May 14, 2013
DO MENNONITES CARE AT ALL ABOUT EDUCATION? (PART 3)
BLOG POST NUMBER FORTY-THREE
On May 10th and 11th, I was at the annual C.H.A.P. (Christian Homeschoolers Association of PA) homeschoolers convention in Harrisburg (http://www.chaponline.com/2013convention/) where thousands of homeschoolers come for two days to buy curriculum, educational materials and supplies, and pleasure books for their children. A large percentage of those attendees are Mennonite families, who invest hundreds of dollars in the best education they can provide for their children.
I meet many homeschool families at the convention every year, most of whom have three or more children. The Mennonite families, and a few Amish as well, often have four, five, six, or more. However, the loving discipline dictated by Bible principles I see within these families amazes me. The children are generally well behaved, polite, and happy.
My Work with Mennonite Homeschoolers
I also see the same trend when I evaluate many Mennonite families every spring in my home office. The mothers come with their children, whom I interview, review a sample of their completed work in a portfolio, and check their daily record of attendance, which must reflect a fulfillment of 180 days. The children in PA must complete a core curriculum of math, English, social studies, science, handwriting, spelling, P.E., art, music, and health in elementary school. The guidelines for older students follow the state guidelines for most public junior and high school requirements, including music, art, P.E. and electives. Mostly all of my Mennonite familes desire their children to graduate with a high school diploma. I am certified with three PA homeschool associations and have the authority to grant credit and keep transcripts. Another option for homeschoolers is to register with either a publishing company or a college that publishes high school curriculum, defines a four-year course of study, and grants a bona fide high school diploma.
Do Mennonites Go to College?
Although most Mennonite teens do not go on to earn a college degree, almost all of them do attend a post-high-school Bible school sponsored by their church. (See post numbers 27 to 34). Most of the young men follow in their father’s footsteps by farming, driving truck, welding, or doing some kind of manual labor. The girls for the most part keep house, work as teachers or aides in Mennonite schools, or become nurses’ aides at hospitals and nursing homes. However, the focus of some families is to have their children work on the mission field, with the girls marrying a missionary-minded man first, of course.
I must mention a Mennonite family whom I’ve known for over 15 years, that has seven children, I believe. All are graduated except one, who will be a junior next year. This family loves the Lord, and the mother was so proud to tell me during her evaluation this year that one married daughter is serving in Costa Rica, one of the boys is in Thailand, and one girl is preparing to go to Indonesia. The other boys help their father in the family welding business and farming.
I know of no other family who has three children serving on the mission field. I can’t imagine the joy these parents have, knowing that, although they don’t see some of their children often, the children are serving the Lord full time and helping others come to know the Lord in different parts of the world.
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May 7, 2013
DO MENNONITES CARE AT ALL ABOUT EDUCATION? (PART 2)
BLOG POST NUMBER FORTY-TWO
My friends, the Friesens, were featured in the newspaper several years ago
Last week we discussed the Mennonites community’s philosophy of education, their views on homeschooling, and some of the state requirements to earn a high school homeschooling diploma in Pennsylvania. (Scroll down to April 30th.) Today let’s look a little more closely at how Mennonite families homeschool, in particular, how they “teach” P.E., art, music, and some of their elective courses that have no textbooks.
Mennonite Homeschoolers and P.E.:
If you are familiar at all with any Mennonites, you know they are generally very athletic and are particularly good at volleyball. The reason is quite obvious. Mennonites don’t have TVs or radios, and they make it a priority to fellowship with each other often at picnics and home visits. They play softball, quoits, other yard games and, yes, volleyball. In the winter, many young people join volleyball leagues at local community centers, and the Mennonite teams usually place in the top three. Thus, Mennonite homeschooling teens have lots of activities to record for their P.E. requirements.
For the younger children, parents record yard games, playtime with siblings and other children, bowling, roller skating, ice skating, and field days with other homeschoolers with competition in races.
Mennonite Homeschoolers and Art:
Ah, this subject is near and dear to most homeschooling families. Because homeschoolers can budget their study time efficiently, they have time to develop talents in any hobbies or interests they choose.
Many of the boys do wood projects, i.e. building bird houses, rabbit hutches, shelves, etc. or they might actually work with metal. Many often paint or sketch…and they do it quite well. Sometimes they help remodel rooms in their homes, which includes painting, wallpapering, and bordering. All these “creative” ways of expression are acceptable art projects.
The Mennonite girls fulfill their art requirement, which usually is at minimum an hour or two a week, by painting, sketching, crocheting, quilting, cross-stitching, sewing clothing from scratch, and by baking, which includes cake decorating. Honestly, I’ve seen some of the most beautiful sewing and baking projects done by girls not only in their teen years but youngsters nine and ten years old. No matter what Mennonites do, it seems they put their heart and soul into it.
Mennonite Homeschoolers and Music:
Despite the fact that Mennonites do not allow musical instruments in their church services, they hold music in high regard. ALL children learn to sing in four-part harmony, not only for church but for family devotions.
While interviewing several Mennonite families for their homeschool evaluations, I’ve been privileged to hear the entire family sing a hymn for me in gorgeous right-on-key four-part harmony. I’ve attended Mennonite church services where the congregation practically lifts the rafters with beautiful song. I’ve also attended several Mennonite children’s spring programs in one of the local churches, when all school-age children sing in four-part harmony in a choir of about thirty and recite scripture. Singing is definitely an important part of a Mennonite’s life from the time they can speak until they go to the grave.
Now, about musical instruments. Although they don’t have instruments of any kind in their churches, some Mennonite families do have them in their homes. Again, with quality time to practice, the children become very proficient in whatever music they pursue. I’ve heard excellent “performances” on guitars, mandolins, flutes, and harmonicas by children when they’ve come for their evaluations. Of course, the music played is always a hymn to glorify the Lord for giving the talent, and the children enjoy using the talent tremendously.
As you can see, Mennonites don’t take a backseat when educating their children in P.E., art, and music. They not only fulfill the state homeschooling law’s requirements but they go far and beyond the call of duty to have their children grow into well-rounded adults.
Interested in reading any short stories about Mennonites? Check out my Snyder County Quilting Bee Series on Amazon. My latest story is CARA MINDS HER OWN BUSINESS, volume 9:
April 30, 2013
DO MENNONITES CARE AT ALL ABOUT EDUCATION?
BLOG POST NUMBER FORTY-ONE
This picture of some of the Friesen family was in our local newspaper years ago with an article about homeschooling.
Let’s take a look at the Mennonite community and its philosophy of education.
I’m sure you won’t be surprised when I tell you that Mennonites don’t send their children to public school. But do you know that instead of sending them to a private church school, most Mennonites homeschool their children?
WHY TO THEY HOMESCHOOL?
The reasons Mennonites homeschool are very basic:
- They want their children to be taught in the ways of the Bible and their own family tradition.
- Many Mennonites don’t live close enough to Mennonite church schools to send their children there.
WHAT DO THE CHILDREN LEARN AT HOME?
With a master’s degree in education and over 40 years experience with children of all ages, I’ve been a homeschool evaluator and consultant in Pennsylvania for the last 20 years. I’ve evaluated hundreds of homeschooling families, over half of them Mennonite. Contrary to the public’s stereotype of homeschooling mothers being barefoot, pregnant, and ignorant, the homeschooling families with whom I’ve dealt have been well educated, even though the mothers only have a high school diploma. The children are taught a core curriculum mandated by the state of Pennsylvania Homeschooling Law of 1989: math, English, social studies, science, health, P.E., art, and music. Every year, the families purchase quality educational curriculum and materials from publishing companies that specialize in homeschool products. The curriculum providers also offer videos, online courses, CDs, and satellite instruction to high school students taking tough subjects like Algebra and Physics, often providing 800 phone numbers to call a teacher for personal instruction. Homeschooling high school students can also choose from a vast selection of electives to round out their academic program, earn credit, and graduate with a high school diploma. In PA, all homeschool students must take standardized achievement tests in third, fifth, and eighth grades. About 90% of all the students I test score above grade level in achievement. Thus, it is quite easy to conclude that the Mennonite community takes education very seriously.
DO ALL OF THEM EARN A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA?
Again, most of the Mennonite families with whom I work want their children to graduate and earn a diploma. Only a handful I’ve known over the last 20 years have had their children drop out when they were sixteen like almost all Amish teens do. A high percentage of Mennonites have all completed the state mandated requirements and have received a high school diploma from either a college, a specialized academic program for homeschoolers, or a publishing company that publishes homeschool curriculum. The diploma is accepted by colleges across the USA and in the armed services, although Mennonites do not avail themselves of either of these “institutes of higher learning.”
EVALUATIONS ARE REQUIRED IN PA
In this state, all homeschool families must go to a certified evaluator at the finish of every school year and be “evaluated.” The evaluation consists of a family interview (about a half hour to forty-five minutes per child) at which time the evaluator (I have been one for the last 20 years) questions the parent(s) and child(ren) about their homeschooling year, and the courses taken and the work completed is discussed.
The family shows the evaluator a portfolio with a cross-section of completed work in every subject, and the evaluator reviews their daily record of attendance, which must reflect 180 days of attendance over the past year.
In all the years I’ve been doing evaluations, I can recall only a handful of families whom I had to evaluate negatively, and they weren’t Mennonite. The Mennonites are usually on the ball, the children having all their work completed for the year, and the portfolio and record of attendance excellently done.
Considering the 120 or so evaluations I do every year, I’ve been quite pleased and pleasantly surprised to work with so many diligent Mennonite families. They have nothing to hold their heads in shame about. They are doing a fine job.
Next time we’ll look at how the Mennonite families “teach” P.E., art, music, and some of their elective courses that have no textbooks.
***
Visit a Mennonite educational institute of higher learning in which twins Francine and Louise Maurer attend a Bible school and both fall for handsome Kevin, another student.
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April 23, 2013
THE MENNONITE WEDDING
BLOG POST NUMBER FORTY
The last few posts we’ve looked at Mennonite weddings and receptions, which are THE BIG EVENT in the Mennonite society. If you scroll down and visit my last few blogs, you’ll see that Mennonite couples spare no expense when preparing for their weddings and receptions, which often rent large church complexes, have at least 200 in attendance, and give special gifts to every helper and server at the reception.
In this post, you’ll attend a Mennonite wedding via a scene from TEACHER’S PET, volume two in my LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES. In fact, it’s the first scene in the novel. Since I’ve not been able to post any pictures of wedding couples and how the wedding party dresses, I believe this scene will share those missing details from my last few posts. So sit back, relax, and enjoy!
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Chapter One
“… for better or worse, for richer, for poorer ….”
The warm April sun and crisp air graced the Maple Grove Mennonite Church on the outskirts of Mapletown, Pennsylvania, where over two hundred family members and friends had gathered to celebrate the blessed union of two of their own. The guests sat in silence, save for a boppli’s brief cry, glued to every word the couple pledged from their bonded hearts.
In her mint green bibbed dress, maid of honor Valerie Friesen stood at the altar next to her best friend, Katrina Shoffler, who in seconds would be Mrs. John Friesen. The happy couple engaged for six months had planned a spring wedding on a Saturday, sandwiched somewhere between the onion snow and the first corn planting.
Valerie’s thoughts, centered more on her own engagement, shifted her attention to the best man. She stared at Jeremy Zook, the one she had promised to wed: tall, thin, and devilishly cute with his blonde Dutch-boy haircut, but oh so—. For a fleeting moment their eyes locked, and she smiled. He responded only with a nod and a weak smile then shifted away.
He certainly doesn’t seem to be enjoying this, Valerie pondered. I wonder if he’ll enjoy his own wedding in August more.
Behind Valerie stood Melody, proud representative of the Friesen/Clouser clan from Seven Hills, Ohio. The fourteen-year-old, a second cousin to John, was thrilled beyond words to be in her “first wedding ever.”
“… in sickness and in health….” Pastor Fowler in his black suit, with his grey hair parted down the middle, reading specs, full red cheeks, and bearded chin, led the couple through their vows.
Valerie studied her brother’s wavy auburn hair and handsome face, so much like her own with deep green eyes and ruddy complexion, which beamed with devoted love for his blushing bride. Valerie focused again on her betrothed, whose stare into space portrayed his preoccupation with something other than the ceremony at hand. Valerie’s glance shifted to the third “man” in line, her adopted sixteen-year-old brother, Lester, better known as Skip. Down syndrome or not, he was enthralled with every minute of “attending” for his big brother. Skip’s full round face and brown eyes, unusually wide as silver dollars today, glowed with excitement, and, as usual, the cowlicks in his mousy brown hair stuck out all over no matter how hard he had tried to comb them down. His fidgety hands took every ounce of focus to be still while the vows were recited. And, as usual, when Skip concentrated so intently, his tongue had free will to shift back and forth over his lower lip, now in perfect timing with every word Preacher Fowler proclaimed.
John and his two groomsmen decked out in their traditional Sunday-best collarless white shirts and grey suits stood like soldiers lined up to pay homage to their king.
“…to love and cherish, till death us do part, according to Gott’s holy law, and this is my solemn vow….”
Valerie shifted back to Katrina and how beautiful she looked in her traditional bibbed dress made of a pure white sateen cloth for this special day. Her shiny brown hair drawn back into a bun and covered with a satin kapp framed her plain face and granny glasses. But anyone who had ever met Katrina knew that her sweet kind spirit, tender as a soft breeze, reflected a deep love and devotion for not only John but for her Lord Gott.
Valerie’s mind drifted as she again focused on her “boy friend” since first grade at Maple Grove Mennonite School, where she now taught the seventh and eighth grades.
Jeremy Wilmer Zook. Hard worker. From a good Mennonite family. Runs his own tractor repair business. Wants to farm as well. Wants lots of children. Will be a good provider. But does he really love me? Do I really love him?
“I now pronounce you man and wife.” Pastor Fowler’s words echoed through the sanctuary as John and Katrina, radiant with smiles, clutched hands and faced the congregation. “I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. John Friesen!”
***
Of course, I didn’t fill in the minute details of, perhaps, a trio, quartet, or other group who would sing during the service (standing at one of the last pews in the back when they sing). Nor did I insert the fact that a devotional would probably be given by the father of either the bride or groom, and the pastor would have a full-length sermon. Interspersed in the ceremony would be two or three congregational hymns and several prayers. The service could easily run an hour-and-a-half. Then the reception with a full-course meal, more singing by the congregation and special groups, and prayers would follow, which could run two hours or longer.
As I said several times prior, weddings are THE BIG EVENT in the Mennonite community.
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April 16, 2013
THE MENNONITE WEDDING RECEPTION
BLOG POST NUMBER THIRTY-NINE
Last week, my Mennonite gal who helps me clean brought a CD with over 100 pictures of a Mennonite wedding and reception she attended. Of course, without permission of those involved in the wedding, I can’t post any pictures of the wedding party or the guests. But I do have several beautiful pictures of the elaborate wedding reception’s decorations and table settings. In my opinion, they need no further explanation except to say that because of the large wedding with over 200 guests in attendance, the wedding party rented a large Methodist Church facility to accomodate everyone. The last two pictures show hand-carved plaques made for every server and the wedding couple’s hands resting on their signed marriage certificate. Just sit back and enjoy this visit to a progressive Mennonite wedding reception.
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April 9, 2013
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
THE MENNONITE WEDDING RECEPTION
BLOG POST NUMBER THIRTY-EIGHT
Mennonite Weddings are BIG Events
The last two blogs, we looked at the order of service of two progressive Mennonite weddings and found that dozens of friends and family members can be involved. We’ve learned that weddings are one of the big affairs in the Mennonite world, and the church folks go all out for such occasions. We’ve also learned that weddings are an all-day affair. (Scroll down and read blogs 37 and 36)
In this blog post, we’re going to look at the Mennonite wedding receptions, which are very elaborate. At receptions, photos may be taken of anyone involved, especially the bride and groom, who usually pose with their wedding party and then their entire family. Pictures are also taken of the servers, the food tables, and guests. If you attend one of these wedding receptions, be prepared to keep a smile on your face. You will most likely be in many pictures.
