The Inquiring Mind: November 2008

Happy (American) Turkey Day

Happy (American) Turkey Day Everyone !!!!!

Okay heres the update, my truck is still on the SL&L list (sick lame and lazy) and we are waiting for parts i beleive, either way its sat round the other side of the estate been pampered by the good people of Freightliner.

Ive got my dispatch and ive accepted it (via phone) and it doesnt deliver till the middle of next week so there is no rush to get my ass in gear. Thanks to Jan working now this isnt a major issue and its really made a difference.

When we first came over Jan wasnt allowed to work because of the immigration system we were using. This made things awkward if i wanted to have a few days off because it meant no money was coming in, this mean the pressure was always on me and i always had to ballance between what wanted, and what had to be done. Weeks like this would be a nightmare coz it can mean missing either 1 pay check or sometimes even 2.

Well now life is a lot less stressful although we do miss the time together when i am back at home, still life is life i guess, no matter where you are. Also Jan feels even more settled here now as she is out and about and interacting in the community.

So its back to the "Dirty Side". Not sure how many drops, but one thing is for sure, im going into the Bronx, thats in New York for those of you who may be a little geographically challenged. Most of my runs now seem to be sending me either into the Mid West or through the Mid West, i dont really mind as i like those types of runs, it keeps me out of the way.

I would say though that this will probably be my last but one run before Xmas, by the time i get back i should be able to squeeze a California in and then it will be the holidays, hurrah !!!

By the way has anyone noticed how mild the weather is this year, hope i havent jinxed it now !!

Optical Illusion

Stare at the dot in the middle and move closer

to the screen, the wheels start turning.

All dressed up and nowhere to go

i had a dilemma this morning............................

My truck is still shop coded (poorly sick) and there is no run planned on me but i am meant to be back at work at 08:00.

And im still tired.......................................................

The problem is, Jan has to be at work so if she takes the car i am stranded in Raymond. If she drops me off at the truck then i am stranded at the truck which is poorly and with no run against me then i could be sat around unpaid all day.

The solution was all too simple, take Jan to work, come back home, phone in work, then go back to bed............................

Well that was a great plan and it worked perfectly, its now almost midday and i got an extra half (so far) day off. But now i feel sick................................

When i woke up again i was hungry.................. yep hungry for something greasy, meaty, eggy, saucey and slapped between 2 pieces of bread.

I learnt a lesson this morning.

Pastrami, egg, cheese, mayo and A1 sauce sandwiches are nice but 3 is too many.

Just phoned into dispatch and it looks like Turkey Day (Thanksgiving) in the States is having a bit of an impact on us, its probably to do with meat inspections or something.

Luke and his buddy has just turned up for his lunch (the school is just round the corner), school lunch for Luke is a pretty standard thing, chicken noodles, meat sandwich and one of those Yop dairy drinks.

We actually have one cupboard in the kitchen that is purely for those (Icheyban) thingies, they are disgusting, like a pot noodle without the pot.

Teenagers eh?

Well it looks like another day back at the ranch, if i dont get a run tonight then i think it will be a call to try out one of those little prezzies i got from Graeme Brown when he came down for supper the other night.

He gave me a dozen little sachets of a curry mix. I put them in my ingredients cupboard and now everytime i open the door you get a waft of east indian spices. It smells like a Bangladeshi cook house in there .................. its great 8-)

Those little sachets are fabulous, all the ingredients are ready mixed and the instructions are written on the outside of the packet.......... woo hoo, show me the naan bread !!!

Underground cities - Fact or Fiction

How open is your mind

I have this thing about the radical or the unbelieveable, this is another interest of mine and i have read many articles on the subject. But what is the subject, i dont really know, are we talking about extra terrestrial races or intelligent life forms that share our world but have chosen to stay hidden.............................

I am definitely on the fence when it comes to the big question "are we alone in the universe", but i do research as much as i can.

One question really does bother me though, its not so much whether there are aliens on earth or whether UFO's really exist, but more worryingly.............................

"why is so much stigma attatched to UFO or alien sighting", why do people automatically laugh and mock people who have experiencies...............................

Why do governments give so much effort to denying any possiblity of extreterrestrial activity or denying that they research any sightings or encounters.

Surely if someone says they saw a weird phenomenon that was completely unexplaneable then surely someone somewhere should be asking the question "What if ??"

We should be looking into it not ridiculing the witnesses.

Anyway read on and make your own mind up............................................................

_____________________________________________________

Rumors about underground towns appeared for the first time in 1946. The person to launch the rumors was Richard Shaver – writer, journalist and scientist. His incredible story about contacts with aliens living under the ground was published in Amazing Stories Magazine. Shaver said that he had spent several weeks living under the ground with demon-looking aliens, whose descriptions can be found in ancient legends and fairytales. Almost every nation has a tale of an ancient race, who settled in planet Earth long before humans appeared on it. Those underground creatures are described as inconceivably talented, brilliant and culturally educated – they do not want to have anything in common with humans.

One could refer to the story from the American writer as a fruit of his vivid imagination. However, hundreds of readers responded to the publication. They wrote that they had visited underground cities, talked to their residents and saw unimaginable technical inventions, which guaranteed a comfortable existence in the very depth of the planet. Furthermore, the technologies of underground aliens give them an opportunity to control the minds of humans.

