ELMER TALKS ABOUT FARMER'S ALMANAC

We were asked if the Amish and Old Order Mennonite use the Farmer's Almanac.  I knew about our Amish group, but I had to ask Jean's husband about that for Old Order Mennonite.  Found out that we both still purchase one every year.

As to why we always get it, is as Jean said one time: "that's the way we always do it."  I think we all read it during the winter.  Do we go by what it says?  Sometimes we do and sometimes we don't.

There was a time, when most farmers used the Farmer's Almanac as the way they did their farming.  You plant certain crops at a certain moon or day or whatever.  That's why, I believe, the Amish and Old Order Mennonites have such sayings or folks wisdom, such as:  A warm June brings an early harvest or plant potatoes on Good Friday or plant lettuce on St. Patrick's Day, and more.  Some even believe in planting certain plants at certain times of the moon.

Albert, Jean's Grandfather, remembers when he was boy when most of the Old Order Mennonites did that as my Father told me when he was young about the Amish doing it.  Albert said when he was young the Farmer's Almanac was like law.  You did what it said.

They believed the weather by the Farmer's Almanac, too.  But, I think things have changed for the most now.  No, we don't have radios or televisions, but we still read the weather fore cast in the paper.  The Farmer's Almanac isn's always right about the weather, but again, neither is the newspaper.    Only God knows what the weather is going to be day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute.

Now all that said, do I do some of the traditions like plowing the first snow into the fields.  Sure do, do it every year.  Will it help the soil?  I don't know, but I know it won't hurt it any.  Do I like to plant the potatoes on Good Friday?  Usually not all of them, but some of them.  Are they better than the rest of the potatoes we plant later?  Maybe it's all in the mind, but we think so.  Is the lettuce any better we plant on St. Patrick's Day than the rest?  Again, it might be our minds, but we think so.

Regarding the Farmer's Almanac for the 2016, it says it will be a hard winter like last year especially from January to the first half of March.  Only time and the good Lord will show us if it true or not.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer

MY AFRICAN VIOLETS

I took my African Violet outside to take pictures of the beautiful flowers.  They lived.  They really lived.  Every African Violet I got died.  I even drove down to Naples, NY and bought some from the Violet Barn (had a post on them a year or so ago) and still they died.

So when I got these I expected them to die.  This African Violet came with  beautiful flowers and, as usual, the flowers died.  I replanted them in a bigger container and gave them some plant food.  Only watered them when they were dry.  Put them in my kitchen window where I get the most sun.

I am so excited that the flowers came, that I want to show them off.  My other African Violet is not doing as well as this one right now, but I think it will come through - I hope anyway.

Do any of you raise African Violets?  Do you have any advice?

PIERRE'S "THE BARK" - SEE MY NEW BED

Mom finally let me on the computer again !!!  Last Saturday, my girlfriend Lily (picture 2) and her Mother came over to our house with the bed (picture 3).  Lily's Mom said she bought it for Lily and she won't use it, so she wondered if I would like it.

I had another bed for the living room that Mom gave me, that had a plastic bottom.  After lying in it a while, I found you could chew holes in the bottom of it, which I did.  I spread the insides all over the living room, so Mom threw it in the garbage.  I was really glad to see this new bed.

At bedtime I sleep in Mom's bed or should I say our big bed.  But I like to have something to lie on in the living room.  Sometimes I lie on the chair, but I really wanted a bed.  So I was so happy they were giving me this one.  Lily's Mom told my Mom that it is made so dogs can not chew through it.

As you can see it is so comfortable.  I got into it as soon as Mom put it down on the floor.

Mom and I both thanked Lily and her Mom for the wonderful bed. Lily's birthday is next month, so Mom and I will have to buy her something special.  Something for her birthday and to thank them for the bed.  As you can see, I really enjoy it.

Love to all,
Pierre

P.S.

Pierre isn't spoiled or anything.  LOL

Marilyn

P,P.S.S.

There will be a post tomorrow.

CURLY'S SERVICE STATION - WAITING ROOM COLLECTION

Curly's Service Station is where I took my car to get it fixed that you helped me pay the bills on.  Terry is third generation in this business.  In picture two are his Grandfather, who started the business is on the right, and his Father on the left.  Terry is third generation and one of his son's is also learning the business.  As you can see, Terry is also a collector.  This is the waiting room.  Picture three, I had to take the picture on the inside as it wouldn't come out right when I took it outside - so that is why the flag looks backward.  Someone was interested in oil cans 11, 12, 13, 14 are pictures of cans gone by. What isn't shown is he has three stalls for cars to be worked on.  Terry gave me his permission to take these pictures to put on here.  He is also our Village and Town Judge.

PIERRE WILL BE ON TOMORROW !!!

WEAVERLAND MENNONITE FARM

I took these pictures a few weeks ago not far from where I live.  What I thought unusual is in picture 5 - a TV disc attached to the pole on the right.  The Weaverland Mennonites do have electric and drive cars, but this is the first I have seen with a television disc.

GRANDMOTHER OLIVE's WINE RECIPES

Jean offers wine recipes and then she gives me the job. !!  No really, wine use to be used as a medicine in the earlier days.  In fact, I say that it was a common medicine into the 1950's.  Some Amish and Old Order Mennonite still use it.  These recipes go back over 100 years.

RYE WINE

2 1/2 cups of rye grain
4 lbs. sugar
1 lb raisins
1 lemon
1 grated potato
1 gallon water
1 yeast cake (wet yeast in water)

Mix ingredients and let stand for 30 days.  Strain and bottle.

