Sunday, July 13, 2008

Annual Trip To Amish Country

On Saturday, Anne and Leigh, Anne's boyfriend, Josh, and I made our annual trip to Liberty, Kentucky in Casey County to visit Amish Country. We have been doing this for years. The girls were two or three years old when we started going and they are now thirty.

We left from my house after having coffee and blueberry muffins to hold us until lunch. Anne drove with Josh as her co-pilot while Leigh and I sat in the back seat. I was good and did very little back seat driving!

Our first stop was the Dutchmon's Market where I bought a pint of blackberry jam and we looked at all the hand tools, Amish hats, canned foods and bakery items. It started to pour rain just as we were leaving and one of the older Amish men asked Leigh, "Afraid to go into the rain, are ye?" and laughed like he had made some big joke!

Next, we traveled down South Fork Creek Road past the furniture store to Nolt's Bulk Food Store. The girls bought some cheese and spices, and I bought apples, a pint of sorghum, cumin, celery seeds, bay leaves, and candy. Then, we went to the produce market! I go crazy in these places with all the fresh fruit and veggies. I bought fresh green beans, new potatoes, tomatoes, green onions, peaches, a cantaloupe, and a quart of fresh blackberries for a cobbler. The girls loaded up on produce, also, so they would not have to go to the grocery when they got home. The back of Anne's car was loaded with goodies.




We headed for the Bread of Life Cafe because we were all starving by now. They have a great salad bar there and always have about three meats on the buffet.




Saturday, they had fried fish and chicken and some kind of steak with green beans, potatoes, corn, pinto beans, mac and cheese, cornbread, biscuits, and the best yeast rolls with cinnamon butter you ever ate. The dessert bar had pineapple cake, chocolate cake, bread pudding and soft serve ice cream. Josh cannot eat gluten so we were worried there would not be anything he could eat but I think he made out fine with the salad bar.

They also have a gift shop here and sell candy, bread, candles, jellies, and goodies of all sorts and kinds.

Feeling like four little pigs, we posed for pictures outside on the porch of the cafe.




Don't you think Anne and Josh make a cute couple? This is me in the middle with Anne on the left and Leigh on my right. Can you tell they are twins?



Last stop was the Antique Flea Market in Harrodsburg on our way home to buy used books in their "book nook" that has hundreds of books.

Leigh is enjoying a rest and doing a little reading while the rest of us are looking at all the books and trying to make our choices to bring home.

My son, Rob, his wife, Sarah, and TW were supposed to go with us but Rob got called into work. We missed them this year!

We arrived back at my house tired from a full day of activities but it was a "good" tired.

It was another wonderful day. I am glad that Josh could join us this year. This one will be added to the great memories along with all the rest.

Note: Click on each picture to view larger version.




21 comments:

luv2gosup said...

Judy, I very much enjoyed your latest blog on the Amish excursion. I had played to go last year to Lancaster, PA to the Amish community but the plans changed. I have been to the community in Arthur, IL that is close to where my late husband lived in Kansas, IL. I enjoyed the pictures of your family and the produce goodies very much.

JunieRose2005 said...

Judy,


Sounds like just a perfect day you all had. I enjoyed the pictures very much!


Junie

Kelly said...

Judy,

It sounds like you had a wondeful day! A Very fun-packed and full of wonderful memories day! Your family and you are beautiful and I'm so glad you all had another year with an additional person that was able to go! I love to go to the "farmer's market" and can't imagine how wonderful the Amish home-grown food must be. Will you "can" the blackberries or use them another way? What a wonderful family filled day! It's amazing how much one can pack in a long-day.

It's great that you took the pictures and have these great memories for life!

Yes, to the question if Anne and Josh are a cute couple, that's a definite "Yes"!!!!

Have a great day!

Kelly

Grammy said...

Dear Judy,
What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday, with people you love, going to a fun place! My husband and I went to Lancaster a few years ago with a church group and really enjoyed it. We saw a couple of Christian plays performed at the Lancaster Playhouse and also visited the Amish stores up that way. Thanks for the beautiful pictures, too.
Grammy

Clara....in TN said...

We stayed with an Amish family for a week in Shipshewana, Ind. in 2005. I love the Amish Country. We have an Amish Store just outside of Bristol. they have all of the good cheese, sourdough bread and just about anything you want. I go there quite often.
Your girls certainly look like twins. I bet they are so sweet.
And....you have on my flip flops. I have a pair just like them from LL Bean. I love them!

Anne and Leigh said...

Hello Mom,

We had such a wonderful time on Saturday! I cant wait to go again in the fall. There is nothing better than spending the day with you! I love you.

