As I drove home from Kalona the other day, I saw this young Amish girl pulling a wagon. She was not far from a dry-goods store and was probably sent on an errand to pick up a few things for mom.
New buzzwords are always popping up. Nowadays, it's "Becoming a Minimalist" a few years ago it was "Going Green." We talk about having a "Carbon Footprint" and admire those that have "Tiny Carbon Footprints." None of these things are new to our Amish friends.
Raising most of what you eat in a garden near the house, hanging handmade clothes on the line, driving a completely organic powered vehicle, and not ever turning on an electric light. Now that is being a minimalist! The picture below shows two teams of horses hauling manure in a wide open field. Those horses raise their own fuel and produce no emissions that need to be controlled by the government. That is what organic farming should look like.
These children in the picture below don't have to plug in their toys.
We should do everything we can to encourage and empower our Amish neighbors and friends to continue living their very "green" lifestyle. I suggest purchasing Amish made products and visiting Amish communities to buy produce. While you are there, look around and learn something about how your own grandpa and grandma lived life as a child.
My mother grew up on a farm close to Kalona. I grew up in Mi. Visiting my grandparents and now various other relatives always takes me back to a completely different world. I love to follow your blog.
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