We do not have a big freezer in our home for our meats although we do have a freezer in our gas refrigerator, it's not as good as an electric freezer and there isn't much room. In our town we use to have a place that would slaughter the animals, package it and store it for us, but they closed. So now we use the big freezer that is in David and Jean's barns. If we want, David and the boys, will slaughter the meat, package and store it for us. Even if we bring in meat already slaughtered and packed - they will store it. Each of us has our meat in a locked storage section with our name on it. When we need meat, we just go to their house and they will unlock our section so we can get our meat or put it in. We do call before we go and don't go on the Lord's day. They do charge a monthly fee for this, but it is a reasonable price. David, and Jean are easier to get meat from than the people that owned their farm before they did. He would set up hours that we could come and get our meat where David and Jean say if they are home, they will open for us, of course, not on the Lord's day unless it is an emergency.
Yes, we smoke some of our meats and yes, we can some of our meats. Anna smokes some of the sausage. Some she does canning and some sausage we store in the freezer at David and Jeans. Usually a group of ladies and some men get together when she is going to smoke sausage and other meats. Many hands make for light work and we do all of ours and theirs at the same time. I am not the cook in our house, so if you need more information, I will have to see if I can get Anna on here. All I do is cook chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, sausage, etc. on the charcoal grill in our back yard from time to time. Anna says that's all I need to do. Me cooking anything in the house would be a disaster.
In explaining why the Amish separated historically starts with our Ordnung. The Ordnung was written many years ago,when our religion was founded, and tells the ways we should live. It tells us spiritually, what we believe, the way we should dress, the way we should act and much more. What separated the various Amish is the their understanding or views of the Ordnung. Also what has also separated the different Amish people is the way the church is run. When we got indoor plumbing, some of the people separated because they felt this was wrong. Also some people change because they feel one church is to strict or to lax. I am telling you a short version as I could go on for sheets and sheets telling the differences between groups.
The Amish wear beards because of the passages in the Bible. " Leviticus 19:27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard." There are also other quotes in the bible. Why don't the Mennonite men wear beards anymore? Back in 1920's at the Mennonite Conference it was decided to be more traditional in the ways they dressed. At first men were allowed to trim their beards, but over the years, in becoming more traditional, beards were no longer required.
Why do we Amish men wear suspenders? To hold their pants up. I couldn't resist that joke. Why the color of our clothes. Really this goes back to why we don't have electric in our homes. Again it is Romans 12:2 "Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect wills of God." We dress pretty much the same way since our religion was founded. There have been some minor changes, but mostly we remain the same against the outside world. Our dress is the same - we don't have to get the latest styles or colors, etc. Our way to dress is , as I said, in the Ordnung. We are to be concerned more of being acceptable and do the perfect of God than the style or color we wear.
I hope these help you understand our way. You folks ask very interesting questions.
Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer
NEXT WEEK WILL BE OUR ONE YEAR BIRTHDAY !!!!!!!
19 comments:
Good Morning,
Hope you enjoy Elmer's post today. I have to take my friend Mary Lou to the hospital this morning. She is going to have your knee replaced. I took her a few months ago and the hospital sent her home because her sugar was so high. Hope all goes well and she gets it done this done. Poor thing can hardly walk, her knee's are so bad. If she gets one done today in three months she gets the other done.
Marilyn
Thank you Elmer for sharing with us today. I always love to read more of your ways of life. I hope everything goes well for your friend today Marilyn. How nice of you to take the time to take her to the hospital. So many elderly people have no help from there familys. It is a blessing when you find a friend that will go out of there way for you. It looks like it may rain here today. Very dark out this morning. I may have some questions for Elmer later. I hope you all have a great Monday and another blessed week. God Bless Veronica
Hi Elmer, Thank you so much for your post! Great word about the "suspenders", and how you cooking inside would be a "disaster"! I'm sure you grill up some very tasty meats! Did you know the Nebraska Amish men do not wear suspenders at all? Apparently just hooks+eyes for their pants. Looking forward to you next post.
Hi Marilyn, Hope your friends surgery goes well. And ,in advance, Happy Birthday for your blog! Time sure flies when your having fun posting articles, pics, and all the writers allowing us to get to know them better. It's wonderful+thank you! Blessings, Carol
Hi Everyone,
I will see Elmer gets your comments. Mary Lou and I just got back from the hospital. They wouldn't take her again !!!! She has a very slight scratch on her lower leg and the doctor wouldn't do the surgery. You can hardly see the scratch, but still won't do it. So she has to go to the doctor in 10 days. Then we start all over again. She really feels bad as she was looking forward to getting it done.
Marilyn
Thank you Elmer. I liked this post. And your sense of humor.;)
Hello Marilyn and Pierre. We are having beautiful fall weather here. Hugs from me and Mabel and Henry to you two.
