CHRISTMAS WITH THE AMISH

Amish Christmas traditions will be explained Dec. 2, 2013

Explore the traditions of the Plain people on December 2 in Centerville, MI 

and Middlebury, IN during a fascinating day trip.

Enjoy a home-cooked Amish holiday brunch in a Amish home large enough to fit 60 people. As Amish do not use electricity, but they do use propane, enjoy gaslights burning while guests sit by a burning stove listening to the Amish children chant religious and secular Christmas songs. They will demonstrate Amish traditions.

An Amish preacher will speak to our group about their Christmas celebration, gift giving and how they spend the day. Craft items will be available from cutting boards, sewing, canned goods, bread, jams and even a special concoction for growing your plants

There will also be horse and buggies rides available at a nearby farm. The cost for buggy rides are on your own and not included in the tour fee. There will be plenty of horse buggies trotting along narrow roads en-route to their various destinations.

Some of the activities that you can look forward to include:

• Amish cheese-making demo at the Cheese factory
• Amish Bakery
• Explanations of Amish Christmas traditions
• Raffles and prizes
• Amish family recipes

Guests will learn about Amish clothing, why the men do not have mustaches and why they have to ask permission from their pastor to make the slightest changes to their buggies, homes and businesses.

Due to privacy, the hosting families request that their names not be released and that there is no picture taking while on the tour of their homes because they do not believe in graven images.

Please keep in mind that the Amish family will need to purchase food in advance and will need to know the final count of registrants so that they may adequately prepare for their visit.

TOUR INCLUDES: Roundtrip Motorcoach, Lunch, Raffles, & Goodie Bags

DATE: December 2, 2013

TIME: Leave at 7:00 am; Return at 7:30 p.m.

PICK UP LOCATION: Big K-Mart (John R & 12 Mile in Madison Heights)

COST: $85.00 per person

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MICHIGAN APPLES RIPE FOR THE PICKIN'

Apples are ready to be picked. 

Here we are in Michigan leaning toward the end of summer with about two weeks left. Our state has an awesome array of local fruit and veggies ripe for the  picking.

If you haven't tasted Michigan apples, now is the time.  The drought last year caused a lot of grief for farmers. Now their trees are laden with apples. Go pick.

The major chains sell produce from South America.  Farmers in the United States are having a rough time competing against the global economy. Our farmers, big and small, sell produce grown on their soil. There's a huge difference.  When we buy from our local farmers it gives them a chance to compete rather than go out of business.

Our children can pick vegetables that locally grown and they can learn to appreciate "home grown." When they help cook the food, they will talk about their experience and it will live on in their memory.

Our farmers generally do not genetically modify their food or use heavy hormones. One local farmer I know sells her grapes to Welches, which brings in their own crew to pick the crops. There's nothing like her grapes.

Let's remember that we are a community in Michigan. Let's buy from our farmers to keep our growers sustainable.