Shiloh Farm

     My sister has a wonderful antique shop near Kalamazoo Michigan.  It so happens her shop is in a carriage house.  I really enjoyed looking in the horse stalls, posts still protruding from the walls for hanging harness and horse collars.
     Her main shop is in there area where the buggies and wagons used to be stored. When I walk in here I can imagine what it was like "back in the day."
     My sister, Twila also sells artwork, craft items and unique random artifacts her brother (me) Tom purchases at the semi-annual Draft Horse Sale at the Kalona Sale Barn.

     My sister's home and shop both are like a museum, taking you way back to the old days.  If you are ever in the Kalamazoo area you don't want to miss a chance to stop in.

     My sister had a very interesting visitor while I was there, a young woman who recently joined the Amish.  It is very rare for anyone not raised Amish to be able to make that transition.  This young woman was taken in by an Amish family and she seems to be adjusting very well.

     As soon as my book Under the Heavens comes out, my sister Twila plans to have copies for sale in her shop at Shiloh Farm.

     This house was built during the Civil War.  Twila has done an amazing job keeping everything original, yet comfortably updated!  I had a great visit at your place Sis, your a great hostess!

 Here is a link to my sisters Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/ShilohFarmVintageARTiques

Our Old Homeplace

     There used to be a huge barn about were my horses are standing. When I first met my wife the barn was still there but it came down in the 80's

     This smaller barn is actually a corn crib my wife's grandpa built. It makes a great horse barn.


     My wife's grandparents moved onto this farm when they got married in 1918. Her grandmother was the 4th daughter in a family of 5. My mother-in-law was born in this very house in 1928, she was the 4th daughter in a family of 5. My wife grew up in this home and, you guessed it, she was the 4th daughter in a family of 5. It so happens we have 5 children and we like to tell our 4th daughter she is destined to take over when we move off the place, but she better have 5 children!                                    

     Our old windmill isn't in use anymore but if the wind catches it just right, it starts spinning again. I hired an elderly Amish man to climb up to the top and wire it so it couldn't spin. I was surprised when he got up there and I could see that the face of this windmill was taller than a man. After all the effort my Amish neighbor put into fixing my windmill, the very next wind storm it broke loose and went right back to work, spinning.  

My Neighbor's Barn

            I saw my neighbor pushing his bike down the road about ten miles from our place.  He had a flat tire, so we threw his bicycle in the bed of my faithful little S-10 pickup and hauled it home.  When I pulled in his drive and saw his barn up close, all I could say was, "Wow, can I take some pictures?"
          I am a big fan of old barns!  I love to look inside and imagine what life was like back in the old days.
          That is what I like about having Amish around... the old days are still alive and well on their farms!

           A lot of time was put into building these old structures.  Look at that foundation!  Most old barns in Iowa were built with native oak lumber; such hard wood you can't drive a nail in the beams.
(At least I can't)
           If you click on these pictures you will get a closer view.

           I love barns with a ramp access to the mow. Just imagine how many loads of hay were pulled up that ramp by teams of horses over the years.

           Back in the good old days this barn would have been hopping with activity around chore time. People and livestock probably hurried inside during cold winter snowstorms, or walked out of its doors at the perfect time of evening to see a beautiful sunset.  I bet this old barn could tell some great stories and a few romantic tales too.

    Check out my Facebook page,    https://www.facebook.com/AmishHorses   Look at my photo album named "Barns."

Fun on the Farm

 My Grandchildren love Karm and Coke!  Whenever they come out to the farm they always ask, "Can we feed the horses?"  Of course there is nothing that makes this old Grandpa happier than his grandchildren wanting to see the horses.  They aren't afraid of Karm and Coke which is great, but I want them to have a healthy respect of how big these horses are.  Both are gentle, friendly horses, but their shear size makes them dangerous if a person isn't cautious.  For example, don't let them accidentally step on your foot!  My oldest grandson Alex and I took a ride in the wagon last Sunday evening.
           Lyla was born a horse girl, she is pictured below riding our out-door rocking pony, blowing on dandelion seeds and taking a ride on Coke.

