History

Mar 1814 min read

Our Pennsylvania Dutch Culture: Where We Have Been and Where We Are Going

My love and passion for my Pennsylvania Dutch heritage extends deep and wide, much like my own family tree extends and roots in all...

Nov 25, 20237 min read

A People of Equality and Integrity- The Pennsylvania Dutch

Recently, a friend and I were driving home from celebrating Erntfescht, the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch "Thanksgiving," with our...

Apr 5, 20233 min read

Dandelion on Griedunnerschdaag (Green Thursday); a Pennsylvania Dutch Tradition

The Dandelion. Perhaps one of the most misunderstood gifts provided by Mother Nature. Their bright yellow heads pop-up everywhere, and...

Mar 27, 20239 min read

The "Witches" of Tyrol & the Ripple Effect the European "Witch Hunts" Had Upon Folk Healers

Growing up, I knew two things-- I was "German & Swiss", and I was "Pennsylvania Dutch." The former I learned from my mother, who told me...

Dec 24, 20222 min read

Where did the Christmas Tree Take Root?

The Christmas Tree tradition as we now know it began in 16th century (the region what is now) Germany when Christians brought decorated...

Nov 25, 20222 min read

"Harvest Home" - an early Pennsylvania Dutch tradition

The tradition of Thanksgiving took root in the 1600's in the New England colonies, and eventually became a National Holiday in 1863 when...

Nov 14, 20222 min read

Pennsylvania Dutch vs. Pennsylvania German Ancestry

"Pennsylvania Dutch" and "Pennsylvania German" are often used interchangeably to describe the German-speaking immigrants who arrived in...