Lifewater: Water Today. Health Tomorrow. Hope for Generations. | February 2022

Our Story WHO WE ARE...

From 2007 to 2012 we, the Millers, adopted our first three children, a preschooler on the autism spectrum and two babies with Down syndrome. We published our first issue of Plain Values in 2012 to highlight Biblical ministries, share the beauty of adoption, and to cultivate anchored community. In 2018 we welcomed our fourth child in a surprise adoption, this time a baby with Mosaic Down syndrome.

WHAT WE BELIEVE...

Our values are plain values, steeped in the rich traditions of yesterday. We enjoy the simple things in life. Gathering eggs from the coop, getting our hands in the dirt to grow food, and cooking meals from scratch. Sometimes we sit around a fire and share life. We strive to walk humbly to strengthen authentic relationships with our families and neighbors. And, yes, we have taken a fresh pie to a front porch and surprised a friend… we didn’t even text them before! We just stopped by, walked up the steps, and knocked on the door! Just the way our grandparents used to do on a Sunday evening. They called it living in community.

We seek to serve our neighbors. Plain Values began with a prayer, hoping to play a small role in connecting a child with Down syndrome to his or her forever family. We have checked that box nearly a dozen times in the last ten years, and we will not stop until the orphanages are empty! We will rest in Heaven!

HOW YOU CAN HELP...

Subscribe today. Join us as we pursue a more authentic life. By subscribing to Plain Values, a portion of each subscription goes directly to Room to Bloom, our non-profit that supports children with special needs.

Our Team PUBLISHER

OFFICE

WRITERS

Marlin Miller

Nic Stoltzfus, editorial manager

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Jan Schlabach, customer service

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Ferree Hardy, The Widow's Path

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February 4, 2022

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contents

February 2022 // Issue 104

feature 12

LIFEWATER Water Today. Health Tomorrow. Hope for Generations. words by: Rebecca Greenfield "Lifewater International, a non-profit organization, 'are Christians committed to ending the global water and sanitation crisis, one village at a time.' Since 1977, they have lived out the power of their name by bringing life to the thirsty through clean water and water hygiene practices."

simple living 35

HOMESTEAD + ROOTS Homemade Sauerkraut column by: Merissa A. Alink

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CONFESSIONS OF A STEWARD Moving Animals Around (part two) column by: Joel Salatin "If you don't want to pay vet bills, fertilizer bills, or energy bills, tap into the functionality of animal movement.

It makes happy and healthy animals, which in turn make beautiful landscapes, which make the farmer appreciate living in a world that is fearfully and wonderfully made."

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Immunity Therapy Center words by: Sherri Romig

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ONE MINUTE WITH MARLIN

ON THE COVER

FUNDS AND BENEFITS

Thoughts and ramblings from Marlin Miller, publisher of Plain Values.

A mother in sub-Saharan Africa gathering water for her family after a long trek.

Every month we provide a listing of opportunities to help out those in need.

photo © Lifewater International

community 29

ROOTS + WINGS Sprouting Wings column by: Rory Feek "God had taken what seemed like failure and turned it into success beyond our wildest dreams. And it all seemed to have happened because she no longer wanted or needed it."

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THE WIDOW'S PATH Lessons Learned column by: Ferree Hardy "If I could have come alongside the forty-four-year-old me, here are some of the lessons I’d want her to understand so she’d know that the burdens of grief would lighten and become bearable."

history 51

OUR HERITAGE Printing the Ausbund

(part two)

column by: Elam Stoltzfus “...the fifth and sixth hymn in the Ausbund were written by Anabaptist leaders George Blaurock and Felix Manz."

outdoors 54

ALL THINGS OUTDOORS All About Cottontail Rabbits column by: Jim Zumbo "When people ask who taught me how to hunt, I conjure up memories from many decades ago when I accompanied my dad, uncles, and grandfather on rabbit hunts."

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one minute with Marlin

EVERY EVENING Adelaide, Bennett, and I have the same routine. After baths are done, teeth are brushed, and the many “night night love you’s” are shared between the five of us, we begin. The doll babies are put to bed and tucked in their warm blankets. We find the tattered and coverless pictorial children’s Bible, I read a story, we take turns saying a prayer, and then end our routine by taking turns singing “Jesus loves me.” But in between, something wonderful happens. After I have read the story of the evening, Addie and Bennie compete for the Bible in order to “read a story to me!” And what “reading a story” consists of for them is scouring the Bible from front to back and finding the pages with photos of Jesus. Invariably, I am saying the words, “That’s Abraham” or “That’s not Jesus either, that is David. Jesus is in the back half of the Bible.”

In their Bible, Jesus is always wearing the same white and red clothes, and the squeals of delight when the kids find Him are unlike anything else.

When we are sitting together, I often wonder how much they comprehend what we are reading and talking about. They may never understand the human condition and how sin has destroyed much of what God originally created, but there is something inside our little boogers that draws them to Jesus. I think this is much more of a question being tossed into the air than a statement or an observation. I don’t have an answer, but watching and hearing little children come to our Lord with a level of innocence and purity only those with Down syndrome can have is a blessing all its own. In Matthew 19:14, Jesus says, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Many times, I make life harder than it is. Maybe you can relate. I hope that

MARLIN MILLER publisher, always looking for more friends

tonight, when you and I sit with our families thinking and talking over the last day, we can search for Jesus hidden in the pages of our lives.

As always, may you find joy in the simple things. //

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feature LIFEWATER

Water Today.

Health Tomorrow.

Hope for Generations. words by: REBECCA GREENFIELD

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YOU TURN ON THE FAUCET, the rush of cool water flows freely from the spigot. Ah, there's nothing like a nice tall glass of crisp water, smooth and cool as it runs over the tongue. Perhaps you want to fill a pot of water to start your dinner or simply to wash your hands with sudsy soap. All of this happens in a matter of seconds, without much extra thought. After scurrying through your tasks and drinking that refreshing water, you decide you need to use the facilities. With a quick flush, the waste vanishes, and on you go to the more important matters of the day like work, family, and household responsibilities.

Our interactions with water are frequent and quick. Water and workable restroom facilities free us up to allocate our time to other demands in our lives. But in some countries, simply finding and collecting clean water can be what much of the day is centered around. Over 850 million people in

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Two mothers start their trek back home with 40 pounds of water on their heads

the world do not have access to clean water, of which a vast majority are in sub-Saharan Africa. A lack of access to clean water is defined as someone who must walk over thirty minutes to find drinkable water. No wells, no latrines, and no sanitation system cause hundreds of thousands to be susceptible to water insecurity and illness.

Lifewater International, a non-profit organization, "are Christians committed to ending the global water and sanitation crisis, one village at a time." Since 1977, they have lived out the power of their name by bringing life to the thirsty through clean water and water hygiene practices. Lifewater serves in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Cambodia.

A mother living in Tanzania grabs a weathered five-gallon bucket. Dirt and sand have crept into the dry crevices. The mother's own hands are worn, with layers of grime and grease from her early morning chores. She wakes her two children, who are not quite old enough for school. The baby can't walk yet, so she swaddles him tightly to her thin-framed body. She grabs the empty bucket and calls for her three-year-old. They are heading off for a three-and-a-half-hour round trip to the nearest water well. This has become a routine for them while the eldest two children are in school, and the father is in the village trying to earn a wage. Once at the well, they fill the bucket to the brim. The commute there was tiring for three-year-old legs, trying to keep up with his mama, but the walk back home would be even more arduous. The terrain is not easy, traveling it with no shoes, on rocky soil in the beating sun through eighty-degree heat. There isn't much time to stop for a break as they try to make it

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home before the hottest point of the day and in time

requests from other ministry leaders for clean water

for other chores. The bucket is filled, the children

in over 100 countries in need. In response, he began

are tired, and the baby starts to cry, but this is life,

holding conferences that recruited volunteers with

and it is time to return home. The mother, bearing

professional skill sets. The volunteers would be

the burden and the weight, grabs the filled bucket,

trained to not only bring "physical" life-giving water,

which now weighs around forty pounds. Her thin

but more importantly, "spiritual" life-giving water

frame is deceptive. Despite the bucket weighing

through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

about a third of her body weight, she has developed

As Lifewater evolved, so did their vision and

the muscle over time to sustain the long, heavy

outreach. Just as God does not only show up in an

journey home. This is what she knows. This is her

emergency, but cares deeply about relationships and

"normal." This is what she remembers doing when

the holistic renewal of a person, so does Lifewater.

she followed her mama as a naive toddler herself

They did not simply want to enter a desperate

decades before.

situation for a quick fix; instead, they saw an opportunity to help a whole community thrive. When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, the water she went to retrieve was symbolic of a greater thirst

"Every two minutes, a child dies due to illnesses caused by unclean water."

she had, a greater thirst all of us have — to be known, loved, and forgiven by the person who transcends the earthly confines of this broken world, Jesus.

