Mennonite Farm

Somewhere in time

Christian County, Kentucky, has many Mennonite and Amish farmers. In our part of the county, many of our neighbors are Mennonites. This farm (photo above) belongs to one of our Mennonite neighbors.

The yellow strip just past the tree in the center of the photo is a long row of daffodils, blooming beside the vegetable garden. In the summer, red cannas bloom at the garden's edge.

The Mennonite farmers around here are fond of concrete stave silos like the ones in the photo. These silos aren't used much by other farmers, nowadays. The Mennonites will often buy an old silo that's been sitting empty for years, tear it down, rebuild it, and put it back into use. It's a good deal for everyone involved.

The home in the photo is typical of dozens of recently-built Mennonite homes in this area. Most are large, plain, 2-story structures with attic space for storage. The wide front porch (not visible in this photo) is a good place for drying laundry on a rainy day. The main door usually opens to a big kitchen, in true farmhouse style.

I think this photo could pass for a scene from half a century ago, except for a few details -- the machinery in front of the barn and the style of the electric fence posts might be too recent. But just put those minor items out of your mind, and click here to see the same image in black and white as it might have been captured in an earlier time.