Amish Vacation?

        Morning light faintly glimmered on window shades. A 5:30 a.m. knock on the door woke Pete from a deep sleep. "Time to rise and shine," a voice called from beyond the door.
       "Lisa, they are trying to wake us," Pete said.
       She pulled the sheet up over her head.
           Pete spoke louder, "Lisa, wake up."
           She moaned and sat up on the edge of the bed. "I hope they don't plan on waking us up this early every day."

        (What would it be like to vacation on an Amish farm for a week? Pete and Lisa Heller, and their family find out!)

       Pete and Lisa headed out into the kitchen and were greeted by the wonderful aroma of breakfast food sizzling on the stove.

       Carrie snuck close to her dad and whispered, "My phone is almost out of power."
       "Plug it in," Pete answered with what seemed a simple and obvious solution.
       "They don't seem to have electricity anywhere in this house."
       "Oh, that's a problem." Pete looked at his phone and realized it would be dead soon, also. He asked out loud, "Is there a place we can plug in our phones? They are about ready to die."   
       "We have a phone booth less than a mile away if it turns out you need to make a call," Cephas said.
        Pete tried to think of how he could explain that he used his phone for a lot more than calling people.
        Lisa smiled at her husband and commented, "That will be enough phone calls for our family this week."       
       Carrie pulled her dad aside, whispering angry words into his ear. "They shut off their lanterns at 9:00 last night. I couldn't get to sleep for three hours, but at least I had my phone."

       You have been reading a snippet from Amish Park.
Take this short novel along on your family vacation and read a chapter every day.
    
       Pete and Lisa's teenage daughter, Carrie, is a cell-phone zombie, like most American girls her age. An Amish lantern sheds a strange light on a whole new world, once her phone dies.
       This trip to an Amish theme park is ten-year-old Natalie's idea. She loves horses and thinks that a visit to an Amish farm might save her parents marriage and keep their family together.

Is God still in the miracle business?
Let the wisdom of an aging Amish man encourage you and your family.

(click on the highlighted words) Amish Park, and join the Heller family's Amish vacation.

Starving?

 When I starting writing books about the Amish and horses, my brand became "Amish Horses."

Little did I know that I was diving into a controversy.

My Amish neighbors are experts with horses and take great care of their steeds. Apparently, other people have had the misfortune of witnessing something to the contrary.

It is not wise to lump an entire race or ethnic group into a pot and label them. That is called profiling.

Each person in every people group should have the right to be seen and known for who they are as an individual, not pre-judged.

Beautifully fit workhorses on an Amish farm.

I would love to mediate between those who have never met an Amish person and my Amish neighbors.

First of all, let me acknowledge the truth in some of these accusations. Yes, unfortunately, there are some individuals in every people group that are cruel to animals or other humans. But, let's not accuse all NFL players of using dogs wrongly because we heard about a few who did.

The first thing you should know about the Amish and why their horses look so thin: Amish use a breed of horse that is naturally thin. The best breeds for pulling a buggy are trotters and pacers, horses that have been bred for hundreds of years for use on racetracks. This would be much akin to the dog breed, Grayhound. What if you owned a Grayhound and your neighbors didn't understand that these dogs are born looking hungry.

Some of the kindest people I have ever met are Amish. I have personally known elderly Amish men that love their horses like family members, caring for them tenderly, weeping when they pass away at a ripe old age. I've also known sweet little Amish children that love their ponies as much or more than city kids love their dogs.

I promise that you will find many a fat pony and overweight draft horse on Amish farms all over America. There is a good explanation for this: draft horse and pony breeds are naturally "easy keepers" unlike trotting horses. Workhorses would be more like Bulldogs and ponies like Pugs.

I have traveled all over the U.S.A. visiting Amish communities and I have found that most Amish horses are dearly loved by their owners. I will admit that have witnessed a minority that are less than enthused about their horses, and even a few that are harsh.

If you know of an individual that mistreats an animal, you should be bold enough to speak to them about it. Please, don't hide behind your computer and toss accusations against an entire people group.

Instead, take time to look for the good in people. You will be pleasantly surprised when you personally get acquainted with Amish people.

Seasons of Life

 Well, it's time to give the final rose, as they say on the Bachelor show. If you have been following my blog over the past few weeks, you know about my conundrum.

I was given a choice between two amazing horses; one I've owned for the past nine years, the other a full sister to my favorite horse.

Karla (Karm's sister) gets the rose. I have to say, there was a lot that went into this decision.

 Karma and Karla relaxing in the sun.