Lifewater knows that physically people are thirsty, but spiritually they need to drink from the water that can help them both in this life and beyond. Jesus told the Samaritan woman as he referred to Himself, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would

Like this Tanzanian mother, women and

have given you living water" (John 4:10). Lifewater

children are often the biggest victims of unclean

wants to provide this same hope and sustainability

water. Many times, it is women who are responsible

to the communities they help.

Through

for retrieving the water for their families. It is

community

health

training

and

also the women who are nursing their children

evangelism, Lifewater partners with a village in a

back to health who are frequently sick from

dignified way over a three-year period. There is a

waterborne illnesses or suffering the grievous loss

two-fold purpose in this approach. First, it helps

of their child. Every two minutes, a child dies due to illnesses caused by unclean water. The awareness of preventable deaths, impoverished communities, and a skill set that could aid in a plausible solution to help is what motivated Lifewater's founder, Bill Ashe, into action.

It all started in 1962 on a trip to Mexico, where Ashe, a water pump business owner, repaired a windmill hand pump at an orphanage. By 1968, he had dedicated his life to ministering to suffering families in Baja California, Mexico. Nine years later, Lifewater was established. Attending a Billy Graham conference in Amsterdam, Ashe received over 2,000

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bring awareness to all members of the community

pertinent questions. These questions include: How

that every person has a role to play in creating a

far is the average walk to the nearest well? What are

healthy environment. Second, it helps each civilian

the demographics? What ages are impacted? How

take on a sense of ownership in the positive change

often are the children getting sick? How often must

they help create within their village. This results in

they miss school due to illness? How much money

a more holistic, sustainable change.

is spent by families on medical care? Once these

Just as IKEA doesn't sell you furniture without

baselines are established, they will begin step two,

instructions, Lifewater doesn't provide a well

which is to assess the spiritual vitality of the village.

without teaching people in the community how

Questions in this phase include: Is there a local

and why to use a well. Lifewater wants to help the

church? Does that church have the potential to be a

community and not just provide a resource without

positive influencer in the community to help change

any guidance on the significance or responsibility

sanitation habits as well as share the Gospel? Are

that comes with it. That would not be helpful at all

there community leaders, elders, or government

but rather could lead to potentially harmful risks.

officials who could help with this progression to

The community must learn how to become healthy

healthy lifestyles?

and take ownership in their decisions to maintain

Step three is the initiation of what Lifewater

such health.

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calls "community-led total sanitation." This is a

Over three years, there are three main steps

hands-on teaching and training phase focused on

in creating a healthy village through this Lifewater

health-centered community transformation. It is

partnership. Step one: they establish a baseline

an educational process in which the community is

by performing a census to answer the logistical,

taught how diseases are transmitted through the

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"Just as IKEA doesn't sell you furniture without instructions, Lifewater doesn't provide a well without teaching people in the community how and why to use a well."

WASH curriculum (Water Access, Sanitation, and Hygiene) and other instruction. One of the first points of education is how to end open defecation, which is going to the bathroom in the open instead of in a toilet, resulting in uncontained waste. This is one of the main causes of rampant waterborne illness. These contaminants easily pass into water that may be used for cooking, washing, or drinking.

Lifewater works with the people to help them understand that defecating in the woods or other open spaces leads to flies, which breed disease and spread infection.

Along with this education on keeping clean and dirty water separate, the people are taught how to boil water, how to move clean dishes up off the ground (away from feces) to a designated clean space, and the importance of a wash station.

As a result of this education, Lifewater has some expectations and preconditions that must be met in order for a home to be validated as what they call a "certified healthy home." These requirements include: the people must build their own latrine (or toileting area), they must construct a wash station near the latrine, they must create a drying rack, they must build an additional wash station near this drying rack, and they must keep their compound environment clean. These preconditions ensure that the education results in transformative healthy habits, not just head knowledge. Once 8090% of the homes in the area become recognized as certified healthy homes, the community then qualifies for their clean water well. At this point, the Teaching the youth the value of clean water 17

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community has proven they have embraced proper hygiene behaviors and will be able to maintain the integrity of the well once it's established.

Once the community has qualified for a well, Lifewater works with local leaders, the local church, and average civilians to offset 15-20% of the cost of the well. In addition, the village will be responsible for providing unskilled labor to handle work such as digging ditches, building fences around the well, and helping vulnerable families who were not yet able to build a latrine complete that task for their home.

Additionally, there is a "Well Committee" that helps recruit, manage the laborers, coordinate the teaching of WASH curriculum to children in the schools, and assist in raising funds and resources for the project. Since so many women are often most affected by the lack of clean water, it is essential that women's voices are represented in the Well Committee. Thus, they make up half of the committee members. This empowers a community to truly own the well project and become the key players in the powerful change they see unfolding within their village.

Holistic longevity is key. This is why only 25 of Lifewater's employees, out of 175, are from the United States — the rest are in the sub-Saharan country. These employees help train up leaders within their country so that they are skilled to become technicians. If the well pump stops working, there are leaders in-country who have knowledge and expertise on maintaining and fixing it. Inviting the local church and schools to play an integral role in WASH curriculum training and discipleship results in revolutionary results that can be sustained over the long term. "Water, sanitation, and hygiene practices all serve to help communities realize greater health and a more complete understanding of their Godgiven dignity and their own ability to thrive."

There is a story in the book of Luke about a paralyzed man. He is lowered down through the ceiling by a group of his friends into a crowded house where Jesus was teaching because he was desperate for physical healing. The account reads, "When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the man, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven'" (Luke 5:20). The irony was that the man didn't actually ask for spiritual help. What

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"Holistic longevity is key. This is why only 25 of Lifewater's employees, out of 175, are from the United States— the rest are in the sub-Saharan country." he wanted was physical healing. But Jesus first gave

of Jesus Christ. Due to government jurisdictions and

Him something of much greater worth, something of

rules against proselytizing, Lifewater relies heavily

spiritual value — forgiveness of sins. Jesus knew that

on relationships formed by the local church with

this impacted the man's soul, which would long outlast

the villages. It's not just about transforming unclean

any physical relief that could be offered. Then shortly

water situations into healthy accessibility, but even

after, Jesus, in His grace, reached out and healed the

more so, it is about transforming lost souls to the one

man physically as well. Just as Christ has modeled

who can wash them "white as snow." "Though your

to a broken world that no physical salvation can

sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;

come close to the greater need of spiritual salvation,

though they are red as crimson, they shall be like

Lifewater mirrors this same passion. To them, all

wool” (Isaiah 1:18). There is no better purification

their work is in vain if it isn't for the cause of bringing

than that which Jesus Christ provides through His

those in need of forgiveness to experience the grace

blood and forgiveness.

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And the people of these villages are experiencing this transformative power of Christ through water.

One 55-year-old mother of four said that for the first time in her life, she could think about tomorrow.

Other women have started microbusinesses because they have more time freed up since they no longer need to care for sick children or spend hours traveling to a well. But still, one of the most powerful stories is the one of total transformation for the entire family.

There was a family with a father, mother, and tenand twelve-year-old daughters. The father struggled with addictive substance abuse. Through Lifewater's outreach, the mother became saved. Because her life was so changed, the father became clean from his addictions. The whole family was soon saved, and their lives were forever changed.

So how can you help? Prayers! Lifewater covets your prayers for the Gospel piece of their work to take root in the lives of those in need of Jesus.

Please pray for long-term sustainability. Perhaps you feel called to do more! Become a Lifewater Ambassador. Ambassadors bring awareness to their sphere of influence about water crises and the need for support of the marginalized. Lastly, you can financially give. 80% of the funds donated go directly to Lifewater programs. The money donated

Lifewater International

is used for Kingdom purposes, prayerfully used for

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2868, Bentonville, AR 72712

the needs within the country. You can sponsor a water project, give monthly, leave a legacy gift, or even donate stocks. Each dollar is a gift and makes

Office Address: 314 S. Main Street, Bentonville, AR 72712

an impact. Each prayer helps a soul. Your part matters and is greatly valued!

