Visiting the Hutterite Colony

This Saturday, the Millers made good on a promise to visit and show off the new baby to our friends at the Hutterite Colony near Wolf Point. The House of Miller had been invited to celebrate Thanksgiving with them but had to decline due to the meal being at 6pm, which put us on bad roads at night for the 2 hour drive home. We haven't mentioned our connection to the colonies much in this blog both because of privacy for them and also because Anne's connection with them is primary through her work with pork producers. However, considering that over 85% of the hogs raised in Montana come through colony farms...it has been impossible not to have a strong friendship with some of these producers.

A good background on the lifestyle, which is one of a communal Annabaptist religious group most comparable to Amish or Mennonite, is here in the National Geographic article. Bill Allard, the photographer in the link, had just finished one of his personal/nonwork treks to visit Prairie Elk Colony several weeks before we came. The Walter family, many of whom were photographed in the article, had us to dinner (which is usually served in the dinning hall/kitchen..but because of the cold and young baby was served at their house). David is both the hog boss for the isowean unit located on the colony (with 2,400 sows) as well as the colony minister. His wife is Susanna and they have several children, including Abby. Abby, her brothers and their cousins have really helped Anne understand the ways of colony life and have answered her many,many questions over the past five years. When Gwen was born, Abby made her a beautiful, tiny version of the traditional dresses like the women in her family wear. Each colony's sewing patterns and styles vary according to which of the 3 religious sects of the group they belong.

Miss Gwennie and Ari both loved their visit. Gwen managed to sample more goldfish cracker in one sitting than in recent memory and thoroughly enjoyed her way through most of Eric's kielbasa sausage made the week before by the families. Ari was held and rocked by Abby, Susanna and cousins Barbara and Julie along with the boys..who investigated her from the couch. We didn't get as many pics as we hoped due to the nature of having two children under 2 for a visit somewhere. Hard to run a camera while you are kid wrangling! In any case, we thought you'd like the sneak peek into the weekend visit.