Amish Culture

Ben & Rose Short: “This World Is Not My Home”

Ben & Rose Short: “This World Is Not My Home”

“I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.” It’s a sentiment that resonates with a lot of us, at times stronger than at others, I suspect. That is one of the best-known lines from “This World Is Not My Home”. And Ben and Rose are back to tease another upcoming (I assume) production, with this little demo sample of the well-known hymn. This song…

New From Mike & Marty: “Coat Of Many Colors”

New From Mike & Marty: “Coat Of Many Colors”

We’ve got another new tune from Mike & Marty, this one a Dolly Parton classic – “Coat of Many Colors”. Not having any other paper at hand, Parton famously wrote the lyrics to this song down on a dry cleaning receipt while on tour in 1969. This is a favorite song of many. The coat of many colors here is not the Biblical coat given…

Ben & Rose: “Hold Fast To The Right” (Full Song)

Ben & Rose: “Hold Fast To The Right” (Full Song)

Not quite a month ago, we got Ben and Rose’s short preview version of “Hold Fast to the Right”, a 120-year-old hymn. About that, one commenter wrote “I have not hear this song in 70+ years—what a joy to now hear it again!” Now the duo have just today released the full studio version. So this is happy news not only for that commenter, but…

New Song From Mike & Marty (Formerly Third Fret Harmony): “The Storms Are On The Ocean”

New Song From Mike & Marty (Formerly Third Fret Harmony): “The Storms Are On The Ocean”

A nice new song was recently released by brother and sister duo Mike and Marty Fisher. First a note on their name. We’ve known them til now as Third Fret Harmony – a group which also once included their sister Rose, of Ben & Rose. Mike has confirmed with me officially that yes, they have a new name – simply Mike & Marty. I think…

New Ben & Rose Short: “Hold Fast To The Right”

New Ben & Rose Short: “Hold Fast To The Right”

This new short from Ben & Rose is another old one – a hymn written in 1906 by James D. Vaughan called “Hold Fast To The Right”. One commenter on YouTube writes “I have not hear this song in 70+ years—what a joy to now hear it again!” This 25-second clip is just a snippet of the chorus and some nice guitar playing, but it…

New From Ben & Rose: “If I Needed You”

New From Ben & Rose: “If I Needed You”

Ben and Rose return with their first full video in a little while. This one is called “If I Needed You”. In contrast to some of their latest, this is a more contemporary song, written by Townes Van Zandt in 1972. I would call this an “upbeat ballad”. Nice guitar playing and wonderful singing together as usual. Interestingly they are in a different setting here…

New Ben & Rose Short: “Stroll Over Heaven”

New Ben & Rose Short: “Stroll Over Heaven”

While we haven’t gotten a full video in awhile, Ben and Rose have been pouring on the shorts lately. Their latest is “Stroll Over Heaven”. This one is simply Ben playing guitar and singing with Rose in a 37-second clip (below). The simple description attached to the clip is “Ben and Rose work out ‘Stroll Over Heaven’ at Ragamuffin Hall”. Sounds like another lovely tune….

Amish Community Steps In to Help After Ashtabula County Home Destroyed by Fire (Ohio)

Amish Community Steps In to Help After Ashtabula County Home Destroyed by Fire (Ohio)

An Amish community in Ashtabula County, Ohio has apparently been making quick work of cleanup, after a community member lost their home in a devastating fire Monday. From the report at the Star Beacon: WILLIAMSFIELD TOWNSHIP — Debris from a fire that destroyed a two story home along Route 7 Monday was removed by Amish crews Tuesday, clearing the site of the home to prepare…

Inside an Amish Ice Harvest: A Rare Look at a Timeless Tradition

Inside an Amish Ice Harvest: A Rare Look at a Timeless Tradition

How do the Amish keep their food cold? That can vary, based on the community. But for Amish in some places – including one tiny New England community – the answer is good old-fashioned ice. A just-released piece in Down East Magazine explores the ice harvesting tradition in the young Amish settlement at Hiram, Maine (Oxford County). What really makes the piece are the excellent…

New Ben & Rose Short: “Tomorrow In Your Hands”

New Ben & Rose Short: “Tomorrow In Your Hands”

Another short clip of a new song is out now from Ben & Rose. A nice simple video of the couple sitting with producer Conrad Fisher as they sing, while he plays guitar and also sings. The caption says simply “Ben and Rose rehearse an old hymn called ‘Tomorrow in Your Hands’“. I’m not able to find who wrote this one and when, but here…