25 July 2019
Wherever you live, I am sure that there are certain characteristics that define "home" for you, make it "your place," so to speak.
One of the distinguishing features of The Region of Waterloo, Ontario, where Miriam and I live, is the presence of a large Mennonite community. Like every religion, it seems, it is broken into factions, with different levels of adherence to ancestral Mennonite beliefs and traditions, but there is a substantial community of Old Order Mennonites that still hews to ancient dogma and rejects many of the trappings of modern life.
Everyone is familiar with the old expression "Make hay while the sun shines;" well, that applies equally to bringing in the sheaves of wheat.
When we passed a field with the sheaves neatly stooked, and saw a horse-drawn dray, we could not resist stopping to watch.
As you can see this is a labour intensive process, and all members of the family (and friends too) are pressed into service.
Children from an early age have chores to do, and this boy, too young to heft the sheaves, is nevertheless expected to help.
His hat is a little battered, and somewhat the worse for wear, but I am sure he thinks it is just perfect, and no doubt he enjoys being with the men, and taking part in the important work of harvesting the grain.
When the dray is filled to capacity, it is time to head for the barn to unload.
A second contingent is already loading up as row after row of wheat is tossed onto the wagon. This boy has graduated to a new hat it seems!
This is hard, physical work, and the temperature was around 28 degrees, but the men worked without a break and none slacked off.
In no time at all the cart was more than half full.
Back at the house the women folk had been busy too. Laundry hanging on the line was proof enough that good weather was an opportunity not to be missed.
Inside the home much preparation would be underway preparing supper for the men. After such a day's exertion they would no doubt have prodigious appetites, and the table would be laden with bread and apple butter, regardless of what was to follow - likely meat, potatoes, vegetables - and perhaps a shoofly pie for dessert. Not for these folks quiche and salad sprouts!
Two youngsters had carefree moments on their bikes, but in a few more years they will join the band of workers too.
As we drove away, the barn waited for its next load.....
.....and the house had an air of neatness and tranquility, a fitting refuge no doubt after a hard day under the hot sun.
We may not have much interaction with the Mennonite community, nor they with us more than is necessary, but I for one am mightily pleased that they are here in our midst. It just wouldn't be home without them.
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Great post and photos.
ReplyDeleteHard work and very impressive to see. Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos.
ReplyDeleteThese idyllic scenes take me back to my childhood - my brother lived in Kitchener when he first went to live in Canada and went to Waterloo Lutheran University.
ReplyDeleteHi Rosemary: The university has been renamed Wilfrid Laurier University, but I still remember it well when it was Waterloo Lutheran. I have had a far greater association with the University of Waterloo, but we are fortunate to have two such fine institutions here, in addition to The Perimeter Institute and Conestogo College.
DeleteWho wouldn't be pleased to have in their community honest, nice, hard-working people like the Mennonites?
ReplyDeleteThe green of grass and trees, the yellow of the sheaves of weath, the noble -looking horses, the working kids and adults - all make the viewing of your displayed pictures a great, beautiful experience.
Buenas tardes querido amigo David, cuando veo ciertas cosas como esta publicación tuya de hoy, muchas veces me pregunto ¿Quién está equivocado? Porque a decir verdad, no es que esté en contra de los adelantos y el progreso con los que disfrutamos hoy día, pero reconozco, que de muchos de ellos sí que estoy en total desacuerdo. Este reportaje al igual que otros expresan una serie de valores y convicciones que por desgracia han ido desapareciendo lentamente y en muchos casos hasta el extremo de quedar pueblos enteros completamente vacíos. Así pues, no comulgaré con sus creencias pero chapeau por esas gentes maravillosas que merecen toda mi admiración y un profundo respeto.
ReplyDeleteUn fuerte abrazo querido compadre y amigo David.
An incredibly beautiful reportage!
ReplyDeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteDavid, this is a most wonderful post - having been brought up with small-holding in the family and helping with the 'baling', this brought back memories! Very different from the Borders of Scotland, but still, I get what you mean about 'home'. Thank you. YAM xx
Beautiful photos, David. I don't know the Mennonites. They remind me of amish people. Are they the same?
ReplyDeleteAmish are more strict and removed from the "regular" world, but they have very similar origins.
DeleteThese photos are like stepping back in time. I think it is wonderful that certain communities still survive and thrive in today's world, whether we agree with their beliefs or not. Most of us don't know how to live off the land, so I really respect the knowledge of Mennonites.
ReplyDeleteo,my, this brought me back 65 years in time. Very much like what I experienced in my childhood. But we only had one horse. Nice to see. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a truly delightful post. Many, many thanks. I have huge respect for anyone who lives a principled life.
ReplyDeletePS: And harms no-one in living that life.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post. What luck to come upon scenes like that.
