The Amish Cook from Oasis Newsfeatures

i was wondering if any of the amish children are home schooled when they leave formal education as they know it. from reading verena's column that she wrote for her mother, it would be a real shame if the young woman couldn't further her writing skills into a 'career' so to speak. i feel this is an important issue that could be taken up in amish families, if allowed to do so.

40 40 head of livestock survive montour county fire

By Karen Blackledge
The Daily Item

WASHINGTONVILLE — Curious Holsteins milled around fire trucks as firefighters from 16 Valley companies battled a blaze that destroyed a barn and woodshop Thursday morning in Montour County.

A number of the 40 head of cattle, draft horses and colts were loose, then rescued, as the fire raged, according to firefighters working at the scene off Strawberry Ridge Road in Derry Township.

Those animals that weren’t loose — such as the horses hitched to a farm implement not far from the two-story barn — became increasingly agitated as the flames, smoke and sparks engulfed the 150-foot by 100-foot structure.

Fire companies from Columbia, Montour and Northumberland counties were summoned to the 9:33 a.m. blaze that began after fierce wind carried embers from the burning woodworking shop to the barn.

Cats and chickens died in the fire, but members of the Amish community and firefighters rescued many young cows and work horses.

Woodshop owner John Z. Stoltzfus said he believes an overheated woodburner started the blaze.

“I was trying to operate the shop,” he said of the 20- to 25-year-old building that hadn’t been in operation for some time.

He had left the one-story building for about 30 minutes before the fire broke out.

“I saw the smoke,” he said. “The stove got too hot.”

As firefighters had his woodshop blaze nearly under control, someone yelled that the barn, more than 100 yards away, had caught fire.

Hay and straw fed the barn fire’s flames, and fire chiefs ordered volunteers out of the building.

Numerous tankers lined Strawberry Ridge Road, along with portable water tanks. The closest refill locations were Montour PPL Plant hydrants.

“We’re talking a mile or two away,” Valley Township Fire Chief Mike Kull said. “They have to fill up with water, drive back and pump it into the portable tanks.”

Word of the blaze spread quickly, drawing numerous neighbors by horse and buggy.

Neighbor John M. Stoltzfus, who isn’t related to the family, was among those neighbors arriving by horse and buggy.

Hello everybody.  I am not much of a thread starter but I got interested in something and was hoping to hear from some of you.  I am in between recipe collection methods.  I have many cookbooks, a recipe box and a recipe file.  I am in the process of transferring recipes into my computer.  I am finding that having recipes in a file in my computer makes them most accessible and easy to print, copy or share.  Just wondering how all of you manage the many recipes that come your way.  Also.. for Kevin... what does Lovina do?  Obviously, she doesn't use the computer.  I'm guessing she has hand written index cards of some type.  Does she have a particular way of storing/filing her recipes?   Thanks. 

These cookies melt in your mouth. And make the house smell sooo good.  Lovina's house must smell scrumptous all the time.  If you eat them right out of the oven better be careful of the apples  they burn..just ask my husband,he couldn't wait.

Next time I need to make my apple pieces smaller. I also used Galas because that is what I had on hand.

Kevin vanilla is mentioned in the ingredients but not in the recipe. I did know where to add but I just wanted to let you know.

My father in Ohio is without power. Rural no electricity means no heat, water or cooking. I just hope he has been keeping his Life Alert cell phone charged.  He was adding a blanket and crawling in to keep warm (no electric blanket, of course)The estimated time for the power grids being back online was unavailable because it is so widespread.

I am wondering how other power companies are faring.