Phone Number: (805) 541-6634

So next time you take a drink of that purified, filtered water you can so easily access, say a prayer

Email: info@lifewater.org

for the woman at the well, the father in distress, and the children fighting disease. God is working

Website: www.lifewater.org

in and through people like you to change the world, one sip at a time. //

Rebecca Greenfield is the author of RAW Inner Workings of a Reawakened Soul ($14.99), RAW Reawakened Soul Study Guide ($14.99), The Prayer Crossing Personal Devotional ($12.99), The Prayer Crossing Event Workbook ($19.99), and Dusternuffle ($19.99), a children's book. After earning her bachelors in Nuclear Medicine Technology, she followed God's call into ministry and obtained her Masters in Theological Studies. She is blessed to pursue both of her passions, science and theology, by working in nuclear medicine and at Lifeline Christian Mission. One of her deepest desires is to create spaces and places through writing, speaking, and leading retreats where people can experience the presence of God's enveloping love. Aside from God, nothing brings her more joy than spending time with her wonderful family and friends. Connect with Rebecca at www.

Rebecca-Greenfield.com. To order a copy of any of her books, visit www.Rebecca-Greenfield.com or make checks payable to Reawakened Ministries (please specify books desired) and mail to Cross Point Christian Church, Attn: Rebecca Greenfield, 10659 Johnstown Rd., New Albany, OH 43054.

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Alternative Medicine to Help you Fight your Battle with Cancer words by: SHERRI ROMIG

NO ONE likes to hear the word “cancer,” but unfortunately, we’ve heard it all too often. This deadly disease has affected our lives, either personally or through family and friends. My own parents passed away in the clutches of this deadly disease. As a caregiver, I know the suffering that cancer patients endure. I know first-hand how it feels to watch and be completely helpless.

For many, radiation and chemotherapy treatments for cancer have wreaked havoc on their immune system, leaving them sick and vulnerable to other diseases. But, I am happy to report an alternative. Immunity Therapy Center has effective, affordable treatments for cancer and other autoimmune and infectious diseases like Lyme disease.

Dr. Carlos Bautista opened the Immunity Therapy Center in Tijuana, Mexico, in 2007, but his passion for helping others began long before that.

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resources IMMUNITY THERAPY CENTER

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As a boy, Dr. Bautista dreamed of becoming a

body. They have their own defense mechanisms to escape

doctor. From a very young age, he did not like to see

detection by our immune systems. So, if our immune

anyone suffer from sickness and not be able to help.

systems have been weakened due to chemotherapy or

He was further inspired to become a doctor by his

other conventional treatments, the cancer cells will

father, a pharmacist. Dr. Bautista observed and wanted

be able to take over. Immunotherapy increases the

to emulate the compassion his father showed to his

body’s ability to detect cancer within itself and tell your

customers at the pharmacy.

immune system to attack the cancer cells.

In 1994, Dr. Bautista began working in a hospital

The Immunity Therapy Center offers more than

that offered alternative medicines and therapies.

twenty alternative and effective cancer therapy options,

He

and they realize that not every cancer patient is the

was

natural

amazed cancer

by

what

treatments

he that

saw — alternative, were

making

same. That is why every patient receives a customized

people feel better and saving lives. He studied the

treatment program. This sometimes involves combining

therapies rigorously and became an expert in them.

multiple treatments, which ensures the best chance of

Later, Dr. Bautista’s mission to help those in need was

a better prognosis, improving the quality of life, and

solidified when his father was diagnosed with lung

entering remission.

cancer. As Dr. Bautista watched his father suffer the

The multiple therapies patients receive are designed

effects of chemotherapy and radiation, he was driven

specifically for them and are chosen to best fight the

to further study alternative cancer treatments, both for

disease and boost the immune system. Immunity

his father and for other cancer patients.

Therapy Center offers all of the latest, cutting edge

Dr. Bautista is now a father himself, and his

alternative therapies anywhere.

dedication to helping suffering people has not wavered

Not only does the Immunity Therapy Center treat all

but has driven onward. As a tribute to his father, he is

types of cancer, but it also treats patients at all stages of

always on the lookout for the newest ways he can help

the disease, from stage I to stage IV. Also, the center treats

people.

chronic degenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases,

Many people come to the Center without hope, but

and infectious diseases. So whether you or a loved one

it is the privilege and delight of Dr. Bautista and his staff

have received news of any of these conditions, undergone

to give hope and healing through alternative treatments

radiation and chemotherapy, or have been given no hope

and the grace of God.

of recovery, the Center offers hope and healing. There is an alternative.

What is "Alternative Therapy?"

What is it Like to be a Patient?

You may be wondering just what kind of treatment this “alternative” approach is. You will rest easy in

Many of you may be wondering how the process of

knowing that it is not based on the use of chemicals

becoming a patient works and what to expect.

for treatment. Alternative therapy stimulates your

It all starts with a call to a Patient Advocate, who

immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells

will answer some basic questions and then schedule a

in combination with natural, non-invasive, effective

free consultation. During your consultation, a doctor will

therapies that will take advantage of cancer cells’

ask more in-depth, pertinent medical questions. After

weaknesses. The idea is that the tumor or cancer cells

reviewing your medical history, a doctor will determine

are not the only issues being addressed; your whole

if you are a good candidate for the therapies the Center

body is trained to fight off the disease. This is called

offers. If so, you will then be scheduled to receive your

immunotherapy.

first treatment.

“We focus on not just killing cancer cells, but on

Your patient advocate is your personal travel guide

immunotherapy cancer therapy to boost your immune

in the Center at all times. They will make all necessary

system’s ability to fight on its own,” Dr. Bautista says.

arrangements, send you a checklist of items to bring—

Cancer cells try their hardest to stay alive inside the

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such as your valid travel documents—and answer any

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questions about what you should expect once you arrive

The Center is there to give you a peaceful and hopeful

at the Center. They will also greet you when you arrive

environment. Two delicious, healthy, cancer-fighting

and be there to support you through your entire stay.

meals are provided every day to aid in your treatment.

After you arrive in San Diego or Tijuana, Immunity

You will also find a wonderful sense of community and

Therapy Center staff will pick you up and take you to the

support from other patients. Companions of patients

Center or to your accommodations. Some apartments

can even take advantage of special programs for

and selected hotels in Tijuana offer reduced rates for

themselves, including detoxes.

patients. Many patients find that one of the best parts

I am sure you may have many more questions. I urge

of treatment at the Center is spending time in the

you to give Immunity Therapy Center a call. Dr. Bautista

vibrant, colorful culture of Mexico.

and the staff want to provide the highest quality medical care. By using these alternative therapies and natural treatments, it gives hope and healing where previously

What is Treatment Like?

there has been none.

Dr. Bautista wants to know the patients. That is why he will spend time getting to know you when you arrive

You should consider Immunity Therapy Center as

and will answer any questions you may have. A doctor

your first choice for treatment, not your last resort. The

will then conduct a complete and thorough evaluation.

Center is very successful and has multiple testimonials from patients that have found hope and healing and

Immunity Therapy Center is committed to providing

quality of life.

individualized care. The doctors will update your progress

Dr. Bautista and the staff want you to “Have Faith,

and adjust the therapies throughout your treatment. You

Not Fear.” //

will have the opportunity to speak to a doctor every day and ask questions.

The length of your stay will depend on the type of cancer you have and at what stage it is, plus your overall

Immunity Therapy Center

health. Your progress will be evaluated every week, then

(619) 333 - 5961

you and your doctor can decide if you want to continue

www.immunitytherapycenter.com/jpv

for another week or more. The decision to continue is always yours to make.

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community ROOTS + WINGS

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column by:

rory feek

FIVE YEARS AGO this month, I stood on a stage in Los Angeles

sprouting wings

and received a Grammy Award, alone. It was a bittersweet moment to be given such a prestigious accolade for music and a career that almost didn’t happen. Knowing what that moment meant, and the beautiful, yet heartbreaking road that led us there…

For the first few years after we got married in June 2002, my wife Joey worked hard on her music, knocking on doors that

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wouldn’t open, getting her hopes up, and being disappointed, over and over. This was until a low point in the fall of 2006. While having coffee at our kitchen table, my sister Marcy said to her, “you know

"JOEY’S CONFIDENCE IN HERSELF GREW, AND SHE FOUND THAT SHE ACTUALLY LOVED THE WORK AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO

Jo, that old run-down general store down the road is empty, maybe you and I should open up a restaurant there…?”

