Even the Amish have it figured out

[madokie]

While out driving yesterday we caught up to an Amish carriage. The owner of the carriage obviously had a sense of humor, because attached to the back of the carriage was a hand printed sign... "Energy efficient vehicle: Runs on oats and grass. Caution: Do not step in exhaust."

neighbor sent me this so I must share,
good morning all

[Kutjara]

1. The Amish seemed to have figured it out...

...way before the rest of us. They're all about the sustainability.

[madokie]

2. We have a large group of Amish here in ne ok

lots of Mennonites too, of which some only drive tractors while some drive cars.

[Kutjara]

4. I didn't realize Amish and Mennonite communities...

...were so widely spread. I also didn't realize that some have taken to using cars. I guess I still had a very old fashioned view of them trotting around the backroads of PA in their horse-drawn carriages and carts. I guess things change for everyone, sooner or later.

[Pugee]

5. Only Mennonites drive cars (usually with black bumpers) no chrome

But, Amish will ride in cars. The two religions are quite different in what they are allowed to do and in their beliefs.

[kestrel91316]

9. Old Order Amish still have horse and buggy, no electricity, no phone,

no running water in the home, church in the home, shunning. Likewise with some Old Order Mennonites but they don't shun. Beachy Amish drive cars and are mostly like mainstream Mennonites, except that they shun. Mainstream Mennonites are somewhat conservative dressers, but the urban ones can be indistinguishable by appearance from ordinary Americans. There is a whole continuum of little groups and church districts among the Anabaptists with piddly little variations in their rules. Some don't allow tops on the buggies, they have to be open. Some require gray tops, others require yellow. Some don't allow the SMV triangle on the back of the buggy. The Lancaster County Amish in PA are most like what people imagine the Amish to be, from the movie Witness. They have the cute heart-shaped caps for the women. The northern Indiana Amish were in the documentary Devil's Playground, and they have a different style cap.

Oh, and let's not forget that some of the groups allow two suspenders for the men, some only one, and others prohibit suspenders. They all prohibit zippers and snaps and most visible buttons. I hear velcro is a big hit with Amish, however. Hat brim width is regulated among them, for the men.

If you want to know more, Amish Society by john Hostetler is a fascinating read.

[enough]

6. In fact, the Amish in our area are not particularly environmentally aware.

They graze their animals in and along stream-beds, with no buffering.

They are very heavy users of fertilizers and pesticides.

They tend to clearcut wherever they can, even cutting down hedgerows to increase the size of their fields.

A couple of years ago I walked into an Amish greenhouse near us. The smell of SEVIN being sprayed all over the enclosed space was overpowering. Before I bolted I looked around and saw a barefoot ten-year-old girl running the sprayer, no mask, no gloves.

They are great neighbors, and I admire a lot about their way of life, but they should not be romanticized.

[Kutjara]

7. That's interesting to know.

I admit I had a romanticized view of the way of life (note to self: "Witness" was not a docudrama). Like everything else, the reality is very different when you dig beneath the surface.

[sarge43]

8. "Witness" was not a docudrama

No, for starters, there was no way the grandfather and widow could have run a productive farm by themselves.

The Amish are like everyone else; they have their faults, failures and problems.

[Berry Cool]

3. They also understand the concept of biofuels

On both ends, so to speak.