Let’s look at the details of an elaborate reception of one of our Mennonite friends’ wedding. All these “credits” were listed on the program given to the guests at the wedding. (No names are used here in my blog post to respect the participants’ privacy.)
The Reception
Moderator
1 Man
Reception Coordinators
1 Married Couple
Reception Ushers
4 Men
Photographers
3 Friends
Candle Lighters
2 Nieces of the Bride
Bridle Table Servers
5 Couples
Parents’ Servers
2 Couples
Family Servers
4 Couples
Guest Servers
9 Couples
Dessert Servers
4 Ladies
Cooks
6 Married Couples
Cooks’ Assistants
5 Ladies
Distributors of Favors
16 Nieces and Nephews of the Married Couple
Host and Hostess
1 Married Couple
Lodging Committee
1 Married Couple
(At the bottom of the last page of the program, the couple shared these thoughts):
We Honor
Our gracious Heavenly Father for loving us, leading us, and blessing us with each other
Our parents, who have given us a sacred heritage by their love for God and their children
Our families: Thank you for your help, love, and support
Our guests: Each one of you have played an important part in our lives. Our prayer is that you’ll be blessed and enjoy the day with us. We also hope to enjoy more times with you in the future. Come visit us!
May we all celebrate together again some day in Heaven!
(From the Parents of the Groom)
Just a dessert table!
Is it any wonder there are tables and tables of food? Full course meals with everything from appetizers to chocolate fountains! If you ever attend one of these weddings, my suggestion is to go hungry.
So, have you ever planned a wedding? Was it this elaborate? I think you’ll agree that our Mennonite friends have one on us when it comes to weddings and receptions.
Next time, we’ll look at some pictures of a gorgeous reception with over 200 in attendance. Later on, we’ll look at a Mennonite wedding from one of my books in THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES, TEACHER’S PET.
Valerie Friesen weds Jeremy Zook, but she’s not sure she even loves him. And since handsome widower Lamar Hornberger came to town and swept her off her feet, she finds herself in quite the predicament. Check it out at: http://www.amazon.com/Loves-Snyder-County-Teachers-ebook/dp/B008XDGEEC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365521354&sr=1-1&keywords=Teacher%27s+Pet+by+Marsha+Hubler
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April 2, 2013
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
LET’S ATTEND ANOTHER MENNONITE WEDDING
BLOG POST NUMBER THIRTY-SEVEN
Two blog posts ago, I told you about Sheila, a Mennonite gal, who has cleaned house several years for me and had helped take care of my mother during Mom’s last days on earth. Sheila has shown me several of her beautiful scrapbooks of Mennonite weddings, most of whom she’s been involved to some extent.
Still a single girl in her mid-twenties, Sheila has been either an attendant or a server at the reception for more weddings than she “cares to remember.” She’s a good worker, and I’m sure she’s done an outstanding job, especially when serving at the receptions.
I thank her for sharing one of her beautiful scrapbooks with me. It has pages and pages of photographs of wedding parties and receptions, the ceremony’s order of service, and lists of folks involved in the preparation and execution of the event. I’ve noticed that Mennonite weddings can be held any month of the year. They don’t plan their weddings around “planting season” or “harvest time” like most Amish do.
The Actual Ceremony
Last time, we looked at the order of service of one of the weddings, which I suspect was quite the lengthy service. In studying Sheila’s scrapbooks, I’ve discovered that weddings are one of the BIGGIES when it comes to going all out for an occasion. Weddings are an all-day affair!
I thought it would be interesting to take a look at a second wedding’s order of service. If you wish, scroll down to March 19th and compare the two. I think you’ll find the comparison to be quite interesting, especially the fact that the congregation is quite involved in most weddings. In this order of service, I’ve also listed the number of folks who helped with the wedding and reception. (I used no one’s names to respect their privacy.) Get ready to look at an amazing “list.” I think you’ll agree that weddings are “the event” in the Mennonite world.
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WELCOME TO THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY UNITING
Bride’s Name
And
Groom’s Name
Prelude
“Jehovah”
“We Are Not Alone”
Processional
Welcome and Prayer
Congregational Song
“Gentle Holy Spirit”
Devotional
By the brother-in-law of the bride
Interlude
“You Are Mine”
Message
By Father of the Groom
Exchange of Vows
Prayer of Blessing
By Parents of the Couple
Recessional
“A New Beginning”
“By His Hand”
Postlude
“Give Thanks”
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Those Involved in the Ceremony:
Vocalists
Different Duet Groups (4)
The Bridal Party
Maid of Honor
Bridesmaid (1)
Best Man
Groomsman (1)
Honorary Couples (2)
Brother-in-law and sister of the bride
Friend and sister of the groom
Personal Attendant (1)
Flowers and Décor Coordinator (1)
Friends of Honor
Gals (10)
Men (2)
Couples (8)
Ceremony Ushers (4)
Guest Book Attendants (4)
Program Attendants (4)
Nieces and nephews of the couple
Gift Receivers (7)
Nieces and nephews of the couple
Parking Attendants (5)
Wow! And this is just the list of those involved in the wedding ceremony. Wait until you see the list of those who helped with the reception! (Coming next time)
How Long Would This Ceremony Last?
Several points that are interesting is that all singing is acapella, as in every Mennonite service, and if there is any “special” music (quartet, duet, etc.), the groups do NOT stand on the platform and sing. They sing while standing at one of the back pews in the church. Sheila also told me that in her Mennonite circles, the bride and groom do not exchange rings (Mennonites only wear watches but no other jewelry) and they don’t kiss at the altar at the end of the ceremony.
I’ve attended “traditional Christian weddings” that sometimes were as short as twenty minutes. Rarely did they go longer than 45 minutes or an hour. But I believe, if this order of presentation for a Mennonite wedding is the norm, we’re looking at a ceremony that could easily be an hour-and-a-half long followed by a very elaborate reception.
My next posts will take a look at some Mennonite receptions, and you’ll be able to read a wedding scene from one of my LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY books: TEACHER’S PET.
If you’re married, are you thinking how different your own wedding was compared to these Mennonite affairs? I think my ceremony lasted about 17 minutes. I’m not one for “making a big scene.” Hubby and I will be married 45 years on June 1st, and if I remember correctly, we didn’t even have anyone sing any special music. We were in and out of that church in record time!
Please check out TEACHER’S PET on Amazon:
March 26, 2013
MENNONITE OUTLET STORES
BLOG POST NUMBER THIRTY-SIX
Last week we visited a Mennonite wedding and looked at the order of service, which varies quite a bit from what we consider a “traditional” Christian wedding. I said that we would look at Mennonite weddings for a few more
weeks. However, just recently I had done a little comparison price shopping at three local Mennonite “outlet” stores—there are at least six in a radius of 30 miles around my home— and at Wal-Mart, and I thought I should post that information now because, with the rate of inflation, the prices will probably go up over the next month or so, and my prices then would be incorrect. We’ll get back to Mennonite weddings next time.
What Are Mennonite Outlet Stores?
Way back in November, I compared the prices of thirteen foods for sale at different farmers’ markets in the Susquehanna Valley here in central Pennsylvania. (Scroll down to Blog Post Number 19, November 27, 2012.) But our farmers’ markets here, frequented by many Amish and Mennonites) are very different from Mennonite outlet stores. Outlet stores are “budget” stores, open every day except Sunday that sell mostly bulk foods, out-of-date products like canned and sealed bottled goods, or just groceries at a price lower than other stores in the area. Mennonites own the businesses, and all the employees are Mennonites, mostly young gals, who do stocking and check-out and are very pleasant and friendly.
The Owners Are “Private”
I had hoped to interview or, at least, speak briefly to the owners or managers of the three outlet stores I visited. I had no success with any of the three. A worker at one store told me that the owner was hardly ever there, and I 
should call for an appointment. In another store, a worker told me the owner wasn’t there and I should call first to see if he was there before going back to the store again to speak to him. At the third store, I did talk to either the owner or manager (I’m not sure which), but he wasn’t very congenial. He declined to allow me to ask him a few simple questions like: “When did you open the store? Where do many of your products come from? How many employees do you have?” He was quite curt, and, trying to relax the situation a little, I said to him, “I write articles about Amish and Mennonite in this area, and you’ll get free advertising.” His reply was, “I don’t need no advertising.” Well, that was the end of my “interview.”
The Comparison
If you have any food outlet stores in your area, you might want to check them out. Have a look at the chart below and see how varied the prices range for nine common items found in most grocery stores. You will see some gaps when the stores do not carry certain products, which is probably the biggest disadvantage for shoppers who go to outlet stores. You can go one week and find a certain product at a good price then go back a week later, and you’ll not find that product there again. Why? Because these stores deal in “deals” with warehouses that often retrieve unsold or outdated products from “regular” grocery stores and pass them on to outlets.
|
ITEM |
WENGER’S |
L & L |
SURPLUS |
WAL-MART |
|
POTATO CHIPS (9.5 oz.)
|
2.29 |
2.25 (10 0z.) |
2/4.00 |
2.50 |
|
UTZ CHEESE BALLS ( 23 oz)
|
3.39 |
N/A |
N/A |
6.38 |
|
COOKED HAM (1 lb. @ deli)
|
2.79 |
1.89 |
2.29 |
3.78 |
|
SPAGHETTI NOODLES
|
.79 |
N/A |
.79 |
1.00 |
|
8-12pk. CHEESE CRACKERS
|
1.99 (12 pk) .17 each pk. |
2.29 (8 pk.) .29 each pk. |
2.59 (8 pk.) .32 each pk. |
2.50 (12 pk.) .21 each pk. |
|
MAYONNAISE (30 oz.)
|
2.99 |
2.00 |
1.89 |
3.98 |
|
EAGLE CONDENSED MILK
|
.99 |
N/A |
.79 |
1.98 |
|
KRAFT DRESSING (16 0z.)
|
.99 |
.60 |
.20 (Out of date) |
1.98 |
|
BAGGED SALAD MIX
|
.99 ( 6 oz) |
N/A |
N/A |
1.48 (12 oz.bag) .74 -6 oz.) |
Good Deals Are in the Making
In the long run, outlet stores provide bargain prices on everything from dog food and sometimes even non-foods like toothpaste and deodorant to potato chips, canned apricots, and frozen steaks. I’ve never bought anything at these stores that was spoiled or bad. You just have to take your time, look at the expiration dates and compare prices, and you’ll make some pretty good savings on your trip to the store.
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March 19, 2013
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER THIRTY-FIVE
LET’S ATTEND A MENNONITE WEDDING
(There are no photos of a wedding because Mennonites do not allow photos during any of their services, even weddings.)
Have you ever been to a Mennonite wedding? Did you compare its order of service with your own wedding or a friend’s?
For the next few blogs, we’ll visit some Mennonite weddings and compare them with what we would call “traditional weddings.”
Sheila, one of my Mennonite gals, who has cleaned house for several years for me and had helped take care of my mother during Mom’s last days on earth, has shown me several of her beautiful scrapbooks of Mennonite weddings.
Still a single girl in her mid-twenties, Sheila has been either an attendant or a server at the reception for more weddings than she “cares to remember.” She’s a good worker, and I’m sure she’s done an outstanding job serving at the receptions.
I thank her for sharing one of her beautiful scrapbooks with me. It has pages and pages of photographs of wedding parties and receptions, the ceremony’s order of service, and lists of folks involved in the preparation and execution of the event.
The Actual Ceremony
Let’s take a look at an order of service. I think you’ll find it to be quite interesting, especially the fact that the congregation is quite involved in this wedding:
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WELCOME TO THE WEDDING CELEBRATION UNITING
Bride’s Name
(I will not use any names to preserve their privacy)
And
Groom’s Name
Welcome and Prayer
Congregational Singing
“Eternal Father”
“Praise Thou the Lord”
Devotions
Often given by the father of the bride or groom or a close friend
Congregational Singing
“Come, Gracious Spirit”
“Great is Thy Faithfulness”
Message
By Father of the Groom
Congregational Singing
“O Power of Love”
Marriage Ceremony
Recessional
“Asante Sana Yesu”
Postlude
“Let My Life a Candle Be”
“We Thank Thee, Lord”
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How Long Would This Ceremony Last?
I can’t help thinking a ceremony like this with devotions, three separate congregational singing periods, and a “message” besides the actual exchanging of vows would be quite long. Several points that are interesting is that all singing is acapella, as in every Mennonite service, and if there is any “special” music (quartet, duet, etc.), the groups do NOT stand on the platform and sing. They sing while standing at one of the back pews in the church. Sheila also told me that in her Mennonite circle, the bride and groom do not exchange rings (Mennonites only wear watches but no other jewelry) and they don’t kiss at the altar at the end of the ceremony.
I’ve attended “traditional Christian weddings” that sometimes were as short as twenty minutes. Rarely did they go longer than 45 minutes or an hour. But I believe, if this order of presentation for a Mennonite wedding is the norm, we’re looking at a ceremony that could easily be an hour-and-a-half long. Then there’s the reception afterward!
One thing I’ve noticed with the Mennonite services (not weddings) I’ve attended is that they all are quite long, but everyone sits attentively and quiet, even the children as young as toddlers, no matter how long the service takes. So it’s not difficult to concede that weddings would follow suit as well.
Next time, we’ll look at the order of service for another wedding. A few blog posts away, we’ll take a look at a Mennonite reception and you’ll be able to read a wedding scene from one of my LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY books: TEACHER’S PET.
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March 12, 2013
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
FAREWELL TO THE ASHLAND MENNONITE BIBLE SCHOOL
BLOG POST NUMBER THIRTY-FOUR
(Part Eight)
Farewell to the Ashland Mennonite Bible School
This is the eighth and final visit to the Ashland Mennonite Bible School (started in 2008) in the coal regions of Schuylkill County in my hometown of Ashland in east central Pennsylvania. We’ve looked at practically every aspect of this very strict campus lif, including classes offered, dating restrictions, and dress codes.
The Daily Schedule
In this post, we’re going to look at the school’s daily schedule for three terms already offered since the start of 2013. In fact, the school’s third three-week session is in progress right now. Take a look at the schedule and check which courses you’d be taking if you were a student there from March 4th until March 22nd.
(Please ZOOM in your VIEW menu to see the schedule clearly)
More of the Daily Schedule
Every student must take five or six courses, so as you can see, your day would be extremely busy from 8:45 until 4:15. But the schedule doesn’t slow down that much afterward either. The schedule after 4:15 looks like this:
4:15 – 5:00 Free time
5:00 – Supper
6:45 – 7:30 Chapel service
8:00 – 9:00 Study
9:30 – 9:50 Quiet time/devotions
9:50 Lights out
A Disciplined Lifestyle
Have you noticed there’s very little free time offered to these students? I guess you can see the Mennonite lifestyle is based on hard work and a disciplined lifestyle. By the way, when I visited the school with a friend to see her daughter graduate, I saw no game room, computer room, or basketball courts. The students go there to study and learn. And that’s about it.
Dating?
If you scroll down to February 19th’s blog post, you’ll see that dating is really not encouraged. “Dating” is reserved for twenty-minute periods only twice a week. So I imagine if a couple starts a relationship, it certainly will be platonic on this campus. But I suspect that many “dates” continue to write and see each other after the classes end. And I wouldn’t be a bit surprised that the main reason many young people attend this school is to meet a date that could potentially become their mate!
One thing is certain. Whether they had a date or not while at the school, these Mennonite young people are returning home with a solid belief system and a firm foundation in biblical principles. And whether they have found a possible future mate at the Ashland Mennonite Bible School, only the passing of time will tell.
Coming Next
For the next few posts, we’ll be looking at Mennonite weddings. They are quite different from what we’d consider a traditional Christian wedding. We’ll compare the two.
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Ready for you to read!
The seventh volume of
THE SNYDER COUNTY QUILTING BEE:
A NEW HOME FOR THE HARNERS
Mennonites Katrina and John Friesen decide to foster two children who need a loving home, with the intent to adopt. Through the Snyder County Children and Youth Services, they take in an African American brother and sister, whose mother died of a drug overdose and whose father is in prison. Although the children are deeply troubled, Katrina and John start to see positive changes in them, and everyone foresees adoption in the near future.
