RE: I think that was a compliment . . .

[firefighterjake]

Brought a friend down to see my Amish neighbor as she wanted to buy some organic eggs . . . or at least something equivalent to organic eggs (pretty much the same thing minus the official certification).

In any case we were chatting and somehow Irving (the Amish neighbor) mentioned about me heating my home with wood and he said something along the lines of "You know Jason has us all beat when it comes to wood heat. I think he has about three years worth of wood stacked up in his yard."

Coming from a guy who heats his home and shop exclusively with wood . . . I think that was a compliment.

 

[BrotherBart]

Score!

 

[Poindexter]

That was a meaningful.compliment right there.

 

[weatherguy]

There's Amish in Maine?

 

[kennyp2339]

When the amish get jealous your onto something, that and the outdoor cat condo unit you have is pretty impressive.

 

[djkeev]

There's Amish in Maine?

Amish are spread quite widely. You don't notice them like you notice the large communities in Lancaster Pa or Ohio because they're numbers are small.

A lot of people so often called "Amish" are frequently old order mennonite.

Dave

 

[XmasTreefarmer]

A really nice compliment AND you have 3 years of wood to have earned it - sweet!

 

[peakbagger]

The Amish and Mennonites have been moving up to Northern Maine. They are running out of land in PA and farm land is cheap in Northern Maine. The rural areas are draining out in the state and the remaining population is getting quite old so the new settlers are welcome. The tough thing is horse drawn buggies dont mix well with cars. The folks who bought Snow and Nealy are Amish.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

The Amish and Mennonites have been moving up to Northern Maine. They are running out of land in PA and farm land is cheap in Northern Maine. The rural areas are draining out in the state and the remaining population is getting quite old so the new settlers are welcome. The tough thing is horse drawn buggies dont mix well with cars. The folks who bought Snow and Nealy are Amish.

I think the rural drain is occurring many places. It is difficult to imagine adopting the lonely life of a farmer or rancher when there are so many easier ways of living available today. Couple that with the ongoing rise of corporate agribusiness, which accumulates thousands and thousands of acres at a time, further decreasing the richness of rural community. My family does it on both sides, wonderful to visit, but doing it for a living would be tough.

Amish enclaves would be wonderful additions.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Brought a friend down to see my Amish neighbor as she wanted to buy some organic eggs . . . or at least something equivalent to organic eggs (pretty much the same thing minus the official certification).

In any case we were chatting and somehow Irving (the Amish neighbor) mentioned about me heating my home with wood and he said something along the lines of "You know Jason has us all beat when it comes to wood heat. I think he has about three years worth of wood stacked up in his yard."

Coming from a guy who heats his home and shop exclusively with wood . . . I think that was a compliment.

It's funny, I doubt Amish generally are envious people, but with the right thing, you can trigger it in anyone.

We have a new neighbor that recently moved in who is obviously a seasoned wood burner. Immediately after moving in, it looked like he accumulated about 5 cords in short order. He has a nice shed, working space, stacks, and large wrap around porch with plenty of room to stack under cover.

Most normal folks get a little green when the neighborhood gets a new German car or similar. I got a little green when I saw the efficiency of this new woodburning operation.

 

[firefighterjake]

There's Amish in Maine?

Several communities actually . . .and Mennonites as well.

The community here in town are known as "Michigan Amish" and split from a group up in Smyrna Mills. They're a unique group in that they don't go door to door, they are welcoming to outsiders in their services with half of the services in English and half in "Pennsylvania Dutch."

I'm actually kind of partial to many of them and have told Irving, Esther and their children that I think of them as an extended family.

 

[firefighterjake]

When the amish get jealous your onto something, that and the outdoor cat condo unit you have is pretty impressive.

Oh that's no cat condo . . . that's Catcatraz . . . Cateau d'if . . . or Cattica . . . I really think our cats think of it more of a prison than a condo.

 

[firefighterjake]

I should point out that I also don't think Irving was jealous or envious . . . rather he was having a bit of fun with me . . . but it's all fair since I have been known to ask him how things were with the five day power outage.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I should point out that I also don't think Irving was jealous or envious . . . rather he was having a bit of fun with me . . . but it's all fair since I have been known to ask him how things were with the five day power outage.

Love it! I think you are in the right place if you are exchanging ball breaking with the Amish.

 

[firefighterjake]

Like I said, they're great folks. I've done them a few favors over the years by hauling strawberries, picking up prescriptions at Walmart, chicken grain supplements, etc. for them and each and every time they try to give me stuff like produce and eggs. My wife and I ended up bringing Esther up to the County when her oldest daughter was about to give birth and they fed us before we left . . . even met my Amish name sake's brother -- Matthew Johnson.

First year they were here they had a pig roast for the neighbors.

Been to a few of their special services as well . . . one where I learned all about the Anabaptist Movement in Switzerland. Best part was one of the young boys obviously wasn't using Power Point, but wanted to show where this all took place so he held up a scrap piece of sheet metal (one family makes sheet metal roofing) with a map drawn on to the back.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Like I said, they're great folks. I've done them a few favors over the years by hauling strawberries, picking up prescriptions at Walmart, chicken grain supplements, etc. for them and each and every time they try to give me stuff like produce and eggs. My wife and I ended up bringing Esther up to the County when her oldest daughter was about to give birth and they fed us before we left . . . even met my Amish name sake's brother -- Matthew Johnson.

First year they were here they had a pig roast for the neighbors.

Been to a few of their special services as well . . . one where I learned all about the Anabaptist Movement in Switzerland. Best part was one of the young boys obviously wasn't using Power Point, but wanted to show where this all took place so he held up a scrap piece of sheet metal (one family makes sheet metal roofing) with a map drawn on to the back.

The original power point. Great anecdote.