The unbelievable story exerted an immense influence on scientists and gave an incentive to the study of paranormal activities.

English astronomer of the 17th century, Edmund Halley, writers Jules Verne, Edgar Allan Poe and some others wrote in their works that planet Earth is a hollow sphere. American authorities were preparing a special scientific mission in 18-19 centuries to explore the Earth's hollow depth.

The scientists of the Third Reich were very interested in the mysterious underground world too. A special top secret expedition was organized in 1942. German scientists also hoped to install new radar systems under the ground and draw closer to global reign. Unfortunately, the outcome of the intrigue is not known, but the hypothesis of the underground civilization developed further on during the second half of the 20th century.

In 1963, two American coal miners, David Fellin and Henry Throne, found a large door in a tunnel, behind which they discovered a marble stairway. In England, miners can hear the sounds of mechanical devices under the ground, as they dig a tunnel. An English miner said that they had also found a stairway to an underground well. The sound of machines became more distinct, and the workers fled in fear. When they returned to the tunnel, there were no stairs and no entrance to the well.

An American satellite took very interesting photographs at the end of the 1970s. The photographs were published in many Western scientific magazines: the pictures depicted a dark, regularly shaped spot on the North Pole. The photographs were not defective: similar pictures depicting the same dark spot on the pole were taken several years later.

Anthropologist James McKenna explored an ill-famed cave in the State of Idaho. McKenna and other members of the expedition could hear screams and moans, as they were moving hundreds meters deep into the cave. The researchers found human skeletons soon, but they had to stop their quest: the smell of brimstone was unbearable.

Geologists do not share the theory of the Earth's huge cavity, although they do not exclude a possibility of numerous large hollow spaces in planet's depths. Human life is hardly possible in those cavities: the temperature is too high and there is very little oxygen there. Some researchers believe that the underground civilization might be of an extraterrestrial origin. Aliens were probably tired of people's eternal wars and atrocities, and moved under the ground, from where they comfortably observed the development of the mankind. What if UFOs appear in the sky from under the ground, not from other galaxies? However, if planet Earth is hollow inside, someone should have found the gateway to the underground world long ago. A group of American scientists believes that underground cities exist on Earth in the fourth dimension. When the Earth's electromagnetic field changes from time to time, entrances to the tunnels open, and accidental “visitors” may see the underground cities and their inhabitants.

One of the theories says that many mysterious constructions, like the English Stonehendge for example, were built to designate entrances to underground cities. If there is a reasonable race living under the ground, it would be an explanation to a lot of inexplicable phenomena.

Faith - The Wonder Dog

I saw this a while ago and stumbled across it again this morning, it is truley amazing.

Faith's Official Web Site!

http://www.faiththedog.net/index.asp

And here is the story

Faith Stringfellow is an amazing little dog, with an even more amazing story. Faith suffered from a birth defect, she became a member of our family when she was just a three-week old puppy. My son Reuben (17) picked Faith out of a litter of puppies that his friend's dog had recently given birth to. Several of the puppies were deformed; a few had already died. The mother dog was actually trying to terminate Faith's life when Reuben lifted her weak body out from under the mother dog; he brought her home to me knowing I had a heart like a marshmellow.

Even though Faith has this defect we taught her to stand, hop, and eventually walk on her two back legs, like a human. She's been a great dog and we forget she's handicapped. You'll turn around and she's chasing the geese at the park, running, jumping, skipping, and acting like any other dog...well, any other dog with a nose reach of 40" from the ground! (Watch your plate, she'll clean it for you before you're ready to share.)

I'm going to tell you a little story about Faith that you may find quite interesting. I couldn't get Faith interested in toys when she was a little puppy. She didn't want to play fetch obviously, but she also didn't want to chew on squeaky toys. She looked at them. She would sit there and watch me throw a little toy in the air - often times I would throw the really soft ones at her to see if she would catch it - she didn't. It just hit her in the face! Then she would stare at me as if I was the bad-guy. One day I was doing laundry and some of the warm socks feel off the top of the basket - she grabbed it! After she grabbed the roll of socks she hopped under the bed with it. When I reached under the bed to retrieve the clean rolled up pair of socks I found she had been stealing our socks for quite some time! She had an entire nest of socks under the bed. FINALLY I found something she was interested in. When I encouraged Faith to play with Matrix all it took was to take one of her socks from under the bed and give it to Matrix to play tug-of-war with - - that was all she needed. She began playing hard and she never let up. She could stand up really tall and take the sock back when she wanted to, so Matrix began taking out her legs. Faith realized early that she only had two legs to use - and she began hopping backwards to get away from Matrix. This began a series of training behaviors that absolutely stun the professionals. Faith can (if she wants to) hop backward, forward, straight up, and even over the dog - but I stress - IF she wants to. I can't make her do anything - we call her the "Diva" sometimes.

With Faith every day is a new adventure - she has always been ready for traveling, touring, meeting people, visiting hosptials, going on stage, or just hanging out under the bed all day. She's as normal as any other dog when it comes to being in her "cave" for protection - - the difference between Faith and other dogs is she actually looks forward to flying, driving, traveling around and being in the limelight. She sees a big camera and she thinks it was put there for her...she's actually walked into weddings because she heard the music and the people clapping. You can bet she stuck around for the food at the reception and that's one bride's maid that will never be forgotten in King of Prussia, PA!