However, when a stranger comes to town, says he’s the children’s father, and demands full custody of the boy, Katrina and John must face the possibility of losing one of “their” children. Then, when their backs are turned at a farmers’ market, the boy disappears.
Has he run away or is he with his father? Will Katrina and John ever see the boy again?
1&keywords=A+NEW+HOME+FOR+THE+HARNERS+by+Marsha+Hubler
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March 5, 2013
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
THE ASHLAND MENNONITE BIBLE SCHOOL
BLOG POST NUMBER THIRTY-THREE
(Part Seven)
Which Courses Would You Take?
For the last six posts, we’ve visited the Ashland Mennonite Bible School (started in 2008) in the coal regions of Schuylkill County in my hometown of Ashland, Pennsylvania. We’ve looked at the dress codes for the ladies and men, the dating and social life rules, and the overall atmosphere of this very strict campus life.
Last week, we looked at some of the 45 courses offered in the three-week cycles at this unique school. Today we’re going to have a look at a few more courses. As you read these overviews, determine if you would be interested in taking any of these classes to “enrich” your spiritual life:
Some of the 45 Courses Offered:
Bible Book Studies (12 courses available on different books of the Bible)
- Proverbs – a study of wise sayings, written mostly by King Solomon, related to practical areas of life with special emphasis on righteousness and the fear of God.
- Luke – a “physician” in Bible times presents Jesus to the Gentiles as the Son of Man. Luke records more details from the life of Jesus than any of the other three gospels.
- Galatians – one of the first of the Pauline epistles, written to the churches in the province of Galatia; explains justification by faith alone, pleads for stability in Christ, and urges a conscientious walk in the Spirit
Bible Subject Studies (12 courses offered)
- Doctrine of Man – a study of the three-fold nature of man: spirit, soul, and body; includes the fall of man and its effects and the need for redemption in order to experience fellowship with God.
- Parables of the Bible – Jesus chose to tell scriptural truths in the form of parables, earthly stories that convey a heavenly message. This study opens up spiritual truths and applies them to practical daily living.
- Types and Shadows – “What is in the Old concealed is in the New revealed.” This study reviews items and events in the Old Testament that are revealed in the New Testament with spiritual significance
Practical Studies (21 courses offered)
- Child Study – a detailed look at a child’s life physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually from infancy through adolescence; valuable for anyone working with children in the home, school, or church.
- The Christian and His Attitudes – “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” A person’s attitudes are part of his character; learn the biblical pattern, power, and results of a good attitude.
- Christian Relationships – learn what God expects of you as you relate to others in the church and in society; discover how the qualities of Christianity provide a foundation for wholesome relationships.
- Christian Writing – A study of the art of readable writing, planned especially for hopeful Christian writers; learn how to gear your writing to the interests, understanding, age, and spiritual status of the potential audience.
- Victorious Christian Living – this course is designed to help the growing Christian experience the fullness of Christian living.
Wow! How many of these courses would you like to take? I’d love to sit in on almost all of them, especially the one entitled “Christian Writing.” I can imagine that when the Mennonite young people finish their courses at the Ashland Mennonite Bible School, they leave with a very solid foundation in Bible doctrine and Bible principles for practical daily life, essentials for a happy marriage and a productive member of their Mennonite community at home.
***
Have you read any of the three volumes in THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY yet? How about LOVE SONG FOR LOUELLEN?
Louellen Friesen falls for an English doctor for whom she cleans. There’s only one problem. Louellen’s married. How does she reconcile her sin before God, her Amish community, and herself?
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February 26, 2013
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
THE ASHLAND MENNONITE BIBLE SCHOOL
BLOG POST NUMBER THIRTY-TWO
(Part Six)
For the last five posts, we’ve visited the Ashland Mennonite Bible School in the coal regions of Schuylkill County in my hometown of Ashland, Pennsylvania. This unique post-high-school Bible program, started in 2008 in a predominantly Irish and German Catholic ethnic region, trains Mennonite young people in their separated lifestyles, Bible doctrines, and practical Christian living.
We’ve looked at the dress codes for both the ladies and men, the dating and social life rules, and the overall atmosphere of this very strict campus life. Today we’re going to look at some of the courses in the three-week programs that are offered five times a year from December 3rd to March 22nd. Students may choose to attend for three weeks or longer. The courses they choose are somewhat dictated concerning the number of courses allowed and from what division the student chooses:
- Students attending for the first time are required to take the courses entitled:
- Separation
- Nonresistance
- Students are required to take at least one course from:
- The Bible Book Studies
- The Bible Subject Studies
- Students are allowed to enroll in:
- No less than five courses
- No more than six courses
Some of the 45 Courses Offered:
- Bible Book Studies (12 courses available on different books of the Bible)
- Joshua – following the death of Moses, Joshua records the account of the children of Israel crossing the Jordan and their encounters while possessing the Promised Land.
- Matthew – a former official writes to his own people, the Jews, showing that Jesus is their King.
- Hebrews – a presentation of Jesus in his superiority over angels, Abraham, Moses, and other Bible characters
- Bible Subject Studies (12 courses offered)
- Bible Customs – become acquainted with the lives, homes, dress, vocations, and habits of the people of the Bible; a practical help for better understanding the message of the Bible
- Fulfilled Prophecy – a study that inspires faith in God and His Word, reviewing the many Bible prophecies and their detailed fulfillment, both in the Old and New Testaments and since.
- Separation – learn about the most basic of all practical Bible doctrines, that of separation and nonconformity to the world, which includes all areas of the Christian life.
- Practical Studies (21 courses offered)
- Art for Christian Illustrating – gives practical advice to those interested in producing artwork for Christian literature
- Building Christian Homes – study the fundamental principles of having a godly home: attitudes about parenthood, the family altar, budgeting, principles of child rearing, and pitfalls and safeguards for the home
- Distinctive Beliefs of the Anabaptists – were they Catholic, Protestant or neither? Learn about the historical beliefs that appeared so radical to their contemporaries.
- Song Leadership – helps song leaders choose and direct hymns appropriately; the song leader needs to know the difference between psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs and recognize which is a proper selection when the need arises.
- Spanish – those interested in missions that would lead them to Spanish-speaking peoples, this course is a practical aid to more effective communication with those on the field.
- Personal Evangelism – suggestions for helping the unsaved recognize that they are sinners in need of a Savior, and that Jesus Christ is the only Savior. The course also discusses the ministry of encouraging fellow Christians.
Reviewing the 45 courses offered at this unique school, I would have to say that any Mennonite young person attending the program would receive a solid foundation in his belief system and would graduate from the school with a new resolve to live for the Lord and to carry on the traditions of his Mennonite world. Young people who attend this Bible school leave with an in-depth understanding of who they are and where they are going, their beliefs based on Mennonite doctrine and God’s Holy Word.
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P.S. Please check out my latest release, LOUELLEN RETURNS HOME, volume six in THE SNYDER COUNTY QUILTING BEE short story series, now available as an e-story on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Snyder-County-Quilting-Bee-ebook/dp/B00BEL2A98/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361885511&sr=1-1&keywords=Louellen+Returns+Home
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February 19, 2013
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER THIRTY-ONE
THE ASHLAND MENNONITE BIBLE SCHOOL
(PART FIVE)
SOCIAL LIFE
In the last post, we looked at the dress code of the Mennonite young men who attend three-week sessions of Bible courses at the Ashland Mennonite Bible School, located on the outskirts of my hometown of Ashland in Schuylkill County, PA. In this fifth post, we’ll review what the Bible school refers to as “social life” rules.
As in my previous post that listed dorm and campus “restrictions,” when I listed these guidelines, I couldn’t help but compare this school to our secular “English” college campuses and even many of our Christian campuses and the scanty rules (and sometimes complete absence of any rules) by which those institutions abide.
Social Life Rules at the Ashland Mennonite Bible School:
- Courtship is permitted only for those who are eighteen or older.
- Dates are allowed only by permission of the principal.
- Dates are limited to one a week.
- A dating couple leaving the campus must have a chaperone.
- On campus, couples may visit together in the chapel on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:40 to 5 pm.
- Couples are not permitted to visit any other times.
So, there you have it. Six rules, cut and dried. No exceptions.
Did you notice there’s no mention of hand holding or touching in any other way? Why is that?
You guessed it. Mennonite young people from little up are taught to never become physically involved with anyone until marriage. In fact, engaged couples rarely, if ever, even hold hands in public.
Mennonite Campuses vs. English Campuses
Compare the Mennonite standards of “dating” on the Ashland campus to our “English” college campuses. I dare say, and sad to say, there are few if any dating rules on most campuses today. There are a few exceptions like ultra-conservative Christian schools, but overall in the college world, dorms are no longer segregated, (males in one dorm, females in another), and couples can “visit” each other in their rooms any hour of the day to do whatever they please. The two dating worlds are as opposite as day and night.
And so are the results. You may draw your own conclusions concerning who’s dating “rules” are more beneficial to today’s young people.
Next time, we’ll visit the Ashland Mennonite Bible School again and review some of the courses available at this specialized educational institution.
***
Check out my latest short story in THE SNYDER COUNTY QUILTING BEE, VOLUME SIX:
LOUELLEN RETURNS HOME
Twenty-four years ago, Louellen and her husband were shunned by their Amish community. In all that time, she never had seen her parents or brothers and their families. But now, after all those years, Louellen’s mother writes her a letter and asks her to come home. Why? http://www.amazon.com/The-Snyder-County-Quilting-ebook/dp/B00BEL2A98/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361290545&sr=8-1&keywords=Louellen+Returns+Home
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February 12, 2013
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER THIRTY
THE ASHLAND MENNONITE BIBLE SCHOOL
(Part Four)
Campus Restrictions
The last four posts have introduced you to the Ashland Mennonite Bible School, Ashland, PA (founded in 2008), its purpose, its “atmosphere,” and its dress code for the post high school students who attend classes there. In the last post, we looked at the dress code of the Mennonite young men. In this post, we’ll review what the Bible school refers to as “campus restrictions.” As I listed these guidelines, I couldn’t help but compare this school to our secular “English” college campuses and even many of our Christian campuses and the scanty rules (and sometimes complete absence of any rules) by which those institutions abide.
Campus “Restrictions” at the Ashland Mennonite Bible School:
- Firearms, TV, radios, and musical instruments are not permitted at the Bible school.
- Tobacco and alcohol are not permitted.
- All books, magazines, and newspapers are subject to approval of the Board or principal.
- Only tapes recorded at the Bible school are permitted.
- No buying or selling among students is permitted.
- If watches are worn, bands shall be black, without gold or silver edges or other ornamentation. Gold watches are not permitted.
- No one is permitted outside after dark or during class without permission.
- Picture taking shall be only by special permission of the principal. Digital cameras are not allowed.
- No student is allowed to leave the campus without permission of the principal. When there is an acceptable necessity, permission will be granted.
- Approved: student attendance at weddings of members of the same congregation or when the student has a personal invitation
- Approved: student attendance at funerals with prior parental permission
- Cars may be used only with permission from the principal.
- Only cars which meet our church standards will be used for cottage meetings.
- Students are not permitted in cars for visiting, listening to tapes, etc.
Today’s English College Campus “Restrictions”:
So, do you believe any of our “English” college students for one second would adhere to such a stringent code?
Believe it or not, when I attended a state college in the 60s, a few of these guidelines were actually in the campus “restriction” list:
- Rule 1: Firearms and TVs were not allowed.
- Rule 2: Smoking was restricted to a certain lounge area in the dorm; alcohol was forbidden on campus.
- Rule 7: We had to have a good reason to cut class, and we couldn’t go out of the dorm after dark without signing out.
- Rule 9: We needed permission from the dorm supervisor to leave campus, and we had to say who accompanied us and if we were going in a car.
- Rule 10: We weren’t allowed to have a car on campus if we lived in the dorm.
Okay, okay, now you know how ancient I am. Baby, have things changed since the 60s. But I have to ask you, which society is benefitting more, the Mennonite one or our English one?
Out-of-wedlock pregnancies, drug addiction, alcoholism, and divorce are almost unheard of in the Mennonite community. Now I’m not condoning or agreeing with every restriction the Mennonite school has placed on its students. If I did, I’d probably be Mennonite! But I am saying that there’s something to “clean” living, living by a set of standards, and following guidelines that, in the long run, protect a person from imminent harm or heartache in the long run.
What I believe should be the ultimate goal of any Christian is to live a life that is pleasing to God. Maybe the Mennonite “restrictions” listed here help their young people do that while protecting them from a lifestyle that could be destructive and against all the biblical principles the Mennonite faith upholds.
I believe God is very pleased.
***
Next time, we’ll look at the AshlandMennoniteBibleSchool’s dating standards.
Check out my latest short story in THE SNYDER COUNTY QUILTING BEE, VOLUME SIX: LOUELLEN RETURNS HOME
Twenty-four years ago, Louellen and her husband were shunned by their Amish community. In all that time, she never had seen her parents or brothers and their families. But now, after all those years, Louellen’s mother writes her a letter and asks her to come home. Why?
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February 5, 2013
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER TWENTY-NINE
THE ASHLAND MENNONITE BIBLE SCHOOL
How the Men Dress 
Last time we looked at the dress code of those Mennonite young ladies who enroll at the Ashland Mennonite Bible School, Ashland, PA, for post–high school training in Bible doctrines, Christian living, and the Mennonite way of life. This time, we’ll see what the young men must abide by as they attend the rotating three-week sessions with, usually, over 100 other young men and women from the Mennonite persuasion from different states and even foreign countries.
While we review the dress code for this unique training school, picture your hubby, brother, or son dressed in like manner. How long do you think any one of them would adhere to these policies?
Dress Code for the Brethren:
- The “plain” coat is required for members of the Mennonite Church and shall be worn when leaving the campus. (No lapels, no collar; usually dark grey or black)
- The wearing of a suit coat and trousers that don’t match is not permitted.
- Light colored suits or trousers are not permitted.
- Jackets shall not be worn as a substitute for plain coats.
- Shirts shall be white or light blue, having no stripes, dots, or designs woven into the fabric.
- Shirts shall be buttoned at the neck and sleeves.
- Sleeveless sweaters and pullover sweaters shall not be worn.
- Trousers shall not be flared nor tight.
- Trousers with horizontal front pockets are not permitted.
- Pleated trousers are not permitted.
- Neckties, bow ties, objectionable haircuts, long hair, and low sideburns are not permitted.
- Black shoes and black socks are required.
- We also urge the wearing of the black “plain” hat. (Fedora style)
Have you constructed in your mind a model of your favorite male, dressed in this very modest attire? Is he handsome? I must say that I’ve never seen so many handsome young men in one place as I did the January 18th evening I attended the graduation service at this school of the daughter of a Mennonite friend of mine.
What’s the reasoning for such a dress code?
The modest dress of both the young men and ladies draws the eye’s attention to the face and no other part of the body. Maybe the Mennonites have it right when they adhere to God’s principles of modesty, focusing on the inner beauty of a person and not the outward appearance.
Many Bible verses support their dress
One of the Bible verses they use to support their rigid dress code is found in 1 Peter 3: 3-4: “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting of hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”
We might feel that the Mennonites have taken their dress code to extremes, but one thing is certain. They’ll never be accused of gaudy, outlandish, immodest dress that will lure the eye away from their inner beauty.
COMING SOON! Volume Six in THE SNYDER COUNTY QUILTING BEE SHORT STORY SERIES: LOUELLEN RETURNS HOME at Amazon or B&N.
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January 29, 2013
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
THE ASHLAND MENNONITE BIBLE SCHOOL
PART 2
BLOG POST NUMBER TWENTY-EIGHT
Last week I introduced you to an oxymoron: the Ashland Mennonite Bible School, located on the outskirts of my hometown, Ashland, in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The words “Ashland” and “Mennonite” go together like water and oil. They just don’t seem to mix; yet, for the last four years, a large consensus of Mennonite churches have sponsored a Mennonite post-high-school academic program that teaches Bible doctrine, Christian living, and Mennonite principles in the heart of a depressed coal region heavily populated by Irish, German, and Polish Catholics.
