A pile of lumber arrived on Labor Day of 2022. I was surprised Menards delivered on a holiday. Our construction crew began working on our new home the next week, and we moved in on our 42nd anniversary in January 2023. I tossed in a photo of the project midway. Zook Builders were our contractors. We couldn't have been any more pleased with their work. They are in much demand in our Mennonite community, and we were super happy they agreed to take on our project.  In the photo above, notice our old farmhouse with new construction only a few feet away. The old farmhouse was already ..read more

Remain True: Amana- The newest by author Thomas Nye. Remain True was released on January 31, 2023 Leaving behind the crowds of Chicago and a failed relationship, author Timothy Hayes enters the Amana Colonies hoping to escape reality and find inspiration for a novel. Smalltown Iowa proves an epic failure with social distancing. Social awkwardness, however, is at an all-time high as a host of quirky neighbors crowd Tim's personal space. A beautiful photograph of an Amana woman becomes an inspiration for his writing. As he gazes into her eyes she seems to stir and come to life. Past and ..read more

  Winter in the Midwest can be brutal. Amish families endure the elements in a way most modern Americans don't have to. Can you imagine hitching up a horse after dark on a cold winter's night just to go to your children's school function? How about when the temperatures are below zero, there is ice on the road, and you have no heater or defroster in your vehicle. Don't forget there won't be electricity in the barn or any turning on the lights quickly so you can see what you're doing while you hitch up the horse. Horses, however, are tough creatures. They, like buffalo, can calmly ni ..read more

Once upon a time, a group of people with strong religious convictions left their homeland of Germany and transplanted themselves onto American soil. They first began a community in New York state and later purchased a large tract of land in central Iowa. They surrendered themselves to a communal lifestyle and shared all their worldly goods. Families stayed intact, but they shared large communal homes and dining halls.  Pictured on the left is the smokestack of the Amana Woolen Mill. The stream is manmade, designed to power the mill and as an avenue to float goods through the cente ..read more

There is a place in America where donkeys rule. In Cripple Creek, Colorado donkeys are free to roam the streets at their leisure, and they do. My wife and I recently spent a week in the mountains near Cripple Creek. We took a drive through the little mountain town and came across a herd of donkeys roaming the streets. My first thought was to let someone know their donkeys were out. I checked in with a local business person and she explained the phenomenon.   Cripple Creek is an old mining town. Donkeys were an integral part of life here during the birth of this community and the ..read more

Grandpa (Thomas Nye) and Grandma took our little  2-year-old Ruby to her first draft horse sale a few weeks ago. First, you need to understand, Ruby is horse-crazy just like her grandpa. When we stepped out onto this catwalk she literally shook with excitement. See how she is pointing in the photo below? She pointed at every horse in sight and squealed, "Horsey!"   We went down among the horses. Ruby made a special point of saying a friendly, "Hello" to anyone who happened to be on horseback. She ignored people on foot. LOL When we headed outside she enjoyed watching buggies and hor ..read more

Plastic farm animals are awesome! Some of my first memories are of setting up elaborate scenes with plastic farm toys. The natural next step was to encourage my children and grandchildren to do the same. Grandma (my wife) and I found these wooden barn, corrals, and fences at our local favorite Amish store. Golden Delight Bakery will blow you away with the best baked goods you've ever tasted. They also sell these barns and fences, and plastic farm animals. Amish parents are very selective about what toys are allowed in their homes. Amish children love playing farm. There is something whol ..read more

How about some Christmas stories? The men of Amish fiction would love to take you on a Christmas adventure. My own horses have a set of Christmas lights on their barn. Thomas Nye's Christmas story takes place on a farm like this one. The Holiday Harness Shop shares the happenings in an Amish harness shop during the week leading up to Christmas. Winter in Amish country is picturesque.  Action and adventure on an Amish farm don't slow down because of a little snow or cold. Cozy up with a cup of cocoa, a blanket, and an Amish Christmas Collection this holiday season. Amazon Link &nbs ..read more

  Hello Friends- If you follow this blog, you are probably wondering how Karla and Mushka are getting along. We had the normal issues horses have with deciding dominance. It should not be understood the same way as humans working out a relationship. Horses have their own way. It involves a pecking order that must be established. Once this is decided (Karla is one up in the order) they then have to decide if they like each other. Karla and Mushka are getting along great. I let this play out before I even tried hitching them up. Many a "Cowboy" or Amish person would have hitched them th ..read more

Meet Mushka. If you have been following the Amish Horses Blog, you know I lost my horse named Karma a few months ago. Karma's full-sister Karla grazed our pasture alone most of the summer. I visited quite a few Amish farms in my area looking for a new horse, but it wasn't meant to be. My Amish neighbors let me know that good horses are in short supply at this time. I don't know much about this beautiful white horse. The man who brought her from Wisconsin to the Kalona Sale Barn gave some vague information about her. First of all, when I asked about her name, he just said, "I call her Girl o ..read more