ReplyDeletethanks for the photo record of the community. They work hard from sunup to sundown, that is clear. I can picture the kitchen table and its mass of food.
ReplyDeleteSuch an interesting post! I enjoyed those photos.Thank you for sharing,David.
ReplyDeleteHi David.
ReplyDeleteWonderful that you show this.
A community with hard work, but averse to the hectic and modern and busy life.
Just doing everything together is great.
Thank you for showing.
Greeting from Patricia.
I really enjoyed my visit to your blog today and learnt a lot so an added bonus for me. In truth I have never come across the Mennonite community before so it was a delight to be introduced to them.
ReplyDeleteEtt underbart reportage som får mig att minnas min tidiga ungdom där minnesbilderna blivit utsuddade av tiden. Men jag vet att jag har sett det i den bygd jag växte upp i. Jag gissar att det är en religiös sammanslutning som inte låtit sig påverkas av alla moderniteter.
ReplyDeleteMiljövänligt är det också och hästarna får göra ett arbete som de är födda till, alla personer i hushållet har distinkta uppgifter, en tydlig arbetsfördelning.
Förmodligen är jämställdhet inget för dessa familjer men å andra sidan är kvinnornas bidrag till familjens uppehälle lika viktig som det tunga kroppsarbetet och det innebär en viktig position i familjen, även för kvinnorna.
You are right, Gunilla, gender equality is not a distinguishing factor of Mennonite life, and one rarely sees the two genders mixing in free association. If you see Mennonites going for a walk, for example, it is usually all male or all female.
DeleteHi David,
ReplyDeleteIt feels like going back in time. Harvesting like this we don't see very often these days. A similar way of harvesting I have seen once in India (of course with a number of differences compared with the way the Mennonites are working). It is a tough job, especially when the days are hot. Nowadays modern equipment is a great help.
Greetings, Kees
What lovely images. What dedication they have to continue to live this lifestyl.e
ReplyDeleteGreat, David! It reads like a book!
ReplyDeleteBut full of beautiful pictures! My compliments to Miriam! The whole process is beautifully captured! Also very beautiful are the photos of the boys with their hat.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful harvest impression!
Regards,
Maria
Hello David, this is a great post. I enjoyed the photos sharing these hard working people. The shot of the little boys on the horse drawn wagons are my favorite. Enjoy your day, wishing you a happy new week ahead!
ReplyDeleteWe once had the pleasure to watch a gang stooking hay in a farm near Bancroft. My late father talked about the hard work it was for him as a youngster.
ReplyDeleteI've only recently learned of our family ties to the Rainham Mennonite community. I'm endlessly fascinated with their life philosophy.
This whole scene was part of my wife's childhood. She was raised in a Mennonite family where they still used horses on the land.
DeleteAn interesting post, it must be quite back breaking work, forking all the hay like that and in that hear too!
ReplyDeleteThere are some aspects of modern life which I could easily do without (says he, tapping away at his laptop!) and if we ever run out of oil they'll be sitting pretty. I've never laid my pitchfork into a sheaf but I've pitched many straw bales in younger days and can only admire their work ethic.
ReplyDeleteLike you, John, my pitching days involved bales (small rectangular bales) of hay but the wagons were pulled by tractors.
DeleteWonderful to see the work done the way it should be. Natural and no fuel. Love the horses at work. Have a good week, Diane
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely post David. I like the way Miriam captured the people at work without them appearing to react to the camera in anyway. Perhaps they are used to being objects of curiosity, but maybe not? I hope that they are able to live exactly the way they like. In many ways I envy their more simple way of life without the modern trappings and our so called "progress". Equally, I do not know if behind that apparent simple lifestyle they do have TVs, the Internet, double glazing and fancy cars that I for one would find hard to leave behind.
ReplyDeleteHi Phil: Old Order Mennonites like these people would not have the trappings of modernity that you mention, not even electricity in their homes, and they ride in horses and buggies. Then there are Conservative Mennonites who drive cars, but only black ones, and so on, with a whole range of different practices within different offshoots of the basic faith. There is even one group where the kids are not even permitted to have gears on their bikes, and use them like a scooter. Miriam was raised on a Mennonite farm and they used horses on the land, but she has adopted a fully modern life as you know.
DeleteYou appreciate the love and respect for your land and the people with whom you share it, yours and Miriam who has made some magnificent photos, a beautiful report to know the process, the hard work they do and the way of life of That hardworking and simple community that is admirable.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this pots!
A hug.
Hi Both,
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post, it reminds me to when I was younger and helped out on a farm during the summer months, but we had bails,sheaves look so much better and natural.
We also had tractors but again the horses are so much better especially when we run out of oil.
The live such a wonderful life without all these modern trappings that we seem to depend upon.