In the previous blog post, I expounded on the details of this school that offers 45 courses in three-week cycles for Mennonites seventeen years and older. While attending a graduation service on January 18th for a friend’s eighteen-year-old girl, I picked up the handbook for the school, which includes some very interesting information.
I’d like to share some of the school’s guidelines, starting with the Mennonites’ dress. Of course, a Mennonite school would have a dress code for both the men and ladies alike. If you decided to attend this school and take some of its classes, would you be willing to adhere to this dress code?
This Dress Code Isn’t for Sissies!
For the “sisters”:
- A plain dress with a cape, ¾ length sleeves or longer, and at least a mid-calf length skirt.
- Dress skirts shall not be straight-cut or so long to have a gown effect.
- Material shall be of subdued colors or consistently small prints.
- If elastic is used in the sleeves, it shall not be more than ¼ inch from the end of the sleeves.
- No ornamental extras, large prints, or outstanding colors will be acceptable.
- Dresses will not be form-fitting or tight.
- Necklines shall be round and not loose or low cut.
- The kapp or veiling shall be a two-piece type to adequately cover the hair, with a front piece at least 1 ½ inches wide.
- The veiling should come forward at least to the crown of the head and close to the ears and neck.
- The hair shall be neatly arranged under the veiling, and when headgear is necessary, a bonnet shall be worn when leaving the campus.
- Footwear shall be black and hosiery shall be at least the equivalent of 30 denier weight.
- Shoes shall not have heels higher than 1 ¾ inches at the back of the heel nor less than 1 ¼ inches in diameter at the base of the heel.
- High ankle straps on the shoes are not allowed and athletic shoes with deeply textures soles, puffy tongues, or other accentuated parts are not allowed.
- Other outdoor footwear shall be black.
- Coats shall be of subdued colors and without hoods.
- Jackets and sleeveless jacket-type sweaters shall not be worn.
- Cut hair, sheer material, jewelry, and ornaments are not permitted.
- There is to be no hair curling, rolling, or other forms of hair teasing.
Well, are you ready to change your wardrobe and enroll? (Me neither.)
Next time, we’ll see how the young men must dress to be acceptable in their Mennonite community.
P.S. Please check out my latest release, RHONDA’S RUMSCHPRINGE, volume five in THE SNYDER COUNTY QUILTING BEE short story series, now available as an e-story on Amazon
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January 22, 2013
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER TWENTY-SEVEN
THE ASHLAND MENNONITE BIBLE SCHOOL
I grew up in a small coal town in Schuylkill County, east central PA. When I left in 1968 to attend college and then marry and relocate to the Susquehanna Valley, Ashland was a thriving town with clean streets, many local businesses, and a population of about 5000. Today Ashland is a depressed borough with about 3500 people, many folks of Irish and German descent and of the Catholic or Orthodox faith. The town, as all small American municipalities, struggles now to maintain a few independent stores in its “downtown” section, most of which are bars, restaurants and cafes. However, the main street is dotted with empty store fronts, a reminder of better days gone by.
The main attraction is the Pioneer Tunnel, http://www.pioneertunnel.com/trainride.html, a tourist attraction that features a tour of an anthracite coal mine and a ride on a replica of a “mine 
train,” the Lokie, a small locomotive and roofed cars that take passengers on a three-quarter mile trip around the side of MahanoyMountain hugging Ashland on its southern side.
To my utter surprise, four years ago an assembly of Mennonite churches in several northeastern states bought a run-down public school building on the outskirts of Ashland that has probably not been used in over thirty years for any educational services. The Mennonites remodeled the building, converting it into the Ashland Mennonite Bible School, complete with dorm “barracks” for both men and women, classrooms, a chapel that seats about 500, offices, a laundry, and a large cafeteria that seats about 200 at a time.
The school offers cycles of three-week classes (45 different courses) on mostly Bible doctrines, Christian witness, and the practical side of the Mennonite faith and lifestyle. Students from the age of 17 and older are welcome to attend, paying only $210 for the courses, room, and board. Young people come from different states and even from foreign countries to learn more about God and their Mennonite beliefs. The average class size is about 130, which, of course, recycles every three weeks.
On Friday, January 18th, I was privileged to attend the graduation ceremony of the latest class, being invited by one of my Mennonite friends, Rachel. Her daughter Roseanna had attended the
Rachel (in dark blue) and her cleaning companion, Carolyn
most recent session and was finished as of that Friday.
As the program began, the chapel, almost at full capacity, resounded with hymns sung in perfect four-part harmony with no musical accompaniment. Four male students then gave summaries of their favorite courses, the entire graduating class of 130 sang six hymns, a pastor preached a half-hour message, and the congregation sang four other hymns, interspersed throughout the service.
There was no recognition of any achievements by any students, no diplomas or certificates awarded, no graduation “march” across the platform. The ceremony resembled any “regular” Mennonite church service. The entire program centered around glorifying the Lord.
There is so much to tell about this school and its “odd” location, I’ll discuss it more in-depth in another blog. So I’ll end this post by saying that although I enjoyed the experience greatly, I felt like a pea in a can of corn. Why?
I was the only woman in attendance with her hair “uncovered.” Also, even though I wore a collared long-sleeved light green sweater, a black skirt to my knees, stockings, and black loafers, I was the most immodestly dressed female there. Wow! Did I get the looks! (But they weren’t condescending looks at all. I was welcomed warmly.) Of course, every woman there had a white kapp over her bun and a high-collared bibbed dress down to her shins.
After the program, I met several of Rachel’s friends, Rachel gave me a tour of the dorm barracks and several other rooms, and we headed home, taking Rosanna with us after she said goodbye to friends she made while attending the Ashland Mennonite Bible School.
I enjoyed the evening greatly, especially singing with the Mennonites in four-part harmony for the glory of the Lord.
(To be cont’d)
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January 15, 2013
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER TWENTY-SIX
Mennonite Business Suffers from Obamacare
In our beautiful Susquehanna Valley quite a few Mennonites own businesses. Besides enjoying their “business” of selling produce and baked goods at the two farmers’ markets every week, we have at least five Amish or Mennonite wholesale grocery stores, Verna’s Fabrics, Pop’s Oak Furniture, and the largest business, Lancaster-based Conestoga Wood Specialties (started in 1964), one of its five factories in Beavertown.
The Conestoga factories, which produce doors and wood components for the kitchen cabinet industry, employ 950 workers. As of January 12th, the Christian-owned company must include abortion services (the “morning after pill”) in its health-care plan dictated by the new national health care system or pay a daily fine of $95,000. Yes, $95,000 EVERY DAY ($100 for each employee).
The owners, Norman, Norman L., and Anthony Hahn, plan to appeal the decision and are hoping it will reach the Supreme Court, believing that this health care mandate is a direct violation of their religious freedoms. They believe, according to the Bible, that life begins at conception and that the inclusion of abortifacient drugs in the health program forces them to provide funds to murder innocent children.
As a Bible-believing Christian, I am appalled that our federal government has become so invasive that it can now dictate to individuals and to businesses what they MUST do concerning this monstrosity of a health care system. As an American citizen, I have exercised my right to vote in every election, praying that God would give us righteous leaders, who would turn our country back to God. But God has chosen to allow otherwise, and Christians above all other “minorities” are suffering the most for their religious convictions.
It’s general knowledge that the Plain Folk for the most part do not vote in any elections. I sometimes wonder if our Amish and Mennonite friends would vote, what the outcomes would be. I believe with their ultra-conservative vote, we’d have more God-honoring leadership in America, and our nation wouldn’t be continuing its dangerous downward moral spiral. However, our Plain Folk friends do not vote, believing that the “material” kingdom is worldly, thus limiting their interaction with it. They also believe in non-resistance and are conscientious objectors, refusing to enlist in any branches of the military. Thus, voting for a president who might go to war with other countries goes against their peaceful beliefs.
I don’t know any of the Hahns personally, but I’m curious to know how they feel about the last presidential election now. Were they in the small percentage of Plain Folk who used their God-given right to cast their votes? If they didn’t vote, are they now wondering if they should have voted? Are they reconsidering whether they’ll vote in the 2016 election?
It’s unfortunate that our Plain Folk don’t realize that voting is the most non-violent means of changing policies in our country, especially policies that infringe on the rights of Christians. I believe with the addition of millions of Amish and Mennonite votes, there would be no laws mandated that would be contrary to God’s Word, and there would be no birth control edicts in any national health care plan.
Would there even be a national health care plan at all?
For more information about the Plain Folks’ non-voting beliefs, go to http://amishamerica.com/do-amish-vote/
For more information about the Conestoga business and its health care dilemma, go to http://www.google.com/search?q=conestoga+wood+specialties&hl=en&tbo=u&biw=1619&bih=737&source=univ&tbm=nws&sa=X&ei=ZXT1UIOBGoy-2AWzuYCIDw&sqi=2&ved=0CFEQqAI
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January 8, 2013
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER TWENTY-FIVE
Why Do the Plain Folk Dress the Way They Do?
Middleburg Farmers’ Market Every Tuesday
I have acquaintances with several different Mennonite gals. The one gal comes from a more strict background, and, although she drives a car (always black), she has no cell phone, and her clothes are usually dark colors like black, navy blue, or shades of grey. She also wears a black bonnet, a heavy black
coat, and sometimes a black shawl when outside, similar to the Old Order Amish or Old Order Mennonites in our area. Her hair is always drawn back in a bun and covered by a white prayer cap.
The other Mennonite gals I know wear no black bonnets, but they always have their white prayer caps on. They also wear cheery prints, flowered patterns, or pastel colors that are quite attractive. These ladies also drive dark-colored vehicles, but they also have cell phones, and the one gal has a computer at home, which she uses to write short stories and books. (And she has been published!)
Although the colors of gals’ dresses vary greatly, the style does not. Every dress is made from the same basic pattern: a high neck, bibbed front (sometimes bibbed back as well,) and a full skirt that goes to the shins. And no Amish or Mennonite woman would be caught dead with any jewelry (including wedding rings) or stockings and high heels. They usually wear dark hose with black leather ties or sneakers with socks.
What is the reason these Plain Folk dress like this?
Everything these folks do is grounded in scripture. The women cover their heads because of the following Bible verses: (1 Corinthians 11:5, 9-10): “But
every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.”
They dress as they do because of this Bible verse: (1 Tim. 2: 9-10): “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold or pearls, or costly array. But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”
My Mennonite friends in their traditional plain churches adhere to a community standard in dress that includes what head covering to wear, the style of dress, and the fabric colors. In central PA, our Amish and Mennonite friends are the best resource for Plain People dress available today. But their style of dress differs as much as their beliefs and other customs. The only way to find out to what group they belong is to ask, which they usually are quite proud to say. But you can rest assured, any Amish or Mennonite women you meet in our area will be dressed similarly in the same fashion-modestly.
A rare time to see an Amish woman w/o her kapp. She said her head was cold
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January 2 2013
2012 SNYDER COUNTY BLOG POSTS IN REVIEW
BLOG POST NUMBER TWENTY-FOUR
Enjoy this photo review of last year’s blog posts from July about Amish and Mennonite friends here in Snyder County, central PA. If you want to learn more about the Plain Folk or places mentioned in the photos, just scroll down.
Friends Brenda and Grace Making Pot Pie
Middleburg Farmers’ Market Every Tuesday
Mennonite Pretzel Stand at Lewisburg Farmers’ Market Every Wed.
Two Amish Men Who Work Here Refurbished My Mother’s Muskat Fur Coat
Verna Duke at her Fabulous Fabric Center in Union County
Friend Danita Who Sells Rabbits Online
Hoovers’ Produce Stand at the Middleburg Farmers’ Market
Amish Buggy at Middleburg Market
Katy Yoder Who Bakes 700 Whoopie Pies Every Week for the Lewisburg Market
Amish Schoolhouse in Lancaster, PA
Gift Store at Amish Farm Attraction, Lancaster, PA
Benches Ready for Sunday Service at Amish Home Attraction, Lancaster, PA
HAPPY NEW YEAR, DEAR READERS. LOOK FOR MORE POSTS ABOUT OUR AMISH/MENNONITE FRIENDS THIS COMING YEAR!
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December 24, 2012
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER TWENTY-THREE
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
“FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOUR, WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD” (Luke 2:11)
WELCOME TO THE HUBLER HOUSE AT CHRISTMAS TIME!
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December 18, 2012
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER TWENTY-TWO
A Visit to a Marvelous “Christmas” Shoppe
COUNTRY FARM AND HOME
MIFFLINBURG, SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY, CENTRAL PA
Keith Phelps, Owner
Main Entrance
Horse & Santa Sled Greet You Inside
One of Many Gorgeous Trees on Display
“Icicle” Street
A Huge Display of Old World Ornaments
Victorian Miniatures
Display Case Full of Old World “Dessert” Ornaments
Keith and One of His “Elves”
Customer Eyes the Old World Ornaments
Come visit COUNTRY FARM AND HOME anytime. If you don’t need Christmas items, Keith has anything in the garden, pet, and home decor line! http://www.countryfarmandhome.net/
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December 11, 2012
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER TWENTY-ONE
Meet My Number One Housekeeper
Sheila Martin
Sheila’s Been with Me a Long Time
“Conservative” Mennonite Sheila Martin started cleaning for me and helping with my ailing mother over six years ago. About two years ago, she took a hiatus for a year from all her cleaning jobs, serving in the Faith Mission Home, a special needs facility in Virginia. But when she came back to the area, she picked up where she left off, housecleaning and doing home care for folks in need.
I can’t say enough about Sheila’s good work ethic. As her church teaches, she takes pride in a job
well done. She does everything I ask and does it to my satisfaction, from scrubbing floors to washing windows. She comes once a month and works for $11.00 an hour. I often give her more than that because she works so hard.
My dog Bailey just adores Sheila and goes crazy whenever she shows up. He knows she usually takes him for a walk and plays with him, so he begs her to do so. However, 
everyone in the house but him knows that Sheila has a lot of work to do, so playtime with the pup must be put on hold.
She’s a Kind Soul
Today Sheila came into the house with a plateful of home-baked Christmas cookies for my husband and me. She has learned from her faith and family to be generous and share the love of Christ with others. She also never complains and does everything with a cheery attitude.
How Does She Celebrate Christmas?
I asked Sheila to tell me about her family’s Christmas tradition. She said her church does not hold services on Christmas. Christmas Day with the Martins is spent with the family around the noon meal of either turkey or ham. Prior to Christmas, they do decorate the house but not with a tree, and the family members exchange gifts, usually on Christmas day. “But,” she told me, “I remember one year when I was little, I had only one present left on Christmas Day because my brothers and sisters all wanted to open their gifts a few days before. That was an unusual Christmas, to say the least.”
But one tradition the family holds dear is what they call “dropping in,” or visiting other family members for a short time later in the afternoon on Christmas. The family members whom they visit will have light refreshments similar to what we would call an “open house.” After Sheila’s family cleans up from the noon meal, they drop in for a few hours then return home for an evening with the family, either reading or playing games.
Right now Sheila is washing my living room windows and helping me hang new valances, which replace faded and stained ones that have been there for 17 years. The next time she comes to clean, the new year of 2013 will be here, and I look forward to seeing her every month for as long as she wants to come.
And Bailey will be thrilled to see her just as much!
P.S. Merry Christmas! Give yourself a treat and check out my latest short stories, volume 3 and 4 in THE SNYDER COUNTY QUILTING BEE:
CHRISTMAS COOKIES FOR MRS. DARLING -
MANDIE’S MARRIAGE DILEMMA -
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December 4, 2012
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER TWENTY
Do Mennonites Celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas?
We “English” center our holiday traditions around huge festive meals with family and friends. But what about our Plain Folk friends?
Do All Mennonites Celebrate Holidays the Same Way?
Although the Mennonite gals I know come from different sects, they all celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas the same—at home with family around a table filled with turkey, ham, or chicken and all the trimmings. They sing hymns of praise, usually in four-part harmony, then the patriarch of the family leads in a short devotional and prayer. What follows is a feast that the rest of us enjoy in our homes on those special Christian days. But what about other Christmas traditions which many of us enjoy?
Do they decorate their homes at Christmas? Some do.
Do they put up Christmas trees? None do.
Do they give gifts on Christmas Day? Some do.
