers.  In one day they froze 4,350 lbs of corn that they will use for these meals.  The next Ox Roast is October 20, 2012.  Prices are $12.50 which is extremely reasonable for all that you get.  This OX Roast is not only for us locals, people come every year from as far away as CT, VA, NY, NJ, DE, MD and even FL!  It starts around 12:00 and runs until they run out of tickets, one year that was at 2:00!  Come early and enjoy!

Fresh, Slow Cooked Beef
Homemade Filling
Home Cooked Potatoes
Lancaster County Sweet Corn
Homemade Gravy
Locally Made Rolls & Butter
Cole Slaw
Peaches
Homemade Pies, Cakes and Ice Cream

The address is 455 Mount Sidney Road, Lancaster, PA 17602.

What a wonderful world it would be...

Driving down the road one day I came across this field.  All different types of animals, all peacefully grazing, each doing its own thing, all getting along.  What a wonderful world it would be...

Shirktown Threshing Day

Shirktown Threshing Day was held at Big Spring Farm on 739 Spruce Rd, New Holland PA on Sat Aug 4th, 2012

A day bringing you back to the past and the "Good old days"

The Martin homestead was open for tours, bread was baking 
in the outside oven, soup was bubbling over an open fire 
and a group was demonstrating how pork scrapple is made.

This was the parking lot - as many horse buggy's as cars

Excellent food!

tractor parade

This machine turns the crank on the ice cream machine!

I wondered why so many kids wanted to ride the tractor and wagon,
 then I realized that they never have this chance - they ride in a horse
 and buggy everyday.

Sand Box for the kids filled with dried corn

Hooking the horses up to the threshing machine

 3 teams of horses were used as shuttles going to & from the parking lot

Chair Caning demonstration

It was really a fun day!  They have it every year, the first weekend in August- If you are in the area it is well worth your time.   Everything is free except for the food!

Steel Wheels on Tractors

When visiting the Amish Country you may notice some tractors have steel wheels.  Tractors with steel wheels are used by the Wenger Mennonites for farming.  The use of steel wheels ensures that the tractors are not used as a substitute for automobiles to run errands or to make more extensive trips than are convenient with horse-drawn carriages.   The Wenger Mennonites drive black horse-drawn carriages for transportation and are allowed to have electricity.

Emma's Gourmet Popcorn

I came across this little business last week located on 261 Hill Road  New Holland, PA.  Emma's Gourmet Popcorn is set up in the basement of their home. The driveway is fairly long and winding, about the time you think you are at the wrong place you will see the house.

These pictures don't show half of the flavors they have, its amazing what all they make.  They have samples of everything so bring your appetite!  A really fun place to visit.

Weaverland Auction

If you want to get a feel for the local produce farming community ... from spring until late fall two produce auctions run almost everyday, 9:00am until 11:30 am. The Leola produce auction is located on 135 Brethren Church Road, Leola, PA, and the Weaverland Produce Auction is  located on 1030 Precast Road, New Holland PA.  

Bald Eagles Nest

Every year a pair of Bald Eagles come back to this nest.  If you are visiting the area in the next few months and go to the intersection of New Holland Rd / Peters Rd. in New Holland, you will see the nest.  Most people park on the west side of the church (Peters Rd) where you have the best view of the nest.  It is about 150 yards away so bring your field glasses.  I have not had the chance to see if they are back this year but hopefully they are.  The above picture is from last year.

Amish Church wagon

Above is a picture of a church wagon.  If you see this in someone's yard it means they are the family that will be holding church next.  Notice that the wheels are steel and not rubberized.  

The Amish do not have a church building to worship in.  Every other week they hold their services in one of their members' homes, barns or businesses.  Up to 150 people will be expected.  This makes for a busy week.  The house, barn or business is thoroughly cleaned and emptied of furnishings and lunch preparations are started.  I have known some families that closed their business down for a week to prepare for this.  The church wagon is brought to the home filled with backless benches that can be converted into tables and other things needed for services.  The next week the wagon is pulled by horse to the next families home.

Old Family Cemetery

The Martin Family Cemetery is a small family cemetery located on Big Spring Farm in New Holland. It dated back to the 1700's.

Log Cabin

This restored log cabin is located on the Martin homestead  on Big Spring Farm in New Holland.  The farm has been bought by a group of Mennonite farmers that are restoring it back to its original state.  The property also has a museum filled with farm equipment, a restored Spring House and are currently restoring a fruit cellar.  They are open to the public twice a year.

Free Ice Cream!

One thing about Lancaster County is, if you want a crowd, offer free ice-cream!  This is the hitching post outside of Sensenig's Hardware, on 1020 Sensenig Rd in Ephrata.  Sensenig's Hardware is an old hardware store out in the country where you can find everything that "modern" stores used to sell.  Their clientele is mostly Horse and buggy Mennonite.

Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence!

 

These foals are 3 weeks old.  They will stay by their Mothers side and nurse for about 5 months before they are released to the "weanling" pasture. They will hang out with the same sex foals until they are yearlings and ready for training.

American Quilter’s Society Quilt Show

Every March, Lancaster County hosts a Quilt show bringing 20,000 quilters into the area from 48 states and at least 4 countries.  Fabric stores like The Old Country Store in Intercourse PA extend their hours until 12:00 and have huge fabric sales.  More than 200 quilts in Freedom Hall at the Lancaster County Convention Center  were competing for $44,250 in cash awards. 

 Congratulations to  Cindy Seitz-Krug  of Bakersfield, California, for her quilt, SIMPLY SANTA FE, which won the $10,000 prize for the Best of Show category.

Next show will be March 13- 16, 2013

Spring has arrived!

With weather in the 70's its hard to keep the farmers out of their fields.  Spring is about 3 weeks early this year.  Everything is beginning to turn green, the daffodils and early spring flowers are in full bloom and today I noticed the tulip tree are blooming.