All the best,
John
I think they are doing it the right way. :o)
ReplyDeleteWe have many Amish and Mennonite communities here in Kentucky. Mostly Mennonite in my town. Wonderful, hard working people who farm and run a few businesses in town. These photos are wonderful and truly capture the spirit of their work ethic.
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures rare to see so many out int he fields working together these days mostly all done by machine here.
ReplyDeleteMerle................
This was fun and informative David! We enjoyed very much being in Amish Country during our RV travel days. We sat and watched a barn raising but did not see a harvest as you show. We stopped often at a certain farm stand during our time there and I remember that a little girl of ten or eleven was in charge of the counter, taking money, making change and letting her dad know what needed to be restocked..she was really good at it.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to see the men and boys at work together as part of the community. Those days, when we were staying in villages, people usually come together to help especially in events and festivals but now in the cities, people tend to keep to themselves, minding their own business.
ReplyDeleteThe way we ought to be, lovely.
ReplyDeleteIt's a pleasure to see adults and children working together David. Your pictures remember me the old films about Russian farmers (kolhos) there were no tractors in these times. I didn't know about Mennonite, thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi David - well that was fascinating ... I wasn't sure who the Mennonites were ... but see they come from Friesland, before having travelled from Switzerland - well their brand of religion had been brought across in the early 1500s.
ReplyDeleteTheir home looks meticulous ... and I can so understand you enjoying living in the same neighbourhood. Those first two boys could be brothers, like the two youngsters - also meticulously dressed.
Wonderful post about their harvesting habits - again meticulous ... but I'm glad I've got my freedom, even if it comes with angst. Bet they enjoyed their wholesome food after a day out in that sun ... shoefly pie was another interesting find. Reminding me of Garibaldi biscuits ... still made today ...
Really great to read ... with excellent photos - thank you ... cheers Hilary
Hello David.
ReplyDeleteThat's another time! It's like a movie.
We don't have communities like you in France.
It's great Nathalie, no noise, no diesel fumes, no tractors belching smoke. Peaceful and quiet - and efficient too.
Deletewhat a great read david, i have seen this many times. hard work that could be much easier but they stick with tradition and values they have learned and passed on from generation to generation!! funny that you post this now, when we took our hot air balloon ride, it was in this area, over these homes and fields. they look AMAZING from the sky!!
ReplyDeletethese people drove from Pennsylvania to here at the jersey shore to build 5 pole barns for us. they are such hard workers, so polite and their work is impeccable!! 2.5 hours, one way, every day for weeks, they are extremely dedicated people!!!
Me ha encantado el reportaje. Cuando era niña también se recogía igual el trigo, para mí son muy bonitos recuerdos. Un abrazo.
ReplyDeleteAmazing photos of a timeless scene! Thanks for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteIt really is timeless isn't it?
DeleteWhat wonderful harvest photographs.
ReplyDeleteHi David,
ReplyDeletesuch a marvellous reportage, like going back in time. Tough work this is; and a tough life.
I really enjoyed the lovely pictures.
Best regards, Corrie
Peaceful country views, David.
ReplyDeleteHello David,
ReplyDeleteThose Terns amazing and so many! Than those chairs, I love them. And good to see people respect this gesture by leaving them for people coming afther them. In the Netherlands that is not possible they will be stolen at the first oppertunaty. The photos of bringing in the harvest is how it must have looked all over the countries where these crops are growing. No bick combines nog big machines just love it.
Regards,
Rooos
What a lovely post David so interesting to see, and your photographs are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Hello David,
ReplyDeleteI find this very nice and also interesting to see.
When I was a kid myself, the hay was also brought in by us, so with a haylark and throw high on the wagon.
In the meantime, everything is done mechanically here, but there are still communities that still do this in the "old-fashioned" way. The little boys will indeed become men and help with this labor-intensive work :-)
Your photos are really beautiful and nicely sharp and clear.
Dear greetings, Helma
David, I'm so glad you posted this. As I think you know, I come from a Mennonite heritage on my grandfather's side, although I never knew it till I started doing my family history. I've learned much about the faith and a good deal about farming during his lifetime when I'm sure he was much like the little boy you showed in the photos. All of that has been helpful for the book I'm writing about my family but seeing the images really brings it into a certain clarity. Thanks for this!
ReplyDeleteDuring my last trip through Kansas, I came across a Mennonite barn raising. It was an extraordinary sight: somehow comforting and as pleasing as your images of the haying. It seems clear from your photos that these men are accustomed to working together. It can be immensely satisfying to be part of such a team. A friend and I were talking last weekend about our memories of our grandparents' generation getting together for quilting bees, canning during the harvest season, and so on. It wasn't quite the same, but it was meaningful enough that it's still affecting my life, keeping it more simple than it might otherwise be.
ReplyDeleteI did notice one detail that made me smile: the sunglasses. Sometimes, a small accomodation can end up serving the community well.