It was a crazy idea, but since her musical dreams didn’t seem like they were going to happen, Joey decided to give it a try. A few months later, “Marcy Jo’s Mealhouse & Bakery” opened without much fanfare. Although she had no experience waiting tables or cooking for strangers, she found that she had a gift for serving others. Soon, the tables and chairs were full of folks whose lives were being changed “…one bite at a time,” as the cafe’s slogan said.

IMPACT OUR SMALL

Along with their customer base, Joey’s confidence in herself grew,

COMMUNITY FOR THE

and she found that she actually loved the work and the opportunity

BETTER."

to impact our small community for the better.

About the time Joey had come to be okay with the fact that her music career might not be in the cards, God opened a door for

Rory Feek is a world-class storyteller, songwriter, filmmaker, and New York Times best-selling author. As a musical artist, Rory is one-half of the Grammy-award-winning duo, Joey+Rory. He and his wife Joey toured the world and sold nearly a million records before her untimely passing in March 2016.

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FEBRUARY 2022

her — and me — that we didn’t see coming. One day while writing a song with a friend of a friend at our farmhouse, I brought him down to the restaurant for lunch, and he met Joey and heard a bit of our story.

A week or two later, we were sitting having coffee again, but this time with him at a cafe in Nashville.

He explained that besides being a songwriter, he was also a bandleader for musical tv shows and that there was a new one called “Can You Duet?” that was about to start casting. He recommended that Joey and I try out for it. We explained to him that we weren’t a musical duo: she was a singer, I was a songwriter, and we didn’t perform together. Still, he was undeterred. He said that we didn’t know what we had… what we were. He believed that we were the real deal and that we just hadn’t realized it yet.

Although I was more than a little nervous about trying out for a reality television show, especially since we didn’t have a tv and had no interest in being on one, Joey asked me if I would consider it, and so I did. And we did.

A few months later, we had gone from fivethousand duos down to the final three, and Joey and I were being watched and rooted for by millions of

success beyond our wildest dreams. And it all

people each week all around the country. That show

seemed to have happened because she no longer

led to us signing a record deal, debuting hit songs

wanted or needed it. Quite often, looking back now,

on the radio, and performing live on stages all over

I can see that His timing has everything to do with

the country and halfway around the world.

the timing of our letting go.

No one was surprised more than us. God had

By 2011, our musical dreams were taking their

taken what seemed like failure and turned it into

toll on us. Especially Joey. She missed being at home and having time to spend in her garden and do the

Joey & Ror y on "Can You

simple things in life that she loved. She was thankful Duet?"

for the opportunities, but down deep, she grew more frustrated at how high the cost was of making her dreams come true. She didn’t just want to sing about living on a farm — she wanted to actually live here and have a normal life and concentrate most on being a wife and mother... and yet part of her still wanted to sing and perform for people.

That spring at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, as they read our names as nominees again in the category of Top Vocal Duo, she looked at me and, with a tear in her eye, said, “are you ready?” I knew in that moment that she wasn’t asking if I was ready to step on stage if we

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30

Joey and Rory's home, where they played concerts and produced the Joey+Rory Show (right)

heard our names called. She was asking if I was ready to go home. And I was. We caught a plane home the next morning and unpacked our suitcases for good.

By summer, Joey was flourishing, and so was the garden behind our farmhouse. We had baby chickens and ducks and geese, and she and I were in our element. Still, I knew that part of her wanted to continue to sing and share her gift and mine with people, without leaving home if it were possible.

And so as she planned her fall garden, I came up with a plan to turn one of the barns at our farm into

"QUITE OFTEN, LOOKING BACK

a soundstage — a place to make a tv show that would be the kind of variety show we wished was still on

NOW, I CAN SEE THAT HIS TIMING

television. And in July 2012, The Joey+Rory Show

HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH

debuted on cable tv all across the country. Made

THE TIMING OF OUR LETTING GO."

entirely in and around our farm and community with the help of friends and creators who we knew and loved, it was immediately a big success. Soon

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FEBRUARY 2022

people were coming from all across the country to

and shared that news with all who watched in real-

eat at Joey and Marcy’s cafe and see our farm and

time. By the end of season four, our final season,

where this show was being made. By season three,

we were proud parents of a little girl with almond

we added on to the barn and built a full stage and

eyes named Indiana Boon Feek. Her middle name

a green room, a big lobby in the front, bathrooms,

‘Boon’ means precious gift, and she was, and still

and even turned our field of brush into a beautiful

is, for Joey and me. The end of our tv show was the

parking lot where people would, in time, drive from

beginning of another beautiful story that would

all over to come see us perform in concert at home.

soon lead us to another story that we never in a

Again, it was a dream come true. A dream that we

million years saw coming… //

had never imagined dreaming, though. ~ Part three of Rory's story coming next month ~

We would ultimately make 52 episodes of that show. Each one showcased our songs and shone the spotlight on some of the people and places near and dear to us personally. They also shared stories of our

"BY THE END OF SEASON FOUR, OUR FINAL SEASON, WE WERE PROUD PARENTS OF A LITTLE GIRL WITH ALMOND EYES NAMED INDIANA BOON FEEK."

personal life. Each week, we included a segment in the show called “Farm 2 Fame,” where we captured and shared things that were happening in our lives at the time. Things such as having a music festival in our yard, harvesting vegetables and chickens, and making a tv show at home. Over time, those personal vignettes of our life would become a favorite part of the show to people who watched, and even more to us. We had no idea that these memories weren’t just wonderful things to capture and keep. They were going to mean so much more to us — and me — in the near future.

Seasons were changing, and so was life. At the end of season three, we found out we were pregnant

Rory's converted barn into a soundstage called "Homestead Hall"

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FEBRUARY 2022

simple living HOMESTEAD + ROOTS

PLAIN VALUES

34

homestead

+

roots

column by: MERISSA A. ALINK

Homemade Sauerkraut MAYBE IT'S THE GERMAN BLOOD running through my veins, but I love

Ingredients:

sauerkraut. I’m not sure I truly appreciated it until I was an adult, but even so, I’m glad that it always has a place in my kitchen. I may have even eaten it for

5 lbs. Cabbage 3 tablespoons Salt

breakfast a time or two. (Or three, or a dozen, or all the time….)

Sauerkraut is a thinly sliced cabbage that has been fermented. In German,

Equipment:

the word sauerkraut literally translates to “sour cabbage.” This recipe requires very few ingredients as the fermentation process happens naturally once the sugars in the cabbage begin to break down and produce lactic acid.

One more thing to note before you get started with making your kraut…do not use salt with any kind of additives. A pickling or kosher salt will work just

Kraut Pounder (optional) Jars or Fermenting Containers Fermenting Lids

fine for this recipe.

I N STR U CTION S: 1.

Begin by rinsing your cabbage and remove the outer leaves that may have dents or abrasions.

2.

Starting at the bottom, cut each into 4 quarters. Continue to cut the cabbage in thin strips. Cut those strips in half as well.

You want your cabbage to be shredded into nice thin shreds, not large chunks. You can use a food processor to do this if you prefer.

3.

Place the shredded cabbage into a large bowl and sprinkle the salt on top. Let it sit (covered with a cloth) for at least 30 minutes to get the juices flowing. (I stir mine around every 20 minutes or so to keep the salt moving around the cabbage.)

4.

Begin putting the cabbage into your jars and pounding it down as well as you can with a kraut pounder or your hand. You want this to be packed as tightly as it can be, and during this time you should see the juices coming up to the top.

5.

Be sure and leave 4-5 inches of headspace from the top of the cabbage to the top of the jar. Use as many containers/jars as needed.

6.

Place a weight on top of your cabbage, making sure that the cabbage juices cover the vegetables. If you do not have enough liquid to cover the cabbage, you can make a brine with 4 cups of water and 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt. It’s good to have at least 1-2 inches of liquid on top of your cabbage.

7.

The type of weight you use will depend on what you are using to ferment with. I use the “Perfect Pickler” lids so mine comes with a stainless steel “cup” to weight things down. A crock will have stone weights, and you can also get glass weights as well.

8.

How you top off your jar will also depend on the system you are using. Follow the instructions with your system or if you are using a crock, place a cloth over the top so that nothing can get in.

9.

Put the sauerkraut in a dark room with a temperature under 75 degrees Fahrenheit to ferment. It will take about 3-4 weeks to be completely fermented, and you will know when it’s ready by when it stops bubbling.

10. Check on your kraut daily and if you ever see anything scummy on top, remove it gently. If the ferment smells bad or gets a significant amount of mold, throw it out.

