Amish

Wow, I have been following this conversation for a few days and I am suprised at how controversial of topic it has become. I thought it began as an innocent question on how the Amish grow such great gardens and now it seems to have struck a nerve on farming defintions, techniques etc... I usually don't jump into these conversations, but here goes.

I visited Amish country in PA last year and loved it. I traveled hundreds of miles on backroads just looking around. Visited numerous roadside stands, purchased plants at an Amish greenhouse to take home. I found the Amish to be very modern, intellegent, orgainzed and friendly folks. From what I could gather they just oppose what modern technology does to their communities and beliefs. The farms were beautiful and they seem to take good care of what they own. I think they depend more on thier crops and livestock so they invest more time and energy. Alot of us are all distracted by our lives, jobs, TV, internet etc... and may not take the time to care for things as well. Also since alot of Amish come from farming families they have it in thier blood.



Anyway that is my 2 cents.
 
seedcorn said:
One thing some of you get stuck on over and over and over again, very few want to live like the amish[/b
Click to expand...

:lau :lau :lau
AGREED!!! We've been doing business with an Amish community close by for 25 years now. (That's a generation, ya know. ;) )
In 1985 they didn't use phones--now they do, AND, they use the answering machines, too. The ones who drive into town are mostly Amish gone Mennonite...but not all. Their beliefs make them creep slowly into the last century!! :gig (I think that's why "Weird Al" wrote the parody, "Amish Paradise.")

I do know one thing--the Amish can ONLY exist because the non-Amish do business with them. They do some things, exceptionally well, some things very well, and some things...not so good, like the new chairs I bought for my very old pedestal oak table. My Amish farrier is very good--the Amish farrier that is exceptional can slap on a set of horse shoes in about 20 minutes and the job is perfect. (mine is younger and he takes longer.) They are pleasant to do business with, and my farrier has also done some horse-training for me because I see how well-behaved his own animals are. I think everybody can agree--they take their time doing most things--"It takes as long as it takes" is probably the motto that fits best.
 
jamespm_98 said:
Wow, I have been following this conversation for a few days and I am suprised at how controversial of topic it has become. I thought it began as an innocent question on how the Amish grow such great gardens and now it seems to have struck a nerve on farming defintions, techniques etc... I usually don't jump into these conversations, but here goes.
Click to expand...
That seems to creep into everything here lately... :rolleyes:

I visited Amish country in PA last year and loved it. I traveled hundreds of miles on backroads just looking around. Visited numerous roadside stands, purchased plants at an Amish greenhouse to take home. I found the Amish to be very modern, intellegent, orgainzed and friendly folks. From what I could gather they just oppose what modern technology does to their communities and beliefs. The farms were beautiful and they seem to take good care of what they own. I think they depend more on thier crops and livestock so they invest more time and energy. Alot of us are all distracted by our lives, jobs, TV, internet etc... and may not take the time to care for things as well. Also since alot of Amish come from farming families they have it in thier blood.
Click to expand...
This has been true to my experience too. I get sooooooo much more done in a day if I stay off this dang computer! :P I think I need to go live with the Amish for a few months for computer detox! :gig I watch almost no tv (now that the toddler dominates it every evening). I find I don't really miss the tv all that much.
 
jamespm_98 said:
Wow, I have been following this conversation for a few days and I am suprised at how controversial of topic it has become. I thought it began as an innocent question on how the Amish grow such great gardens and now it seems to have struck a nerve on farming defintions, techniques etc... I usually don't jump into these conversations, but here goes.

I visited Amish country in PA last year and loved it. I traveled hundreds of miles on backroads just looking around. Visited numerous roadside stands, purchased plants at an Amish greenhouse to take home. I found the Amish to be very modern, intellegent, orgainzed and friendly folks. From what I could gather they just oppose what modern technology does to their communities and beliefs. The farms were beautiful and they seem to take good care of what they own. I think they depend more on thier crops and livestock so they invest more time and energy. Alot of us are all distracted by our lives, jobs, TV, internet etc... and may not take the time to care for things as well. Also since alot of Amish come from farming families they have it in thier blood.



Anyway that is my 2 cents.
Click to expand...
Here! Here! :thumbsup
 
seedcorn said:
So, I'm a doctor who owns 500 acres, for 2 weeks out of the year, I go farm w/my brother. I'm a farmer and understand the problems of AG? Yeah right, take away the doctor's income, then tell me how to farm.
Farmers do a lot of things, crops, livestock, equipment, etc. Being a carpenter, doctor, etc for 90% of my income doesn't make me a farmer. No more than my playing the guitar makes me a musician by trade.

One thing some of you get stuck on over and over and over again, very few want to live like the amish.........YOU live like an amish for 10 years, then come back and tell me how it is. I think since you want us to farm like amish, live like amish--so should you. Try living by your own standards.

I'm out.
Click to expand...
I have done so, Honey...for nine years! ;) It was great! :D Well, we didn't have buggies but we did live off the land and without electricity, running water, etc. I would have killed for a horse and buggy, though! :P

And you don't have to live like the Amish to make a living while farming. Again, Joel Salatin and other farmers like him are living proof that one can make a good living off farming in a sustainable manner. Actually, he makes more than a living, he's raking it IN!

Run, don't walk, to your local library and read his books and just TRY his farming practices before you say it cannot be done. What you are currently saying is that it cannot be done, what you really need to be stating is that you feel it cannot be done by YOU.

Actually, I feel that if farming is to survive, one must diversify streams of income.
 
Why ruin a perfectly good topic with nasty remarks?
So what if everyone on here wanted to swoon over the Amish?
Maybe in these complicated,trying times their lifestyle is appealing, so what?

Seedcorn, who on earth here suggested that we should all be living like the Amish? Why respond with such venom?
I have reread this thread several times trying to figure out where you are coming from.

Some people here posted with compliments or respect on their lifestyle, crops, farming methods etc. no one said anything about how lousy our lifestyle is and how much better the Amish are and we should all try to emulate them.

You bring up a doctor farming for two weeks out of the year, do you really believe the amish only farm two weeks of the year?

I don't care what else they do, they do raise their own food and also sell their crops, which to me suggests they are farmers along with whatever else they do to support their families.

You say its the women and children who take care of the gardens while the men work away, if they are raising all their own food, selling their crops and earning money to survive then I say the women and children are farmers.

I guess I am annoyed because I was actually enjoying this thread for a couple of days until it got nasty. I hope this is not a trend.
Your post does not seem to mesh with what was even being discussed. I don't know if there is some underlying resentment towards the Amish for some reason but you just kind of angrily popped in with the whole doctor scenario and it didn't even remotely compare to what was being discussed.

Its seems like one of those Rosanna Rosannadanna moments.
Nevermind. :lol:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Sister Sites

BackYardChickens.com
BackYardHerds.com
SufficientSelf.com
Back
Top