Do they have a church service on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Some do.
Do they decorate their churches for Christmas? None do.
Inside of a
Mennonite church
As you can see, Mennonites differ in tradition as much as Baptists or Methodists or Catholics do. However, my Mennonite friends told me that other sects of their persuasion will have a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal in the church fellowship hall for the members to gather together in thanks to God for all his blessings.
Based on my friends’ sharing of information with me, I wrote a scene in BACHELOR’S CHOICE that had the backdrop of a Thanksgiving gathering at the Mennonite church. Here is a segment of two scenes that describe that event:
Thanksgiving Scenes from BACHELOR’S CHOICE
At ten minutes to three the long drive brought Katrina and her mamm to Mapletown, and Barbara parked the car in the parking lot of the Mennonite church. But eating turkey and reuniting with old friends were not at the forefront of Katrina’s mind.
“I must go and find John!” she said, hurrying out of the car. With letter in hand, she greeted and hugged several friends as they all headed toward the fellowship hall. She rushed inside and scanned the large room filled with the church congregation. Greeting more friends and adding her jacket to a long line of coats hung on wall hooks, she searched diligently for John amidst the hustle and bustle of families finding places to sit, pots and pans banging in the kitchen, friends chatting, and babies crying. Desperately she searched for the Friesen family whom she finally saw sitting in the one far corner.
There at an already full table sat Mr. Friesen, Mrs. Friesen, Skip, Valerie, Jeremy, John and —Wanda Stahl!
***
John spotted Katrina and her mamm in the influx of folks filling the banquet hall. But I don’t see Noah! Ever since Katrina had written that she would be coming, John anxiously waited to see her. Yet, he knew that her recent “friendship” with Noah had changed the direction of the path which John had sought to take. Still, she had been one of his very dear friends ever since their youth. And distance never should separate friends.
For a moment, his eyes met Katrina’s, and she smiled, subtly waving her hand with a paper clutched in it. He watched as she and her mamm greeted mutual friends and finally sat at a table on the opposite side of the room. If only things had worked out differently, John thought, as the servers started passing the food plates to the tables.
The congregation of two hundred enjoyed a turkey and stuffing meal with mashed potatoes, corn, cole slaw, apple sauce, and a variety of freshly baked pies. After the meal, Pastor Fowler had a thirty-minute devotional entitled “Be Ye Thankful Always,” the youth group choir sang several choruses in four-part harmony, and the entire congregation sang “Gott Be With You Till We Meet Again” at the close.
During the meal, John frequently eyed Katrina, hoping the opportunity to speak to her would arise. But with Wanda nearby, he wondered if Katrina would stay away.
As Wanda, John, and his family left the table to chat with friends, Wanda’s mamm, carrying two meal-sized Styrofoam containers, came to her side. “Wanda, we must be going.”
Wanda turned to John and said, “Thank you so much for asking me to sit with you. But I must leave now with my parents. My grossdaed is not feeling well, so he and grossmamm didn’t come today. We have a meal for both of them, so we are going to visit them for a few hours.”
“That is quite all right,” John said. “Gott willing, I’ll see you in church the Lord’s Day next.”
“Jah,” Wanda said, walking away with her mamm. Bye.”
John stretched his neck and surveyed the room, looking for Katrina. Perhaps they’ve left already, he lamented.
“John,” his mamm said, “as soon as most of the folks empty the room, Valerie and I are going to help clean up the beverage table. Your daed and Jeremy have offered to help fold chairs.”
“I’m going there now,” Valerie said, walking away.
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Christian Tradition is Quite Similar
So you can see from my description of the Thanksgiving meal in the Mennonite church that these Plain Folk have church socials very much like the “English” (that’s us) do. They enjoy a good meal and the fellowship of those who are like-minded all while they’re taking time to praise the Lord or honor his birth during the holiday season of the year.
To read John and Katrina’s story in its entirety, order BACHELOR’S CHOICE today:
Check out my series of shorts as well, starting with NANETTE’S NEEDLE AND THREAD:
Have a wonderful holiday season, and remember the true reason for the season!
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November 27, 2012
ARE FARMERS’ MARKET & GROCERY STORE PRICES COMPARABLE?
BLOG POST NUMBER NINETEEN
The Middleburg Farmers’ Market
How much would you pay for a pound of pickled tripe? Would you even find it in a “regular” grocery store? How about a pound of rabbit? How about a half pound of scrapple?
These are all foods you would find at any farmers’ market in central Pennsylvania. Sometimes local “English” butchers have the items for sale; sometimes Amish or Mennonite sell them. But would you find them at a grocery store in such an Amish/Mennonite -influenced society?
The Lewisburg Farmers’Market
Prices May Vary
A few weeks ago, I did some price-comparison shopping. I went to the Middleburg Farmers’ Market, the Lewisburg Farmers’ Market, and the Lewisburg Weis Markets, a chain of grocery stores here in Pennsylvania. As I suspected, I didn’t find any rabbit, tripe, or a few “odd” foods in the grocery chain. But for the foods I did find, there was quite a difference in some of the prices while others seemed steady. Let’s look at 13 different foods and see how much cash you’d need to buy one of each:
| ITEM | MIDDLEBURG MARKET | LEWISBURG MARKET | WEIS GROCERY STORE |
| Delmonico Steak | 10.99 per lb. | 8.49 per lb. | 11.49 per lb. |
| Beef Sticks | 5.99 per lb. | 7.85 per lb. | - |
| Rabbit | 3.89 per lb. | 3.89 per lb. | - |
| Pickled Tripe | 3.99 per lb. | 3.99 per lb. | - |
| Scrapple | 2.29 per lb. | 2.79 per lb. | - |
| Filled Pork Chops | 3.69 per lb. | 3.49 per lb. | 4.99 per lb. |
| Pig’s Stomach | 7.00 for one | 6.00 for one | - |
| Corn Meal Mush | 1.25 per lb. | 1.25 per lb. | - |
| Green Peppers | 2 for .90 | 3 for 1.00 | 10 for 10.00 |
| Sweet Potatoes | .79 per lb. | .79 per lb. | .75 per lb. |
| Carrots | .59 per lb. | .69 per lb. | 1.49 a bunch |
| Bananas | .59 per lb. | .39 per lb. | .62 per lb. |
| Whoopie Pies | 1/.60 small | 3/2.00 med. | 2/3.99 large |
Inflation Affects Us All
With the poor economy and inflation out of control, I suspect that in a few months many of these prices might be higher. After Christmas, maybe closer to spring, I’ll do another price comparison and see if we’re paying more or less (I don’t think so) for all these items. I’d love to hear from you if you’d like to share some of the prices in the area in which you live.
By the way have you ever eaten rabbit? (Not me. They’re too cute to even think of serving on my table.) How about tripe? Do you even know what tripe is? (It’s just another name for pig’s stomach.)
How Brave Are You?
If you don’t live in an area that has any PA Dutch or Plain Folk persuasion, then you might not have ever heard of some of these foods, let alone tasted them. So, if you’re ever passing through central PA, the Lancaster area, or any other “Dutchy” community, take a mouthful of courage pills and try some of these different delicacies. You might even like the taste once you get past the price and their “look.” A pound of mush looks like a brick of brown cement and a pig’s stomach (which you would stuff with meat, potatoes, and vegetables at home and bake) looks like a deflated grey balloon.
What do you think? Are you brave enough? (I’m not!)
Marsha
P.S. If you’re in the mood for a good Christmas story, go to my latest short story, CHRISTMAS COOKIES FOR MRS. DARLING: http://www.amazon.com/Snyder-County-Quilting-Bee-ebook/dp/B009XZHSQM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354028478&sr=1-1&keywords=christmas+cookies+for+mrs.+darling
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November 20, 2012
VERNA’S FABRIC CENTER (NUMBER TWO)
BLOG POST NUMBER EIGHTEEN
In last August’s blog, I introduced you to Mrs.Verna Duke, the owner of a quaint little store at the base of a hill a few miles outside of Mifflinburg, PA in Union (not Snyder) County. Even if you aren’t a seamstress, you might enjoy visiting this “sewing” store.
“Verna’s Fabrics” is a store that has anything and everything that you need to sew, mend, embroider, or quilt. An excellent seamstress herself, Mennonite lady Verna knows what it takes 
to get the job done. If you need a button or two, she’s got them. How about lace? “Fat” quarters? Thread? Needles? Yep. Zippers? You bet cha. And how about material and patches for a baby quilt? Are you kidding?
Verna has the largest assortment of fabrics you’ll find for probably fifty miles around. She has material for baby clothes all the way up to coats, trousers, and even some upholstering fabrics.
For almost twenty years, Verna has owned and operated her store in the rural area of central PA. Her little operation sits a few dozen yards away from her house, which makes it convenient for 
her to keep on top of things. She employs four young ladies part-time to help, all of them of the Mennonite persuasion, who are all excellent seamstresses in their own right and would be able to tell you exactly what you need to complete your sewing project at home.
How Did She Get Started?
In 1984, Verna started her little store in her living room at a former residence. Ten months later, she built a 40’ x 40’ addition. In September of 1996, she moved to her present location and built a 118’ x 40’ store, which also offers children’s toys, kapps, key chains, jewelry boxes, books, plastic model farm animals, and a few other oddities that you might not expect to find in a “sewing store.” But Verna’s number one focus is material.
Shelves and Shelves of Material
With shelves and shelves of material from which to choose, it’s hard to believe that any customer would leave Verna’s empty-handed. Other items she carries include fleece, vinyl, other plastics, 
flannel backing, bindings for quilts, and thread galore. Name a color, a print, or pastel of material you need, and Verna probably has it. If she doesn’t have it, she most likely can order it. “I order material from distributors in New York, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Georgia, and they deliver here to this tiny place,” she says.
How Does She Get the Word Out?
With a twinkle in her eye and a silly laugh that makes anyone giggle, Verna is proud to tell anyone that although she has a website, it’s not very good. “And I don’t even have a cash register
in the store,” she says. “I’m too dumb to run it! The best way to advertise seems to be word of mouth.”
Who Comes to her Store?
“They’re not all local people,” Verna says. “People come from as far away as Canada. I’ve had “English” folks here from Germany, England, and a few other countries. They come in buses sometimes. When I first started my business I was averaging 1700 visitors a month. And every year I give away 6000 calendars from July to February.”
Any Negatives to Verna’s Fabrics?
If you want to call using an outhouse a negative, then so be it. With no apologies, Verna
Verna’s “Facility”
directs her customers to the outside corner of her fabric center to a very nicely painted wooden “facility.” Also, Verna does not accept credit cards. “Checks and cash only!” she says. “I’m not into credit cards yet.”
Come Visit
Verna would love to meet you, especially if you learned about her from her website or from my blog. So if you’re ever driving through Mifflinburg, PA, look up Verna’s FabricCenter. Ask for an item and see what Verna says. Most likely this will be her answer: “If we don’t have it, you probably don’t need it!”
Verna in the Center
w/ Customers
Verna’s Fabric Center
1430 Red Bank Rd.
Mifflinburg, PA 17844
Ph: 570.966.2350
Store Hours:
M, T, Th, F: 9 am to 9 pm
W, Sat.: 9 am to 5 pm
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November 13, 2012
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
THE SNYDER COUNTY QUILTING BEE SERIES
http://www.amazon.com/author/marshahubler
BLOG POST NUMBER SEVENTEEN
A Mennonite Funeral
The Sad News
The last time my Mennonite friends were here helping me clean, Rachel told me about a fifty-three-year-old man in her community who just passed on from cancer. The saddest part of the entire story was that he had already lost four children to the same kind of cancer that he had gotten from his mother through gene transfer then passed down to the children, who were five,
My Friends Rachel
and Carolyn
nine (two children), and nineteen when they died. I don’t know this family, but my heart went out to the wife and mother of the family, who must be devastated.
A Huge Viewing and Funeral
Rachel went on to tell me some of the details of the viewing that evening and the funeral the next afternoon.
“The viewing is in the church from four to six and then seven to nine tonight,” she said. “But they’re expecting about a thousand to show up for that and the funeral. The man was well-known in the Amish and Mennonite community. We will probably be there long after nine o’clock.”
“Will the Amish come in buggies?” I asked Rachel.
“No,” she said. “They’ll be taxied in vehicles.”
“Do folks sit in the church pews during the viewing, or does the line just keep moving?”
“Those who are family or close friends will sit in the church after they go through the line,” Rachel said.
The Funeral Service
Over a sandwich lunch, I asked Rachel about the funeral and how her church conducts the services. What she told me closely resembles our Baptist services and the order of service in the Mennonite church of one of my other Mennonite friends, Sheila.
Inside of a
Mennonite church
“The casket is in the front of the church for viewing right before the service,” Rachel said. “But when the service starts, the casket is closed.”
“Do you have special groups singing?” I asked her.
“No, but there’s a lot of congregational singing,” Rachel told me.
“That’s where we differ,” I said. “In our funeral services, we usually have solos, duets, or trios in the order of service. They sing favorites of the person who’s passed on.”
“The hymns we sing are all about heaven,” Rachel said. “Then one or two men in the deceased man’s family will have devotionals. After that, the pastor will read the obituary and have a message about the person and his faith in God. After more singing, there is a prayer and the service ends. The congregation and other attenders are dismissed while the family and close friends stay behind. The casket is opened again for one last viewing by the family then it is transported to the cemetery.”
The Interment
Rachel went on to tell me the details of the interment, which is very similar to the scene I have described in my novel, TEACHER’S PET, volume 2 of THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY. Following is that scene in chapter eleven from the perspective of Valerie, the widow of Jeremy Zook, who died in a tractor accident:
Chapter Eleven
Scene One
“Dust thou art to dust returneth. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Valerie stood in the cemetery on the gentle hill behind the church, in total disbelief that Jeremy was gone. With such severe head trauma and internal injuries, he only lived a few hours in the IC unit at the hospital after being rushed into surgery. Then the Lord saw fit to take him Home.
Valerie endured the funeral and interment through a veil of tears, which continually spilled out of her eyes and coursed her face. Now with Mamm and Daed by her side, Valerie wept softly, surrounded by her family and Jeremy’s kin, all in tears. In a large tight-knit circle, dozens of Mennonite friends stood, some weeping, others with their heads bowed, as Pastor Fowler finished his last words. A men’s trio then sang “When We All Get to Heaven” as Jeremy’s casket was lowered into the ground.
The crystal clear blue sky and fresh air on the first Wednesday in September did nothing to raise Valerie’s spirits. Here she was, a young widow, a very young widow, with a boppli on the way and a newly-purchased farm with a big mortgage, for which the kind donations of her church family would hardly touch.
But if she managed to stay on the farm, who would till the land anyway?
While the men sang, Valerie’s mind wandered into realms of the unknown. Despite the fact that both families and friends had promised to help in any way they could, her fears ran rampant and her tears flowed freely, facing the darkest of futures “alone.”
Oh, Jeremy, why did you leave me? School starts in a week, but who will care for the farm if I teach? Who’ll feed the cows and chickens? What will I do with your repair equipment? How can I manage by myself? How can I raise this child without a daed? How can I go on—alone? Oh, dearest Jeremy, why did you leave me?
“When we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory!” The trio finished their hymn, and Pastor Fowler shared one last encouraging verse. “Brethren, ‘we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.’ Our brother Jeremy is in the presence of Almighty Gott today. May that truth bring comfort to your sorrowing souls.” He then prayed and invited everyone for a luncheon. “Friends, the family extends an invitation for you to come to the fellowship hall for some refreshments before you go on your way. Gott bless you all.”
Slowly the group dispersed and made its way from the graveside, meandering in a long line across the softball field and picnic grove into the church. Valerie remained at the grave with her family and the Zooks, all weeping, as two men shoveled dirt over Jeremy’s bier.
Dear Gott in heaven, help me. Valerie wept, a wave of fear sweeping over her and threatening her resolve. I need your strength to carry on. How can I go on alone? Lord Jesus, please help me. (Scene end)
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My heart is heavy for Rachel’s friends who have gone through so much sorrow already. I didn’t ask the family’s name, but it would be good for all of us to remember that dear wife and the children left behind in our prayers. The man who died was a farmer. Rachel told me the older married boys will continue farming and help their mother, and the Mennonite community will be there to help any way they can.