Hello:
Thank you Elmer for the answers to these questions - It is such a pleasure to read your blog and to follow your day to day happenings. My heart goes out to your friend who had her surgery post-poned again - but we must trust that this is for a reason that we may not understand now. Thank you again.....Chris
Hi Vickie,
Will tell Elmer what you said. He does have a great sense of humor.
Our weather is a bit cloudy here today, but getting warm.
Hugs back to you, Mabel and Henry from Pierre and myself.
Marilyn
Hi Chris,
Will tell Elmer what you said. My friend understands, but it is hard to take. God has a reason. We don't understand it, but He does.
Anyone that wants to ask Elmer questions, please do.
Marilyn
I really enjoyed Elmer's post! He is really funny! :)
Hi Chasity,
Elmer is as funny in person as he is in a post. Glad you enjoyed his post.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn, As far as the surgery being delayed again-Dr was correct in his decision. They are not going to take any chances for an infection(no matter how small a break in the skin). Better to be as safe as possible than sorry. Hopefully all will go well when the time comes. From your reference to her "sugar", she's diabetic? So even more is it necessary for the doctors to be very cautious. Will be praying for her healing. Blessings, Carol
Hi Carol,
Thank for the information. Yes she is diabetic. That held up the first time because of that, but she did as the doctors said and was ready to go that way. I didn't know about the small cuts, but it makes sense. When I fell and broke my ankle they did the surgery even though I had several cuts - but I guess they didn't have a choice with that. I really appreciate your help. Thank you for your prayers, I know Mary Lou will appreciate them.
Blessings to you,
Marilyn
I agree with carol, on your friend being denied surgery...they are so afraid of the flesh eating bacteria. Ask her to ask her doctor's nurse for an anti-bacterial soap to use the day of her next visit- to shower with it- even her hair.I went in for a diagnostic procedure a month ago, and they gave me a bar of soap to shower with..and they said it was for that very reason. And they looked all over for any open sores, scratches, etc....
I hope Elmer gets Anna to write about their meat canning. I know many asked me about it, but for a single family, it is far too expensive to do- freezing is best...but I know for a fact many Amish and Mennonites are set up for canning beef, chicken, pork...and there are 2 farmers up the road from me that raise beef and poultry, for a business and they can....But for a regular family that does not raise animals for food....it is hugely expensive for the equipment and the time it takes to pressure can- the electric goes out the roof!
We have friends that raise beef cattle, and they butcher their own and dress it, and will sell it too...Farmers, Amish , Mennonites, that are able to have many MANY people help- and share the labor and time , it is very cost effective, and WAY better product...I hope Elmer will talk more about that part of their food preserving.
Thank you Sue Ann. I know Dial is the one that they use for bacterial.
Elmer asked Anna and right now she is nervous about getting on here, but we are working on her. I told her to just tell me and I would put it on the computer, but she is still nervous. I know Jean and David raise beef cattle, hogs, and chicken for themselves, too. So if Anna, doesn't tell, maybe Jean will. But Elmer and I are trying to talk Anna into it.
Marilyn
I think it was Dial they gave me too....leaves the skin a bit dry and the hair was fly away..but hey- I was anti-bacterial for the day!! LOL!!
Marilyn - first off i hope that all is well with you. i am glad that you are taking your friend to the hospital and i hope that she gets the care that she needs. you are a good friend to be there for her and good friends are hard to find these days...so thank you.
Elmer really is a funny guy! and he has so much information! i would love to learn more about what "ordnung" is...i could look it up on the internet but i would trust Elmer to tell me about it, more. i would also like Elmer to write about whatever he is thinking of at whatever time, if you know what i mean. i would like all of the writers to write about whatever they thought was important to share with us.
i would also like to learn more about canning meats - i would like to start but am kind of afraid of canning, and or, wasting meat. i would also like to learn about canning fish as we have access to trout, mackeral and striped bass in our river and want to learn how to process it without freezing in case we lose our power.
also, i am glad that Olive is back! she also has a great sense of humour! oh and Sue Anne's posts have been extremely helpful. and please tell the regular posters that their posts have been helpful as well.
ok, sorry for the long comment. i do disappear for a bit....life, ya know? but i always catch up on all of the posts and really appreciate all of them.
happy birthday to your blog Marilyn! please tell all of the writers that there are many people that they are affecting and teaching through this blog! thank you Marilyn for keeping this blog up and running.
your friend,
kymber
Good Morning Kymber,
Thank you for all your compliments. I have written your questions down. Am sure they will get answered in the future.
Thank you for coming and reading New York State of Mind.
Marilyn
Thank you for answering our questions Elmer. It's so interesting to know why the Amish and Mennonites have to traditions that they live by.
Doreen
Hi Doreen,
Sure will tell Elmer what you said. I know he will appreciate it.
Marilyn
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