Simple Life
November 8-10, 2000, WNDU TV, Newscenter 16, news anchor Tricia Sloma hosted 'Simple Life' where the Skipper family of Elkhart lived like the Amish of the late 1800’s. The family learns the why’s and way’s of the Old Order Amish by taking part in typical daily chores of the 19th century at Amish Acres. Jagadey, Lynda, 14-year-old Andrew and 7-year-old Kelsie were chosen from entries submitted to WNDU TV.
Elliott Correll, Amish Acres historic grounds manager, makes possible this news documentary leading the family through many daily chores including horse grooming and harnessing, wood chopping, livestock feeding, apple butter boiling, sorghum pressing and gardening. They even helped dismantle the old German School house that is being moved to Amish Acres for preservation. Will they survive?
Day One
Father and son split wood with axes to be stacked by the maple sugar camp for spring.
Andrew takes an ever too short break from splitting wood.
A team of mixed draft horses waits patiently to pull the farm wagon as Lynda holds tightly to the reigns.
Father and son unload freshly sawn oak boards to be used for fence repairs on the historic farm.
After the long first day's chores, the Skipper family, seen through the screen door, sits down at the kitchen table for supper.
A kerosene lantern lights the supper table in the main house at Amish Acres.
Jagadey Skipper steps up into the two-seat Amish buggy for the trip back to the cabin for the night.
Jagadey takes the reigns as Andrew calls for his mother and sister for the ride home.
Lynda and Kelsie prepare lye soap to be cured for future use on the farm.
Lynda and Kelsie rest in the wagon as the men finish unloading.
The women whitewash the orchard trees to protect them from insects and to dress up the farm.
Day Two
Pioneer dad and son were stacking hay in barn and uncovered either, according to them, many moving creatures or something alive at least 10 inches long. Dad leaves hay mow immediately, leaving son behind. Upon further exploration it is discovered that their creature was in fact, three furry little kittens.
Lynda and Kelsie groom one of the Belgian draft horses before harnessing him to the hay wagon.
Jagadey unloads a load of hay bales in mows of the bank barn.
Andrew takes another break from his chores. His lace-up rubber boots still look new!
The Skipper family arrives at the feed mill by horse drawn wagon to pick up a load of grain for the farm's animals.
Jagadey head the team for home from the mill.
Lunch on the old church benches on the threshing floor of the bank barn is time to rest.
Kelsie threads a needle to continue quilting her pattern into the fabric.
Kelsie churns butter while her new canine friend Scout naps at her side.
Lynda and Jagadey remove asphalt shingle from the old German School house in preparation for moving it to Amish Acres for preservation.
Day Three
Kelsie and Bud have become friends already. She brushes him down early each morning.
Lynda and Kelsie finish feeding the chickens before going out to rake leaves.
Kelsie gathers pears amid the fallen leaves.
Jagadey drives Bud with the children on the spring wagon heading for the sorghum patch.
Jagadey inspects the ripe sorghum cane in preparation for harvesting.
Andrew stripes the leaves and head from the sorghum cane and loads the stalks on the wagon.
Lynda feeds stalks of sorghum into the press for Bud, the Belgian draft horse, to press into sap as he makes his circular rounds.
Kelsie finally sits down to inspect the strange looking sorghum cane.
The sap bucket is filled with raw juice to be cooked down over a boiling fire.
Andrew works in the sorghum field as a school group passes on the hay wagon along the lane.
Lynda's last chore during her 'Simple Life' at Amish Acres is putting the pies in the outdoor brick oven.
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