Living With Bitter Cold Temperatures
We hope this newsletter finds you well and warm as we navigate this week's frigid Winter weather. With temperatures dropping to windchills at and below 20 below zero at night, the past week has been especially challenging for our Amish community here in the Heartland. Despite the bitter cold, the spirit of togetherness and resilience shines through as families work together to stay warm and safe.
As the cold set in, many Amish families prepared by filling their woodboxes to the brim and covering their canned goods in the basement with old blankets to prevent freezing. Extra blankets were piled onto beds, ensuring cozy nights despite the freezing temperatures outside. With snow on the ground from last week's storm, families used it to their advantage by scooping snow against the sides of their homes to insulate and protect water pipes from freezing.
Caring for animals during such extreme weather is a top priority. Small sheds with doggie holes provide shelter for pets, while horses find refuge under evergreen trees or are moved into barns. The community's dedication to their animals' well-being is a testament to their compassionate and practical approach to life.
Bundling up in flannel underdresses, long johns, thick coats, scarves, and gloves, Amish families face the cold head-on. Daily chores take longer, with the need for hot water to thaw out water pans, buckets, hoses, and hydrants. Carrying in ample wood is essential to keep the stoves burning and the home warm throughout the day.
Heating homes primarily with wood, and sometimes coal, families focus on maintaining warmth in the main parts of the house by shutting doors and using curtains to conserve heat. Seasoned wood and kindling ensure efficient burning, with hedgewood being particularly prized for its high heat output.
Community support is vital in dealing with harsh Winter conditions. Families and neighbors come together to cut and chop firewood for the elderly and widows, exemplifying the strong bonds that hold the community together. Allowing faucets to drip and piling snow against the house are common practices to prevent water pipes from freezing during extended cold spells.
Among the memorable stories of cold Winters, one family shared the tale of their pony, Oreo, who bravely navigated deep snow drifts to come in for his grain. When Oreo got stuck, he had to turn back, prompting the family to shovel a path to the barn. Such stories highlight the determination and resourcefulness of the Amish community.
To make the best of the Winter season, Amish families enjoy playing games like Rummikub, Sorry, Aggravation, and card games in the evenings. Reading aloud to children while huddled together in the living room brings warmth and joy, creating cherished memories even on the coldest nights.
Stories from Our Amish Basket Weavers
Here are a few happenings the families dedicated to weaving the beautiful baskets featured on AmishBaskets.com have shared with us this week.
The Mast Family
This week, the Mast family hitched up their enclosed buggy to take the scholars to school. With hired drivers busy, enclosed buggies filled the roads. Many parents and grandparents used enclosed buggies to transport the youngest to school, a stark contrast to the usual scene of children walking or riding open buggies pulled by ponies. The Yoder children's pony, like many in the community, enjoyed a week off due to the frigid cold. The enclosed buggies provided much-needed warmth and protection during the harsh weather.
The Yoder Family
Preparations for the upcoming wedding are in full swing at the Yoder household. This week, neighbor girls arrived to help with cleaning and rearranging the house and shop. Usually, they would assist with lawn care, but the cold weather, shifted their focus indoors. The shop will host the wedding services and offer an extra sleeping space for early arrivals. The menfolk were busy clearing out work benches and equipment from the largest room in the shop. They also plan to remove the woodstove a day or two before the wedding to make room for about a hundred seated guests.
The Gingerich Family
The Gingerich family welcomed two new calves this week, despite the coldest weather of the Winter. They built a cozy hotbox for the calves using two rows of two hay bales each, a piece of plywood over the top, and more hay bales on the plywood. They plugged each end with bales of hay and, after assuring the calves were fed, pushed them into the boxed area, covering the open end each night. In the mornings, the area felt warm enough to crawl in with the calves. This ingenuity ensured the newborns stayed warm and safe during the freezing temperatures.
"If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it."
— Amish Wisdom