11. Once your sauerkraut is ready to use, you can place the jars in the fridge or in a root cellar and use it as needed. If you use a lot of sauerkraut, it might be worth it to set up a system of fermenting every couple of weeks so that you never run out!

12. Making your own sauerkraut is so rewarding because the flavor and the tanginess is highly superior to that which you can buy at the store. I hope that the next time you find a great price on cabbage or when you have excess in your garden, you will enjoy utilizing this recipe.

Merissa Alink lives with her family in the Black Hills of South Dakota. She regularly writes on her blog, www.LittleHouseLiving.com and has a book titled “Living Slower” that will be released in April 2022.

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FEBRUARY 2022

simple living CONFESSIONS OF A STEWARD

Confessions of a Steward Joel co-owns, with his family, Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia. When he’s not on the road speaking, he’s at home on the farm, keeping the callouses on his hands and dirt under his fingernails, mentoring young people, inspiring visitors, and promoting local, regenerative food and farming systems. Salatin has published 15 books, and he is the editor of The Stockman Grass Farmer, granddaddy catalyst for the column by:

JOEL SALATIN

PLAIN VALUES

homesteading movement. He passionately defends small farms, local food systems, and the right to opt out of the conventional food paradigm.

36

LAST MONTH I laid the foundation for the patterns and whys of animal movement. Failure to systematically and routinely move domestic livestock is perhaps the single biggest failure in animal agriculture.

But how? Fortunately, we have infrastructure today that makes learning ancient herding techniques unnecessary.

In extremely remote and unpopulated areas, herding is still

Moving Animals Around part ||

practiced. But in more populated and developed areas, it's not practical. I don't know anyone capable of telling a milk cow to stay in a 10 by 20-yard spot in a pasture and have her obey.

But you can do it with an electric fence. The basic infrastructure necessary to duplicate this foundational pattern in God's design is electric fence, water pipe, and portable shelter.

If you're going to move animals intentionally and routinely, we need mobile systems to meet their basic needs.

Before any of that, however, you need to develop access.

You won't be driving willy-nilly across your farmscape. You need all-weather access. These farm lanes become your transport arteries for both equipment and animals. They will be at least 16-feet wide, fenced on both sides, with a water line running

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SEPTEMBER 2021

along one side. The investment to develop good access lanes will pay back more than about anything you do with your property. If you can't get someplace, it doesn't exist. Once you get the access installed, you can proceed with the three other pieces.

The first component is control, or fencing.

Dependable electric fencing comes in all shapes and sizes. All of us farmers pick areas to skimp, but investing in a good energizer is not one of those areas. Buy a good one. If it says "will energize X number of miles of fence," don't buy it. Any reputable energizer manufacturer knows that what counts is joules of energy output; that has nothing to do with miles of fence.

An electric fence system has two components: permanent and mobile. The permanent fence defines field borders and stays in place for years.

The mobile fence crosses the field, from side to side, forming paddock subdivisions. In general, novices should install only portable fence initially; whatever doesn't get moved in three years should be converted to permanent.

When approaching any piece of land, the permanent fence creates management clarity. Because it defines fields, it separates forest land from open, or open land from riparian. Generally, these fences will never be straight; they meander based on topography.

They should never be more than 200 yards apart because it's hard to carry more than 200 yards worth of mobile fence and stakes in your hand.

Try to create homogeneity of terrain and

"All of us farmers pick areas to skimp, but investing in a good energizer is not one of those areas.

Buy a good one."

aspect within fields. Don't combine southern and northern aspects, for example, because they grow at completely different rates. Don't put low wet-prone ground in the same field as

than steel, is much lighter, doesn't require

a dry hill for the same reason. The dry hill is

brace posts, and never dulls down. Avoiding

where you want cows in a wet time; the damp

dullness is critical for wildlife friendliness.

valley is where you want them in a dry time.

Steel wire, no matter how thick the galvanized

The whole idea is to give you unlimited options

protection, will eventually get dull, and

to place the animals where they need to be.

wildlife inadvertently hits it because it doesn't

I like aluminum wire for permanent

shine in the moonlight. Aluminum stays

fencing because it conducts much better

bright indefinitely, protecting both you and the wildlife from accidents.

Strands of wire required for control vary: cows, one; pigs, one or two; sheep, three; horses, one. The keys to functional electric fencing are tension, voltage, visibility, and height. I don't have enough space in this introductory column to explain every nuance of this, but be assured that properly built and maintained electric fence is extremely dependable for animal control. If it's not working, you're not doing something right. Don't blame the animals if they won't stay in.

Mobile fencing today is usually some sort of braided polywire, which is a combination of plastic and wire. The plastic creates strength and visibility while the intertwined steel filaments conduct spark. It goes on a reel that's conducive to rolling up; we use cheap extension cord reels from the hardware store.

Yes, you can buy $70 sophisticated high-tech reels, but when you drop them and they crack, you're out a lot more than the $10 for a simple extension cord reel.

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NOVEMBER 2021

Solar-powered portable energizers have come way

from the buried valve. A slab of wood covers the culvert

down in price and way up in performance over the last

like a manhole cover. Frost-free hydrants are not only

decade. You don't need a big powerful central energizer;

expensive, but they are also conducive to cows rubbing

we only use mobile energizers. That way the many

over them and breaking them off. Then you have a

visitors we have walking around the farm are less likely

swamp and a broken pipe.

to get shocked — it's far more child-friendly than a central

Water sources include wells, springs, cisterns (from

grid that has all fences powered at all times. We only put

roof water), and ponds. Every acre-inch of water is

spark where the animals are.

30,000 gallons, and the worldwide rule of thumb is that

The second component is water. In short, you

one-third of all rainfall comes too fast or too much and

cannot afford to haul water. It's heavy. Filling containers

runs off the surface. That means in a 30-inch rainfall

on trailers and trucks is grossly inefficient. Pipe is

area (everything east of the Mississippi), 10 inches a year

cheap. Even 1 1/4 inch black plastic pipe will not run

turns into surface runoff. By definition, surface runoff

you more than 80 cents a foot. That means for less than

means the soil can't take anymore, and it accumulates

$4,000, you can install a whole mile. On our farm, we

into a flooding problem downhill.

have about 10 miles of buried pipe that delivers water

In other words, even one acre in many places

from permaculture-style high terrain ponds by gravity.

generates 300,000 gallons of surface runoff per year.

No electricity, pumps, solenoids, or switches. As long as

Trapping that in a pond, especially a pond high on the

we have gravity, it works; when gravity quits working,

landscape, protects neighbors from flooding and blesses

I'm out of here.

the landscape with water during dry times. It's perhaps

A water line runs alongside the access lane and

the ultimate stewardship investment to turn a water

strategic field edges. For poor-boy access, we cut

curse (flooding) into a blessing.

segments of 18-inch plastic culvert to hold soil away

PLAIN VALUES

The third component is shelters. Again, technology 40

gives us new and exciting options. Not too long

trampling on rocks, weeds, or brambles. Broiler

ago, logs were cheaper than milled lumber

chicken shelters can offer predator and weather

because milling was inefficient. Both labor and

protection for chicks and yet be light enough to

the size of the kerf (amount of wood removed

move by hand each morning.

by the cutting blade) made small-dimension

A "Rambler" for the ram allows that boy to

milling uneconomical. But with today's bandsaw

virtually self-move himself along the pasture. A

mills, we can build shade structures out of

Gobbledygo for turkeys, built on a mobile home

tinker toys.

axle and offering roosts on a V-truss, offers

Small dimension lumber is one of the biggest

protection and habitat for large pastured flocks

breakthroughs in animal movement. On our

of turkeys. For poultry, electric netting gives

farm, we have eggmobiles for laying hens that

control and predator protection. These fences

follow the cows and do their sanitation work.

are stand-alone, meaning they don't need any

Shademobiles on an extended hay wagon chassis

supporting permanent fencing.

protect cows, like portable shade trees. They

My grandsons have sheep and ducks

enable us to precisely place the day's manure and

in netting (two different nettings). Our 41

FEBRUARY 2022

PLAIN VALUES

42

"If you don't want to pay vet bills, fertilizer bills, or energy bills, tap into the functionality of animal movement."

Joel's Upcoming Speaking Events

Millennium Feathernet is a portable A-frame on skids that protects 1,000 layers in a quarteracre electric netted perimeter; the entire shebang moves every three or four days. These simple systems offer wonderful management opportunities at any scale. Unlike industrial farming, in these systems, the equity is in management skill, not infrastructure.