One remarkable trait of the Plain Folk is the help they provide for others in need. No one is left behind or left alone.
(To read Valerie’s entire story, order TEACHER’S PET today: http://www.amazon.com/Loves-Snyder-County-Teachers-ebook/dp/B008XDGEEC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1352819917&sr=1-1&keywords=Teacher%27s+Pet+by+Marsha+Hubler.)
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November 6, 2012
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
THE SNYDER COUNTY QUILTING BEE SERIES
http://www.amazon.com/author/marshahubler
BLOG POST NUMBER SIXTEEN
Who Came First, the Amish or the Mennonite?
Mennonite Church
The Beginning
While reading Amish and Mennonite fiction, many modern “English” people might think that the Amish culture was the older of the two, dating back to the 1400s and 1500s in Europe. Well, that’s not the case. Surprisingly, the Mennonites were founded about 160 years before the Amish sect.
Menno Simons
The Mennonites first became known as a “people” when in 1536, a Dutch man, Menno Simons, founded and became the leader of this new group that emerged from the large Anabaptist movement in Europe. The Anabaptists were religious zealots who broke away from the Catholic Church because of doctrinal issues, including the “key” doctrine of infant baptism. The Anabaptists believed that the Bible taught that only adults should be baptized after their repentance and confession of faith, a belief that subjected them to severe persecution. When Menno started his new group, he reinforced the following doctrines in his belief system:
- Rebaptism (for adults who had already been baptized but as adults made a profession of faith) (Picture buggy)
- Pacifism
- Religious toleration
- Separation of church and state
- Opposition to capital punishment
- Opposition to holding government offices
- Opposition to taking oaths
The Amish Came Next
Jakob Ammann
Over a century and a half later, the Mennonites suffered their own division when Jacob Amman from Erlenbach, Switzerland, and an elder in the Mennonite church, broke away from the Mennonite sect and started a new religious movement, the Amish. Although not much is known about Jacob Amman, his signature beliefs that differ from the Mennonite doctrine have been carried down through the ages:
- Amman instituted communion twice a year instead of once a year as the Mennonites observed.
- Amman introduced foot washing, a practice which some Mennonite groups observe today; some do not.
- Concerning shunning, Amman believed that the Mennonites had become too lax. He treated shunning very seriously and added an extra rule to the practice: The spouse of the shunned person could neither sleep nor eat with the sinner until they repented.
- Amman instructed his followers to reject all modernization of life, live close to the land, and not be contaminated with the “things of this world.”
Impossible Reconciliation
Although many attempts were made to reconcile the two groups, Amman and his followers were excommunicated from the Mennonite movement in 1698, and the two went their separate ways. In the early 1700s, both the Amish and Mennonite made their way to America to flee religious persecution and establish their own way of life and belief system.
The Amish Today
Sunday “Meeting Place”
in Amish Home
With Ohio and Pennsylvania being the most populated, there are an estimated 260,000 Amish in the USA today. I did not find a total for the number of Mennonites who live in our country. If you have a resource that provides that data, please let me know.
To read more about the Amish and Mennonite worlds, visit:
http://pittsburgh.about.com/cs/pennsylvania/a/amish.htm
http://mennonit.es/chmf/mennonites/
Enjoy a “ taste” of Mennonite tradition:
Christmas Cookies for Mrs. Darling
Short Story Number Three
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OCT. 30, 2012
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
THE SNYDER COUNTY QUILTING BEE SERIES
http://www.amazon.com/author/marshahubler
BLOG POST NUMBER FIFTEEN
Whose Buggy Is It, Amish or Mennonite?
Amish or Mennonite?
Living in central PA in Amish and Mennonite country, I’d always taken for granted that most people, including myself, knew the difference between the Amish and Mennonite, particularly in the SusquehannaValley. The Amish wear black and ride in buggies; the Mennonites wear different colored clothes and drive cars, right?
However, in getting to know some Amish and Mennonite folks over the years and talking to them about their beliefs and lifestyles, I’ve discovered that it’s very hard to tell the difference between the two sects, sometimes even by looking at their clothing, hair and beard styles, or their means of transportation. In fact, sometimes, the Amish and Mennonites themselves aren’t sure who’s who when they see other Plain Folk out and about.
A few months ago I had lunch with a progressive Mennonite friend (who has electricity, a phone, and the Internet), and we discussed whether there were any Amish in our counties of Snyder and Union. “No,” she said, “there are no Amish in this area.”
“But at our Tuesday farmers’ market they come in horse and buggy,” I said. “They sure look Amish.”
“Ach, they’re horse-and-buggy Old Order Mennonites, not Amish,” she said.
“Hmm, are you sure?” I asked.
“I think so,” she answered.
My Mennonite Friend Was Surprised
The next Tuesday, I went to our farmers’ market here in SnyderCounty and took a few pictures of some Plain Folk from a distance. Of course, any close-up “face” shots were impossible because many Plain Folk, at least at that market, declined any offer for me to take their pictures next to
their produce sales. I sent a few of the pictures to my Mennonite friend via email, and she wrote back saying something like, “Well, my goodness. By looking at their dress, I’d say they are Amish!”
If you read my last blog (Scroll below this blog to read it)about Katie Yoder, who sells baked goods at the Lewisburg farmers’ market every Wednesday, you’ll remember that she is also Amish, not Mennonite. However, she lives about forty minutes from Middleburg, which, in terms of horse-and-buggy travel, could mean different Ordnungs and sects of both Amish and Mennonite in a thirty-mile radius. Katie had no problem with my taking her picture and interviewing her about her bakery business.
Also, taking a trip to Lancaster, a ninety-minute car drive from Middleburg, might also be an Amish “surprise” because many of the Plain Folk in that area who are involved in the commercialism of their lifestyle have no problem with picture taking either.
What Are the Major Differences?
With all the diversities among the Amish and Mennonites, and among sects within each, I think it would be interesting to do a study of the differences between the Amish and Mennonites. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to look at the beliefs of each sect, although factions within each sect differ as much as the differences between various groups of Baptists, Methodists, Catholics, or any religious persuasion. But, perhaps, when we’re done, you’ll be able to tell whether that buggy you see is being driven by an Amish man or a Mennonite.
P.S. Please check out CHRISTMAS COOKIES FOR MRS. DARLING, http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=christmas+cookies+for+Mrs.+Darling&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Achristmas+cookies+for+Mrs.+Darling&ajr=0 , the third volume in my SNYDER COUNTY QUILTING BEE short story series. Meet Louellen and Eli Friesen, Mennonites who celebrate Christmas by baking dozens and dozens of cookies. But this Christmas, their cookies lead them into the path of someone they knew twenty-five years ago and someone whom they’d rather not see again.
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OCT. 23, 2012
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER FOURTEEN
Katie Yoder, Amish Bakery Entrepreneur
Amish Baker Katie Yoder
Last Wednesday a friend and I went to the farmers’ market in Lewisburg, the Susquehanna Valley, PA. This market is probably four times larger than the Middleburg Farmers’ Market near my home. The Lewisburg market had vendor after vendor (both inside and outside a large block building) selling fruits, vegetables, fresh meats, antiques, T-shirts, hot pretzels, lawn trinkets, used tools and household items, and fast foods like hamburgers, French fries, and ice cream.
Of the Amish who sold food, I had the pleasure of interviewing Katie Yoder, a mid-fifties woman who had her own bakery. Katie was unique in several ways, in my opinion, a kind of Plain Folk rebel, who lived a little outside the box of her strict Ordnung.
First of all, Katie wore a bandana instead of her kapp. When I asked her where her covering was, she said she was cold so she had to put something on that was warmer.
Next, Katie was thrilled when I told her I’d like to write an article (blog) about her. She answered all the questions I asked, and she said yes when I asked to take pictures of her and her younger helper.
Katie Talked “Baking!”
Katie talked nonstop, telling me that she and a few helpers at her bakery in her home have LARGE orders sometimes. (Well, that was an understatement!) After I bought two pumpkin rolls at $4.00 each, I asked where her whoopie pies were. She told me she had brought 700 with her to market, but they were all gone. My friend and I were there at 1:30 (when the crowd was thinning out), so I figured that Katie was probably selling since 8:30 that morning. In those few hours she sold every one of her whoopie pies! Wow! I failed to ask her what she charges for them, but the going rate is $1.25 to $1.50. Do the math, and you’ll see that Katie didn’t need to sell anything else to have a very profitable day. However, on her table she still had about eight loaves of bread and a few pies left.
Katie went on to tell me that she does baking for churches that have fund raisers and for church and holidays. She said, “Ach, it’s nothing for us to do 600 apple dumplings at a time.” She also said that for Thanksgiving, she’ll often make 300 pumpkin pies for church and family gatherings, and for Christmas, she could do the same plus 60 or so mince meat pies and 250 pans of sticky buns.
“How long does it take you to do 300 pumpkin pies?” I asked her. “That must take all day.”
“Nah,” she said with a twinkle in her eye, “if I had two or three girls helping, we’ll have them done in two or three hours.”
I Would Love to See Her Bakery
I would love to visit Katie’s bakery and see this amazing Amish woman in action. The next time I’m at the Lewisburg market, I want to look up Katie and ask if she’d allow me to do so. That
Not Much Left at 1:30 P.M.
would be a very interesting “field trip” for any “English” woman to take. I can smell the apple dumplings and pumpkin pies already!
Happy shopping!
Marsha
For a reading journey to visit Amish and Mennonite friends in Snyder County, order one of three books in THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY:http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=love+song+for+louellen
Volume 3
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October 16, 2012
THE AMISH “REMODELED” MOTHER’S FUR COAT
BLOG POST NUMBER THIRTEEN
On August 28, 2010, my mother, Grace Loeper, age 94, went home to be with her Lord. She left many fond memories behind as well as some belongings that were precious to her. One of her most cherished items, one she worked hard to save the money to buy in the 1960s, was her muskrat fur coat with mink cuffs. One of the last really nice pictures I have of Mother before the brain tumor took its toll is her wearing her fur coat, ready to go to church in
February of the same year she passed away.
One of the charges Mother left with me before she took her heavenly flight was to take good care of her fur coat.
“Marsha,” she said more than I care to count, “don’t give that coat away, and don’t sell it. Nobody’ll take care of it like I did.”
I Kept the Coat
Well, Mom’s gone over two years, and I’m now in my mid-sixties, but I’m still obeying that woman who gave me life. I still have the coat … and always will keep it. However, knowing I would never, ever wear the coat, I started looking for a furrier who could modify it into a throw blanket. I thought I would have to drive to Harrisburg or some other metropolitan area to find furriers with the skill to do such a job. I also figured I would have to pay hundreds of dollars for the changes that I desired.
As the news spread about my quest, some Mennonite friends told me of “Harlan” and his dad, two Amish men who worked at a nearby buggy “factory” and also worked with furs on the side. So one day I grabbed Mom’s prize wrap, hopped in my car, and went to the Vicksburg Buggy Shop, about a twenty-minute drive from my home.
The Amish Were Amazed at Mother’s Coat
When I walked in the buggy shop, met Harlan and his dad, and showed them Mother’s muskrat “collection,” they marveled at its beauty. They said they had never seen a coat like that, especially with so many quality pelts in it PLUS the mink cuffs on the sleeves. When I explained what I wanted them to do, they hemmed and hawed, saying they were afraid they’d ruin the coat.
“But it’s useless to me the way it is,” I told them. “You won’t ruin it. I’m sure of that.”
Finally, they agreed to take the coat and make it into a blanket, estimating that the labor would be about $100.
The Final Product Is Beautiful
After about two weeks, I got the call from Harlan to come to the buggy shop and look at the coat. When I walked in, I could sense that Harlan and his dad were quite nervous about showing me the coat. But when I saw the finished product, I was extremely well pleased. The men had taken the sleeves out and sewed the mink from the cuffs along one side of the coat as a border. They then repaired the sleeve holes so delicately, you have to look extra hard to see where the sleeves originally were. I told the men how pleased I was with the coat, and when Harlan handed me the bill, he apologized for going over his estimate. The final cost for the labor was $116.
No Pictures
I asked Harlan and his dad if I could take a picture of them with the coat, but, since most Amish believe pictures are graven images and condemned in the Bible, they declined. I then asked if I could take pictures of their buggy shop and write an article about their work, which they also declined. Thus, I have only the outside of their building to show you where two excellent furriers work their day job of building buggies at the Vicksburg Buggy Shop.
Mother’s Coat, a Constant Reminder
The cold weather is moving into central Pennsylvania as winter fast approaches. The other day, I opened my cedar chest, unpacked the muskrat throw, and laid it on my lounge chair in the living room. Now, whenever I look at it or wrap myself up in it on a chilly night, I not only think of Mother, but I think of Harlan and his dad, as well, and the great job they did on a thread of memorabilia that I’ll have with me for a long, long time.
P.S. I wanted to take this last picture with my dog Bailey sitting on the coat, but I was afraid Mother would actually yell at me from heaven’s portals (not really) if she knew a dog was on her precious furs! (If you look really hard, you can just about see where the sleeves were.)
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October 9, 2012
MENNONITES ARE EXCELLENT HOUSE CLEANERS
BLOG POST NUMBER TWELVE
The Ripping Everything Apart Type of House Cleaning
When I was a little girl living with my parents in the coal regions of east central Pennsylvania, it was a given that everyone housecleaned twice a year: in the spring and in the fall. The main reason for that was because, in the coal regions in the 50s and 60s when the mines were active, a fine black dust polluted the air and settled on everything both outside and inside everyone’s homes. Being the only child (and not spoiled, I might add), I was expected to help my mother, which I did, even though I wanted to be outside playing ball, playing kick the can with the neighborhood gang, and in my teen years, hanging out with friends.
Those Days Are Long Gone
Now as a married woman for over 40 years, I’m thankful that my mother taught me how to clean a house properly. Twenty-five or thirty years ago, when we had foster children (mostly teen girls), we did yearly housecleaning, partly because kids make houses dirty and partly to teach the girls how to keep a nice house. However, since hubby and I are now alone, I don’t do the ripping-everything-apart cleaning even once a year; in fact, I struggle to get it done every two to four years anymore. There are several reasons for that: I’m not in coal dust country, and I’m just too busy with other things going on in life.
Mennonite Gals Have Been Helping Me for Years
The last fifteen years of her life, my mother lived with me before she went home with the Lord, and even in her 80s and 90s, she housecleaned every year, either in the spring or fall. I finally convinced her that it wasn’t necessary to do it twice a year since we were now living in Snyder County, where there are no coal mines. Since I worked either full-time or part-time (during Mother’s last few years with me), we hired Mennonite gals to help clean. We quickly discovered that, even though they charge a very reasonable price, they are very thorough in their cleaning. We had four gals who came at various times of the year: Rachel and Carolyn, Heidi, and Sheila. Let me tell you, when they were done cleaning, the room in which they worked had a sparkle to it.
To carry on Mother’s tradition, I’m once again housecleaning this fall. I have asked Rachel, who brings Carolyn, a special needs “helper” with her, to come every Tuesday for the next few
Carolyn hard at work
months until we have the house done.
Rachel had helped my mother for at least the last ten years or so, and now she’s helping me.
Mennonites Love to Relieve You of “Stuff”
One of the things I really like about the Mennonite gals who clean for me is that they will take almost anything that’s in half-decent shape that you’re willing to give away.
The last two Tuesdays, Rachel and Carolyn cleaned the kitchen on my mother’s side of our home. That job probably had not been done for at least three years. We emptied all the cupboards then re-organized them, moved the stove and refrigerator out from the wall and cleaned behind, and polished the cabinets. When all was said and done, Rachel took home with her about four boxes of dishes, glasses, cups, baking paraphernalia and ingredients, and other cooking odds and ends including a set of checkerboard cake pans, which I knew I’d never use in my entire life. She was thrilled with all I had given her, telling me that if she doesn’t keep the stuff herself, she’ll sell it at the weekly farmers’ market where she regularly sells baked goods. I was also thrilled that I had a place to send all the stuff without throwing it away then feeling guilty (because some of the things were like brand new) or having to find someone else to take the treasures home with them. That can take a lot of time!