I've written a book about our life struggles and how Faith helped us, and another strictly about Faith. You can buy them online through www.amazon.com by their titles "With a Little Faith" (2nd Ed.) and "Faith Alone: Stories of an Amazing Dog" and of course they are also available through the publisher at www.xlibris.com (Just a note: With a Little Faith is for persons over the age of 14.) Thank you so much for loving my little dog and for sharing her miraculous story with all of your friends. She really is a gift, and I am very blessed by Jesus to have her.

Only In Saskatchewan

Due to other companies making modifications to company vehicles to make the more envoironment friendly.

Kindersley Transport (Saskatoon) have announced plans to not only follow suit but to take a corporate lead that surpasses any other company's effort.

This radical new design implements local resourses and is in keeping with Provincial profiling.

A company official commented this morning about a minor setback when an employee was injured while trying to plug in the block heater.

Flying thru Ontario

So that was Detroit, nice to visit but wouldnt want to live there..........................

Within the next few minutes i got my next instruction, cross into Canada empty, collect in Kitchener and deliver to Calgary............................

What a fantastic load, no pratting around for the day in Mississauga, i crossed, i parked, i slept then next morning i went in and made the collection. I was starting to get a bit worried, it was all a bit too perfect, there was even a public scale round the corner.

Anyway my worries were unfounded and everything went as planned and within an our i was wending my way West back to the Prairies.

When i got to Cochrane i met up with another driver called John Belton, we were both going to Calgary so we drove back together, and got there last night.

John dropped his truck off in Calgary and i dropped him off in High River to grab his car.........

Then i drove back to Lethbridge, parked up and went home.

Another job done and another few days back at the homestead...........................................

Oh s***t, left my camera in the truck

Aagh i just realised i left my camera in the truck and its got all the pictures on it, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger !!!

Oh well never mind, before i tell you about my latest trip i have to tell you about something i did last night, unfortunately there were no witnesses so you will have to take my word for it.

I had just dropped my trailer in the Calgary yard and was helping another driver sort out his trailer while i waited for my load asignment to get me down to Lethbridge for a few days off. The paper holder was broken so i had to find somewhere else to stash the paperwork. I tucked the papers into where i was going to stash them and thought it was a good idea to just phone the night shift and let them know.

Anyway i was in a bit of a rush because i was awkwardly parked and also nature was calling so it was getting all a bit stressfull.

Anyway the phone was ringing away for about a minute and i was getting a little impatient, now seeing as i was on my own and obviously no-one was in ear shot i had a litttle private rant at the phone.

Unfortunatly as i starting screaming at the phone i didnt realise the dispatcher had picked up the phone and was listening to everything i said.

We laughed about it later but it was a bit embarassing.

Anyway back to the trip.....................................

As you know i got back from Quebec from my last trip and had a few days off. This time i was going to Detroit so i looked at purchasing a bullet proof vest (only joking- no offence to anyone from Detroit so dont shoot me)

This was a dream job, the trailer would be waiting for me in the Lethbridge yard so i just hook and run. I turned up at 13:00, threw my gear in the back, pre-tripped, scaled and run for the border. I flew threw the border, into meat inpection and 30 minutes later i was heading south then west.

The timings were all perfect, driving the max, resting the min and got just outside Motown for the night before. Next morning i trundled in and joined the queue to unload.

What i saw over the next few hours i thought was pretty shocking. It started with a knock on the door..................................

I was asleep on the bunk and i woke with a start...............

A scruffy black guy was looking up through the window, at first i thought he was a lumper sending me to a door so i wound the window down expecting to recieve some instructions, instead all i got was a sob story about homelessness and slow work down at the marketplace.

I told him i had no cash and he sauntered off.................................

15 mintes later the next one appeared..................................

Then i had a phone call from the lumpers and reversed onto a door.....................

And another 2 beggars came round.

As i pulled off the bay, this guy parked his truck about 20 feet in front of me, jumped out of the cab and walked over to me.

Ah, i thought, he needs directions, but i was wrong, he wanted me to buy flags off of im to buy wheel chairs for veterans.................. does anyone ever believe that crap.

Im as patriotic as the next person and i am a veteran myself but i dont think that money would be spent on wheelchairs, just another scam.

Anyway i saw the flags and i thought, that would be nice in the window, it was only a small stars and stripes on a cocktail stick but i wanted one for the window.

So i said, yeah go on then i'll have a flag off ya.

Anyway his little face lit up and he offered me a hand full of flags so i handed over a dollar bill.

He looked at me, looked at the bill, looked at the flags then looked at me again.

"I can only accept $10's and $20's" he said.

"I can only offer $1's" i said.

"Those flags are accounted for" he said.

"Do you still want that dollar" i said.

So i gave him his flags back, minus 1 coz i had paid a dollar for it.

He looked at me as if to say, i need that flag back.

I smiled and said "nope, i paid a dollar for that, its mine"

He shrugged and walked off, got back in his truck and drove off.

When i drove back out to the freeway i counted another 3 beggars, it was amazing.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

As many of you who know me, or know of me, will have learned that we moved over here to Canada and moved into the little township of Raymond which is predominantly populated by followers of the Mormon or LDS faith.