Because

all

of

these

components

are

relatively cheap as a ratio of production potential (value), they offer a way into farming for a young person. We achieve scale by duplicating these modules rather than by building massive centralized stationary infrastructure. The biggest hurdle to young people entering agriculture is the capitalization costs associated with large

January 21–22

Columbia, TN (Homesteaders of America, Mastermind)

January 23

Roanoke, VA (Virginia Association for Biological Farming)

January 25

Australia (Speaking Online via Zoom)

January 28

Texas (The Greater Reset Activation with John Bush)

January 29

Bluemont, VA (Peck of Dirt Speakers Series)

February 2

North Carolina (Private Farm Consultation)

February 19

Long Beach, CA

February 28–March 3

Polyface Farms (The Heights School Crescite)

March 5

Live Oak, FL (Rouge Food Conference)

March 8

Warwick, RI (Rhode Island Women in Agriculture)

March 10

Indiana (Private Farm Consultation)

March 11

Middlefield, OH

machinery and buildings.

(Libertarian Party of California Convention)

(Being Self-Sustaining in Challenging Times – Amish Gathering)

But with completely mobile systems, not

April 14

Washington (Private Farm Consultation)

April 15

Longview, WA (Three River Christian School)

April 23

Mokelumne Hill, CA (Calaveras GROWN)

April 24

San Diego, CA

game-changer. A mobile system is easy to add

April 25–26

Sacramento, CA (Private Farm Consultation)

to an existing farm operation, making next-

April 29–30

Columbia, TN (Homesteaders of America)

June 3–4

Columbia, TN (The Homestead Festival)

October 7–8

Front Royal, VA (Homesteaders of America)

October 18–19

Jackson, MS

October 20–21

Jackson, MS

only is the infrastructure cheap, it can be started with one module and expanded with cash flow by duplication. In fact, these mobile systems enable a farm to germinate on unowned land; that's a

(National Association of Nutrition Professionals)

generation complementary enterprises doable.

If you don't want to pay vet bills, fertilizer bills, or energy bills, tap into the functionality of animal movement. It makes happy and healthy animals, which in turn make beautiful landscapes, which make the farmer appreciate living in a world that is fearfully and wonderfully made. //

43

(Stockman Grass Farmer Business School with Steve Kenyon) (Stockman Grass Farmer Marketing School with Sheri Salatin)

FEBRUARY 2022

PLAIN VALUES

44

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FEBRUARY 2022

community THE WIDOW'S PATH

Lessons Learned column by:

FERREE HARDY

PLAIN VALUES

46

ARE YOU in one of those families where birthdays and

The early days of widowhood were very numb and

anniversaries cluster together in certain months? In

empty. I can hardly remember them anymore, and that

my family, October is full of birthdays, and February

is a blessing I choose to receive. I’m grateful that I was

has several more, including my mother’s and my own.

in shock because otherwise, it would have been too

February also marks the day when life changed instantly

overwhelming. It was hard enough to breathe at times.

for my children and me — the day my husband Bruce died

Life felt unreal, like a bad dream. I desperately wanted

of a brain aneurysm.

to wake up, but unfortunately, I was already awake.

The next day was my forty-fourth birthday. I felt

As I look back on that fateful February day, some

torn in half and cried constantly. How could I live

hard-earned lessons emerge. How does the saying go? — I

without Bruce? What would I do for the next forty-four

wish I knew then what I know now?

years? Would I grieve for the rest of my life? Why should

If I could have come alongside the forty-four-year-

I even have a life?

old me, here are some of the lessons I’d want her to

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FEBRUARY 2022

understand so she could go on, so she’d feel worthy

2. Grieving Takes a Long Time

of having a life, and so she’d know that the burdens

We understand it’ll take time, but most people think

of grief would lighten and become bearable. Grief is a

a month or two is long enough. It’s not. At first, the tears

season of life. It changes us forever, but it doesn’t have

flow often, almost constantly. Then you notice the crying

to last forever.

is not as constant; it’s several times a day… then only a

1. Grieving is Hard Work

couple times a day… once a day… once every couple days… once a week… a couple times a month… once a month…

The death of a spouse tops the list of life’s most

once a year. I’m down to once every few years now. There

stressful events. Physically, it’s very important to eat

are things called “grief triggers” that bring on the tears

right, drink plenty of water, and get plenty of exercise.

— certain holidays and places or events like a wedding or

Consult with a doctor if you cannot sleep or have heart

birth. Crying is a healthy release for our memories. As

pain or other symptoms. Mentally, it’s natural to feel

long as we love, we will remember, and there’s nothing

overwhelmed and forget many details. It’s hard to

wrong with love. Don’t worry about how long it takes, and

concentrate, so ask for help from a variety of qualified

don’t compare yourself to anyone else.

people. When you meet with them, take notes or have someone take notes for you. Write down questions

3. Wrong Choices Can Make Grieving Last Longer

before appointments or meetings. You might think you’ll

Sometimes

people

think

that

actions

like

remember, but you won’t. You might even get lost going

immediately getting rid of all their loved one’s

to places you’ve been to before. All this is normal at first,

belongings, getting married again, isolating oneself

but see a good doctor if it continues to interfere with

and hiding from people, or moving away will end their

daily routines.

heartache. But these things are like trying to walk on a broken leg without a crutch. It’s good advice to wait at

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48

"On the lonely path of widowhood and grief, we’re really never alone, and that’s the greatest lesson of all." when the next disaster will happen, or should I seek to leave a legacy of love, gratitude, and good stewardship?

Which would Bruce want? Which would God want? Once I got these values figured out, I realized I really did have choices, and they were much easier to make.

5. Realize That the Bible Can Give Us Direction Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Widowhood is like walking blindfolded, feeling our way very carefully, hoping we won’t step off a cliff. Wouldn’t it be helpful to see a spot of light through that blindfold? That’s what daily Bible reading did for me. Most of the time, I couldn’t even recall what I’d read every morning, but

least a year before making any life-altering decisions.

my day had started off on the right foot: God was in

Let your heart heal. Try not to cause more loss, like

charge. As the exhaustion and stress of grief began to

changing friends, family, or a place you’ve called home

subside, I learned to catch what the Bible would say

for many years. If you are forced to move — then that’s

about wisdom, new life, worry, joy, and other aspects of

the right choice for you, but brace yourself for the

widowhood. The Bible became my “travel guide” along

possibility of more grief and seek extra help, counsel,

the widow’s path.

and support to have at hand in case you need it.

As a final lesson, although there are many more, I’d

4. Realize That We Do Have Choices

tell my younger self that these five “lessons” are a good

This was hard for me to understand. Life as I knew it

start, but other people who’ve walked this path have

was pulled out from under me. I felt helpless. All stability

valuable wisdom to learn from too. Get to know them.

was gone. From what I’d just experienced, I knew my

Respect them and be a kind and gentle person who they

life could change again in another shocking instant if

can trust and talk to. The comfort and lessons God gives

anything happened to me or the children! Where was

us are meant for sharing with others. On the lonely path

the choice in that? Eventually, I realized that I could

of widowhood and grief, we’re really never alone, and

choose some good values in spite of the fear. I loved

that’s the greatest lesson of all. //

Bruce, and Bruce loved me and our children; he loved his Until next month,

life and had very few regrets because he always sought

ferree l

to follow God’s Word. So should I cower and worry about

NEW ADDRESS: To learn more about widowhood, order a copy of Postcards from the Widows’ Path—Gleaning Hope and Purpose from the Book of Ruth. It’s a gentle, biblical guide for widows that has many saying, “This is the best I’ve ever read!” Mail a check for $14.99/copy (paperback, 248 pgs.), along with your address to: Ferree Hardy, 76 Grace Ave., Ticonderoga, NY 12883. Or order online at www.WidowsChristianPlace.com. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Free shipping for all Plain Values readers!

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FEBRUARY 2022

history OUR HERITAGE

PLAIN VALUES

50

PA RT T WO

Printing the Ausbund ORIGINS column by: ELAM STOLTZFUS

CAN YOU IMAGINE not having any books in your home to read? No articles to read on your phone? No hymn books or screens to sing from at church? Without books, printed material, hymnals, libraries, and media, my brain would be a lot emptier, and my imagination would be much duller.

This, however, was the reality for most everyone in Europe before the arrival of Gutenberg’s printing press. Before the 15th century, scrolls and books were handwritten, mostly by monks and artists, and most of this information was owned and controlled by the Catholic Church. Because it was so time-consuming to produce books—since they were laboriously written by hand—these books were way too expensive for the common people to buy, or even dream of buying. Furthermore, even if a commoner did manage to buy a book, they likely couldn’t read it, since many commoners were illiterate.

