Over the weekend an Amish teen in Vernon County, Wisconsin died while cutting ice. In light of today’s topic of Amish and self-sufficiency, it seems tragically coincidental to now hear of an accident like this one.

In more conservative communities, Amish use ice houses to keep food cold.  In cold-weather areas Amish harvest their own ice.  In some sense these Amish are further along the self-sufficiency scale compared to the many who rely on some variety of mechanical refrigerator.

This teen’s death is a reminder that directly taking care of more of your own needs can come with physical hazards.  It also brings to mind the question of whether Amish life is more dangerous.  Regardless of the answer to that question, Amish would probably also see this as a reminder that we know not the day nor the hour.

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