Early Spring Amish Style

Spring in Amish country is a picture of hope and new life.

Winter is a time for endurance. Livestock hide inside the barn waiting for the snow to melt and uncover fresh green pastures.

At the first hint of warmer weather, Amish families prune their fruit trees and plant seedlings inside or under a glass-protected sprouting box. The young women pictured above are working together to cut excess limbs from their apple trees. This process keeps the trees from growing too tall. Shorter trees are easier to gather all the apples out of and pruning actually increases fruit production. Many apple trees in town are left unpruned and even the small amount of fruit they produce is left to rot on the limbs. 

Not much is ever waisted on an Amish farm.

If you look closely at the photo above, you will see chickens coming out of the coup in the center. Many large egg producers keep their hens inside. On an Amish farm, they are free to roam the yard and peck insects and spilled grain from under the storage bins and around feed bunks used by larger animals. In this way, even spilled or undigested grain is given an opportunity to be useful, and not wasted. Every evening the chicken are shut inside to keep them safe from foxes and opossums.

Amish people walk a lot. It is a big job to hitch up a horse, unlike turning a key in a car inside a heated garage. If the destination is not more than a mile, walking is an easier choice, and good for a person. As you can see, these young women have a distance to the nearest possible destination. 

They gave a friendly wave as I passed.

No point in offering a ride, they wouldn't take one unless they know you well.

Spring brings rainy days. Many Amish in our area cover open carts with clear plastic. This holds in a little heat and keeps the snow and rain off your lap. A light two-wheeled cart, such as this one by the stop sign, is much easier for a horse to pull. This means your horse can travel faster than in a covered top-buggy.

As the grass grows greener, cattle, horses, and sheep give birth to new life. Good farmers use animal husbandry practices to encourage calves, foals, and lambs to begin their life after snow melts and pastures green-up.

Horses, sheep, and cattle ofter share a pasture. Sunny days warm the soil and "green up" the grass. Trees begin to bud. Cloudy days water the earth and lightning adds nitrogen to the soil.

Creation is designed to reproduce life.

Notice the church wagon in the photo above. The wagon is drawn by horses from farm to farm bringing church benches, songbooks, and tableware for a Sunday gathering, or weddings and funerals. 

Each spring brings new life.

 

Cold Cold Cold

Unbelievable cold gripped the U.S.A.

Nobody felt it more than livestock and Amish farm families.

Life must go on.

Jobs are to be done. Cattle and horses need to be fed. School continues. 

Laundry washed and dried.

Even fun and games and building snowmen are part of winter life.

Some people love the cold... especially snowmen!

Windmills use sub-zero breezes the same as any other.

Errands must be run. The only heat in a buggy is body heat or a heated brick underfoot, or a potato in the pocket. 

 Spring will come. Hopefully, soon!

Late Fall

It's time to pick the last few rows of corn, clear off the garden and brace ourselves for an icy blast.

Early fall is bright and cheery with colorful leaves and pumpkins. Late fall has another type of beauty.

Iowa turns various shades of browns and tans during this season. Some call those "earth tones." There is a certain beauty in it.

Amish children romp and play outside in all weather.

Amish horses get a long break during winter months. There isn't as much fieldwork to do. Although, during winter months manure hauling gets into full swing.

With crops out of the fields, it's time to pour on nature's best fertilizer. Not to mention, the barn is full of livestock keeping warm and dry. That means more manure needs to be hauled out.

Amish like to quote this verse:

"Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox." Proverbs 14:4

The idea is that life might seem simple if you don't have to clean out the barn. But, life is more productive if you are willing to put in the work.

Fall is also Pie Season! Pick up the last of the apples that fell because you couldn't reach the highest bow. If they are too bruised for pie, toss them to the hogs or horses.

What could be more pleasant than stepping out of blustery cold winds into a warm kitchen with pies sizzling in the oven? Cinnamon sugary filling oozing out of the edges and wafting out their perfect aroma.

Another pleasant treat is stepping inside a warm barn to be greeted by livestock. They nicker or bawl for their evening meal.

I do have two books with fall settings on the Amish farm. English River and a collection book titled Love's Thankful Heart.

English River is the third book in the Amish Horses Series but is full of fall scenes.

Love's Thankful Heart is a collection book. Laura V. Hilton, Rachel J. Good, and I collaborated, each writing a short story about Thanksgiving with an Amish setting.

If you are interested in reading these you can find them on Amazon and Barnes and Noble as eBooks and paperbacks. 

Here is the Amazon link: Thomas Nye on Amazon

Or, to order a paperback copy directly from me: Order a Book

Friends Forever

My granddaughters and my Amish horses have been friends for years.

Lyla and Kinley have built a long-lasting bond with Karma and Karla even though they live several states apart. Whenever these girls are in Iowa they run out to the barn to see their besties. 

Karma came to our acreage 14 years ago. Lyla is 10. She doesn't remember a time when Karma wasn't part of her life.

Karla and Kinley have also "claimed" each other. There is never an issue about who will hang out with whom. Their friendships are rock solid.

If you scroll down you will see pictures from many years ago. Including a photoshoot for a book cover.

Nevermind that these horses outweigh my granddaughters by almost 1800 pounds. These little girls have never shown any fear. 

Of course, they have nothing to fear because Karma and Karla dearly love them and would never do anything to harm them. I realize that accidents can and do happen. However, I am convinced that these 19 and 20-year-old mares are about as harmless as a pair of Black Labradors. 

I've witnessed Karla step carefully aside to allow a tiny kitten safe passage. She would do all the more to keep Kinely safe. 

We have lots of fun when our out-of-state friends get together.

