When I drive past most Amish gardens in early May, I see plastic milk jugs lined up in rows. With the bottoms cut out, they’re used for mini greenhouses, extending the planting season by a month. Most gardens in Pennsylvania aren’t planted until Memorial Day and in New York, July 4th! So once again we see how dependent the Amish are on the land.
I know an Amish family of nine who live primarily on what they “put up” from their garden. This amazes me still since my husband and I have four grown “kids” and remember those grocery bills when they were all in their teens, and we “put up” at least 500 quarts of food. Well, I know my Amish friends put up well over a thousand jars.
The trick I’m learning is that they preserve only what they use, no fancy chutneys like I like to try. They don’t pour over glossy recipe books like me, confused as to what they should or should not plant. So this year I’m determined to can only what’s going to help our food bill. This will include jams, fruits and vegetables that go in recipes I actually use, not ones I see in magazines hoping to try “someday.”
I have two wonderful books as resources:
Amish Cooking by Pathway Publishing. You can buy it online at: http://pathway-publishers.com/tag/amish-recipes/ Pathway is run by the Amish and are authentic Amish books.
Also, for inspiration I read Lovina Eicher books. She’s an Old Order Amish woman who’s written three coffee table quality books that are part memoir, cultural education, and recipes. I have the The Amish Cook's Anniversary Book: 20 Years of Food, Family, and Faith. I won’t be buying her baking book anytime soon…I use the Weight Watchers Cookbook for desserts ;)
Blessings to you!
Karen Anna Vogel
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