This week on Jean: Mothers day at the family farm, old order Mennonite style. and Jean celebrates 1 year on Amish Stories.

Jean is old order Mennonite from New York State. Jean and her husband David and family live on a dairy farm, and travel their community using horse and buggy. She tells her story exclusively on Amish Stories.

Yesterday was Mothers Day but it really started on Saturday.  As many of the Old Order Mennonite and Amish helped us so much when we had the fire David thought it would be a thank you for us to provide the meat for the Mother's Day dinner.  He slaughtered some of our beef to provide steaks for the dinner.  Several people came to help slaughter.  Michael had never seen a slaughter before and got a little light in the stomach.  He had to leave a couple of times along the way, but returned. David told Michael that the first time is always the worse.  It gets easier every time you do it.  Usually I am out in the barn helping, but this time I helped maude (maid) make lunch and watched the children. 

As one of our Old Order Mennonite bought the property next to theirs-they were having the Mother's Day dinner at their house.  There are not many Amish in our area and they also helped when we had the fire at our house-we invited them to attend to.  The Amish loaned us their dishes wagon which has all the dishes, silverware, glassware, cups. saucers pots, pans, etc.  As our meetings get done earlier than their church, we set up what tables we had and they brought theirs after service to set up.  Everyone bought a dish to pass.  It is usual at our dinners that the men and boys eat first while the ladies serve.  




Also the ladies prepare the food.  This time was reversed-we ladies ate first - the men prepared the food and served.  When it came time to serve the men and boys the girls served-we mother's sat and watched.  Also when it came time to clean up-the men and girls cleaned, packed up the food, dishes wagon, and table wagon.  After that each one of us ladies was given flowers.  Even the Mother's that were widowed got flowers, too.  We thanked the men for all they had done and one Amish husband told us to enjoy it-because it wasn't going to happen again until next year.  We laughed. 

Many of the young folks set up a volley game and played while we watched and talked.  What is a bit different is the Amish will allow the children to pay baseball on six days a week-but not on the Lord's Day, but they will allow volley ball on seven day a week.  Of course Monday through Friday, the young folks usually don't have time to play baseball as they are doing chores.  It was a very enjoyable day.  We worried a bit it might rain-but it didn't. 

Also, I thank you , again, for your prayers and thoughts.  I am getting better, but still am not allowed to do some of things I would like to do.  Two things I really want to do is to ride in the buggy again and to lift David Jr., but I have to wait and obey the doctor-and David.  I now can do most of the cooking, some light cleaning and work around the house. 

It has been about a year that I have been giving Marilyn post's for Richard to put on Amish Stories.  I just would like to thank you all for reading them every week and leaving comment's.  I enjoy doing them.  I also hope that I have helped your understand our way of life which is quite a bit different than  your own, but in many   ways we are all alike.  In the coming year, I hope that I continue to post items that interest you.  If you have any questions or topics you would like me to tell about, please let me know in your comments. 

                       Be With God,   Jean

As Jean is still looking for her recipes I came across this one I thought everyone that loved peanut butter pie would like. We use to have a restaurant in our town called the Palmyra Home Diner-it has since closed. There were several restaurants in since. For the last 10 years or so it has been an Italian Restaurant. Anyway, the Palmyra Home Diner's Peanut Butter Pie was known throughout our area. A friend of mine and I use to go into the restaurant and just order a piece of the peanut butter pie and a cup of coffee. My friend and I being chocolate lovers the owner would take his hot fudge sauce and run it very lightly back and forth from the top to the bottom of the pie. Then he would put the whip cream on top of that and lightly run the hot fudge down the whip cream, it was outstanding.   Marilyn      

1 8 inch baked pie shell

1/2 C. sugar

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

2 c. milk

3 egg yolks, slighty beaten

1 Tbsp. butter, softened

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1/2 to 1 cup peanut butter, to taste



Stir together sugar, starch, and salt in a 2 quart saucepan. Blend milk and egg yolks, gradually. Stir into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Blend in butter, peanut butter and vanilla. Immediately pour into baked pie shell. Loosely cover and chill for a couple of hours. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.



Recipe by: Clarence Bennett, original owner Palmyra Home Diner