ANNA CONTINUES HER AMISH MEDICINE

How did I get into Amish remedies like I did?  Most every Amish woman knows some Amish remedies.  Some ladies know more than others.  My Mother was an Amish midwife and knew more remedies than the average Amish woman does.  It has been passed down to her by her Mother as is tradition.  When it came time to pass it on to one of her daughters - none of my sisters were interested.  It came to Hannah and I - Hannah was not the least bit interested.

My Father said, I would never learn.   I was not like the usual Amish woman.  I liked farming better than baking.  Liked cleaning the cow barn rather than the house.  How could my Mother teach me?  But, my Mother came to me, anyway.  She told me I could learn more remedies than I knew.  I was really interested.

So my Mother taught me everything she knew.  I learned remedies, midwife, herbs, and more. After Mother taught me all she knew, I starting reading books on medicine - both herb and medical school medicine.  Elmer told me if I had been born in the English world, I would have been a doctor. Over the years, I have met other women that know medicine like Grandmother Olive - and have learned more from them.  So that is how I have become what some Amish and Old Order Mennonite call a "Wise Woman".  I do not consider myself special or wise.  It is something I have been interested in and learned as much as I can.  I am still learning.  Today I thank the Lord and my Mother for my learning what I know.  Now, I am looking to pass it on to one of my daughters, but am not getting much interest in my family. but Bridget, Kevin's wife and Sarah to be John's wife are interested. I do not plan on retiring, but I want to pass it on.

How did we get to using herbs?  As I said before both the Amish and Old Order Mennonite go by the Bible.  In Genesis 1:11-12 "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind: whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass and herb yielding seed after his kind and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good."  So that was when herbs were first created.  Herbs have been used from generation to generation.  So using herbs is not just an Amish  and / or Mennonite use. Much of the medicine that doctors use today originated from herbs.  So herbs are not a "new" idea.

When working with herbs you must be aware of the fact that there are some herbs that are illegal in the United States.  Also herbs are for some used for external use and some for internal use and some that can be used for external and internal use.  You want to be careful and make sure you don't use something for internal use and it's not.  Someone could very ill and have to go to the doctor or hospital.  That's why, even after all these years, I label all herb remedies that I have - what it is and what it is for.  Getting older, my memory isn't what it use to be, and I don't want to make a mistake.

With herbs I make saves, oils, pills, lotions, soaps, and more.  Some herbs I dry.  At Jean's house, I have a refrigerator in their basement.  In fact, there are two of them.  One has Jean and Grandmother Olive's name on it and the other has my name on it.  Jean's has her herb remedies in it and mine has my remedies in it that have to be refrigerated.  We agree if she needs something I have she has my permission to take and visa versa.  Jean and I went through them and they are almost exactly alive.  I have herbs and herb remedies in my house, but I make a lot at a time and I don't trust my house refrigerator on gas to keep it as cool as electric.  David and Jean do not charge Elmer or myself for the refrigerator.  We want to pay them, but they won't take it, but we try to pay them back in other ways.

Marilyn is reading and studying herbs as she is allergic to many of the medicines doctor prescribe.  She asked if you look in a herb book - why are there so many different remedies for an illness or situation.  Over the years many people have tried different herbs that have worked in a situation.  Sometimes one remedy  works better on one person than another person.  Also some people like a certain remedy over another.  Like someone would rather drink tea than mix something else.

Next week I will answer the questions you have asked me.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Anna

Next week, I will be on October 9th.