Thursday, January 1, 2009

Amish Country








Only days away from returning to California I return to my blog. Lots of catching up to do on a most wonderful cross country summer. Beginning June 6th 2009 and driving across to NY via Route 70 and returning via Pennsylvania, Ohio and Chicago eventually to California.


I’ll begin near the end or I should say not the end but the midway point of our return trip to the West Coast.

Fresh in our minds is our wonderful experiences in Amish Country in Ohio two days ago.We found a fantastic cabin inn called Fields of Homes run by a Menonite family. Immaculately clean and with a porch that looks out to farmland. Seems to be what I was looking for on this trip. Farmland. On my way cross country west to east I desired to be in Kansas and Amish country. I was very impressed with the Amish. Their workshops and crafts, the way they buy food in bulk, the buggies, their immaculate restaurants priced so reasonably. The inns I stayed in were spotlessly clean. So my return to Amish country was motivated by wanting to show my son Benny that part of the country. My instinct was right, Benny loved it. Pennsylvania and Ohio Amish land. Here are some pictures for you.


We found a fantastic cabin inn called Fields of Homes run by a Menonite family near Mt Hope Ohio. Immaculately clean and with a porch that looks out to farmland. Our guests mentioned to us that there was to be a livestock auction and flea market in Mt Hope on Wednesdays. We of course jumped at the idea. The flea market was a blast, so many tools! Food, fresh produce, clothing, books, pots and pans, saddles, you name it! At the livestock auction we sat next to a young Amish man and began a conversation with him. He was very open to talking with us, I guess he was as curious about us as we about him. We talked about the livestock and the kinds of cows being auctioned. The milk cows were being auctioned on average for about 600 dollars. It was fascinating. No pictures allowed. In fact I used my camera very carefully around Amish people as I know they do not like to be photographed. Our Amish friend invited us to come see him on his farm someday but we told him that we were leaving. He left us and Benny and I turned to each other and we knew we had to find him now and ask if we could see him that day. We searched and found him and asked and he said yes, 5:30 for the milking of the cows. (to be continued)