This faith or religion is much more common over here in North America than it is in Europe. In fac I think it would be fair to say that when your average “Brit” hears the term Mormon then then paint a picture of a couple of smartly dressed gents knocking at the door trying to convert you or sell you some publication or another. Or one family name springs to mind, and that would be the Osmands. Oh yes for my younger readers, please don’t send in comments asking who the Osmands are, just google it or ask mom or dad……

Even better get Dad to bang out a few lines of “Crazy Horses” or persuade Mum to croon “Puppy Love” into the old hairbrush, please note at this stage that Lyndon’s Trucking Life will accept no responsibility whatsoever for the resulting murdering of the aforementioned songs, but I will say it would be more entertaining after a few cold ones from the fridge………….. that’s for them not you 8-)

So whats it like living in a community of Mormons ???

Its……er basically like living in any other community, except that everyone is friendly to each other, everyone is very community spirited, there is almost no crime. Luke went away with the church last year on a snow caving, fishing, tobogganing and tons of other stuff week expedition which he absolutely loved, and the crazy thing is no-one tried any kind of converting stuff on him, weird isn’t it.

I will say though the town does close down somewhat on a Sunday and the temples (churches) we have in town are ram packed full, and it is impossible to buy booze or liquor in town, Even though we do come from an envoironment that takes Sunday shopping and popping down to the pub for a swift one, for granted, life in Raymond hasn’t caused us to change our lifestyle too much, and where it has changed I think is for the better.

Now I am not by any means a religious man, I do have my own beliefs although very diluted and you will only ever see me in church for christenings, weddings and funerals. If God does exist then that is the way he created me and who am I to try to change is work…………that’s my excuse anyway.

Im writing this article coz I want to bust a few myths and a few misconceptions about these friendly, community spirited people who originally migrated up from their Zion which is Salt Lake City in Utah to settle the fertile Albertian lands and found the little community of Raymond, the place I now call home.

Please let me shed a little light on my new friends……………………………………….

A Mormon is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Although Mormons say they prefer that the entire name be used to refer to them, or the shortened “Latter Day Saint,” the nickname Mormon is also acceptable. For many non-members, Mormons are a mysterious group of people, and misconceptions regarding their beliefs abound. It is a relatively new church, although members believe that the church is in actuality, the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. In the year 1820, a young Joseph Smith began the restoration of the gospel which today, has over 12 million members worldwide.

The basic beliefs of the Mormon religion are quite similar to many Christian denominations. They believe that God is man’s Heavenly Father and that he is the creator. His son, Jesus Christ is their Savior and atoned for the sins of mankind. Through repentance and adherence to God’s commandments man can return to live with God for eternity. Mormons also believe in the Holy Ghost, which guides them and gives them knowledge of the truth of the gospel. Although Mormons believe in the Godhead, they do not believe in the Holy Trinity version which claims that all three are one unified being.

Mormons believe in a living prophet, not unlike the prophets of the Old and New Testament. As of 2006, President Gordon Hinckley is one of the oldest and longest serving prophets of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Its headquarters are located in Salt Lake City, Utah, a state where approximately 14 percent of its membership resides. According to their beliefs, members receive timely instructions from God through the prophet as to how they should live their lives and how the business of the church should be conducted.

Some people associate the Mormon lifestyle with strong family values, clean living and extensive church attendance and involvement. This is due to the fact that one of the foundational commandments of the Mormon religion is to strengthen the family emotionally and spiritually so that, as a unit, the family can live together forever with the Heavenly Father. The Word of Wisdom, which believers say came from God through Joseph Smith, outlines a strict anti-tobacco, anti-drug, and anti-alcohol code. Basically, Mormons are anti-addiction which makes drinks such as coffee and tea forbidden. Instead the Church stresses moderation.

Many a Mormon will tell you that they spend a lot of time involved in church activities and services. The Sunday service is three hours long, and members are expected to serve in a “calling.” All its clergymen are unpaid, and every role in the church, including Sunday school teachers and missionaries is unpaid, except for a few full time positions at the church’s headquarters. A full ten percent tithing is required of members, which supports the expenses of the church. Tithing is used to support the church’s infrastructure as well as missionary work and humanitarian services worldwide.

Missionaries are probably the most visible and well known members of the church. Approximately 60,000 missionaries serve worldwide. Young men in particular, but more and more young women of the church are expected to serve 18 to 24 month missions to proselytize and perform service. Above all, a Mormon is expected to endure daily trials, repent of sins, achieve his or her full spiritual and earthly potential, build a strong family, fellowship both members and non-members and attempt to determine their life's purpose.

Historical Flags Of Canada

National Flag Of Canada

Canadian Red Ensign

Royal Union Flag

Fleur-de-lis

St George Cross

When did the maple leaf become the emblem of Canada?
The maple leaf was historically used from the early days of Canada to symbolize the land and its people. It was first proposed as an emblem of Canada in 1834 when the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste was founded; shortly thereafter, in 1836, Le Canadien, a newspaper published in Lower Canada, referred to it as a suitable emblem for Canada.It was also used in the decorations for the visit of the Prince of Wales to Canada in 1860. It appears on the coats of arms granted to Quebec and Ontario in 1868 and as a distinctive emblem on the royal arms of Canada proclaimed in 1921. The maple leaf was for many years the symbol of the Canadian Armed Forces and was used to identify Canadian contingents in the two world wars. But it wasn't to receive official status until the National Flag of Canada was proclaimed by Her Majesty the Queen in 1965.