We go for rides in the wagon and on horseback. 


  

Lyla and Kinley look so tiny seated upon their draft horse friends during this photo-shoot.

The picture below preceded my novella Whispering to Horses and inspired the little Amish girls in the book. After looking at this photo I came up with the idea to put Lyla and Kinley in Amish dresses and do a cover shoot.  

Whispering to Horses is available as an eBook through Barnes and Noble and on Amazon for $2.99

Click on this link: Whispering to Horses

Also as a paperback through Amazon or directly through me: Order a Book

Clouds and Fields (Part 2)

As promised, here are a few more Clouds and Fields photos. These pics are the result of Sunday afternoon/evening drives through Amish farmlands near our home.

Unfortunately, I've been discouraged lately because one of my horses has come up lame. Karma ranks in the top three of my all-time-favorite horses. (I've owned over thirty) She may even be the best horse I've ever been blessed to have. We've had multiple visits from veterinarians and still not much progress. Karma is twenty-years-old and although that is getting "up there" for a horse, I am hoping for another ten years.

On a brighter note, my wife and I spotted these Amish boys driving a pony cart a few weeks back. There are four little guys about eight to ten-years-old jammed onto that buggy seat.

Both photos, above and below, were snapped near the iconic Cheese Factory and well-known Amish store String Town. The Cheese Factory has a new name and ownership but the Kalona, Iowa locals still use the old name when giving directions. The pasture below has a few buggy horses grazing with a couple of ponies. This is a common sight in Amish country. There is no better way to learn how to drive a buggy horse than playing around with ponies.

A massive cloud hanging over the Amish farm (below) almost looks angelic.

Just over a year ago a tornado swirled like a demon about where the angel cloud is hanging.

Iowa scenery can be rather repetitive. Everchanging clouds have a way of making each day unique. A herd of cows walking along the ridge in this last photo move along as slowly as the clouds.

I hope you enjoyed our relaxing drive through Amish farmlands.

(An update on my horse "Karma") She had an abscess in one hoof and is recovering. Unfortunately, we saw in an x-ray that she has "ringbone" in her ankles, the horse equivalent to arthritis. The double issue accentuated her problem and left us confused about what was the matter. She will be okay but old age is slowing her down. 

Would you enjoy more cloud pics? Click on this link 2019 Sunset Tour to see October 2019 pics.

Clouds and Fields (part 1)

I'm an author, not a photographer.

All of my pictures are snapped on my ordinary iPhone. I do crop my photos but that's it. No filters.

 My original goal of taking pictures had to do with helping people grasp the beautiful images I attempt to describe in my novels.

If Thomas Nye shares any of the traits of a photographer, it's the recognition of natural beauty and a desire to capture a glimpse of it to share with others. I do this in my books as well as with my cellphone pics. Can you believe the glow of light and color within those clouds?

It just so happens that my wife and I have a Sunday evening passion for driving through Amish country. We climb aboard my old pickup truck and take our dog Wesely and a bowl of popcorn. Moving about the speed of a buggy with our windows down, we take in all the sights, smells, and sounds of Amish country. We've had a great run with amazing clouds and I'm excited to share them with you.

My horses are used to being captured by an iPhone. This selfie (above) of Karma, Karla, and myself might look photoshopped. Nope, it's not.

Golden and ripe for harvest, a field of oats contrasts green ditches and growing corn. (above) You can see an Amish cemetery notched out of the field and three Amish farmsteads under beautiful clouds. An Amish schoolhouse (below) sits behind a field of alfalfa hay. Clouds can add such depth and power to a tranquil scene. If these pictures catch your interest, then you may love reading my books.

Here is a link for a description of my stories: Novels by Thomas Nye

I hope you enjoyed these photos. They were all taken over the past couple of months. I titled this blog (part 1) because I have more "clouds and fields" pictures to share with you. Watch for (part 2) Be sure to click "Follow" on the sidebar of my blog to be notified when I publish new posts. You might also want to "Like" @AuthorThomasNye on Facebook.

Applesauce Bonanza

Applesauce apples ripen around the 4th of July every year.

Many people think of harvesting apples in the fall. This is true of most varieties of apples, but not Lodi or Yellow Transparent. These sour types create the best texture and flavor for home-made applesauce. My wife grew up helping her grandmother and mother can and freeze orchard and garden produce.

 After I picked apples for three evenings, my wife washed and cut out cores, removing as little as possible in order to increase the output. I helped by ladling cooked apples into a colander. 

We poured the strained, cooked apples into our "victorian strainer" and filled our cake pans with raw applesauce. My main job is cranking the strainer and ladling the sauce into freezer boxes. Once it cools, add sugar to taste. No recipe-- just apples and sugar. We leave it rather sour and add cinnamon-sugar when we put it on our plate, or at the time of serving.

We put up 77 quarts into our freezer. I know-- this sounds like a ton! However, appletrees have "on and off years." Some growing seasons produce oodles of apples, but you never know what next year will be like. We had a late frost this year and it might have destroyed our crop. It turned out to be an apple bonanza! I prayed for these trees when I planted them in 2002 as a birthday gift for my wife. Prayers answered: they grew and produce well. The message in her card said, "There will be two beautiful bouquets of apple blossoms every spring that say: I love Shari." (and her applesauce) 

Our children grew up eating my wife's AMAZING applesauce and now my grandchildren are enjoying the same. In the photo below, you can see our Yellow Transparent appletrees just to the right of my balding head. My granddaughter is riding on Karma, our Amish raised horse.

Our whole family LOVES Shari's home-made applesauce with her home-made pizza!

There is an applesauce apple picking story in Under the Heavens

To find out more about all of my books Click Here