           Karm and Coke out in the pasture, you can see my manure spreader in the background.

Amish Acres in Nappanee,Indiana

Amish Acres Round Barn

          After I left Shipshewanna I drove toward Goshen because I knew there would be Amish and Mennonites all the way down to Nappanee.  I got a chance to see some beautiful farms and horses along the way but didn't know I was in for a nice surprise.  

          When I arrived in Nappanee I discovered a place called Amish Acres and they just happened to be having an Arts and Crafts Festival.  I snapped a few pics of the old home place with my trusty cell phone, so I could share them with you.  Down below I will show a few pics of the festival.  As peaceful as this acreage looks, there is a huge crowd on the other side of the barn!

          It is so relaxing to sit on a porch in the evening after a long day of hard work.  The sights and smells of a farm leave a lasting impression on a young child's memory.

           When I was a boy my Grandpa and Grandma didn't have indoor plumbing, it was all part of a fun adventure for me.











           A farm with a variety of livestock and poultry feels so full of life and character. Now days most farms are specialized, raising only one type of livestock, and those hidden away in long enclosed buildings.  I miss driving through the countryside and seeing hogs rooting in a field or chickens scratching and pecking in a yard.

          Horses have so much more personality than a car or a tractor, they can make life more complicated but always more interesting.
          That's what I like about Amish farms... they take you back to the good old days!

          The Arts and Crafts Festival was huge!  I couldn't believe how many booths were there and what a large variety of goods available.

          Food wasn't in short supply either!  I highly recommend bringing the family out to Amish Acres for a day trip.  Even more fun if you happen to get there during the Craft show.

Check out this link for more pictures    https://www.facebook.com/AmishHorses

Lost Canyon (horse-drawn attraction in Wisconsin Dells)

This is an AWESOME experience!

Anyone who loves horses will really enjoy Lost Canyon in Wisconsin Dells area

 There are so many attractions in the Wisconsin Dells area but this one is a MUST DO family friendly experience. At just over $10 a person it has to be one of the cheapest too. The canyon that the horses pull your wagon through is beautiful and so are the horses. My visit to Lost Canyon last week was at least my 3rd time and I enjoyed it as much as I did the first time I was there. The guides are always funny and friendly, Kevin who you see pictured in these photos was a great young man and his love for his team of dapple-gray Percheron draft horses was obvious!

There are usually several teams of horses waiting to give rides through a cool wooded canyon. It doesn't seem to matter how hot it is everywhere else, this canyon stays nice and cool.  The horses trod through shallow pools alongside a creek on a nice sandy path, and almost seem to be having fun too!

It's fun to meet up with the other teams of horses and wagon loads of tourists. Everyone seems to have a smile on their faces and the guides usually stop for a moment to tease each other.  Be sure to ask lots of questions while on the ride.  I always do; and I learn a lot about the place, horses and even the guides.

There are many places along the trail where you wonder if the horses can even fit through the narrow canyon walls, they do!  This narrow confined area actually makes for a very safe horse drawn wagon ride. I have given wagon rides commercially in the past and I know that there is a risk when you take a large group of people for a ride with horses. Most horse drawn rides are either in town or out in wide open spaces where plenty can go wrong.  I am jealous of this spot because distractions are very limited as well as places for scared horses to go! I could see that whoever set things up here, took many precautions to keep everything safe.

   


 It is really fun to watch the other teams pulling through the canyon as you meet them along the way! I love watching horses in harness, so this place is easily one of my favorite tourist attraction of all time!

Down below is my favorite picture of Kevin with his horses!  He is a really nice young man and got excited when I told him he (and his horses) would be making an appearance on my blog.  He seemed happy to promote Lost Canyon even though he was working his last week, after being there for several years!  We wish you all the best where ever you end up Kevin!  By the way, I think you have draft horses in your blood. Once you have that bug, it doesn't seem to ever leave you.