What is the correct designation for the Canadian flag?
The official name is the National Flag of Canada.

When was the Canadian flag officially approved and how is it described?
The National Flag of Canada was approved by Parliament in 1964 and proclaimed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to take effect on February 15, 1965. It is a red flag, twice as long as it is wide, containing in its centre a white square bearing a red maple leaf. Red and white are Canada's official colours and, with the maple leaf, are the symbolic elements found in the Canadian flag.

When were red and white designated Canada's official colours?
Red and white were designated Canada's colours by King George V on November 21, 1921, in the proclamation of the Royal Arms of Canada -- Canada's coat of arms.

What is the significance of the eleven points of the maple leaf?
The maple leaf, as found on the national flag, is a stylized design. The symbolism lies in the maple leaf itself, which is the traditional emblem of Canada. There is no special significance to the eleven points.

What other flags were previously used in Canada?
The St. George's Cross -- an English flag of the 15th century -- was carried by John Cabot when he reached the east coast of Canada in 1497, sailing under English colours.
The fleur-de-lis was a symbol of French sovereignty in Canada from 1534, when Jacques Cartier landed and claimed the new world for France, until the early 1760s, when Canada was ceded to the United Kingdom.First flown over Canada in 1621, the Royal Union Flag (the Union Jack) was used across British North America and in Canada even after Confederation in 1867.
From about 1870, various forms of the Canadian Red Ensign were used on land and sea as Canada's unofficial flag as well as the Union Jack. In 1945, the Canadian government authorized the use of the Red Ensign on federal buildings within Canada until such time as a new national flag was adopted.

What is maple syrup (an' where's it come from)

How to harvest the syrup

Watch out for reindeer

Bottle it for the tourists

Then enjoy !!

One of the things people think of when they hear the word "Canada" is The Maple Leaf, another would be maple syrup, the thing that pancakes was invented for..................

but do you know where it comes from?

do you really care where it comes from?
if you do then read on and prepare to be educated.
If you dont, then dont read on.
If your not sure then read on anyway coz this story has got indians in it, its also got french people and history, something for everyone really.
If your not really interested in indians, french people or history then try this website.

http://www.clickpix.de/horses.htm

its got horses in it............................

Maple syrup is a sweetener made from the sap of maple trees. In Canada and the United States it is most often eaten with waffles and pancakes. It is sometimes used as an ingredient in baking, the making of candy, preparing desserts, or as a sugar source and flavoring agent in making beer. Sucrose is the most prevalent sugar in maple syrup.

It was first collected and used by Native Americans/First Nations and was later adopted by European settlers
History: Origins of Maple Syrup Production
Algonquin History

According to Native American oral tradition, maple syrup and maple sugar was being made before recorded history. Native Americans in Eastern North America were the first to discover 'sinzibuckwud', the Algonquin word for maple syrup, meaning 'drawn from wood'.

The Algonquins were the first to recognize the sap as a source of energy and nutrition. They would use a tomahawk to make a V-shaped incision in the tree. Then, they would insert reeds or concave pieces of bark to run the sap into buckets made from birch bark. The sap was slightly concentrated, either by throwing hot stones in the bucket, or by leaving it overnight and disposing of the layer of ice which had formed on top. It was drunk as a sweet drink or used in cooking. It is possible that maple-cured bacon began with this process.

To boil the water, they used a cauldron made of cooked earth, to boil maple sap over simple fires protected only by a roof of tree branches. This was the first version of the sugar shack. Over the years, this evolved to the point where the sugar shack is not only a place where maple syrup is produced, but also a gathering place where a traditional meal can be enjoyed.

Early Settlers in Quebec

In the 1700s, in Quebec, the white settlers and fur traders introduced wooden buckets, made by hollowing out a log. When the log was full, they poured the water into a cast-iron cauldron.

They boiled outside, in the woods. To protect themselves from wind and rain, they built a little camp. In the early days of colonization, it was the Natives who showed French settlers how to tap the trunk of a tree at the outset of spring, harvest the sap and boil it to evaporate some of the water. This custom quickly became an integral part of colony life and during the 17th and 18th centuries, syrup was a major source of high quality pure sugar. Later, however, they would learn to bore holes in the trees and hang their buckets on home-made spouts.

By the 1850s, the "sugar shack" (the outdoor shack used to boil down the sap) arrived as we know it today. The settlers had refined the methods for collecting the sap. The sap was transported using large barrel pulls by horses or cows and brought to the sugar shack for processing. At this time, the maple sugar was the only available sugar, and it was called “country sugar”. Maple Sugar production was especially important due to the fact that other types of sugar were hard to find and expensive. It was as common on the table as salt is today.

Even if production methods have been streamlined since colonial days, they remain basically the same. The sap must first be collected and distilled carefully so that you get the same totally natural, totally pure syrup without any chemical agents or preservatives.

Early maple syrup was made by boiling 40 gallons of sap over an open fire until you had one gallon of syrup. This was both time consuming and labor intensive, especially considering that the sap needed to be hauled to the fire in the first place.

The process underwent little change over the first two hundred years of recorded maple making. However, during the Civil War, the tin can was invented. The tin can was made of sheet metal. It didn’t take syrup makers long to realize that a large flat sheet metal pan was more efficient for boiling than a heavy rounded iron kettle which let much of the heated air slide past.