Today, Rachel and Carolyn came for five hours and in that short time, we went through the storage cabinets in my dining room and packed five boxes of dishes, candles, canisters, and other items that I never use. But this time, Rachel took nothing with her. She said she was still working on the other boxes I had given her, so I’ll try to sell the china set and try to find a home for the other things. One other thing that caught my fancy was when we were all done and I thanked Rachel. “It was fun!” she said. (I’ve NEVER considered cleaning fun!)
I am so grateful for the help these Mennonite ladies offer. In a month or two, we’ll have my house “sparkling” and a little more organized with some of the clutter gone. Ah-h, I feel better already, even though we’re only half finished.
If you’re fortunate enough to live in an Amish/Mennonite area and you need help cleaning, look for some “plain folk” to help you out. I can almost guarantee that they won’t burn a hole in your wallet and you won’t be disappointed with the quality of work they do.
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October 2, 2012
MEET DANITA STOLTZFUS: RABBIT BREEDER AND ENTREPRENEUR
BLOG POST NUMBER ELEVEN
Danita Stoltzfus
On August 21st, I posted a blog about two teen friends of mine, Mennonite homeschoolers Danita and Larelle Stoltzfus, who breed rabbits at their farm, show them, sometimes winning blue ribbons in competition, and sell their bunnies at our Middleburg Farmers’ Market every Tuesday.
The Middleburg Farmers’ Market
Our market sells mostly food (fresh produce, baking and cooking supplies, fresh meats, hamburgers and fries, etc), but it also sells different animals. Besides calves and lambs auctioned off to the highest bidder, chickens, guinea pigs, and rabbits are also for sale. Danita has been selling her rabbits there for several years, and she’s only about twenty years old. But besides selling at our local market, Danita also sells her rabbits online.
A Mennonite Gal Runs a Business Online Without a Computer
This past week, Danita called me and asked if she could come to my house and use my computer and Internet service to e-mail pictures of one of her rabbits she planned to sell through her website, www.springwoodrabbitry.webs.com Of course, she is welcome to come to my home anytime to contact prospective buyers for her rabbits.
“Why doesn’t she use her own computer?” you ask.
So far, Danita has managed to run her business using our local library’s computer and Internet service, occasionally using my PC system or other friends’ computers. This time, since she was unfamiliar with how to send an attachment, she asked if I could help her out.
For a young lady of 19 or 20, Danita is quite the entrepreneur. She is a member of the America Rabbit Breeders Association, www.americanrabbitbreedersassociation.com, and takes great pride in raising and showing some of the most beautiful rabbits I’ve ever seen.
Danita Knows Her Stuff
Without batting an eye, she told me that she keeps from 10 to 20 rabbits at one time, but when the females (does) have their babies (kits), Danita can have up to 50 or 60 rabbits to care for.
Danita is quick to display her knowledge of rabbits to anyone who cares to ask. She’ll tell you there are 47 different breeds, among them New Zealands, Jersey Woolies, Angoras, and English Lops. She’ll also tell you that, contrary to popular opinion, rabbits don’t eat a lot of vegetables, and some veggies like lettuce can make the rabbits sick.
“Something that the rabbits really love is yogurt,” she says. “They absolutely love yogurt.”
I was very glad to assist Danita in her sales pitch to a prospective buyer. Hopefully, she’ll be shipping one of her prize bunnies to a new owner, who will not be disappointed in the product he has bought.
[Please visit Danita’s lovely website that has pictures of her rabbits. Go to www.springwoodsrabbitry.com. I think you’ll be amazed at how beautiful the animals are and how this young Mennonite lady is making a little business work for herself.]
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Sept. 25, 2012
HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MENNONITE WEDDINGS?
BLOG POST NUMBER TEN
Have you ever attended a Mennonite wedding? How does a Mennonite wedding differ from what we’d call a “traditional” church wedding?
While some of us “English” take a wedding ceremony with its vows flippantly, Mennonites take their wedding vows very seriously. The ceremony is a solemn, yet joyous, occasion when the bride and groom make sacred promises before God and man. There are very few, if any, divorces in the Mennonite community. Their wedding vows are considered a pledge to God that should never be broken.
If you’ve ever been privileged to be invited to a Mennonite wedding, then you already might know the answers to the questions included in today’s blog. Let’s take a ten-question T/F quiz and see how well you do. Now, remember, Mennonite traditions in various churches and sects differ as much as other Christian churches, so today we’re visiting a Mennonite wedding in central Pennsylvania:
True/False Quiz
- As in all services, the women sit on one side of the church and the men sit on the other side during the wedding ceremony.
- Musical instruments, like a guitar or flute, are allowed for this special occasion.
- The bride wears a white gown, head piece, and train similar to traditional English gowns.
- The groom wears a tuxedo.
- The bride and groom write their own vows and recite them at the altar.
- The couple exchanges wedding rings during the ceremony and kiss at the finale.
- There is no wedding party, just the bride and groom.
- The singers of special music sit on the platform or near the front and sing from behind the pulpit.
- Cameras and picture taking are permitted throughout the ceremony.
- As at English weddings, photographs are taken after the ceremony in front of the church with the entire family.
Answers:
- F For weddings, the families are permitted to sit together
- F All singing is done without instruments.
- F The bride wears a bibbed white dress that she usually makes herself. It can be sateen or a “fancier” material than cotton, but it looks the same as the traditional Mennonite dress the ladies always wear. The bride also wears her traditional kapp, but, again, it can be a special material for this occasion.
- F The groom wears his Sunday-best suit or has a new one made in traditional Mennonite style, collarless or high-collared with a white shirt and no tie.
- T/F Some couples do write their own; many couples use the traditional vows common in English churches.
- F Mennonites do not wear jewelry of any kind, even wedding rings. They do not kiss at the end of the ceremony.
- F There are attendants and bridesmaids. The men wear their Sunday best suits, and the gals can wear different shades of their traditional bibbed dresses.
- F Singers of special music sit in the back pew of the church and sing from there, most times at the end of the ceremony.
- F No photographs are taken at any time in the church before, during, or after the service.
- F Photographs are taken at the reception in the church fellowship hall or at another social room, but no pictures are taken in the church.
Well, how did you do?
Jah, all the questions were false except number five, which could be answered either way. Some couples decide to write their own vows, but many use the traditional vows.
Are you a little more familiar with Mennonite wedding ceremonies now? If you have attended a Mennonite wedding, please email me and let me know how different that wedding was from the one I’ve described above.
You might have noticed that, although I usually include pictures with my blogs, I have no pictures of a Mennonite wedding. Now you know the reason why.
Visit me at:
(Email) marshahubler@wildblue.net
http://www.facebook.com/marsha.hubler.3
http://pinterest.com/marshahubler/
www.horsefactsbymarshahubler.wordpress.com
Ask how you can win one of the gifts I’m holding in this picture.
Some freebies: a plastic horse model
or a hand-crafted horse and buggy
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Sept. 18, 2012
NATIVE AMERICAN “MARKETS”:WHAT WOULD THE AMISH THINK?
BLOG POST NUMBER NINE
[First I must apologize for not posting the last two Tuesdays. I had all intentions of doing so, but I was on a ten-day trip out West with one of my best friends to see a string of God’s canyons from Arizona up into Wyoming and ending in South Dakota where we saw Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument. Most of the time, even at some of the inns, there was no Internet or cell phone service, so I was unable to post my weekly blog.]
Something that really attracted my attention was the difference in the kinds of “vendors” I saw out West compared to what I see every Tuesday at my Middleburg Farmers’ Market here in Snyder County. Twice on my ten-day excursion, I came across Native Americans selling items at vending tables. Each time I saw them, I wondered what my Amish friends would think of selling in such a manner right next to the road or in a side room to a fantastic museum displaying the past culture of our Native Americans.
The first time was on day two’s travels in Arizona outside of LakeP owell on the Navajo reservation near Glen Canyon. Coming down the very steep side of the canyon, I was quite surprised to see Native Americans selling their wares along one of the outlook points that was VERY HIGH and right on the edge of the road that dropped off hundreds of feet. Although there was a small guiderail behind each of the vendors, one step backwards from there, and the cliff dropped right off. I was amazed that these vendors had no qualms about “hanging on the edge” of such a steep cliff.
“Was there food for sale there?” you ask. The answer is no. The Native Americans were all selling basically the same thing: gorgeous jewelry, small polished stones (about the size of a quarter) in the shape of different animals, pottery, or other interesting trinkets. Although every vendor pledged that his/her wares were made by local Native Americans, there was no way to tell. The prices weren’t that bad, and my friend bought a few keepsakes. I just observed the transactions while the folks on our bus “shopped,” and I took a few pictures.
The second set of vendors I saw was near the end of our excursion at the Crazy Horse Monument
in South Dakota. Again, Native Americans were selling anything from jewelry to stunning hand-painted pictures, mostly of animals like horses or bison. One room at this museum had been designated for vendors, who worked their talents as we watched and then sold their finished products. For one brief moment I thought about buying one of the beautiful necklaces until I saw the price: $250. And I also had no room left in even a square inch of my suitcase to bring the prize home.
So, one fact became apparent to me as I traveled to the West then returned to quiet little Snyder County. Our beautiful America has peoples as diversified as the Amish and Native Americans. Yet, all of us seem to have one goal in mind: to make a fast buck.
Beautiful Beads
in Jars on Display
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August 28, 2012
Blog Post Number Seven
VERNA’S FABRICS
A STORE FOR THE SEAMSTRESS
Those Amish, Mennonite, and English alike
Keychains, buttons,
and other “extras”
A few miles in the back hills of Mifflinburg, PA, is a quaint little store that, even if you aren’t a seamstress, you might enjoy visiting.
“Verna’s Fabrics” is a store that has anything and everything that you need to sew, mend, embroider, or quilt. An excellent seamstress herself, Mennonite lady Verna knows what it takes to get the job done. If you need a button or two, she’s got them. How about lace? Thread? Needles? Yep. Zippers? You bet cha. And how about material and patches for a baby quilt?
Are you kidding? Verna has the largest collection and assortment of material you’ll find for probably fifty miles around. She has material for delicate baby clothes and bolts for heavy garments like coats, trousers, and even some upholstering fabrics.
For almost twenty years, Verna has owned and operated her store in the rural area of Union County, central PA. Her little operation
Zippers galore!
sits a few dozen yards away from her house, which makes it convenient for her to keep on top of things. She employs several young ladies part-time, all of them of the Mennonite persuasion, who are all excellent seamstresses in their own right and would be able to tell you exactly what you need to complete your sewing project at home.
Suspenders for
any occasion
Besides a huge variety of sewing materials and supplies, Verna also sells children’s toys, kapps, key chains, jewelry boxes, books, plastic model farm animals, suspenders, and a few other oddities that you might not expect to find in a “sewing store.” But Verna’s number one focus is material. With shelves and shelves of material from which to choose, it’s hard to believe that any customer would leave Verna’s empty-handed. And like Verna says, “If we don’t have it, you probably won’t find it anywhere.”
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| 1430 Red Bank Road Mifflinburg, PA 17844(570) 966-2350 |
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August 21, 2012
MORE ABOUT THE SNYDER COUNTY FARMERS’ MARKET
A Local Hangout for the Amish and Mennonites
BLOG POST NUMBER SIX
Two weeks ago, I was in Charleston, SC, to visit a foster daughter and her husband, who live in North Charleston. I visited the city market, which has five large one-story old brick buildings packed with vendors, just a block from the ocean front. My, oh, my, is that “market” different from our small Snyder County Farmers Market here in Middleburg! Other than the horses and
carriages that take visitors in Charleston on an hour tour through the downtown area, there’s not much else that the two markets have in common.
Our little farmers’ market down the road every Tuesday sells mostly food (fresh produce, fresh meats, hamburgers and fries, etc), but it also sells animals. Besides calves and lambs auctioned off, chickens, guinea pigs, and rabbits are also 
for sale.
Some of the nicest rabbits there are bred and raised by two Mennonite gals I know. The Stolzfus girls always have a variety of different breeds of rabbits. One rabbit is prettier than the next. Some are long-eared, while others have short pointy ears. Some are black and white, while others are a golden tan or a buckskin brown. I’ve often stood at the cages and pondered whether I should buy a bunny, but then I think about my two dogs, Skippy and Bailey, who would probably enjoy having Peter Cottontail for lunch, so I dismiss the thought of buying a rabbit and come home empty-handed.
When I was writing one of my market scenes for TEACHER’S PET, the second book in THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY, I asked the Stolzfus girls for some “bunny” tips. They graciously and excitedly filled me in on the different kinds of rabbits and some interesting tidbits about them. The girls even lent me a book about different breeds with descriptions and pictures of the rabbits, a most helpful resource, indeed.
With all that extra tips from some gals who know their bunnies, I was able to write what I believe is an accurate depiction of a rabbit sale at a farmers’ market. Following is that scene from chapter three:
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On a crisp, clear Tuesday afternoon after school dismissal, Eli and Skip stood in front of a wall of cages filled with rabbits, chickens, and guinea pigs in a pavilion at Bowser’s Auction and Flea Market. Of course, Skip knew right where to go as soon as his daed parked the car, so he made a beeline to the rabbits.
A thin pretty Mennonite girl, probably in her late teens, with blonde hair and rosy cheeks stood nearby to answer questions and complete the transaction of any animal sales. Behind her at the corner of the one enclosed wall of the pavilion rested a card table with a calculator and a small cash box. “May I help you?” the girl asked.
“Oh, my, you have such a variety of rabbits here,” Eli said. “I suppose they are different breeds?”
“Jah,” the girl said. “There are forty-seven different breeds, but we only have a few kinds here every week. We have some New Zealands, Jersey Woolies, Angoras, and English Lops.” She pointed to the cages respectively. “They are all special breeds with special characteristics. But they’re all wunderbaar, in my opinion. Do you want any kind in particular?”
“Forty-seven different breeds—of rabbits? That is so interesting.” Eli lifted his straw hat, scratched his head, and squared his hat on his head again. “Oh, my son has his heart set on these with the long floppy ears.” He pointed at the black and white rabbits.
Skip’s face radiated joy as he pointed the same direction. “They look a lot like Wonnie’s wabbit. That’s why I want them.”
The girl opened a cage, carefully pulled out a black and white rabbit, and placed it in Skip’s arms. “These are called English Lops. Of course, you can see the one outstanding characteristic they have is their long floppy ears. Aren’t they handsome?”
“Ooh, I love this one, Daed,” Skip said, stroking the rabbit. “Kin we buy this one?”
“Now,” the girl started her sales pitch, “this here rabbit is a six-month-old broken black buck and would qualify for the junior class, if you plan to show him. He has excellent confirmation at about seven-and-a-half pounds. His fur is fine and silky, and his ears hang low and loose, close to the body. That’s very desirable.”
“Oh, no, miss,” Eli said. “We won’t show him. Skip just wants a pet rabbit.”
“Well,” she said, “you’d be buying a mighty fine bunny. This one is litter-trained already and is an easy keeper. As long as you have a nice hutch set up for him, he’ll make a fine pet.”
“I’d like a lot of pet wabbits!” Skip inserted.
“One at a time,” Eli added.
“Wonnie has a brown one too, but that one has ears that stand up. I want one like that too.”
The girl walked to several other cages and pointed. “Well, that rabbit could be an Angora, an American Sable, or a Mini Rex. They’ve all got shorter ears that stand up.”
Skip was so preoccupied with “his” rabbit, he completely tuned out the girl’s last words.
“So,” Eli said, “we do have a nice-sized cage at home with plenty of straw for a nest. I assume if we feed him pellets and veggies, he’ll be a happy pet?”
“Well, you must be careful with some vegetables,” she said. “Lettuce will make him sick. But rabbits love hay—grass hay not alfalfa. He won’t need much more care than that. Of course, the hutch needs to be cleaned every day, and—”
“I understand,” Eli said. “We live on a farm and have cows, horses, and chickens. Our livestock eats alfalfa hay, so we’ll have to be careful to feed the rabbit just grass hay.”
“We have a dog too,” Skip said. “His name is Spunky.”
