Tuesday, September 4, 2012

"She brings her household's food from afar."

      Don't you just love this scripture from Proverbs 31? I guess it's ok to eat bananas and oranges and food that comes from a far country after all! The food I brought was not really that far, it came from Ethridge, TN. I've heard about the Amish community just north of Huntsville, but it never occurred to me that I could go there! I am so glad that we did! It is an awesome country up there! So many beautiful farms and farm houses! And the gardens! I dare say that we covered about half of the place! And we rode the roads for two days! It's only a three hour drive from here, so we could do it in a day. I will definitely be going back! We even found an old homeplace for sale that has 26 acres! It's really out in the middle of nowhere, just where my husband and I would like to live! But I don't think now is the time for us to move. Skylar is still in high school and our families are here. But we sure did like that place!

      The weather was just as hot and sticky there as it is here! I thought we might get a little relief from the humidity, but Isaac traveled somewhat through there as well. We didn't get that much rain; and I am glad because the Amish driveways are dirt! The roads are paved, however. It was so interesting to see the Amish buggies going down the roads being pulled by a horse! We even saw a few on the busy highways! The sound of the hoofs hitting the pavement was really neat, too, clippity-clop!

      Although the Amish live very primitively, they have some modern conveniences. I was so surprised to see a young girl, who had driven a horse and buggy up to the store, was getting ice. She put it in an ice chest on the buggy, and took back off down the road! She also was drinking water out of an igloo water jug. I just didn't think that they had things like that. They also use diesel to run their pumps and motors! That was interesting to my husband! The families consisted of a young couple with many bare-foot children running around on the rocks! One young dad was even barefoot! he was the one we purchased the rockers from! The one thing I wanted was tomatoes, but they are in between seasons, now. Lots of green ones on the vines, but no red ones. No cucumbers, either. They are getting pumpkins, however. And they are so beautiful! We also got some green beans, sweet potatoes, and onions. I am so excited to find this place! I want to grow all of these things, but if my garden doesn't produce, I know where to get organic, heirloom varieties!

      That sums up our Labor Day weekend! I want to tell my nieces in Morocco hello! Hi Yasmine! Hi Layla! Hi Amber! Aunt FeFe loves ya'll and misses you so much! Can't wait to see you again at the end of this month! Stay safe! Ya'll have a good week! Blessings from Bama!



Beautiful farm with the dirt driveway.

Absolutely beautiful!

Look at this spread!

Does it make you want a farm? It does me!


The red on these buildings is tin.



I like this barn too.


I love the way they bundle the corn stalks!

A guy plowing the fiield.

Who knew the Amish grew tobacco?

I just don't get tired of looking at these beautiful buildings!

Cats are so peculiar!

We went to Lobelville to a bulk food store. It took about an hour to drive there. It's in the country, too.

We bought a bag of the hard white Montana wheat.

So many items! I've never seen this many bulk items, not even in whole foods!

Bags of beans are beyond the bags of wheat. Organic items are on the right!

She was posing next to her 'bull friend'!

These little buildings are scattered throughout the Amish community. I guess they are meeting houses for school or church.

Our spot at the campground.

She looks like she's ready to be milked!

I had to get her photo since she was just looking at me! Or is it a rooster?

These are everywhere in Amish country!


If the farm had items for sale, it would have a sign to let you know.

Typical two story white house with a windmill.


I guess he's smoothing out the field.



There were several buildings with barn quilt signs on them. I thought I would get all of them, but we went another way. This is the only one I got. I thought of Lisa when I saw them.

Chilling in the shade.


The tobacco drying in the barn.

That's a lot of tobacco!

An old farm house we looked at. Wished it wasn't three hours away!


A close-up of the creek on the property.

The barn is located behind the house.

A green and a red apple, and a pear I got off of the property. No one lived there and this is all I got.

Grinding in action!


A stick was removed from here! Poor baby! I didn't even know it was in there, it just wouldn't heal, so we took her to the vet and he opened her up and found a stick! Before she was groomed, her fur would catch sticks and briars from the woods. Now, she doesn't have that problem any more!


Win was 'helping' me snap the beans.

Look how sweet!

The bag was full of rattlesnake beans from the Amish country. They're a little puffy and stringy but they sure do taste good.

These are the sweetest onion, better than Vidalia!

These mini-pumpkins were three for a dollar!

I  love the colors on these acorn squash!
Amish sweet potatoes are the best!

How do ya'll like these Amish rocking chairs? It's so nice sitting on the porch now.

Some more isles in the bulk food store.

The hubs was fascinated with all of the items there.

She is making almond butter. They sell a lot there and they were out of it.

Dry fruit section.

Harvest Time Bulk food store.

We stopped here for a bite to eat. It was on the way back to Ethridge.

Yoder's homestead market. We had a nice sandwich inside. They have a deli where they make the breads, cakes, and donuts. It was delicious! It is a bulk food store as well, just not like the previous one. i believe the Mennonites run this place even though they were dressed almost like the Amish.

A nice flock of turkey on the side of the road.

This was the best restaurant we ate at! Both of our entrees were delicious! I wished we had one of these restaurants here!

11 comments:

  1. I love riding through the Amish countryside. They have even waved once in awhile. We do stop at an Amish bulk food store but I don't think it is as large as the one you went to. I would love some of their ways but like my electricity and slacks! Lovely little farmhouse you like! Cute little Win with you! Nancy

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    1. Our trip was very fascinating to me! I can hardly wait to go back! Yes, I love some of their ways as well! I'm glad we can use their example as a guide and not have to be exactly like them. Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. Looks like a nice trip. Love the Amish buildings too. The pictures are really nice. I like the one with the empty buggy. Yes, that cow looks like her bag is full - must be a good "milker". Blessings from Wisconsin.

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  3. Hi Jacky! Thanks for stopping by! Glad you enjoyed the photos!

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  4. Hey! It was so much fun talking to you today. I participate in a co-op that orders from a store with 2 locations in TN - Crossville and Lobelville. I bet it's the same store. What fun to see alllll that stuff!

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    1. Hi Leanne! I so enjoyed talking to you, as well! I will definitely have to hook up with your co-op! Yes, it was Lobelville! It was a fun experience!

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  5. My friend Rebekah and I went there a couple of years ago. It was my first time to see an Amish community. Later, some of my family and I went to Lancaster and oh my goodness, if you liked TN you will LOVE PA.

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    1. Hi MaMaHen! I know I would but that is such a long way to go! Thanks for stopping by!

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  6. The Amish are changing A LOT these days. I saw a trampoline behind an Amish house once. The old Amish could only have things that were needed or useful. I'm pretty sure a trampoline isn't necessary. Believe it or not a lot of them are only slightly more self sufficient than we are. They rely a lot of the "outside" worldly goods these days too.

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    1. Yes, they are compared to what I thought, anyway! No I don't believe a trampoline is necessary, but I'm sure those Amish children loved it! I didn't realize how much they depend on the outside world until we visited there! I can live without their "slightly more" self sufficiency, if you know what I mean!

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  7. I tought you lived near me in AL, but I reread.

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