What are the holidays like for our Amish farmer?

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December 18, 2020

Every culture and every family celebrates the holidays differently. Let’s take a peek into how farmer Aaron and his Amish community enjoy Christmas.

Farmer Aaron reminisces about how, as a child, he loved Christmas because he got presents. Now that he has 6 children of his own, the anticipation of Christmas is a little different. As an adult, farmer Aaron’s favorite thing about Christmas is the kids. He loves seeing how happy they are. Their smiles are everything.

Amish Christmas is about the spirit of giving. It honors the day Jesus was born. Giving gifts to others represents the gift that Jesus was to the world.

Children are usually given a book and a few other things. Although Amish children love the story of Santa, they are not believers. Presents come from their parents.

Amish Christmas is also about the food. They hold many Christmas dinners with immediate family.

The dishes cooked at meals are top notch. The food is often sweet, much like baby Jesus. Farmer Aaron loves Christmas cookies (and there are always a lot) and layered red, green, and white jello. Another special treat is homemade potato chips fried in lard or coconut oil.

Amish Christmas is TWO DAYS LONG.

That’s right. They celebrate Christmas on the 25th and the 26th. This is common for Amish holidays.

Decorations are not a big deal in the farmer’s Amish community. It’s not the appearance but the spirit of Christmas that makes it special.

There’s no Christmas tree, no Christmas lights, and no Christmas wreaths and other Christmas knick knacks. Children make old fashioned paper snowflakes and chains to decorate their classroom and even their home.

A celebrated tradition is when the Amish schools put together an annual Christmas show, when students perform for their parents and grandparents.

They practice for weeks beforehand and usually try to make it as funny as possible (after all, Christmas is about spreading joy and cheer). The children recite poems and perform skits. The younger kids might say a few words, but the older kids create a plot.

The farmer’s son John did a skit with his friend Elam this year. They dressed in old tattered hats and held a pitchfork and a broom. They had a playful interaction about each other’s pigs getting into each other’s cabbage patches and demanding reimbursement from each other. In the end, they demanded justice and made a deal.

The farmer’s son Ben did a skit where kids were sneaking candy while Grandma was out. When Grandma came back, the kids made funny excuses for where the candy went. Maybe a mouse came to eat it, maybe the wind blew it away, or maybe it “accidentally” got flushed down the toilet.

Amish Christmas is ultimately about joy. It’s about celebrating the gift of baby Jesus and the delight of family and friends.

Best wishes for your holiday traditions, even if they might be a bit different this year.

Opinion

The drama and quick problem solving at the Wise Traditions Conference.

Miller's Bio Farm attended the Weston A. Price Foundation's annual Wise Traditions Conference in Orlando, FL last weekend. Overall, we had an awesome time. But... the trip didn't come without some food freedom drama. This time (for once), it had nothing to do with raw milk or the laws. It was the Marriot's policies that held us back.Here's the story...After a 15 hour drive, the farm team arrived on Thursday with a trailer filled with all of our amazing natural food. At every other event we've attended, we've been able to keep perishables in the venue's cooler and freezer. Not this time! We were told by the hotel that we cannot store it inside.We couldn't let the food go to waste! We scrambled and rented a refrigerated truck that evening.At this point, we knew there was going to be more trouble.The next morning, we were told the reason why.The Marriot does not allow any dairy, meat, or ferments to be sold, served, or given away that's not from one of their vendors (like Cisco). We couldn't even keep a sealed example product on the table to display. It was a liability thing (in other words, corporate greed).And this was despite the fact that all of our food is 100% certified and legal. And, we were required to have $5M worth of insurance to be there. It was just awful. They wouldn't allow a waiver (they said there wasn't enough time). They didn't care if the food went to waste (not their problem). They didn't sympathize with the fact that the people there simply won't or physically can't eat the hotel's conventional food (not sure what's happened to humanity).Our food was not allowed on premises. So we thought fast. On Friday morning, we quickly opened a pickup location outside the hotel. It was a 30 second walk away, about 2 feet off their property on the side of the road. So... people purchased at our booth inside and then walked outside to get their food.Kinda hilarious... but within the Marriot's rules.We even hosted a super fun milk and cookies party outside at the pickup location!At the same time, many conference attendees motivated and spoke with hotel management. I think even Congressman Massie (a keynote speaker) reached out. They explained why we were all gathered together, the importance of real food from small farms, and how the Marriot's policies are a major food freedom issue.The next day, the Marriot decided to "turn a blind eye". We closed our short-lived pickup location, and our booth was back to what we planned!! We even made a butter pyramid and had an ice cream party to celebrate 🥳 As a community of real food eaters, we affected change... albeit small and for one weekend. It gives me hope for the future of food. To anyone who spoke up, shared on social media, or helped scoop 500+ cups of ice cream... thank you!!!Has your food access been held back by laws or policies, either private or public? What food freedom issues are important to you? What would you like to see change?I'd love to hear you from. Comment below (no account required) or contact us.-----PS: We'd love to start pickup locations in Florida and make our food more affordable and accessible in the sunshine state. If you have a spot (or can connect us with a spot) with refrigeration, let me know!

What are the holidays like for our Amish farmer?

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The drama and quick problem solving at the Wise Traditions Conference.

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Miller's Bio Farm, 523 Valley Road, Quarryville, PA 17566