THE CHOIR OF SILENCE
2012 Review - Section I
It should be the 2012 Review, and it should post in the end of 2012, but now it’s already June. So what I can say? Just lazy.
The Life of Mennonite (Ch2)
Been four years more, to follow up this topic about The Life of Mennonites, I don’t even remember that how many times I visited them, how many photos I shooted, how many people I talked with, and how many friends I made. I finally finished the second part of the shooting according to my original plan two weeks ago. That makes it possible for me to start my editing, and share a copy with all the friends here by this posting. Hope you all will enjoy it even if such kind of topic might not be the cup of tea for those who are more interested in landscape. (Part of the 1st Chapter of this topic was shared in my 2010 Review, check it back if you would like to.)
There still has the third part of this topic, but I don’t have any idea about how to get approach yet due to the respecting to their religion, their life style, and their privacy. But trust me, I’ll get it down, soon or later.
I - Saturday Market
It always the market day on Saturday in this area. As I introduced about the Mennonites in beginning of the 1st chapter posted in my 2010 Review, most of the Mennonites are doing the farming. On the market to sale the products, therefore, becomes the very important way to exchange their labor and effort to money, to earn their life.
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John Overbeek, and his team was arrived here around 4:30am today. His family was immigrated from Holland decades ago. Inherited the great tradition of Dutch flower planting, his family was running a flower farm here as well. At the age of 10, he started to help his father on farming. And at the age of 25, he started to run his own flower farm.
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He is not a "Standing boss", but a "Hands on" boss. Driving the truck, loading and unloading the truck is always did by himself, just for safety, he told me.
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“That’s my favorite to explore the people, the history, and the culture etc.” he said as I explain the purpose of my project. We had very happy conversation since we have pretty common interesting on this. As I know, he spent most of his vacation to visit historical locations, and have great interesting to get in touch with people for years.
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For me, to get up so early is not usual. But for him, as a flower farmer, awake up early around 4:00am or so, is almost every day’s routine. In the season of spring or summer, they can work by the dawn light. But in the fall or winter, the dawn light will come up after 7:30am, so, “we have to set up some light first in order to install the tent”, he said.
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The tent can be easily assembled by some poles and a large piece of waterproof canvas roof. In this early morning, the girls in John’s team were tightening the canvas roof to the roof structure. It took about couple of minutes.
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The supporting poles were assembled side by side while this side of the roof was lifted up at the same time.
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When the other side of the tent was lifted up and well supported, it's ready.
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Next step, is to move all the flowers from the moving rack to their display deck, or place.
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John's brother.
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Almost ready, and now the store looks beautiful. But still pretty early, no customer in the market yet.
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She was very first customer to John today. She just simply picked up what she wanted from the rack before they were unloaded.
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John was involved the sales as well. He was explaining the way to care this flower, about how and when to cut it, watering, etc.
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Joe, was being on this market for 39 years since he was just a little kid. Not only the products from his own farm, also from his neighbors, were in his store here. Actually, he agreed to consider himself as a first hand dealer. He didn't want me to take photo for him, "I'm old and shy", he said.
His family started this business, and he got involved at the age around 14. His father is already 85 years old, but very healthy and still works on the farm. Five years ago, his father was here on the market, but now he can’t do full day here anymore. Instead, Joe arranges his father to be a driver for delivering the farm products to the stores and markets in the 200 km range. For Joe, it is always very busy to handle the saling and farm work. “People here and people there all over the places, are always on the phone looking for me” he said, but clearly, I can feel his happiness with it. “Someone from this small store, or other one from that super market, wants to come and see your products and place their orders.”
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This summer morning, Joe and his team were here around 5:00am. He was happy with the weather since he didn’t need to set up the lights first, or clean the snow first like it was in the snowing winter. During my shooting in the morning, he gave me the friendly reminder to keep safe when they installed the tent, for many times.
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The vegetables are all in the shipping box, but need to be unloaded to the display deck.
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On this market, almost all the vegetables are sold by basket, or by number of them, not by weight. Place them in the basket is big part of work.
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The basket itself is not for sale.
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There always somebody in the back to pack and to load the basket which was just sold.
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You may feel just 5 pounds per basket or bag, but if you move them for 200 times, I'll believe the feeling could be totally different. It's definitely not a easy work, especially for a girl.
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A smill, that was really hard to catch during such a heavy working morning.
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When anything was been sold, the empty space on the deck should be refilled immediately. She was walking the deck for refilling.
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He didn't want to tell me his name, but very happy to talk with me. He and his wife own this fruit store. They have a farm not far from here.
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After everything was well set up, he used to tight a bunch of bags in his waist, easy to be pulled out.
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“Why you don’t shoot him?” somebody was asking me when I just stepped in Mike’s tent, “He is here for long long long time.” He said.
Mike is already been here for more than thirty years. He has a large vegetable farm and this pretty good tent location right at the corner of two major aisles. He used to have his sons and brothers in helping, but they went away for their own business now. Today, he has not only his team, but three more kids in the team.