Virtually all syrup makers in the past were self sufficient dairy farmers who made syrup and sugar during the off season of the farm for their own use and for extra income. The process continued to evolve as a result of the innovations these farmers developed in their work. In 1864, a Canadian borrowed some design ideas from sorghum evaporators and put a series of baffles in the flat pans to channel the boiling sap. In 1872 a Vermonter developed an evaporator with two pans and a metal arch or firebox which greatly decreased boiling time. Seventeen years later, in 1889, another Canadian bent the tin that formed the bottom of a pan into a series of flues which increased the heated surface area of the pan and again decreased boiling time.

Peoples Of North America - Hutterites

Hutterites are a communal people, living on scattered bruderhöfe or colonies throughout the prairies in North America. This communal lifestyle finds its roots in the biblical teachings of Christ and the Apostles. Emerging as a distinct culture and religious group in the early 16th century, this non-resistant Anabaptist sect endured great persecution and death at the hands of the state and church in Early Modern Europe period. However, the Hand of God remained on the shoulder of these people, and their descendents survived to battle on to this very day..."The Hutterites." Hutterites. Copyright 2012 Hutterites.org. 13 Oct. 2012 .

My Hutterite Life

Originally appearing in the Great Falls Tribune, Lisa’s "On The Colony" columns cordially and tenderly shared details about the Hutterites’ style of dress, colony organization, beliefs, holidays and celebrations, and day-to-day life.

Her first-person-style articles have been collected, organized, and bound for the first time in this special book. Beautiful Black and white photographs by Michael Crummett complement the text.

Economy

Hutterites live on large, mechanized communal farms that are formed as clones of established colonies. In the larger, mature colonies, most men over 30 hold lifetime appointments to all the major positions, but there are a number of younger men with no chance for upward mobility. Competitive feelings can develop that foster social problems. The solution is to divide the colony. They buy land for the new colony, develop the new infrastructure, divide into two equal groups, and choose by lot which group stays and which moves.

Beliefs that Foster Peacefulness

The Hutterite worldview is based on respect for the authority of God. God has established a hierarchy of relationships, with the lower always obeying the higher—the younger person obeys the older, the woman the man, and man obeys God. They feel that the individual will must be broken—people should accept self-denial rather than self-fulfillment. But individuals are never secure before God—only their daily behavior gives them security, not their baptism or verbal affirmations. Since the will of God is expressed through the decisions of the community, the individual must be obedient to group will. Communal living is God's order, and private possessions express man's greed.

Hutterites Of South Dakota
"This is the best book I have read dealing with any ethnic group--in this case the Hutterites of South Dakota: The Schmiedeleut. As a native-born South Dakotan, deeply involved for many years in the educational, cultural, and political life of the state, I supposed that I knew well the Hutterite community. But Joanita Kant, by means of brilliant photography, careful research, and excellent historical writing, opens our eyes and warms our spirits with a fascinating up-to-date tour of the religious, economic, cultural and societal treasure of the unique Hutterite way of life.... “If a reader is looking for a dramatic, carefully written, beautifully illustrated story of one of the most fascinating ethnic groups in American history--this is the book to read. We will not soon see its equal." --

Senator George McGovern Hutterites of South Dakota: The Schmiedeleut is an unprecedented pictorial review of their lifestyle in 44 of 53 colonies in the state during all four seasons of 2004. Three branches of Hutterites came to southeastern Dakota Territory (today South Dakota) in the 1870s from Ukraine, Russia. As always, since their founding in central Europe in 1528, they were escaping religious persecution. Although there are three divisions of ethnic Hutterites, namely Schmiedeleut, Dariusleut, and Lehrerleut, only Hutterites of South Dakota: The Schmiedeleut remain in South Dakota, which has more Hutterites than any state in the USA.

Avoiding and Resolving Conflict

Because of the communal structure of their society, it is essential for Hutterites to deal effectively with interpersonal tensions. Simple disagreements or misunderstandings are settled between individuals—people will simply speak directly to others. If that approach fails, the preachers or other church members will intervene. In serious situations, people may be summoned before the church membership and given a chance to ask forgiveness. If that does not succeed, they may be temporarily ostracized, banned from membership until they repent. They eat alone and may not shake hands with others. If they leave the colony, they are condemned to eternal damnation, so the colonies normally do not force their members out.

Gender Relations. Hutterite men and women operate in two separate subcultures in the colony. People believe that women are clearly inferior—man was created in God's image, but woman was taken from man and inherits his submissiveness and weakness. The men make all of the colony decisions and the women generally support the patriarchal order, though on the informal level they have a considerable influence on colony affairs. In practical terms, women are confined mostly to gardening and domestic chores, they do not drive colony vehicles, and unlike men they are quite closed off from the consumer society.

Raising Children

In Hutterite Society children enter kindergarten about age three, where they learn to prey, obey, and get along with others. They also learn to be quiet around adults and to cry quietly. When they reach school age, they attend the colony’s German language school, where they study the Bible, learn Hutterite beliefs, and learn to read and write in German. They also attend the English school, where an outside teacher teaches all the subjects of the public school curriculum, including reading and writing in English. The children thus learn to associate their own customs and beliefs with the German language of the colony and the ways of the outside world with the English language.