And even if a commoner could read, they still likely couldn’t decipher the language, since most books pre-Gutenberg were written in Latin— the language of the elite — and not in the common tongue.

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FEBRUARY 2022

In Europe, Johannes Gutenberg played an

But the flow of information could not be held

important role in bringing books and other texts

back. The Reformation — including printed material

to the common people. Gutenberg created his

by Martin Luther and other reformers — busted

printing press around 1439 using metal movable

open the Roman Catholic Church’s stranglehold on

type. Although he was not the first to invent a

the written word. The Reformation — soon followed

printing press with metal movable type (there are

by the Catholic Church’s Counter-Reformation—

earlier records of such presses in Korea and China),

brought education and spiritual enlightenment to

Gutenberg did move the technology forward; for

the farmers, weavers, and other common people

example, one important invention by Gutenberg

of Europe.

was perfecting ink that could be affixed to the metal

Luther’s prolific writings of sermons, tracts,

letters. This was followed by designing a method

songs, and other material were printed and

using the winepress concept of pressing the ink

distributed

onto a flat sheet of paper.

translated the Bible into the German language.

across

Europe.

Eventually,

Luther

Gutenberg started experimenting with printing

With literature and information being printed in the

in Strasbourg, France. Later, he moved to Mainz,

common language for the Germans, people learned

Germany. By the early 1450s, he printed his first

how to read.

major book: the Bible. This was the first time the Bible was printed anywhere in the world. The Bible’s first print run was less than 200 copies, the

"In 1544, Jan Claesz was beheaded for having in his ownership 600 copies of Menno's books."

language was Latin, and the words were stamped mostly on paper pages, but also some vellum (animal skin). Today, there are less than 50 copies of the Gutenberg Bible in existence.

Erasmus of Rotterdam — a Dutch philosopher, Catholic theologian, and contemporary of Gutenberg — reflected on the changes that the printing press brought. He wrote, “I wish that even the weakest person might read the Gospels…. I wish that they

The printing press was the key to this cascading

were translated into all languages, so as to be read

of events — without it, the Reformation would not

and understood… But the first step to their being

have become a highly articulate movement, a

read is to make them intelligible to the reader. I long

movement of words. We are the inheritors of this

for the day when the husbandman shall sing portions

tradition of the written word available for the

of them to himself as he follows the plow, when the

common people.

weaver shall hum them to the time on his shuttle…”

As part of the Reformation, early Anabaptist

Erasmus’ hope was that the Bible would be

leaders wrote sermons, articles, and information

available in the common language for all to read for

that went to print. We know about Conrad Grebel,

themselves. But there were powerful forces at work

George Blaurock, Feliz Manz, Menno Simons, and

against his dream.

many other leaders because of their writings or

In 1501, Pope Alexander VI had decreed that

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other people who wrote about them.

anyone printing material without the church’s

Much of Menno Simons’ influence is because of

approval would be excommunicated. For hundreds

his collection of writings. Several of his important

of years, the Roman Catholic Church held all the

documents include The Spiritual Resurrection, The

keys for educational knowledge. The church wrote

New Birth and Foundation of the Christian Doctrine.

the books, kept the libraries, and taught the schools.

But in the early days of the Reformation, owning

The Roman Catholic Church did not want this new

certain books printed by Anabaptists was risky—

technology to slip out of their iron-tight grip.

even to the point of death. In 1551, an Anabaptist 52

was printing Menno Simons’ literature; when the authorities discovered the underground printing operation, they uncovered ten tons of books. In 1544, printer Jan Claesz — an Anabaptist baptized by Simons — was beheaded for having in his ownership 600 copies of Menno’s books.

That brings us full circle back to the Ausbund and the printings of this forbidden book in the early Anabaptist movement. This book has its roots in the very founding of Anabaptism: the fifth and sixth hymn in the Ausbund were written by Anabaptist leaders George Blaurock and Felix Manz,

Menno Simons (1496–1561)

respectively.

I’ll end this column with the second verse of George Blaurock’s hymn. He wrote these words before he was burned at the stake in Tyrol in 1529, a martyr for his faith.

“True evangelical faith is of such a nature it cannot lie dormant, but spreads itself out in all kinds of righteousness and fruits of love; it dies to flesh and blood; it destroys all lusts and forbidden desires; it seeks, serves, and fears God in its inmost soul; it clothes the naked; it feeds the hungry; it comforts the sorrowful; it shelters the destitute; it aids and consoles the sad; it does good to those who do it harm; it serves those that harm it; it prays for those who persecute it; it teaches, admonishes and judges us with the Word of the Lord; it seeks those who are lost; it binds up what is wounded; it heals the sick; it saves what is strong (sound); it becomes all things to all people.

The persecution, suffering and anguish that come to it for the sake of the Lord’s truth have become a glorious joy and comfort to it.”

Merciful are You, O Lord, and good, Graciously You may be found.

Whoever does Your will here on earth You acknowledge as your children.

Gnädig bist du, o Herr, und gut, Gütliglich läst dich finden.

Wer hie auf Erd dien Willen thut, Erkennst vor deine Kinden.

We are able to read his words today — nearly 500 years later—because they were preserved in print in the Ausbund hymnbook. His words are part of our spiritual legacy and rich faith heritage. Next month I’ll continue the conversation with the printing of the Ausbund in America. //

Sources of research and quotes: The Invention of Printing. Theodore Low De Vinne; 500 Years of Printing. S.H. Steinberg; Science and Civilisation in China: Volume 5, Chemistry and Chemical Technology; Cambridge Illustrated History of China; Patricia Buckley Ebrey; History.com; Wikipedia; GracePress; Ohio Amish Library, Inc.

Elam Stoltzfus currently serves as caretaker of the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in (Berks County) Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. In 2018, he traveled to Germany to document the history of the Stoltzfus family—this

– Menno Simons –

research is documented in German Lutherans to Pennsylvania Amish: The Stoltzfus Family Story. To order a copy of this book, you can mail a $30 check to Elam Stoltzfus, 1700 Tulpehocken Road, Wyomissing, PA 19610.

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outdoors ALL THINGS OUTDOORS

—

ALL ABOUT

—

Cottontail Rabbits column by: JIM ZUMBO

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ASK MOST HUNTERS what animal they first hunted, and many will name the rabbit. Bunnies are found in all the lower 48 states, including several subspecies. They’re extremely prolific and inhabit both urban and rural environments. They’re also delicious on the dinner table and are fun to hunt. Those are some of the reasons they’re so beloved by hunters.

When people ask who taught me how to hunt, I conjure up memories from many decades ago when I accompanied my dad, uncles, and grandfather on rabbit hunts. Grandpa had two beagle hounds, Sparky and Spotty. Initially, I was too young to hunt, so my cousins and I tagged along and watched. The technique was to hunt the little hounds in thick cover where rabbits liked to hide. Any big briar patch was a good bet. Once flushed, the rabbit dashed away with the hounds pursuing closely. The bunny would outdistance the dogs and maintain a more leisurely pace, sometimes slowing and even stopping momentarily while the dogs unraveled the trail with their keen noses.

But the rabbit almost always made a profound mistake which often led to its demise.

Something in its little brain compelled it to choose a circular route so it would eventually return to where it was originally flushed. Knowing that pattern, the hunters didn’t follow the hounds on the long circular course but took up positions where the bunny was first jumped. Standing on a log, stump, or rock allowed the hunter to watch from an elevated position, ambushing the rabbit as it hopped by. Sometimes the rabbit would dash into a burrow before completing the circle, leaving the hunters waiting in vain. As an added bonus, the appearance of a squirrel brought a temporary halt to the rabbit hunt as we turned our attention to the squirrel.

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piles. The hunter must physically get them unnerved to the point where they’ll explode from cover and dash away. This means literally fighting your way into plenty of briars and thorns and downed treetops, as well as possibly poison ivy. When the unseen rabbit bounces away, the hunter is typically startled for a moment and must regain his/her senses to shoulder the shotgun and try to hit the zig-zagging bunny. Easier said than done!