The first time I hitched these sisters together, it was amazing! They had been a team until Karm was seven and it seemed clear to me that they are perfect for each other.

Coke is such a social creature and seems way happier at the Amish farm with a crowd of buggy horses around her. I asked my Amish friend if Coke raised a fit when she realized that Karm was gone. He said, "Not at all. But when I hitch the team and take them to the field, Coke and one of the buggy horses call back and forth to each other." She has a new best friend.

Ancient Greek philosophers concluded: Change is the only constant.
Seasons of life come and go. Many of us remember taking a new job which altered a connection with our fellow workers. Maybe that new job took us away from family or dear friends, but we knew it was best for our future. Have you ever needed to wean a baby or a colt? It seems so difficult at the time, but in the end, it is best for everyone involved. Our life is made up of seasons that are passing. Coke, Karm, and I had a season together. We learned from each other and grew to love and respect each other. Our time together was never permanent. That season is over, for now. Karla had a season with her Amish friend and other horses. His season of farming is over, and so is his time with his horse. It is time for my friends and me to embrace a new season, which also will someday pass. Wonderful memories of our times and seasons live on forever in our hearts.

When I brought Karma and Karla home a few days back, it was a difficult moment. Karm trotted through the paddock looking for Coke, much like a mare when her colt is weaned from her side. She stood at the gate, looking off in the direction of my Amish friend's farm and whinnied. I went into the house and shed a few tears myself. At that moment, I thought that I would go and get Coke as soon as possible.

A few days passed and Karma and Karla began to form their new routine together. When they seemed comfortable, I hitched them together in harness and the moment was golden. I took a video on that day, and I will share it with you. The moment seemed to declare that this was meant to be. It was time to usher in a new season. A season with Karma and Karla, sisters and friends.

(All of the photos on this post are Karma and Karla)

Horseman Bachelor/Bachelorette

In reality, it is both wonderful and terrible to choose between a group of beautiful girls.

I get to keep all four of these dolls in my life, they're my daughters. However, over the next few days, I need to make a decision that is about as tough as anyone on the Bachelor show has had to face.

It turns our that I have to choose between four amazing Percheron mares. It may seem like a wonderful opportunity, and it is. But, it's also a terrible dilemma.

Let me give you a quick history in how I fell into such a burning ring-of-fire.

Between my home place and Kalona lay ten miles of rolling Iowa farmlands. Most of the farms are Amish owned. Yes, it is a virtual paradise for a man who loves draft horses as much as I do. So much so, that I wrote three full-length novels about my experiences in this heavenly place. If you have read my first book, you will know what a kind, gentle horseman Grandpa was. My Amish friend that I bought Karm and Coke from is about as close to Grandpa as he could be. Every time I step onto his farm I learn something new about horses.

My Amish friend is at a transition point in his life, he is going to be moving into the "grandpa house" and his son-in-law will be the main farmer. He wanted to borrow my horses back one last time before that happened. While they were at his farm, all four mares got a chance to be reunited. My friend told me that I could take home whichever two horses I want. They are all four amazing. I didn't hesitate to say, "I'll take my own two back home." There was one huge problem, though, one of the horses is a full sister to Karma, the best horse I've ever owned. My Amish friend and I had many conversations about it, and we both agree that Karm and her full sister make a better match in multiple ways than Karm and Coke. You see, Coke is a beautiful horse but she is a handful. Much like a sheepdog that needs a full-time job, Coke needs to be hitched often to keep her out of mischief. She will get that if she stays on the Amish farm.

Since all four horses were happily reunited, and I had the tough job of separating them again, I decided that I might as well give Karla a try. I brought her home on a ten-day trial basis. What I didn't see coming was that I was about to fall into the same ring-of-fire every man on the Bachelor show falls into. I fell in love with multiple girls and I can't have them all.

Over the next few days, I will have to give a rose to one of these two beautiful girls and say goodbye to the other. I am in a most wonderful and terrible predicament. Pray for me and I will let you know what happens in a week, or so.

Horse Reunion

Kallie, Karla, Karma, and Coke

Coke, Karma, Karla, and Kalley

My horses spent the past several months at a "horse reunion."

My Percheron draft horse mares, Karma and Coke, were born and raised on my Amish friend's farm.These four horses are all closely related, and they hadn't been together since I brought two of them to my place about 9 years ago.

When not squeezed together for a picture, these stalls are perfect for big teams.

 The middle two horses in these photos are full sisters. My friend (I won't mention his name for privacy sake) helped me squeeze three big girls into one stall so I could get a photo of them.