Social Practices

When projects are proposed or group work is underway, Hutterites are highly respectful of each other. Older men whose pace of work may slow down the operation are respected; when young, inexperienced boys join in the work they are not resented. In group discussions, everyone is highly conscious of rank and quite cautious about advancing proposals; suggestions will be made passively, many proposals considered, and since ideas are not attributed to specific individuals, the group as a whole becomes the author of the proposal that is decided upon. Everyone shares in the decision-making and identifies with the result.

Cooperation and Competition

Competition between individuals may exist in a muted form, and the managers of different farming operations of the colony may compete for resources. The colony executives have to override this competitiveness and make decisions for the good of the whole colony. But in general, as individuals age they progress from hard labor jobs to management positions to offices of executive authority. Competition thus does not occur for positions in the well-integrated colony. Furthermore, Hutterites have been socialized to not assert themselves for personal advantage, so they do not feel comfortable seeking positions of dominance. Instead, they wait until God chooses them for advancement. Also, since influence, authority, and power are diffused, the mature men generally cooperate in group actions.

Social Control

The Hutterites have an accepting rather than a sullen attitude toward the pressing need for discipline, though they also cherish their individuality, an essential psychic need for the health of the colony. But there is an emotional cost to their style of socialization: depression, anxiety, and alcoholism are problems in many colonies. Human relations in the colonies sometimes lack warmth and spontaneity—people may tend to suppress emotions, avoid intimacy, and keep silent in order to maintain their nonviolence. Their regular release from suppression and avoidance consists of interruptions in routines, such as family outings and singing festivals.

Strategies for Avoiding Warfare and Violence. Hutterites are particularly sensitive to the resentment and anxiety that their farming neighbors and the people of the nearest towns may feel toward them, and they make efforts to overcome those feelings. Sometimes they will help neighbors or exchange or sell farm produce with the primary aim of improving neighborly relations. Likewise, the colony often purchases goods in the local towns rather than a larger, more distant, city so that people in their area realize the economic importance of their presence.

On the Backroad to Heaven: Old Order Hutterites, Mennonites, Amish, and Brethren
On the Backroad to Heaven is a unique guidebook to the world of Old Order Anabaptist groups. Focusing on four Old Order communities—the Hutterites, Mennonites, Amish, and Brethren—Donald B. Kraybill and Carl Desportes Bowman provide a fascinating overview of their culture, growth, and distinctive way of life. Following a general introduction to Old Order culture, they show how each group uses a different strategy to create and sustain its identity.

The Hutterites, for example, keep themselves geographically segregated from the larger society, whereas the Brethren interact more freely with it. The Amish and Mennonites are more alike in how they engage the outside world, adopting a complex but flexible strategy of compromise that produces an evolving canon of social and religious rules. This first comparative study sketches the differences as well as the common threads that bind these groups together.

Photography

Alberta Hutterites won the right to avoid having their photograph taken for their drivers' licenses. In May 2007, the Alberta Court of Appeal ruled that the photograph requirement violates their religious rights and that driving was essential to their way of life. The Wilson Springs colony based their position on the belief that images are prohibited by the Second Commandment. About eighty of the photo-less licenses were in use at the time of the decision. Besides the Alberta Hutterite groups (Darius and Lehreleut), a handful of colonies in Manitoba (Schmiedleut) do not wish their members to be photographed for licenses or other identity document.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you dress?

Hutterites have a dress code. The dress code is more pronounced with some groups, i.e. the Lehrerleut and the Dariusleut in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The Schmiedeleut Hutterian Brethren's dress code is typically as follows: men wear suspenders, usually black or dark trousers, and any kind of buttoned shirt. Married men traditionally wear a beard.

Women wear below-knee-length dresses; younger women and girls wear brighter colored dresses than older women. Women also wear a Kupf-ti'echle or a black, polka-dot-peppered head covering. Girls between the ages of 3 to about 10 wear a mitz which is bonnet-like head covering.

Who owns what in the colony?

Goods are owned communally in the community, i.e., all moneys earned from different businesses belong to everyone on the colony. If members need different items, they ask for it and if it is a necessary item, it is bought for them. Most items are given out according to the need (Acts 2:44-47; Acts 4:32-35). Things like farm equipment, vehicles, etc, are bought and paid for by the colony and used by whoever needs or is responsible for them.

Any kind of Aagnutz (Eigennutz, any method of earning personal spending money) is frowned upon and greatly discouraged, especially by the Schmiedeleut branch. The example of Ananias and Sapphira is often sited as proof that aagnutz is a vice that ought to be avoided (Acts 5:1-11). Hutterites have some personal belongings in their homes though that the colony provides for them or allows them to purchase.

What languages do Hutterites speak?

Hutterites speak a German dialect, more specifically a dialect they picked up from the Carinthian province in Austria. Hutterites originated in southern Austria and northern Italy (the area of Tyrol) and Carinthia - www.hutteritehistory.org

Hutterites actually speak three languages: Hutterisch, their German dialect; German, standard German which they learn in school; and English.

Where (in the world) are Hutterites found?

Today Hutterites are found in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Colombia. In the US they are in North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Washington and Montana.

Schmiedeleut Hutterites are confined to Manitoba, North and South Dakota, and Minnesota.

Darius- and Lehrerleut live in western North America: Saskatchewan, Alberta
, British Colombia, Washington, and Montana.

