Amish Home

 Here are a few pictures of an Amish home they have on display at the Menno-Hof center. This is a re-creation of an Amish home in the actual museum, so ignore the electric outlets!

Menno Hof Shipshewana Indiana

While on vacation I went to the Menno-Hof non-profit information center located in Shipshewana, Indiana, they teach visitors about the faith and life of Amish and Mennonites.
Menno-Hof's multi-image presentations, historical environments and colorful displays take you on a fascinating journey inside the unique world of the Amish and Mennonites.
See where the Anabaptists had their beginning in a Swiss courtyard and how they were persecuted for their faith in the dungeon. Travel with the Anabaptists down the cobblestone streets of Holland and board a 17th century sailing boat on a journey to America and freedom. I haven't been there in about 15 years, so it was a perfect place to be on one of the rainy days of my trip. 

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Simple Pleasures

Amish Acres Nappanee Indiana

I went to the Fall Harvest Days and to see the musical "Smoke on the Mountain" at Amish Acres in Nappanee Indiana, here are some pictures I thought you might enjoy. 

Round Barn Theatre

Ceiling of the Round Barn theatre

Before they go their separate ways, the Sanders Family gathers together to share stories of faith and family.  The third installment in the Sander’s saga features the family preparing to send the Reverend Mervin Oglethorpe and his bride June, off west in style with nearly 25 fabulous Bluegrass gospel favorites

Cast of Smoke on the Mountain

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Simple Pleasures

Windy City Farm

My son and I took a quick ride to a local farm. In addition to the delicious fresh fruit and veggies they had pumpkins, dried corn and honey crisp apples. Even though, the produce is a bit more expensive, it's fresh and delicious and I think it's important to support the locals.

 

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Simple Pleasures

Straw Bale Homes

Straw bales were a fairly common building material in the United States between 1895 and 1940. Interest in straw-bale home construction began to re-emerge in the mid-1970s. But it wasn't until the mid- to late-1990s that building codes began to acknowledge it as a viable approach. The rising cost of conventional construction materials, labor and concern for our environment has fueled the growing popular enthusiasm for straw bale home construction.
Two of the current straw bale construction methods include post-and-beam, which uses a structural framework with straw bale in-fill or "Nebraska style," which uses the bearing capacity of the stacked bales to support roof loads.
Proposed straw bale structures still face considerable barriers, including the following:

• Local building code approvals
• Building loans
• Mortgages
• Homeowner's insurance
• Community acceptance.

The non-load-bearing construction method is the approach most regulatory authorities accept today.
To find out the building code standards for your state, contact your city or county building code officials. Your state energy office may be able to provide information on energy codes recommended or enforced in your state.

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Simple Pleasures