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| A field planted in the fall with winter rye. |
As I travel through Amish country every week, I enjoy watching how the fields change during the seasons. In the fall after the crops are harvested, the land is planted with winter ground covers which are plowed under in the spring.
I think this was alfalfa but could not tell without getting out of the car and climbing over the fence...too much work.
They take their winter preparations seriously; it can get really cold here in lower middle Tennessee. The white building below has something interesting in the window on the left.
It is piled all the way up with firewood to be burned in the woodstove. They will stay warm this winter. One day as I passed by late in the summer, I saw a little boy standing underneath this window throwing logs inside. It was obviously a chore assigned to him to do, but he was having so much fun I almost stopped to join him.
This house has a huge pile of firewood in the front yard.
After I passed by I could see someone loading the wood into a truck. It must have been more than they needed so they were selling it.
They also need to store food for themselves and also for their livestock.
It is stacked to the ceiling with dried corn on the cob. I assume this is for the livestock and not for people. Who knows what has crawled all over it.
They also planted crops in the fall for winter gardens. These are some of the winter crops.
Turnips are growing in this field.
A huge field of huge cabbages.
Mustard Greens
This family put their pigs out into a field to plow it up and turn it under. Pigs love to root around in the dirt, hence the saying "dirty as a pig." They saw me holding the camera and wanted their pictures made.
Here you can see some of the damage they have done to the field and see them running toward me holding the camera (I was holding the camera, not them, just to be clear).
Camera hogs
The winter is time for construction projects. Spring, summer, and fall are dedicated to crop production so there is, I am sure, no extra time or energy for other chores.
Their lifestyle is fascinating and different from anyone I know. I am cautious when snapping pictures to not catch a person's face, but it is difficult. There seems to always be someone out in the yard or in the field as I am passing by. It is never so when I drive through subdivisions. There you only see people outside when they are mowing or getting into their cars. Such different worlds.
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Stalking the Amish, I see. Be sure to figure out what they are building. I'm curious too. LOL
ReplyDeleteI am stalking! You are right. They are such nice people and would do anything for you, except let you take their picture. Darn. I will keep watching and let you know. This is all I need, someone to encourage me in my nefarious behavior...a partner in crime. Really, I need to get a life. Next I will be reporting on how long it takes their paint to dry.
DeleteI loved all your Amish adventuresome far. Where I live we have no Amish families. I am so envious of you. Please keep on writing about your adventures and sharing your beautiful pictures. Today was the first day I found your blog and enjoyed it. Thank you oh and I raised my children on fresh cows milk and loved it. But kids today think milk from a store is real cows milk. Oh what they are missing.
ReplyDeleteWith soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and all the other milks, today's kids don't realize milk comes from a cow. Coming from a store, would make the most logical sense.
DeleteBecause some people other than me is interested, I will continue sharing my misadventures, unless I am thrown in jail.
Thank you.
I didn't realize there was an Amish community in Tennessee. We actually stayed with a Beachy Amish couple this past August near Lancaster. They have an attached "in-law" apartment that they converted into a vacation cottage. We had such a lovely visit and learned so much about the Amish. Beachy Amish do drive cars and have the internet, but no tvs. The highlight of that trip was being invited to their church. Oh the sea of white capped bonnet heads and colorful dresses on the left and black and white suits on the right. I will treasure that service always.
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing back those memories and for sharing the life of the Amish in Tennessee as they prepare for winter.
Thank you for sharing Karen. I have never heard of the Beachy Amish. I would have loved that church service. There seems to be so many different sects. This group in Ethridge are the "old order", no electricity, phones or cars. It is truly like stepping back into time.
DeleteBeautiful photos! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Katy!
DeleteHave to comment on your comment about people in subdivisions. It always strikes me that people work and work to have huge house, and some have porches that are so attractive...but you never see anyone outside enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed the same thing. Beautiful porches with comfortable seats and swings, but never a person sitting. Mine is always messy, dropped shoes, empty drink glasses, tossed garden gloves, sunscreen, the list goes on and on. We use our porch all the time. We love to sit - Bill in the rocking chair and me in the swing. This morning (at 6:30 am) I sat outside wrapped in a blanket while Scooter sat on his rug. We watched the sunrise and a storm blow in.
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