CHOKE CHERRIE WINE

Measure cherries and grind through meat chopper pits and all.  Then to each quart of cherries add 1 quart of boiling water.  Let stand 48 hours.  Strain and measure juice.  To each gallon add 3 pounds of sugar, 1 pound raisins, 1 yeast cake and let stand two weeks.  Strain again and bottle.

DANDYLION WINE

1 gal. blossoms picked when the sun shines on them
1 gal boiling water poured on them
1 lemon
3 oranges
3 lbs sugar

Let stand three days.  Then put in kettle with rind.  Boil 15 minutes.  Strain through flannel bag and add the inside (pulp) of the lemon and oranges after taking out seeds, add sugar.  When nearly cold add two tablespoons or 2/3 cake yeast.  Let stand in warm place one week.  Strain again.  Let stand three weeks to "work", then bottle.  Note: Let stand at least 3 weeks until fermentation ceases.

JEAN ANSWERS QUESTIONS

Thank you for the questions.  I agree with Elmer, we need questions to give us an idea of what you would be interested in.

School has started again.  Someone asked about their being a separate entrance and seating in the school.  There is no separate entrance.  The girls and boys go in the same entrance to the school.  Now the school that Susan goes to has more than one entrance / exit, but that was put in for fire reasons.  But the children can come in and out of both of them.

The children are not separated in who goes in and out the door first.  It usually the boys that are out first and the last ones in.  They are out first because they want to be the first out.  They are the last in because they would rather play outside than go to school, sometimes.

When they stand for singing in school, it is usually the boys in the back and the girls in the front.  It is based on height and tone.

For seating, I will tell you what is in our school.  I don't know what all the other Old Order Mennonite or Amish do.  Grades 1 thru 6 sit alphabetically by last name, then first name.  Grades 7 and 8 sit with girls in the front and boys in the back.  It is sort of an honor that they are in their last years of school.  Of course if the boys get to be a problem, she makes the boys and girls switch seats so the girls are in the back and the boys seated in front of them.  The boys don't like that.

When the go on field trips, the girls are in the front and the boys are in the back.  The older children are to help keep an eye on the smaller children.

One place there is a difference is when they have a picnic or a parent brings lunch to school.  Before being served, they pray over the meal, usually a silent prayer and the teacher asks one of the older boys to offer a prayer aloud.  When the meal is served, the boys are served first, then the girls.

In our meeting (church) the babies and small children sit with their mother.  Both boys and girls until they behave in church, know the prayers, can sing the songs, etc.  If their mother has passed, then they sit with a grandmother, aunt, or an adult friend.  Should there not be any of those, then the child sits in the back of the men's seats with their father.

The children want to be learn what they are suppose to because they want to sit with their friends.  Some learn faster than others, just like in school.  When they are about 10, they can sit with their friends.  Girls sit behind the ladies.  Boys behind the men.  They have to be baptized before they can sit with the adults.

Be With God,
Jean

AUTUMN IS HERE - MY AUTUMN SUNFLOWER

This is my latest Sunflower to bloom.  I didn't know sunflowers had different kinds, but they do, and this is called autumn.  Asked Elmer if he would mind if I put this on and he told me that all flowers are gifts to us from God.  We must cherish their beauty.  I thought that was real nice until Elmer asked me if realized that four months from today is Christmas Eve.

Autumn came in full bloom this morning so I had to share it with you while it was at it's best.

Elmer's post is before this one today.  So there are two posts today.

ELMER ANSWERS QUESTIONS

Thank you folks for the questions, they are really appreciated.  Keep them coming in as you think of them.  It helps to figure out what to talk about.

Someone asked about our gas.  I guess I didn't say it right.  The gas we have is from our propane gas tank.  The tank is in our yard.  That tank was a big problem when we built the house and they installed the tank.  Where they wanted to install it, was right, in the front of our house.  Anna told them no way were they putting that tank there.  They explained to Anna and myself about their convenience to fill it if it is in that location.  Anna didn't care how convenient the filling was that tank was not going in the front of our house.  I tried to tell Anna it was all right there.  Anna said it was not all right there.  After a couple of weeks going back and forth, they finally agreed to put the tank on the side of the house.  Anna is still not happy where it is, but agrees it is a lot better than having right in front of the house.

We also use generators, too, sometimes.  Generators are used for milking the cows, running the washing machine and a few other things around the farm, when necessary.

Another person asked if Amish or Old Order Mennonites do beekeeping.  Some do.  Neither our family or Jean's family does.  Right off hand I can't think of anyone that does, but I know there are some.  Will see if I can find out more information about it.

I do know this about beekeeping - there is nothing like honey fresh from the bees.  It is sure a lot better tasting than the store bought honey.  Oh, I just thought of someone in our church that does beekeeping.  I will talk to him next Sunday at church and see if he would tell us about it.  Maybe either he puts on a post or gives the information to me and I put on a post., whichever he wants.

Don't want to answer to many questions at the same time, then I won't have anything to write about again.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer

BARNS AND A SILO

I found the first four pictures I took back in September, 2014.  Guess it's time I got them on here.  The rest are from last April.  I have a silo among the barns this time.  Going through pictures and deleting those that have been on here already.  Finding some pictures I didn't know I had.

MY UNUSUAL COLOR SUNFLOWER

I usually don't do two posts in one day, but this sunflower came in full bloom this morning.  Never before had I seen a sunflower this color.  It is one of the flowers a neighbor planted for me.  I wanted to show it off.