"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime"-MARK TWAIN

Monday, September 29, 2014

INTERCOURSE

 

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We couldn’t have traveled through Pennsylvania without a visit to the Amish country.  From reading some comments, I knew we wanted nothing to do with Lancaster, itself.  Too much like Disney was my impression.

I remembered a small group of Casita owners had met in Intercourse, last year.  A little digging on the internet turned up the name of the RV park.  Beacon Hill.  Overlooking two separate Amish farms, complete with sounds and smells.

I can’t quite describe the feelings I get while watching these people go about their daily lives.  What did I miss in life, or is it the other way?  Are they the deprived ones?  I tried to make eye contact with each one I met along the roads.  Everyone one of them smiled, and waved a greeting.  They appear to be a very happy and content people.  As I’ve read that they don’t like to pose for pictures, all mine are random snapshots from the truck.  The quality isn’t that good, but hopefully you can see them.

Courtin’ couple, maybe!

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Family.  See the small head in the middle?

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Their farms are all neat looking, as farms go, and some are showplaces.

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They grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and tobacco.  Most also appeared to have a small dairy.  The tobacco was a surprise, but we saw lots drying in barns.

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Today was spent just driving the country roads, watching the work going on.

Raking hay.  Notice the little boy on the rake to the left?

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Cutting corn.

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Another group.

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Youth night, last evening, just down the road.  They all unhook their buggies and tie the horses together.

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Was told they were playing volleyball inside the building.

And, did I mention their horses.  Every buggy was pulled by a magnificent gaited animal that wasn’t bothered by automobiles, tractor trailers, or any thing else, apparently.  Beautiful animals.

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Wish I could spend a couple weeks living alongside these people to better understand their way of life.  But that isn’t possible.  For them to allow that to happen, their lifestyle would have been altered……jc

7 comments:

  1. Those Amish a whole lot laid back and cool in PA then Midwest...love to see the roads through your eyes.

    We're at Paul Johnson SP headed to dealer...3rd time thru this state on the backroads. Lord one of my favorite ever so far!!!! Might want to live here....

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  2. My former brother-in-law was from that area and his parents had family friends who where Amish so I was privileged to spend the day with Fanny and Ruben and family. Wonderful people, leading simple wholesome lives.

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  3. Beautiful photos Jerry--thanks for sharing!

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  4. Love the farm photos. I went on a tour in Lancaster many years ago....remember that their clothes were held together by pins as buttons were considered too ornate, too decorative.

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  5. Another SUPER Post...you are the Blogging Communities "National Geographic"...great photo's...the colors are really nice and vivid...thanks and sharing...Horst sends

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    1. Jerry, it is almost bittersweet to watch the Amish live their simple lives and then to realize how frantic our lives are. We used to go to a farmers market in Maryland years ago. It was so much fun to people-watch there.

      I think that we are probably missing the most by comparison. Their community ties are so thick and interdependent. It's an anchored social richness that can only thrive in agricultural communities, I think. IMO, anyway!

      Thanks for sharing your photos and adventures!

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Thanks for looking, and comments are welcome.