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Kyle Clements, 14 years old student. He is here today for helping.
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Andre, 9 grade student, he was coming from a town about an hour or hour fifteen minutes driving. For the whole summer, he will be working here on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. He was really paying his attention and working very hard. He likes to read the book, he told me.
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Luis, a baker from Portugal. He was been on this market for more than 30 years. He is very friendly, but very wordy with heavy accent.
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He made really good bread, and had really good reputation about it. He is very proud about his products. In his mind, he believes that he make the best bread across US and Canada. "I never taste any bread better than mine in US and Canada, NEVER!", he said. But indeed, his bread is really good.
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Cut out a slice for customer to taste.
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"We found the America, we taught them how to build house, we taught them how to make a good food." he said. Obviously, he is very proud to be the Portuguese.
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"For staff to use, you can by something cheap, but for food to eat, NEVER buy cheap, ALWAYS buy the expensive!", many times he repeated this to me, emphasized it to me.
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He was very disappointed when I had to go, and he lost such a patient and good listener like me.
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Wayne, and his daughter. He has a small farm, running by himself, his wife, his sister, his three daughters, and his son. The products are not only the farming products such as vegetable and flower, but also some hand making crafts.
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Wayne's sister.
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His daughter. The carpet on the end of deck, is their hand making craft, which usually took them couple of days to make one piece.
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This woman had not much to sale today, mainly were flowers. The carriage was the tool to carry all everything.
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This gentleman and his wife didn't want me to release their name. They were here for helping their son. Their family farm are running by their son now, due to their age and health condition. At the time when I talked with him and took the photos, their son was just away for moving something from farm again.
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Her family farm is mainly for vegetabe, the flower is part of her habby. So just only a desk.
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Price tag is usually the last step, but most important thing to do in the prepration.
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Farmer Isaac Marten. His farm is about 15-20 minutes away, so he doesn't need to be here very early. Not only the flowers, but he grows a lot of vegetables as well in his farm. This morning, he just brings the flowers to the market. His family was emigrated from Swaziland, but he doesn’t very clear with the history of his family. He inherited the farm from his Dad.
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He is a editor, press agent, and magzine owner. Also, he is my friend, and one of my stories buyer. He was here for helping his friend to sale the honey. He and his wife are usually stay in Canada during summer, but go to the south of US during the winter where they have another property.
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Bargain
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Three sisters.
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View from one aile of the market.
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Auto machine to sale the tiny candy ball, which is priced by tube. This boy was trying to push harder in his tube in order to make it more than averiage.
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Music player can be found everytime.
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Believe or not, the little kid just wants to get some coin from the box, that makes everyone around happy for his cute.
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His elder sister was in a music school, in the major of violin.
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Typical Mennonite family.
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She was going to get some water and supply for her Mom, they had some flowers to sale today.
II - Sunday at Mennonite Church
Church day is formal day for them. All black suit with hat for adult man, black or navy blue suit with black hat for boy, and black or typical long skirt for woman and girl. For so many times going for visiting, I never see any exception.
The Mennonite church is very plain, you may not recognize them if you don't know them well. Unlike the Christian or Catholic Church, there almost no any decoration in side and outside. Me and my friend used to visit the inside of their church, but we are not allowed to take any picture. It's very clean that out of my imagine. All everything is really well organized: the seats are seperated by adult man, adult women, senior man, senior women, boys and girls. Even the doors are also seperated as well. The place to hang the hats and coats are well placed, nice and neat, easy to use.
For centuries, German has the highest reputation around the world for their order, serious, and organization. But everytime I see it, still make me feel suprise.
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Before the mass.
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For those who are not far from the church, they may walk.
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Family arriving by carriage.
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As the time getting closer, more people are comming.
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Not sure if it is the rule, but kids are usually taking care by gentleman.
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Tight the leash to the chain, otherwise "they may want to walk around", the gentleman said.
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Somehow, it's sort of party day for boys.
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During the mass, the little boy had some emergency requirement.
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I believe all the boys around the world are the same: easy to be distracted.
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Hat is absolutely not allowed inside the church, so the first move for everyone is the same: put on the hat.
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Kid, always has more curious.
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Women and girls are all standing here for their family to pick up. I never see anyone walk down the carriage. As a rule? Or for safely concern?
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To avoid the distraction of the automobil on the road, horse needs to wear an eye cover to block the side view.
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III - Mennonite Carriage
Like we have coupe, sedan, convertible, SUV, Van, etc. they have some carriages quite simular.
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Not only three, but four kids were seating in the back.
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IV - Misc
The most lovely time during so many times of my visiting, was to meet these four lovely little girls on my way. The Dad of the girl who handle the "carriage", made her a small version of carriage with a pony. It's just like a toy, but enough for girls to have a great fun. In this sunny Sunday noon, girls from different families sneeked out, walking their pony for fun.
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END - THANK YOU SO MUCH TO BE HERE
I know you are tired, me too. Hopefully you have some fun.
I'm still working on the editing of other section, may take some time, but it will be here, soon or later.
Again, thank you very much.
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