The Bruderhofers, who are not Hutterites (but were twice united with the Hutterian Brethren Church in the last 60 years) have six communities in New York, Pennsylvania, and in England (www.bruderhof.org).

How do the Hutterites follow the command of Jesus to "be fishers of men", i.e., evangelization of the lost?

The Lord commanded his people to "go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost" (Mat. 28:19). The Hutterian Brethren have felt somewhat guilty of their mission efforts in the recent past. So in the past few years more effort has been put forth in this area. Currently ,the Hutterian Brethren are involved in a mission field in Nigeria, Africa.

Many of our ministers and other members and others have been in Nigeria, living with the natives and teaching them about Christ and the community. The community is called Palm Grove and about 300 members live there. Their has been lots of spiritual and economic struggles, but the outlook seems promising as these Nigerians are slowly learning. In addition, they need support to sustain themselves and the Brethren have been involved in helping them to become self-sufficient.

You can view an online blog by Lance Waldner, one of the missionaries, at www.hutterites.org/bridge.

What do the women do primarily?

Women on Hutterite colonies are typically housewives, cooks (in fact there are some very good Hutterite Cookbooks), gardeners, teachers (German, English, and Nursery), seamstress, and secretary for different business.

Work in a Hutterite community is usually done together in large groups. For example, gardens cover a few acres. When hoeing, there are often in excess of a dozen women helping, so large jobs are made small. Cooking is done in weekly rotations, e.g. two women would be the cooks for the week, in addition to the head cook. Also, unmarried ladies often teach school on the colony. Some have teaching degrees, others take informal training. Older Hutterite women take care of children in the Kindergarten, teaching them religious songs, prayers and cooperation.

What about dating practices?

Young people are provided means for meeting each other if they are from different communities (they usually are); for example, they could ask for permission to go for a visit, or they might be in the area and drop in for the day.

We strongly encourage purity in relationships, for we want our young people to be a witness to Christ. If young people think that they have been led together by God, they are encouraged to remain totally pure in their relationship. Impurity is dealt with severely. The Schmiedeleut Hutterian Brethren have an "open door" policy for young people who are courting. Of course there are many fictional Hutterite Love Stories and here is an excellent example.

"Hutterites." Hutterites. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.hutterites.org/>.

When Lightning Strikes (Crossings of Promise #1)

The year is 1874, and Paul Wipf is enchanted by dreams of America. But when lightning strikes, killing his parents, his dreams are shattered and buried in the ashes of sadness and guilt. How can Paul be happy, knowing it is his parents death that makes it possible for him to leave Russia? How can he be happy living with his sour old aunt and her group of Hutterites, whose life seems controlled more by rules than by love? How can he be happy when all he wants is what can never be life as it used to be?

Then there is Hannah, the peculiar girl with shining brown eyes that probe straight into the darkness of his soul. Can Paul trust her with his story? And there is the adventurous journey to America a dangerous storm at sea, encounters with thieves and gamblers, seemingly endless train rides, and a deadly dysentery epidemic. Can Paul be saved from the bitterness he feels for God and himself?

Will he abandon Hannah and the Hutterites, and run to the wild life of the American west? Only Paul can decide what will become of his life as the awesome power of God is revealed once more, when lightning strikes.

Can a person become a Hutterite?

Yes. If a person is really sincere about becoming a Hutterite, he or she could potentially join. Of course, one would first have to live on a Hutterite Colony for a time to ensure that they really do want to join. A serious candidate would obviously have to fully agree with the doctrine of the Hutterian Brethren Church and be willing to give up all personal ownership. Upon being baptised, he or she would be considered a full-fledged Hutterite.

Can a non-Hutterite join a Hutterite colony

It has happened that outsiders or non-Hutterites join a Hutterite colony, but it is quite rare. Few Hutterite colony are open to outsider joining, but there are a handful who would consider it, depending on the candidate and the willingness of the candidate to adopt to the Hutterian norms.
Over the year’s many people have attempted to become full members of the Hutterite community, but haven’t been successful for a variety of reasons. For one, Hutterites speak Hutterisch which is a Carinthian-Tirolean dialect. This language change is a boundary for many. For another, all Hutterite use the same German sermons, and although most have been translated to English, almost all Hutterite ministers preach in German.

Cultural boundaries and traditions also provide an obstacle for anyone attempting to join. Changes in attire, ways of doing things, and other traditions would have to be adopted.

Another issue, divorce, could be a roadblock because Hutterites don’t accept divorce among their members, nor would they allow a divorcee who has married another person to join. If a divorcee were to join, that person would not be allowed to marry anyone except their original marriage partner. Of course, marriage is defined as the holy union between one man and one woman.

Finally, most who are not used to the lifestyle would find that giving up their own free will, their careers, and their personal property, and other freedoms too great to overcome.

So can a person join? Yes. If a person is really sincere about becoming a Hutterite, he or she could potentially join if he or she is willing to overcome the obstacles above. Of course, one would first have to live on a Hutterite Colony for a time to ensure that they really do want to join. A serious candidate would obviously have to fully support and agree with the doctrine of the Hutterian Brethren Church and be willing to give up all personal ownership and a lot of free will. After a period of successful probation, the person could ask from baptism, and upon being baptised, he or she would be considered a full-fledged Hutterite.

"Hutterites." Hutterites. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. .