By Kevin Williams
I have to say that this is a really interesting News post this week, just lots of great pictures to peruse. So let's start!
The Pioneer Bus is the Amish lifeline to Pinecraft, bring people, supplies and even the occasional coffin from communities in the Midwest
PINECRAFT IN PHOTOS: I've posted about the Florida Amish enclave of Pinecraft plenty of times and posted many photos. So just when I thought I had said and posted about all I could of this wonderful "village" along comes The Daily Mail. The UK-based Daily Mail often does sloppy work, hatchet jobs, or sensationalism so I take what they post - usually - with an eye roll. But this time they actually did great work. The Daily Mail has published a collection of photos depicting life in Pinecraft during the peak winter years and it's a super glimpse into life there. There's one photo in particular that really stands out to me and that is of the Amish teens sitting in the park all on their cell phones. Granted, Amish who travel here are typically on the more progressive side anyway (you don't see many Swartzentruber Amish here), it still is a jarring photo, just shows how deeply social media and smartphones are entrenching themselves into Plain life. Click here to see this wonderful photo collection.
RUNAWAY AMISH GIRL: SIGH, I'm ambivalent about this young lady. I have been for some time. She left the Amish community in Ohio, wrote a book, got some great publicity, and this morning she was talking about her book on Megyn Kelly's Today Show hour. I'm not sure if I came away more annoyed at Megyn Kelly or Emma Gingerich. Megyn Kelly is a good journalist but I just think she is out of her element in this format. She comes across as very...superficial. Emma Gingerich's motivations for her book are never really probed. I think there are some interesting insights into Swartzentruber culture,but they are never really placed into any kind of context. I just think this was a really missed opportunity for a substantive discussion about the Swartzentruber Amish and Megyn Kelly squandered it and made it fluff. Click here to watch the video yourself of the this morning's interview.
MILLIE'S POTLUCK POTATO CASSEROLE: Check out the latest from Illinois Amish columnist Millie Otto, which includes a hearty recipe for potluck potato casserole. Click here.
HUTTERITES AND HAUTE CUISINE: This is a really great article - an easy,breezy read - about a Hutterite in Montana that supplies an upscale resort with meat and produce. Click here to read about this great relationship.
MORE HUTTERITE PHOTOS: Branding cattle is a part of Hutterite tradition and regardless of how you feel about branding (seems painful and probably not necessary, but I'm not a rancher) this is a superb photo montage that gives some wonderful glimpses into Hutterite life. Check out these photos here, well worth visiting!
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