When I moved to Utah to study forestry, I was delighted to learn that rabbits were plentiful in the West. On one occasion, several of my classmates and I went hunting for jackrabbits and cottontails in a vast sagebrush area. Targets were everywhere, and our shotguns claimed several. I was disappointed to see that no one was picking up the cottontails, leaving them with the jackrabbits, which were considered varmints. I gathered up all the cottontails, cleaned them, and cooked Although the rabbit hunt was a great family outing

up a huge pot of rabbit stew. None of my buddies had ever

in itself, we looked forward to the end of the day. Before

eaten rabbit and were impressed. After that, never again

we left the woods, we’d clean the rabbits and take them

was a cottontail left in the sagebrush. Later on, I learned

home to Grandma, who had a big pot of homemade

that jackrabbits were excellent table fare too.

tomato sauce simmering on the stove. She’d quarter

I befriended a local rancher who gave me permission

and wash the rabbits in cold water, dry them and brown

to hunt rabbits on his place. When I showed up with

them in a skillet with olive oil. Then they’d go in the

my shotgun, he was shocked and explained that only

tomato sauce and were cooked until the meat fell off the

a scope-sighted .22 was acceptable. I soon learned

bones. It was a meal fit for a king, especially with warm,

why. His ranch was mostly open country with rimrock

wonderful, freshly made bread.

outcroppings and small patches of brush. I spotted

A shotgun was always the firearm of choice because

rabbits sitting and sunning themselves in places

the rabbit was usually a running target, but some

where they were just a hop away from cover or their

hunters used a .22 since bunnies often used a stop and

den entrances. These were bold bunnies, allowing me

go pattern. A sharp-eyed hunter could make good shots

to approach within a few yards even though they were

when the rabbit slowed down for a moment.

fully exposed. They were far different than the eastern

Hunting rabbits without hounds requires a far

cottontails that seldom sat in the open. With my scope-

different strategy. Rabbits are nocturnal and spend the

sighted .22, I made quick, humane head shots where no

daylight hours in their dens or tucked into heavy brush

meat was wasted.

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Rabbits vs. Hares

Although rabbits and hares look somewhat alike, they have significant differences. In fact, even the names are interchangeable. A jackrabbit, for example, is not a rabbit at all but is a hare. There are several subspecies of rabbits and hares in the US, each with its own unique characteristics and habitat preferences.

A rabbit has shorter ears and legs than a hare and is usually smaller. They typically live in underground burrows and often move into burrows abandoned by woodchucks, prairie dogs, and others. Their young are born underground and come into the world naked, blind, and totally dependent on their mother’s milk. They’re helpless until they are fully furred, weaned, and are mobile.

A hare, on the other hand, seldom goes underground. They give birth in a “form,” which is a depression in the ground, usually in brushy areas. The young are immediately ready to face the world.

They are fully furred, can see, and can hop around.

Rabbits are often called “cottontails” and live throughout the US. Different subspecies live in different regions. For example, the one I hunt in my home state of Wyoming is a mountain cottontail.

Where I grew up in upstate New York, I hunted eastern cottontails.

The most common hares in the US are jackrabbits and snowshoe hares. “Jack’s,” as they are commonly called, live predominately in the Midwest, West, and Texas. The most common are the blacktail, whitetail, and antelope jackrabbit. When they’re found in large numbers, they’re highly destructive to crops. Snowshoe hares inhabit Canada and the northern regions of the country. They’re unique in that their fur changes from brown in the summer to white in the winter. For that reason, they’re often called varying hares and are a valuable food source to northern residents.

Rabbits and hares are at the bottom of the food chain. Many predators, both furred and feathered, see them as primary prey species, and many humans do as well.

I soon learned to look for rabbits any place there

other animals cannot survive. In some rural areas,

was a place to hide, whether it was a culvert, a large

properties now belong to absentee owners, many of

pipe, an opening in a rock pile, or next to their burrows.

those lands now wearing posted signs. There are fewer

Western bunnies can be counted on to sit quietly in the

youngsters hunting nowadays because they have other

sun until danger approaches, such as a hawk, eagle, fox,

activities they’re more interested in, and many have

or coyote, and then quickly escape into cover with one

been taught anti-hunting in school. When you consider

hop. Sometimes they’ll literally sit at the edge of their

that access to hunting areas is declining and that

burrows. Interestingly, they’ll typically allow a human to

cultural values don’t include hunting as an important

narrow the distance to ten yards or less, but sometimes

component, you can understand how hunting is slowly

they’ll get nervous and bolt into a safe place.

losing its appeal.

I’ve found that bitterly cold sunny days with no

Hunting is a tradition passed on from one generation

wind are the best time to hunt western rabbits. They

to another. Rabbit hunting is an easy way to keep that

seem to enjoy soaking up the sun, and sometimes their

tradition going, as well as providing wonderful outdoor

eyes will be closed, but that doesn’t mean you can get

adventures for the entire family. //

really close. Their eyes will snap open at the slightest sound, even the soft crunch of snow under your boot.

Far fewer folks enjoy rabbit hunting in America than

Jim has hunted all fifty states for deer, has fished in most states, has hunted elk

in the past. Habitat loss is a primary factor. Many rural

in all the major western elk states, and has hunted on four continents. He worked for fifteen years as a forester, game warden, and wildlife biologist. Jim draws

areas have been transformed into urban neighborhoods,

on these experiences for his monthly column “All Things Outdoors.” For more

commercial properties, and places where rabbits and

information, visit www.jimzumbo.com.

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FEBRUARY 2022

funds & benefits

PLEASE NOTE If you are conducting a fundraiser to assist with medical or hardship expenses, please let us know and we will be happy to feature it for one month at no cost.

Funds must be payable to a bank, church, or charitable organization.

MRS. ANDY (MARY ELLEN) TROYER FUND A fund has been set up for Mrs. Andy (Mary Ellen) Troyer. Andy, age 41, passed away October 19 from a large bleeding mass on his brain. Let’s help Mary Ellen and her 7 children, ages 8 months to 14 years, with their mortgage loan. Thank you for the prayers and support. Tax deductible donations can be made to: Mt Hope Charities Inc., PO Pox 19, Mt Hope, OH 44660.

ATTN: Wise East Church District #41.

DETWEILER CANCER FUND A fund has been set up for Paul and Kathy Detweiler from Huntsburg, Ohio - Church District #127. Kathy, the mother of seven children from newborn to 14 years, has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer that has advanced to other areas. She is currently being treated at the Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, Ohio and has also started an alternative medicine program. Expenses are high and will be ongoing. Any financial support along with prayers is greatly appreciated. May God receive all the glory. Checks can be sent to: Detweiler Cancer Fund C/O Middlefield Banking Co., Po Box 35, Middlefield, OH 44062.

HARVEY WEAVER FUND Harvey Weaver, 56, passed away Sept. 26, 2021 from health issues. He left behind a wife and 8 children at home. The family has hardly any income. Let’s help them with their mortgage and living expenses. You can drop off or send donations to Community Bank, PO Box 10, Clymer, NY 14724-0010. Make checks payable to “Clymer Center Church; Harvey Weaver Fund.”

LYDIA MILLER FUND Lydia and baby Mary, 1year, are currently living at her parents as her husband has left her. They were living in a trailer and had started to build a shop house. Right now, it’s at a standstill as more funds are needed to finish it. The trailer is very hard to heat and in bad shape. Please consider showing Lydia we care and send prayer and funds to finish the house. Make checks payable to Deacon Uria Troyer, 417 Attleberger Rd, Knox, PA 16232.

MARY SHETLER FUND A fund has been set up for the Mahlon Jay and Mary Shetler family. Mahlon Jay, age 35, passed away suddenly of a suspected heart attack. They have three boys, ages 11, 10, and 7. Thank you for your prayers and support. Make checks payable to Mary Shetler Fund and send to Commercial & Savings Bank, PO Box 136, Charm, OH 44617.

KALEB MILLER FUND Kaleb, 3-year-old son of Michael and Lori Miller, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma cancer in June. He has had numerous hospital stays taking chemo and radiation treatments. Recently they did a surgery to remove a tumor that had been cancerous, which was a success. Expenses are high and will be ongoing. Tax deductible donations can be made to: Mt Hope Charities Inc., PO Box 19, Mt Hope, OH 44660. Attn: Union Valley West Church District #183. God bless you for sharing.

AARON & MARY HERSHBERGER FUND A fund has been set up for Aaron and Mary Hershberger to help with their ongoing hospital expenses. Their son, Levi, was born with Down syndrome and without a rectum and needs multiple surgeries to reconstruct one. Mary also had surgery since his birth. Thank you for all prayers and support. Donations can be sent to Mt Hope Charities, Inc., PO Box 19, Mt Hope, OH 44660. Attn: Wellsville District #305.

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DECEMBER 2021