My Amish friend is an amazing horseman and one of the nicest men you could ever meet. He likes these horses every bit as much as I do. He kept Karm and Coke over the winter and was really excited to get all four mares together again. He used to drive the full-sisters as a team until I took Karm home with me years ago. He had an idea, he thought maybe we should try putting the two sisters back together and the other two horses actually match well. I decided to give it a try. We haven't traded horses, yet, but we are considering it.

Karm and her full sister Karla

So, after several months of all four horses spending time together on my friend's farm, the reunion is over. I now have Karma and her sister Karla at my place. They are so much alike! I do miss my good friend Coke and I can tell Karm does as well. It's a tough decision to make, and I will keep you updated on what we end up doing.

Thomas Nye, the Amish Horses Guy

What are Amish Horses, you may ask? I'm Thomas Nye, the Amish Horses guy. I write novels about life on an Amish farm. The shortest description of my books is this, Amish Horses. So, it became my brand.

I didn't get into draft horses to help with my writing. In fact, I was born a horse nut and when I moved into an Amish community (36 years ago) I felt an instant connection with my Amish neighbors. We had saddle horses for years before my Old-Order neighbor suggested that I try hitching up our family pony to a cart. He gave us a set of harness and off we went. About a year later, I bought a team of draft horses from another Amish farmer and he taught me more about working with horses in harness.

Mailman (me), daughter Bethany and  my first draft horse. 1995?

After 36 years of close friendships with Amish folks and 25 years of trial-and-error (many errors) with Amish Horses, I write about those experiences.

Hundreds if not thousands of Amish have read my books and all seem to think they are authentic. They do feel my books are a little "edgy." Which, if you read them it may make you laugh, as they would all get a "G" rating as movies. That is just how protective the Amish are of their children. For example, Amish in our community would prefer to not use words like, "Expecting" or "Pregnant." It would not be mentioned to a child (or to anyone in public) that a woman is going to have a baby, even when she is 9 months along. I truly respect my Amish friends and neighbors and try hard to write books they can read and enjoy.

So, now you know a little more about who this Amish Horses guy is.

Amish Horses, is my brand and a short description of my writing style. Here are a few words that may communicate more of what you will find in my books: Christian, family, farm, romance, humor, and horses in an authentic Amish setting.

Check out Thomas Nye on Amazon

Karm and Coke's Big Adventure

 Karm and Coke are about to embark on a big winter adventure. The Amish farmer that raised them asked if I’d be willing to let them come spend the next few months at his place. He still has Karm’s full sister and another mare that is a cousin to both of my horses. My Amish friend is planning to get our horses re-acquainted and hitch them together to do farm work. He has a super nice barn and is better able to winter horses than I am. Not to mention, I deliver mail for a living and winter gets long for my horses when I often don’t get home until after dark.

The downside of all of this: I won’t have my horses here for the next few months. Karm and Coke are the centerpieces of my Amish Horses Blog and Facebook page, so, I won’t have as many new pics of my horses. The upside is that Karm and Coke will be having some big adventures that could turn into fun stories for my books and blog.

When I took Karm and Coke back to their old home, I thought they seemed super comfortable as though they remembered the barn. I stopped in to visit them once already. I whistled and they came right up, expecting me to feed them or let them out to pasture. It feels super lonely at our place without them and I’m already looking forward to the day they come back home.

My little grandson (Isaac, who is 2 and adores Karm and Coke) came to our house a few days ago and asked, “Can we go out and see the horses?”

I told him, “Karm and Coke aren’t here, they’re at my Amish friend’s farm.”

“I know,” Isaac said. He is struggling to understand the whole thing. I told him that I would take him to the Amish farm with me sometime to see the horses. Isaac looked at me with his big brown eyes and said, “Okay.”

A Different Kind of Tale

The Amish Horses Series: A Different Kind of Tale

Under the Heavens is a coming of age story about a teenage city boy who spends time with his Amish relatives. Sort of a, Tom Sawyer meets Anne of Greene Gables. Only, instead of taking place in the old days, the setting is in this century on an Amish farm.

Drawings like this are at the heading of every chapter

 Take an adventure with Lenny Gingerich. He visits his grandpa's Amish farm for a summer and discovers a fascinating, old-fashion world exists just around the corner from our modern cities. One day he is playing video games and watching TV in a basement, the next day he is watching huge draft horses pull a tractor out of the mud. Farm dogs, horses, cows, hogs and even roosters have personalities that make a farm full of life and excitement. Add a dose of romance, as Lenny meets a sweet neighbor girl, and we have the ingredients needed to stir up an interesting platter. The table is set. Come on into the Amish farm house and pull up a seat.

