Chore Time!

       Anyone who ever spent time on a farm knows those words, chore time!
       My wife's dad is an older Mennonite man in his eighties and loves to tell stories of the old days.
       One Sunday, over a delicious home cooked meal he told me, "If you ever want to see something amazing, go to an Amish farm at chore time!"

He said that he had taken his push-mower to a local Amish farmer, who also has a small-engine repair shop. When he got there a young boy told him that "Dad" was gone but due to return soon. My dad-in-law decided to wait in his truck.
       He told me,"I was upset that I had to wait, until I realized I wasn't going to be bored! There were children everywhere doing a whole variety of chores. Everywhere, all around me! Some were feeding chicken, others feeding hogs. I saw a little girl, not much more than 5 lead a tall buggy-horse up near my pickup truck. I was amazed that she wasn't afraid to handle that big horse. She tied it to a hitching rack near my truck and left. Pretty soon she comes back with a screwdriver and proceeded to lift up each of that horses feet, cleaning them out with her makeshift hoof-pick." He laughed and repeated himself as he usually does. "That little girl picked up each of that big horse's feet and cleaned them out! I was almost disappointed when their dad came home and we loaded up my lawnmower."

       There are dozens of small businesses on Amish farms in the Kalona area!  I highly recommend taking a trip to any Amish community and doing business with the Amish.  I can almost guarantee you will come away with a great story of your own!  Just look for a sign along the road advertising rhubarb, brown eggs, rabbits, puppies, or a million other similar items for sale.

Buggy Etiquette

       You may be thinking this blog post is about how to behave while riding in a buggy.  When I was a nineteen-year-old, single man I took my very first buggy ride.  I had become friends with an Amish family and asked one of their daughters some questions about what Singings were like.  She invited me to come along with her to a Singing the next Sunday.  She suggested I come early enough for Church and stay until evening and go to the Singing.

       When we climbed into the buggy and started down a gravel road, their horse lifted its tail and began to drop, what we in the Kalona area call "buggy exhaust" on the road.  Let me just say I wasn't used to that view!  I let out a chuckle and those teenage girls looked at me to see what was so funny.  Immediately I knew that this was part of everyday life for them and I felt like a city slicker!
       Now, years later, when I give wagon rides to friends, I am surprised that they laugh when my horses lift their tails to take care of business.  I guess it is all what you are used to!

       I actually want to address the issue of how to act around buggies.

 1) When you are in an area with horse and buggy people, please remember that they are only going a fraction of the speed of a car.

2) Remember that horses have a mind of their own and no two horses' minds are exactly alike!  A horse can act up at anytime about something as simple as a plastic bag blowing out of a ditch.  Pass carefully!

3) Understand that Amish are not trying to attract attention.  They are just living their everyday life in the way they have grown up living it.  I'm like you, very curious about it, but at the very least give them some respect and don't treat them like a circus attraction.

4) Don't ask, "Can I take your picture?"  Amish have strict rules about having pictures of people.  Every Amish group has their own rules and some Amish people have different standards.  Some may not mind you taking their picture but that is rare.  That is why I only take pictures with no faces showing.

(Those pictures in my blog of our cover photo shoot have non-Amish actors in them.  That is why those pictures were taken with faces showing.)

The Heavens Declare It

God is the artist I just have a cell phone to capture this. :)

       These are Amish cows (cows owned by an Amish farmer)

        My wife and I went out for an evening drive the other day and saw this unbelievable Iowan sunset.  I would like to recommend coming to the Kalona Iowa area and taking a scenic drive down gravel roads.  There are some great places to stop and shop too!  We have a country store, owned and run by Amish, as well as a dry good store, Stringtown.  The best donuts I've ever eaten, from Golden Delight bakery, also Amish owned.  We have Amish run greenhouses and lumberyards.  Stop in at one of our three harness shops and look around, maybe even have them make you a new leather belt.

      The Kalona area also has some great restaurants and fantastic gift shops.  I don't think anyone should come to the area without stopping at Sisters Garden and The Rug Cottage, both on Highway 1, south of Iowa City.  Petals is a really delightful little florist shop just west of Kalona in Amish country and also has home crafted art and gifts.

       Nobody comes to Kalona without stopping by the Cheese House for some squeaky cheese curds!  I am not paid by anyone to promote these places, I just love them and want to share the experience with my blog friends!

BREAKING AMISH (or not)

 
       In our community it's called "jumping the fence!"  I am not looking to stir up controversy here but hopefully to dispel it.  I would love to play advocate for Amish and ex-Amish. There is almost no way a non-Amish person can comprehend what it would be like to leave the Amish.