-Anne

bobbie said...

Sounds like a wonderful day - the kind I enjoy very much myself. Your family pictures are so nice. Thanks for sharing it all.

patsy said...

looks like you had a good day with good food.

Nancy said...

Your description of your trip was so good that I think I am going to have to find that little bit of Amish country myself. We have a little settlement down close to Glendale, and they bring items to town to sell sometimes.

We visited the largest Amish community in the U.S. in and around Berlin, Ohio--Holmes County-- and were fascinated with studying the Amish lifestyle and eating their delicious foods!

Your twins definitely look alike!

Leigh said...

Hey Mom,

Thanks for such a wonderful day. As always, I enjoyed every second of it. I love you bunches!!

Leigh

Teresa said...

Good photos of the area. Next time, you'll have to stop and get some cheese from Zimmerman's which is to turn left out of Sunny Valley (which used to be Nolt's) and travel about 4 miles or so. It's a very quaint home-business (http://littlecheeseshop.com) which supplies a business in Glasgow. But it can seem out of the way.

Don't you just love the spices at the bulk store?! I have promised myself to only buy spices from there from now on.

I haven't been in the Cafe since they added the addition. We'll have to go soon. They are the BEST place to eat around.

I'll have to find the antique store in H-burg. I love books!

Thanks for sharing your trip!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful family tradition--I enjoyed reading about your trip, Judy, and looking at the photos. You have a lovely family.
I just finished a book (Plain Secrets) about the Swartzentruber Amish in Ashland County, Ohio. Very interesting reading.

Anonymous said...

Hi again Judy
I have always been intrigued by the Amish and have wondered in more recent years whether we all need to move some way towards their way of doing things if we are to achieve a reasonable future for our world.
My own daughter and son-in-law are presently building a rammed earth house in an eco village near here with the aim of sustainable yet comfortable living. I will soon put a post about this on my blog 70Plus and Still Kicking -
www.70plusandstillkicking.blogspot.com
You are obviously justifiably proud of your family Judy ...
By the way my old dad used to quote your phrase from Abraham Lincoln when I was a little ankle biter. Made an impression as I still remember it very clearly!
Cheers and thanks for the great post
June Saville from Australia

Margie's Musings said...

Once in 1980, my sister and brother in law and Bob and I took a trip to Iowa where we visited a number of Amish villages. We too enjoyed the food. It sounds like you had a wonderful time, Judy.

Kate said...

What a wonderful day out you had - It really is fantastic being able to hear about your life there and when I am reading your blog I really feel as though I am there with you. (Your family look a lovely bunch of folk).

At the moment I am listening to Blue Moon of Kentucky while writing this, itn't the 'net wonderful....

Thanks+ Cheers Judy, Love Kate x.

Kate said...

Hey Judy, I loved the Potato story, it was brilliant hehe... still laughing - will copy it and pass it on.. Love Kate x.

Rachel said...

I love going over to the Amish stores but haven't been this year. I love Nolt's and the greenhouses! It's a great place to buy plants. Your daugthers are lovely! I see from their blog that they are horse lovers!! Ahhh....SMART and pretty both!! :) I love horses too!

You are right, Anne and Josh do make a cute couple! What a fun outing and a nice drive!! You know, I have never eaten at the Bread of Life Cafe yet. I've been wanting to get over there.

Kelly said...

Judy,

Thanks so much for looking at my blog again and leaving the sweet comment. I couldn't believe that "the world's oldest blogger" died. She was amazing at 108 years old!

Hope you are having a good week!!

Kelly

Jamie Dawn said...

What a fun outing!
That's a day that I would have enjoyed too, also, as well.
The Amish village would have been really interesting.
All that talk about good food and lots of fresh produce made me hungry.
You ended it surrounded by books, which is always enjoyable. I can spend LOTS of time in a bookstore.
You and your girls are very pretty!!
Yes, they make a good looking couple.
I'm glad you enjoyed such a nice time.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Just found your blog when you commented on Darlene's site.
We have a lot in common and I think I live not to far from you.
Anyway I will be checking your entries.
Also your recipes are the way I cook.
Good Southern food.
A new Friend

Judypatooote said...

Hi judy....I love going to the Amish community.....I have only gone to the ones in Ohio, Berlin, Surgarcreek,etc....and in Indiana, Middlebury, Shipsy etc.... I think my favorite places are the Bulk food stores....my friends and I usually go down and spend the night, because we are so tired from all the walking...then at night we play cards ....it's always a good time....for old folks....LOL....enjoyed your post... judy