Amish Greenhouse

Maple Avenue Greenhouse is owned and operated by an Amish family. Open to the public, just north of Kalona, Iowa. Every spring my wife and I go pick up plants for the garden here. Things like tomato plants, pepper plants, annual or perennial flowers, rhubarb, or even garden tea; whatever you want to grow in your garden or flowerbeds.

There really is nothing quite like the smell of a greenhouse! My wife is more of a gardener than I am but I always enjoy going along to Maple Ave. and walk around looking at all the growing things and taking in the awesome aroma. Not to mention, there are usually little Amish children playing in the house-yard nearby, which ads to the ambiance.

The place looks empty here but there are usually Amish girls working to keep everything tidy.

 Make sure to see their private Covered Bridge! Ask them about it at the greenhouse. It is over a creek leading to their tree nursery. Go look at baby trees, even if you don't want any... just to take the drive over the covered bridge! I talked to the Amishman that owns this place last summer, I think he said that it was an existing building that he converted into a covered bridge, but I'm not sure I remember that right. Ask him about it, he would be glad to tell you. I told him that people will get a big kick out of his bridge and he got a huge grin and asked, "Really?" Be sure to compliment him on it, he is hoping you will like it! You can also see the covered bridge in the photo below, and the tree nursery.

 If you're in Kalona, find the "Casey's General Store" and go straight north from there, past Kalona Mennonite Church. You will also pass by the Kalona Harness Shop (another great place to stop.) It's on a gravel road but only about 1/2 mile off pavement.  If you are up for more adventure, keep going north from here about another mile, you will come to a T intersection. Turn right and head another 1/2 mile and you will find the Golden Delight Amish Bakery and the best doughnuts in the world! Golden Delight also has a nice gift shop.

I took this photo right next to the greenhouse (it's their pony)

150 Year Old Apple Tree

Apple season is one of my favorite times!  A few days ago, our good "family friends" stopped by with a jug of their home-pressed apple cider. The Miller's have a family gathering each fall, working hard and having fun at the same time, making cider.  I stopped in once while they were pressing the apples and was amazed at the process... and the results!


Our Amish neighbors a couple of miles up the road sell apples, garden produce, eggs and a whole bunch of other things.  My wife and I stopped in a while back to buy some garden produce.  We spent about a half an hour there because the elderly matron of the farm was, in my wife's words, an excellent sales person. My wife's mother bought produce from this lady for years and now my wife stops in and gets even more than she went to buy.  It's all worth every penny!

I stood outside while the ladies were haggling prices and watched a group of little Amish children playing near the barn.  I wanted to take pictures, but thought maybe I shouldn't.


Before we left, I asked the kind, older lady, "Do you still have that old apple tree that leans on boards to keep it off the ground?"  She was obviously pleased that I asked about her special tree and encouraged me to walk around her produce shop and go see it.  I didn't know she was following me so, I snapped this picture.

"The last time I visited this farm, this tree was propped up on boards," I said.  She grinned and didn't say anything right away.  I've found that if you stand quietly for a few moments, a person is often rewarded for having patience.  She began to tell me more about her tree.  "We think this tree is about 150 years old." And then she proceeded to tell me that her husband put props under the tree in the 1970's and then her son re-propped it in the 1990's and just a few years ago they abandoned the props and let the old tree lay on its side.  She smiled and looked at her tree affectionately, saying, "We still get apples from this tree every year."  You can see apples in its boughs in this picture.

I couldn't help but feel that I was witnessing something extraordinary!  There has to be some type of moral lesson or fable connected with this tree. (Don't be surprised if it makes an appearance in one of the Amish Horses Series books)  In the meantime, you all need to see this picture, it is too wonderful to keep to myself. 

My picture isn't very clear but because the Amish woman was standing there I didn't want to take any more shots.

I included this picture because it was taken in front of the farm with the 150 year old apple tree.

Amishland Bike Tour

 Last summer I was driving through an Amish area of Indiana, near Michigan.  Locals call this area between the states Michiana.  I just happened to be there during a yearly bike ride named, Amishland.  I wanted to drive slowly through Amish farmlands, so I followed the path for bike riders.  I was happy to go very slowly!

I would rather have been on a bike but didn't know about this yearly event until that day.  My biggest surprise, was how many Amish/Mennonite bike riders were on the road along with the tourists. These girls in the picture above seemed to be having a lot of fun and gave a friendly waive right after I took this shot.

 There are so many beautiful scenes along the way!  This is a "must do" bike ride for anyone who enjoys lovely views, Amish gardens, horses and good food.  The Amishland event is near Shipshewanna, a fantastic place to visit if you have an interest in Amish at all.  I highly recommend the Blue Gate Restaurant while your in town.  The waitresses are dressed Amish (some are Amish) and the food is fantastic!  I'm a really huge pie fan, as you know already if you read my novel, Under the Heavens. The pie I had at Blue Gate was fantastic.

One of my most memorable pieces of pie was in an Amish home.  My wife and I stopped in at the home of our close Amish friends (can't call ahead) we were dropping something off and only planned to stay for a moment.  There was this apple pie sitting on the table that caught my attention; piled twice as thick with apples than any pie I had ever seen.  They must have seen my expression, because they asked us to sit down and have some.  I answered, "We don't need to eat up your pie."  Our friend's elderly mother, who lived in the grandpa house and had made the pie, answered, "Well, I made it to eat."

I honestly was thinking that the apples would not be cooked all the way through, because of how thick it was. I was wrong. It was cooked perfectly and logged in my memory as one of the best pieces of pie I ever had!

 These pictures were all taken during the Amishland bike ride.  This ought to give you some idea of what a good time your in for, if you take the tour.  I have no connection with the organizers of this event but I shared a link to their homepage at the bottom of this blog. The event is scheduled for August 1-3, 2014.

Here is the Amishland bike ride link:

http://www.amishlandlakes.com/ride2014.html

Green Beans Are Ready!

Today was another trip out to the "Home Place" for me (Robyn) and my boys as well as their cousins. My boys LOVE spending time with Grandma Shari in the garden and today was no exception. They were all so cute to give a hand in picking. We later enjoy ours steamed in the microwave and topped with butter and salt. Oh so yummy!
Take a peek at the green bean picking.

 

 

 Time in the garden is always rewarding!