       Living Amish is a lifestyle that is absolutely all encompassing, every aspect of life is affected.  If a person leaves they have to give up the good parts well as undesirable things.  Having grown up with close friends and tightly-knit extended family groups, it is very difficult to walk away, especially when you would afterword become an outcast.  There are many pleasant things about a slower paced agricultural lively hood, such as great food and a secure future.  A close comparison would be our ancestors that came over from the old country leaving family, friends and home, knowing they may never get the opportunity to return. This transition is even more extreme. It would be more like our ancestors leaving Europe in the late 1800's and coming to modern day USA.

       I really like watching Breaking Amish but at the same time it makes me sad!  I see these young people  going through an unbelievably difficult transition, with all of us watching.  I'm happy no one watched me that close during my teenage years!  Imagine growing up in a society that defines every boundary and then all at once you are having to figure out how to set your own limits.

       Most of all, on the topic of Breaking Amish, I want to say that I am friends with dozens of people who have left the Amish.  Almost every last one of them is a kind, hard working, well adjusted member of our community.  On behalf of all of these people I want to say to everyone, don't think that Breaking Amish is a comprehensive view what it means to "jump the fence."  There are many who have left the Amish in a very slow transition into a less strict Mennonite group without all the fanfare.

       As with any reality show, these are extremes. There are things that are cut for just the purpose the directors are looking for and most of the circumstances are designed to push the people being filmed to their limits. The show may or may not portray the kids correctly but I just want you to stop and realize that there are extremes, as with any controversial topic. I am hoping to give you a glimpse into what I have seen in my own experience with the ex-Amish, and to speak on the behalf of the good situations that I have seen.

Under the Heavens {Character foreshadow in Photos}

Thirsting of what's to come? Looking for a way to take a peek into Lenny's world? Although the book is entirely fictional it was built upon actual interaction with Amish over the years and a love for horses that has been over a lifetime.

We acquired Amish clothing, found a few willing "models", booked a session for an evening, and hitched up Tom's team! As a photographer and the daughter of the author I found myself praying an extra prayer on the way out for just the perfect skies as a backdrop for this session. The good Lord did not disappoint!

  

Does this get you all ready for a good read? It should! As one of the lucky "editor's" of the first draft copy of this book I was more than inspired to capture what my imagination was vividly able to piece together from this beautifully written story of a young man and his experience on an Amish farm one summer.

Keep coming back to this blog for short stories, personal experiences with the Amish, a glimpse into my Dad's team and much more. This blog is designed for you to get to know my dad as more than an author of a stunning book series, get to meet him as a good friend!

-Robyn

All images are ©Ruby Ellen Photography 2013 please do not copy, download or distribute without permission. Thank you.

The Road Less Traveled

Belgian horses on an Amish farm

       Everyday, when driving to work and back home, I have to choose which road I will take. There is a faster, more heavily traveled highway, or I can take a back road that is lined with Amish farms. As you might have guessed, I take the road less traveled.

       Amish buggies take that road too and I often have to wait for a horse to slowly make its way over the crest of a hill before I can pass. Yesterday, it was pouring rain and I followed an Amish teenager riding a horse. A few days back I saw a boy riding a pony, galloping along the shoulder of the road carrying a bouquet of lilacs. I wondered where he was heading at 7:30 in the morning with his flowers.
       I'm glad not everyone takes the road less traveled! (That could be a yogi-ism) It is so peaceful to be one of the few driving a gas powered vehicle. I may have to leave home a few minutes earlier, or get to work a few minutes late, usually the later of the two but I think it's worth it. When all is said and done, these little things make life so much more meaningful!

       A few days back I snapped this picture (above) with my cell-phone, so you could enjoy the moment with me! This line of Belgian draft horses was heading up toward their barn. The Amish family that owns this beautiful herd of horses obviously takes great care of them. I often see these horses in harness, doing a variety of field work. I will try to get you some pictures like that, if I can do it without offending my Amish friends.

Under the Heavens {Testimonial by Twila}

"Under the Heavens" by my brother, Tom Nye, is an amazing book! I was so happy to get my hands on one of the rough drafts, and cannot wait until it's published so that I can sell it in my shop. I loved reading about Lenny and his adventures. Tom did a fabulous job capturing life on an Amish farm...especially focusing on the relationships with family, and had me in tears by the end of the story! I couldn't be more proud that my brother is the author, and can't wait to read the sequel!" -Twila

*photo courtesy of Twila, taken of Tom and his great-nephew, while she was visiting the "home place" with her daughter and grandchildren.