Amish

[lupinfarm]

I think it's a combination of all the suggestions....they devote more time and effort into their crops because it is of utmost importance to their lives. And I feel they also have passed down some pretty good info over the years as well.

Not to mention they have access to a large amount of poop. I'm with WZ....it's all about the poop.

Think about what good soil their farms have over all these years of sustainable farming practices!

If you are talking about the gardens, yes. Their crops/fields are farmed just like everyone else--fertilizer comes out of bag. They don't have that much manure. Most Amish make their living driving nails not farming.

IDK, there is a mennonite family near me that makes money from selling their produce, eggs, and special order hard candies... That is their main business, and they don't use bagged fertilizer. I've seen them spread their fields, like every other farmer out here. My neighbour was muck spreading his fields just a few weeks ago with poo from his cows.

 

[Beekissed]

I think it's a combination of all the suggestions....they devote more time and effort into their crops because it is of utmost importance to their lives. And I feel they also have passed down some pretty good info over the years as well.

Not to mention they have access to a large amount of poop. I'm with WZ....it's all about the poop.

Think about what good soil their farms have over all these years of sustainable farming practices!

If you are talking about the gardens, yes. Their crops/fields are farmed just like everyone else--fertilizer comes out of bag. They don't have that much manure. Most Amish make their living driving nails not farming.

Maybe where you live! The Amish and Mennonite families that I have known are fully into using their own manures to fertilize...it's free. And they don't have monoculture fields that require mass quanities of fertilization through commercial means.

Now the comment highlighted above is just stereo-typing! What you consider farming and what I consider farming are obviously two different things....all the Amish I know are definitely farming right along with any other side business they may have.

 

[seedcorn]

I think it's a combination of all the suggestions....they devote more time and effort into their crops because it is of utmost importance to their lives. And I feel they also have passed down some pretty good info over the years as well.

Not to mention they have access to a large amount of poop. I'm with WZ....it's all about the poop.

Think about what good soil their farms have over all these years of sustainable farming practices!

If you are talking about the gardens, yes. Their crops/fields are farmed just like everyone else--fertilizer comes out of bag. They don't have that much manure. Most Amish make their living driving nails not farming.

Maybe where you live! The Amish and Mennonite families that I have known are fully into using their own manures to fertilize...it's free. And they don't have monoculture fields that require mass quanities of fertilization through commercial means.

Now the comment highlighted above is just stereo-typing! What you consider farming and what I consider farming are obviously two different things....all the Amish I know are definitely farming right along with any other side business they may have.

It's not stereo-typing, it's what they do in Indiana. To my knowledge it's not an insult to be a carpenter.

1) Every livestock producer uses their manure on the fields & fertilize accordingly--not just amish.
2) They do use commercial fertilizer along w/manure.

Obviously our definition on farming could be different. Farming means you can make a living at it by itself otherwise it's just a hobby--maybe a paying hobby maybe not. Most Amish over here have about 30-40 acres per family, can't make enough $$/farm to support a family unless you grow an illegal crop.......get free room/board by government if caught tho......

Most amish do have very pretty gardens because of the time/effort put in by the mothers and smaller kids too young to work off of farm.

 

[Beekissed]

The Ohio dept of ag states:

1
Introduction: Amish Culture and Farming Practices
Approximately 70 percent of the Amish live in three states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. The Holmes/Wayne
County, Ohio Amish settlement is the largest in the world followed by Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and
Elkhart/LaGrange County, Indiana. There are numerous smaller Amish communities throughout the Midwest,
including new settlements in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Missouri. Each decade the Amish population has increased
by 30 to 48 percent. The current Amish and Anabaptist population is estimated to number over 850,000. This
Agent is working with three distinct Amish communities in Ohio. About 140 families of Old Order Amish live
around Mt. Victory, Ohio. Forty Old Order Amish families recently settled at DeGraff, and about 70 families of
New Order Amish live in Belle Center, Ohio.
Old Order Amish are very conservative and do all their farm work with horses. New Order Amish are more
progressive and use milking machines, telephones, stationary tractors and limited modern technology. Most Old
Order Amish farms range in size from 80 to 100 acres and are milking 6-15 cows, raising 5-20 sows with litters,
using 6-8 draft horses and 2-4 standard horses for transportation. New Order Amish have slightly larger farms
and most are dairy farms with 25 to 50 cows. The Amish use a crop rotation of corn, oats, hay, and pasture and
apply all their manure to their fields for fertilizer. Most Amish farmers purchase very little commercial fertilizer
and they use small amounts of herbicides. They prefer to use natural or organic fertilizers. Typical Amish corn
yields are 80 to 100-bushel per year compared to 120 to 150-bushel for their "English@ counterparts.

And here are a few excellent articles by Gene Logsdon about what constitutes being a "real farmer":

http://www.energybulletin.net/node/45533

http://chelseagreen.com/blogs/genelogsdon/category/uncategorized/

According to your definition of being a farmer, there are very few farmers in the US today. The rest of the "hobby-ist" would be highly offended if they discovered that, just because they don't derive their sole income from their farm, that they are not considered farmers!

No, I don't consider it an insult when you state most Amish make a living with carpentry...just an insult that you said "most". In OH they have wondrous multi-stream sources of income from dairying, quilting, country stores, restuarants, etc. And some even do woodworking right at their FARMS....er....hobby sites.

 

[HunkieDorie23]

When I was a kid my grandfather's fertilizer came out of the barn. Straight out of the barn and was spread on the field. Same thing for the gardened.

Grandma was the gardener. She could propragate almost anything and people were always willing to give flowers or cuttings.

Times have changed and TV has changed how we think we need to do things. It's sad.

 

[Ga Chicken Mom]

Can't comment on what the Amish use for fertilizer but I know we can't visit Amish country for too long because we start packing on pounds. The best breakfast I ever had was from an Amish woman's kitchen - homegrown eggs and potatoes, homemade suasage and bread. The best fertilized garden I've ever seen was my sister's when she lived near the Pittsburgh, PA zoo and got all the elephant poop she wanted.

 

[ducks4you]

I'll try to remember to ask my Amish Farrier next appointment for you.

 

[patandchickens]

IMO it is symptomatic of weird modern notions of "farming" to think that it consists of doing only a lot of just one or two things.

If a person CAN diversify their income stream, with woodworking or animal breeding or crafting or whatever else, why should they *not*, as it gives them much more stability? Think of it as the ultimate in polyculture

Pat

 

[seedcorn]

So, I'm a doctor who owns 500 acres, for 2 weeks out of the year, I go farm w/my brother. I'm a farmer and understand the problems of AG? Yeah right, take away the doctor's income, then tell me how to farm.

Farmers do a lot of things, crops, livestock, equipment, etc. Being a carpenter, doctor, etc for 90% of my income doesn't make me a farmer. No more than my playing the guitar makes me a musician by trade.

One thing some of you get stuck on over and over and over again, very few want to live like the amish.........YOU live like an amish for 10 years, then come back and tell me how it is. I think since you want us to farm like amish, live like amish--so should you. Try living by your own standards.

I'm out.

 

[patandchickens]

So, I'm a doctor who owns 500 acres, for 2 weeks out of the year, I go farm w/my brother. I'm a farmer and understand the problems of AG? Yeah right, take away the doctor's income, then tell me how to farm.

Oh, sorry, I was confused, I thought we were talking about the *Amish*.


Pat