Chapter Five
Her friends all decided to stay at the house while Hannah got to explore the community.
She didn’t blame them. They had been going non-stop for almost two weeks.
They had done other things while on summer break, too, but this was by far the most exhausting.
There was a reason they weren’t planning to go to the beach again until at least a week after they had been home. And maybe not even that.
There was a good chance this would be the last lengthy trip they would take as students. They hadn’t anticipated it would be so exhausting, but they had known it would be a long trip.
Elias quickly shuffled her out of the house.
“Well, where would you like to start, Hannah?” Elias asked.
“Anywhere there are animals,” she said. “I’m studying to be a vet right now. I’d love to see any animals that are here. I don’t even have to get close enough to touch if that’s not all right. Just to see the animals would be enough.”
Elias smiled a little.
“Then, I think you would love my farm,” he said. “Why don’t we start there, and if you want to go elsewhere, then I’ll show you the center of the community?”
Hannah nodded. That sounded like a great idea to her.
The sooner she could see the animals, the better.
Honestly, she hadn’t thought that there would be a farm out here.
There was plenty of space for one, she realized as they walked.
However, she hadn’t thought that she would be welcome to just…
visit. That wasn’t the case anywhere else in the city.
They arrived at the farm after a short walk.
Elias’s farm proved to be crude by American ranch standards.
It very clearly served its purpose, though.
The Amish had been mentioned in her textbook as having special dispensation to follow religious guidelines for most of the meat and food they farmed, provided it was not sold in supermarkets.
Then they would have had to be sure they were following the same rules as everyone else.
She appreciated that they could raise their animals as they saw fit without penalty.
“This is a beautifully quaint farm,” she said as he took her around the different pens. “I’m glad to see that the animals have enough to eat. That’s always a worry when looking at rural farms, or so I was told in one of my classes.”
“We don’t get a lot of people interested in the animals out this way,” Elias admitted. “We usually have people looking to buy our jams and jellies, or they’re looking into staying here to learn the way of life. You’re a special case in multiple ways.”
“Oh?” Hannah tilted her head. “How so?”
She had an insatiable curiosity, or so her parents said. She was sure he wouldn’t enjoy talking to her for hours on end and had decided she’d only take up a couple of hours of his time if he showed signs of irritation. There was always an excuse to leave on a farm.
“Well, you came to see if you could find familye. Usually, those visiting from the city who know they have familye in one of these communities know where to find them,” he started.
“I’m not sure where else to start, honestly, but I do know that you also have an accent.
Those from abroad don’t normally bother to visit unless it’s Christmastime.
The Christmas market always does well. We get visitors from many places around here during the season. ”
Hannah raised an eyebrow.
“Christmas market?”
“We set up a market every Christmas season to sell gift baskets, quilts, and whatever we’ve made through the year.
Some of the women here rely on that as if it’s the only thing they’re going to get money-wise all year round.
For some, they’re right. Others see it as an additional income throughout the year.
It still means the Christmas market is the most profitable time of the year for most, though. ”
“I see,” Hannah said as she took in everything. “And it’s unusual just to get visitors because they want to see the community and meet the people?”
“Jah. That’s the most unusual aspect of your visit, honestly.
And you brought friends,” Elias said. “Usually, we’ll get a straggler or two who have gotten stranded for some reason.
To knowingly bring friends is a little odd.
” He shrugged. “But then, we make a habit of trying not to judge for the most part. Odd? Jah. Important enough to judge you by? Not particularly.”
“Huh. Well, I’m glad that you were able to show me the farm. These animals are so beautiful. Are you raising them for food or something else?”
“The sheep I raise for wool to sell in the city,” Elias shared. “The chickens and pigs are raised for meat, though. It’s not the easiest job in the community, but I always have enough to go around. And I make sure that others can share in the harvest.”
Hannah nodded.
It hurt to know that these animals were mainly raised for food, but she was glad that a few animals on the farm weren’t. At least, not until they could no longer give wool.
“Any other questions for me?” Elias asked.
“What’s the biggest difference between how you live here and the way I’m used to living?” Hannah asked.
She had to know. There was something so quaint about the Amish way of life, from what she had seen so far. She just couldn’t put a finger on what that was.