“And Skip’s done a good job to help me care for the animals. He promised that he’d take care of his rabbits as well.”
“I will; I will,” Skip promised.
“My rabbits eat a certain food you’d never guess they’d like,” the girl said.
“What’s that?” Eli asked.
“They absolutely love plain vanilla yogurt, and it’s good for them too.”
Eli let out a hearty laugh. “Skip, did you hear that? Your rabbit will eat yogurt.”
“Ooh, I love yogurt. We can eat it together!” Skip’s tongue went into high gear as though he tasted the yogurt right then.
“I guess we’ll take this rabbit he already seems to have claimed.” Eli pulled his wallet out of his jeans pocket. “How much?”
“Fifteen dollars,” the girl said.
Eli handed her a twenty-dollar dollar bill and waited for the change.
Skip spotted someone he knew just getting out of a car and, with the rabbit in his arms, hurried toward them.
“Over here!” Skip’s voice raised to a high-pitched series of squeals. “Look what I have! Daed bought me a wabbit!”
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Well, there you have it, a visit to the “Rabbit Department” of the SnyderCounty farmers’ market. I hope you enjoyed your visit and now understand a little more about the different kinds of rabbits that are available for purchase and make very nice pets.
Marsha
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August 14, 2012
THE CHARLESTON CITY MARKET IS NO SNYDER COUNTY MARKET
BLOG POST NUMBER FIVE
I just returned from a trip to Charleston, SC, to visit a foster daughter and her husband, who live in North Charleston. One of the places I always enjoy visiting is the city market just a block from the ocean front. In past years, this market place has incorrectly been labeled the “slave market,” where slaves were bought and sold over a hundred and fifty years ago. The true slave market is several blocks away, where a museum has been maintained to preserve some of that original market place.
As I walked through the Charleston City Market last Wednesday, I took a lot of pictures and couldn’t help comparing that massive five-building market to our little Middleburg auction and farmers’ market that we have in Snyder County every Tuesday. For one thing, the Charleston market is every day, which draws thousands of visitors to the city. It also sells just about anything BUT food, whereas, the main product sold at our local Tuesday market IS food. I saw a lemonade stand but that’s all in the food line. 
As far as our Amish friends and whether they’d like to visit the city, I think not. Amish usually don’t go on vacations, especially to such “worldly” places. But I’m sure they’d admire the horses and carriages that take tourists on an hour-long tour of parts of the city. This time I was surprised to even see mule-driven carriages. The horses and mules 
are so accustomed to noise and traffic, they practically nap while they’re walking the same route that they’ve probably walked for years.
Four years ago when I last visited the Charleston market, the old single-story brick buildings were rustic with brick floors that spoke of a long time past. But this time I was surprised to see that the city had replaced 
all the old brick floors with slate tiles and had renovated one of the five buildings and made it “brand new,” just like a modern mall with air conditioning and vendors who sold anything from shoes and clothing to toys and games. I was somewhat impressed with the renovation; yet, the thought ran through my mind concerning the historic preservationists in the city. I’m sure they are not pleased that this “old” section of their city is now being “upgraded.”
My friends and I spent several hours strolling through the market and mostly just window shopping. My friends did buy some beautiful T-shirts but I went home empty-handed. I know it’s hard to believe that I didn’t find anything that would suit my fancy, but I just enjoyed walking, taking pictures, and soaking in the local color.
If you ever take a trip to Charleston, SC, make sure you have the city market on your itinerary. It’s worth the visit, and you’ll be glad you did.
All Kinds of Jewelry
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August 7, 2012
HOME-MADE POT PIE FROM OUR MENNONITE FRIENDS
BLOG POST NUMBER FOUR
As the author of the Amish/Mennonite fiction series THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY, I’m fascinated by the lifestyles of the Amish and Mennonites in central Pennsylvania. I have several friends who are Mennonites, some who claim to be “Mid-Atlantic” and others who say they are “Anabaptists.” All these friends are what we English would call progressive or modern Mennonites because they drive cars (all dark colors-mostly black), they have electricity in their homes, and most have cell phones. But all have similar lifestyles and orders of worship. Their dress is traditional with the “kapp” on the women’s drawn-back hair in buns (some kapps are black, others white) and the capes on their dresses, but the dresses can be multi-colored pastels including flowered prints.
Of course, we’re not talking about Old Order Amish or Old Order Mennonite here at all. Old Order folks are the horse and buggy folks, the Plain Folk who have no electricity, cars, or phones. These Ordnungs usually dress in dark clothes, and the men and women often have long sleeves even in the heat of the summer. The men wear straw hats or black hats with large brims while the women often wear dark colored bonnets over their white kapps when they are outside. The Amish sects like this and the new order Mennonites parted company a long, long time ago and probably will never meet on common ground again.
But back to my Mennonite friends. Recently I visited Brenda and Grace, Mid-Atlantic Mennonite ladies who invited another English gal and me to lunch. My friend and I thought we’d be having a sandwich or a small salad topped off with cottage cheese, but the Mennonite gals surprised us with home-made pot pie with tender shredded pork, corn on the cob, apple sauce, three kinds of canned pickles, and spiced zucchini slices that tasted that spiced apple rings. For dessert, Brenda opened a jar of canned peaches, topped off with that cottage cheese we were expecting on a salad. The meal and fellowship were heavenly, to put it mildly.
Mennonites are known for their hospitality and home cooking. Believe me, my friend and I were given the red carpet treatment by two of these gentle, soft-spoken folks. The pot pie was some of the most delicious I’ve ever had, and it’s a luncheon engagement that I’ll remember for a long time.
Mennonite Pot Pie Recipe
Boil chicken, beef, or pork until soft.
Make pot pie noodles by adding one egg to 1 ½ c. flour and ½ tspn. salt and mix.
Add approximately ¼ c. water and mix; then form dough into ball.
Roll out with rolling pin, let dough dry for an hour or so.
Slice rolled-out dough into one-inch squares.
Remove boiled meat from large pot full of meat broth.
Cube three raw potatoes.
Add individual pieces of dough to boiling broth with cubed potatoes and keep stirring between the adding of the noodles.
Simmer for about 30 minutes then add meat back into broth and noodles.
Stir every few minutes to prevent noodles from sticking together.
Serve piping hot and enjoy.
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JULY 31, 2012
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER THREE
What Will You Find at the Farmers’ Market in Snyder County?
Old Fashioned French Fries
Our farmers’ market here in Snyder County reminds me of a gigantic yard sale that includes tools, clothing, calendars, garden flowers, rifles, clocks, welcome flags, antique bottles, saddles, baseball cards, and just about anything else you can imagine and at a fair price. Besides all kinds of new and used “junk,” the food vendors are a big drawing card for Amish/Mennonite customers and the “English,” as well.
If you went to the Middleburg Farmers’ Market with me every Tuesday, you’d be able to buy fresh meats of any kind from a local butcher shop, wheat flour, rice, barley, licorice sticks, block cheese, jewelry, brown sugar, fresh fruits and veggies and so on from Amish/Mennonite vendors and English too. You could get a breakfast biscuit at one stand and walk to the other end of one of the buildings and buy absolutely delicious “home-made” French fries. You could walk outside into the pavilion and buy sticky buns, snitz pies, or wheat bread from an Amish woman. And you could do all this before lunch, when you could go in the big red barn to another snack counter and get your hamburger and Coke.
So what could you do after lunch? You could hang around for the auction where anything from chickens and rabbits to piglets and calves are sold. Maybe you need some hay? How about straw for bedding in your barn? Stick around. That will be auctioned off too. Hours later in the afternoon, you might just be tired enough to leave, drive home, prop up your feet on a wooden stool that you purchased, and enjoy a hoagie that you grabbed at one of the Amish food counters before you decided to leave.
I believe you’d agree with me that a farmers’ market, especially this one in Snyder County, has just about anything you would want or need … except maybe a new car. For that, you do have to drive down the highway to the auto sales lot. But for practically everything else you’d need, you could take the day, stroll through our farmers’ market, and get some really good 
deals:
“A Few Good Deals at Market Today” (as of July 31, 2012)
Peck of peaches – $9.00
Peck/string beans – $6.00
Small box/ plums - $1.50
New Touch Me lamp - $17.00
3 lbs. jelly beans - $5.00
12 oz. honey - $3.50
6 Sticky buns - $2.75
2. lb. oatmeal - $1.50
5 lb. salt - $1.15
Sweet potatoes $. 75/lb
“Quality” sunglasses – $3.00 each
Antique ironing board – $10.00
Antique Mont.Ward sewing machine – $5.00
Used microwave – $5.00
Used “SORRY” game – $ 2.00
3 ft. Collectible Memories Porcelain Doll – $10.00
So, Amish/Mennonite fiction lovers, let me know if you’ve seen prices like this at any of your “flea” markets or shopping centers. I think you’d have to admit that these prices are not bad. Not bad at all.
Happy shopping!
Marsha
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JULY 24, 2012
THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY SERIES
BLOG POST NUMBER TWO
The Hoovers at Market
Mennonite Family “Store”
at Tuesday’s Market
Last week I took you to the Tuesday auction and farmers’ market that is five minutes down the road from my house. Today we’ll continue with our visit there and introduce you to some of my Mennonite friends, who sell produce at several local farmers’ markets, including our Middleburg Market that has been in operation for over 40 years.
I usually buy my bananas and vegetables like corn, potatoes, carrots, lettuce, spinach, and sweet potatoes from Hoovers’ Produce stand inside a relatively large building that houses various vendors. The Mennonites’ prices are almost but not quite as high as the mainline grocery chain down the street. That’s one reason I like to shop at Hoovers’. The other reason is that the produce is usually fresh.
The Hoovers who have been coming with their produce to our Middleburg market for many years are part of a local Mennonite group that has a special ministry to older folks. When my 90 plus-year-old mother developed ailments that prohibited her from attending church on Sunday evenings, the Hoovers and about fifteen or twenty other members of their church, including some deacons and quite a few young folks and children, would come to our home occasionally to have a “church service.” The group would sing hymns in beautiful four-part harmony. Then one of the laymen would present a short devotional. The hour they shared several times a year was a blessing to my mother and me, and it’s one of the fond memories I have of Mom’s last days here on earth.
This picture is of “Mamm” Hoover, who is always at market on Tuesdays. She’s a sweet lady who is also a business woman and counts your total bill to the penny. “Daed” Hoover, here with his cantaloupes, has a very Dutchy accent. These folks 
are fluent in Pennsylvania Dutch, but, of course, they only converse with us Englischers in our native tongue.
Every Tuesday I give the Hoovers our week’s worth of newspapers, which they shred and use for cow bedding in their barn. However, I have a sneaky suspicion that they read all the papers before donating them to their cows.
WELCOME, AMISH/MENNONITE FICTION LOVERS!
Mennonite Gals “Selling”
I want to welcome all my Amish/Mennonite fiction fans to the first post of THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY blog. My plan is to post something “Amish” or “Mennonite” here every Tuesday, so you can enter the world of the kapped folk and see what it’s like to live as if in “days of yesteryear.” We’ll visit with Old Order Amish all the way to progressive Mennonites and, hopefully, share photos of these folks in their every day lives.
I’m fortunate to live in Snyder County, central PA, where many Amish and Mennonites live. Every Tuesday just five minutes from my house, quite a few of those folks gather at Keister’s Farm Market and Auction both to buy and to sell. I’ll share photos of some of those people, the Amish from a distance, who will not pose for a camera, and the Mennonites who have no problem being photographed.
If you’ve read BACHELOR’S CHOICE, then you’ve already vicariously visited a farmers’ market, which I describe in detail in the book. Well, guess where I got all that information. Of course! From the real-live market that I frequent every week. Here’s the actual scene from chapter fifteen in the book:
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“Every Tuesday, Bowser’s Auction and Market on route 35 outside of Mapletown was the place to be!
On the large open field next to the massive red barn complex, rows of vendors, Amish, Mennonite, and English, had set up their stands and were selling their wares by eight a.m. Mounds of fresh, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, carrots, and cabbage, and baskets of fresh fruit, some shipped in from the south, some local, covered tabletops. Dozens of other tables, under canopies, displayed baseball cards, stuffed animals, old sleds, dolls, antique lamps, used clothing, carpenters’ tools, welcome flags, and a menagerie of “treasures” that wooed bargain hunters from near and far. Behind the stands were rows of trucks, vans, and Amish buggies, resting from their earlier arrival and hasty unloading.
As Katrina neatly arranged her baked goods on a wooden table, she took in a deep breath, her senses filling with a hint of grilling hot dogs and bubbling French fries. A gentle breeze sifted through the grounds, and a strong waft of horse manure invaded Katrina’s nose, the fumes trying their best to overpower the pleasant aromas of frying foods and her own baked goods.
I truly do love to come here. Katrina surveyed the passing crowd, snaking in and out among the tables. There are so many wunderbaar things to see and so many friends to meet. I’ll sorely miss this place. She stationed herself at the stand, waiting for the passersby to check out her wares. Sitting on a stool, she studied the scene before her, one that always made her heart pump a little fast.
Eager vendors were already making their pitch to a steady flow of shoppers. Other marketers lounged in the shade of their beach umbrellas, preparing for another hot August day. 
Hands folded on their round bellies, they scrutinized every person who came near their stand.
Katrina examined a steady stream of English folks who milled about the tables, including her own, like ants after sugar cubes. Some toted large empty bags, their eager faces betraying their desire to buy something, anything. Sunburned farmers in baseball caps mingled with plump women in tank tops and shorts. Wide-eyed kinner stared and, when mamms turned their backs, touched every toy they could reach.
As usual, the market had drawn a large gathering of local Amish. Bearded men in straw hats, white or blue shirts, and black trousers with suspenders exchanged the latest news in their Pennsylvania Dutch dialect. The women, in white kapps, granny glasses, royal blue dresses with black aprons and work boots, also chatted in their own little circles. The kinner, carbon copies of their parents, stood close to the adults and eyed the tables with wonder.”
Note the Little Girl in Bare Feet
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So there you have a taste of what a farmers’ market in “kapped country” is like. If you are living in a part of the world that has no Amish or Mennonite folk, I trust that you’ve enjoyed your little trip “to market” here in Snyder County.
In a few weeks, I’ll be visiting one of the Amish/Mennonite capitals of the world: Lancaster, PA. I’ll have dozens more photos and stories to tell. So, sign up so you receive my new blog every Tuesday and enjoy everything “Amish” and “Mennonite.”
Marsha
Author of BACHELOR’S CHOICE, volume one of THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY
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July 11, 2012
Amish/Mennonite fiction fans, welcome to my page! I trust you’ll sign up to become regular readers of my weekly blogs, in which we’ll discuss all things Amish and/or Mennonite. I plan to post every Tuesday, so join our exclusive club and learn what it’s like to be Amish and/or Mennonite.
Living in Snyder County, central PA, a region heavily populated by Amish and Mennonite, has afforded me the luxury of knowing some of these folks personally, observing their ways, and writing with authenticity about their lifestyles.
Just five minutes away from my home is the Tuesday Keister’s Auction and Flea Market, where many Amish and Mennonite folk frequent with their baked goods, homemade wares, chickens, rabbits, and antique deals of the day. A weekly social gathering as much as “business,” the Amish and Mennonite seem to enjoy interacting with English like me. They sure do enjoy taking my money!
Anyway, if you’d like to know anything about these kapped folk, let me know, and we’ll address any question you have. In the meantime, I’m going to take pictures of my Tuesday auction and flea market and from time to time post them here for you to see.
“Rusty,” a buggy horse of an Amish friend
I trust you’ve enjoyed BACHELOR’S CHOICE. Watch for TEACHER’S PET, volume 2 of THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY, in a few weeks with LOVE SONG FOR LOUELLEN to follow shortly thereafter.
Happy reading!
Marsha
I really enjoyed reading this whole article you have here..alot of good information…Thank You…Great Job!
Interesting post on Mennonite funerals, Marsha. And how sad for that Mennonite man and his family! Prayers are with them.
Great description of Mennonite Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. It’s interesting to see that they can vary within the church. There’s something to be said for simplicity, but I’d miss the tree and decorations!
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