As we look toward a long season of harvesting I find myself excited about what we’ll be making. I wonder if we’ll have good crops and if I’ll be successful at storing food to eat throughout the winter months. The Real Food Challenge proved just how difficult it can be to commit to eating non-processed foods in late winter, especially if one is relying on regional or seasonal foods.
Today I had the opportunity to visit the Amish and Mennonite society not far from my home. They have a rather large community and a fabulous relationship with the rest of the outlying region. My daughter and I drove by all the farms, amazed at all of the produce and canned items they have to sell. Most households offered squash, cabbage, and broccoli, but a few already had some tomatoes to spare. Fresh eggs, fresh milk, homemade butter, roosters and pullets, sorghum and honey – so much to be had.
I found myself wondering how they get through the winter months without canned vegetable Blahs (they keep greenhouses and cellars and plan ahead!). I have nothing but admiration for their culture and I respect their relationship with the earth. I love that they have such a healthy relationship with food. They obviously adore food (which is apparent by the way they treat what they grow) but not one of them is overweight.
That’s seasonal eating for you. That’s a very, very limited access to processed foods. That’s working with the earth.
The Kid and I had the chance to go to the Amish auction. It was thrilling to see green peppers, tomatoes, and even blackberries. I purchased a half peck each of pickles and huge candy onions as well as a large bunch of carrots for only $11. I now have 2 gallons worth of refrigerator pickles working their magic, and we’ve already broken into the onions – onions so sweet you can eat them like an apple. And those carrots! Wow.
I know we’ll visit over and over again during the summer. Our diets will be supplemented by Amish wares. And if my garden doesn’t produce like I hope, well those Amish wares will be what we’ll eat during those late winter months. If you ever have the opportunity to visit this kind of culture, do so! I highly recommend visiting the homes or auction sites to purchase merchandise rather than going to a store that carries “Amish-made” items. Going directly to the site will not only cost you less, but it ensures that the families are getting 100% of the profit.
Do you have an Amish and/or Mennonite society nearby that offers merchandise to the public?
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Jennifer can also be found over at Unearthing this Life where she blargs about living in rural Tennessee, raising a precocious yet sweet daughter, and growing her own food.
Not Dabbling In Normal 
I have lived for many years near the Amish community and count many as friendly acquaintances. They are a great craftspersons and a good example of living off the land and most are wonderful folks. We have several Amish stores in the area and one knows to stock Beekeeper’s favorite peanut cluster candies (he sneaks them past me).
One word of caution if you are concerned about herbicide and pesticide use, however. Not all Amish are organic-type growers. Many have no problem with using pesticides on their vegetable and fruits, so ask before you buy if that is a concern for you.
Unfortunately for me, when I think Amish, I think puppymills. A case of one bad apple making me think the whole barrel is spoiled I guess.
We too have lots of Amish around here. They sell all kinds of stuff, produces, honey, furniture, baskets, etc. I don’t buy a ton from them because they’re not organic, at least very few around here are. I see them often with spray tanks behind their horses, which can’t be good for the horses.
A few of our regular Farmers Market suppliers purchase their wares from the Amish at auctions. I figure at this point it’s choosing the lesser of the evils if I purchase directly from the source rather than from someone who’ll mark it up just to profit. I try to be particular about what I do buy from anyone who may not be honest about their level of organic care – just as if I were purchasing from a store.
I really do struggle with the balance of organics versus local. We all need to be educated about the foods we prepare in order to make the best choice possible. I have a hard time purchasing organic goods from, say, California if it’s available from someone I can develop a relationship with. Perhaps that relationship can make a difference in the future (yes, I’m a romantic), but more importantly for me, that item has not been shipped thousands of miles to my home losing much of the nutrients or using up a bunch of fuel in transit. We try to do without in most cases, or try to understand what items are deemed “okay”, to eat without organic practices (thick skinned foods, for example).
You all have fabulous points. We can’t make assumptions based on appearances, something the world of advertising takes advantage of. Hopefully we can continue to educate each other about our experiences and what we’ve learned along the pathway to knowledge.
I grew up about an hour from an Amish community and spent many wonderful days with my mom “getting lost” down country roads and anticipating what we would see around the next bend. We learned which farms were our favorites to buy baskets, quilts and baked goods. We knew what corners were frequented by those selling their wares from the backs of the buggies. My mom even became friends with a woman who did quilting for her. I still like to go back and visit that community when I can and I read The Amish Cook article every week to visit virtually. I envy your close proximity to a wonderful community and wish I still lived so close.
Wish we had access to this fresh food resource!
Hello! I just started following your blog, we JUST started blogging and I was so happy to stumple upon your space.
It sounds like a most lovely day you had! We are super excited to be pickling for the first time this Summer! My kids are reveling in the ‘ownership’ of making their own pickles, beaming with pride are they!!!!!
The closest Amish community for us is 5 – 6 hours away. I am hoping to make a weekend trip and take the kids to experience this simple way of life.
We look forward to reading more!!!
I wish we had an Amish community around here. We do have a few Mennonite communities within a couple hours drive.
I am so drawn to their way of life. The simplicity, hard work, and sweet, barefoot kids!