Lenny will take you along as he visits Amish Church, Singing, volleyball games, and everyday happenings of life on an Amish farm.

The Amish Horses Series is a different kind of tale.

Climb up onto the buggy seat beside Lenny as he takes the ride of his life!

The Perfect Amish Horse

Have you ever heard of Justin Morgan? If not, you need to read the book Justin Morgan had a Horse. After having been given a small colt as payment from a debtor, Justin noticed his colt was something special. It never got very tall, but could outrun, out-pull, and out-trot any other horse.

A true story that took place in Vermont back in the early days of America. This little colt became the father of a breed of horses, we know them as Morgans.

During the 1800s a certain wealthy man took it upon himself to establish the Morgan breed. He built a beautiful barn (that you see pictured here) on his Vermont estate and set out to find and maintain all breeding records connected to Morgan horses. Later, he deeded the farm to the State of Vermont.

My wife and I recently toured the farm in Vermont. (If you ever get up in that part of the country add this to your list of things to do!) We thoroughly enjoyed our tour

 Above: One of the UVM college girls attends to the horses under her care. Below: Every year UVM raffles off a foal. I purchased a few tickets and if I win this little gem named "Yankee" I will bring him home to my mares Karma and Coke. We can start our own new bloodlines, and maybe a whole new breed of horses!

This little colt is "Yankee" 

You may wonder what this has to do with Amish horses. It so happens that many Amish use Morgan horses as buggy horses. Several Amish farmers in my home community have Morgan stallions that are often crossed with Percheron mares. The resulting "cross" is a very durable, all-purpose horse, which can be used to pull a buggy or plow a field. One of our neighbors has a whole line of black horses. Huge black Percherons, middle-sized crossbreds (that can be used in the fields with his Percherons or on a buggy,) and smaller Morgans that can be ridden or hitched to a cart.

Morgans are the perfect Amish Horse

I posted a few more pics for your enjoyment, as well as the link (at the very bottom of this post) for this Morgan Farm which is part of the University of Vermont, but located near Middlebury. You can click on the link and find out more accurate details about this farm and the Morgan Horse Breed.

One of the college girls let me take a closer look at a mare

My wife takes in the view of a few Morgan mares and foals

More of the farm's mares and foals in a nearby field

This is not the original mansion, but the hired men's quarters. Imagine what the mansion was like!

Our tour guide

 Here is the link   http://www.uvm.edu/morgan/

Sunday Drive / Amish Farmlands

         I remember, when I was a boy in the early 1960s, Sunday afternoons were so quiet and peaceful. Almost everyone in our little town of Midland, Michigan were church going people.

         Nowadays, we have shaken ourselves free of "rules" about not working on Sundays, but I feel the pendulum swung a little too far.

         Our Amish neighbors teach us something about what we used to have... and were SO happy to leave behind. Life was "going to be" so much better when we didn't have to hang laundry out on a clothesline day after day. When we got bigger tractors, faster vehicles, electric kitchen devices, (ie: can openers, toasters, coffee makers, and finally microwave ovens) and a whole plethora of modern conveniences.

          Okay, I'll admit we have a cushy lifestyle in 2016. However, have we taken the freedom to do a load of laundry (in our set of electric machines) and let it become a burden of seven equally non-restful days.
          I've never stopped in at any of my Amish neighbors and found them too busy to talk. In fact, I'm the one that has only a few minutes. I even hesitate to stop my Amish friends homes for fear that I won't be able to "get away" soon enough. Whole families gather around and listen to what their dad and an older neighbor man are talking about.

          TV, movies, video games, music devices, cell-phones, computers, and what all else has crept in and crowded out our lives from simple pleasure and natural beauty. I wonder how many "English" homes I could stop in and have the entire family gather around to listen to me and their dad talk... all with smiles on their faces. Good luck getting the earbuds out of their ears.

         My wife and I stopped in the "Mall" last Sunday. Almost every person seemed glued to their hand-held communication device. Storefronts advertise with huge photos of scantily dressed women. The place was filled with the hustle/bustle of buying and selling.

         Then, we took an evening drive though Amish country and reveled in the tranquility. I stopped at a stop sign behind these middle-school-aged Amish children. I know they didn't hear my truck. He was feeding his sister a piece of apple or something while she drove the horse. They turned around in surprise when they realized someone was behind them.

I invite you to take a drive though Amish farmlands on a Sunday afternoon,

and see for yourself what we left behind.

My novels are all about these contrasts, and lessons learned by observing Amish neighbors.