A Legacy Of Farming And Faith

Between 1915 and 1955 Walter Diffenderfer Keener and Ada Bender Longenecker Keener reared 10 children: Edwin, Samuel, Mary, Walter "Bud" Jr., Virgie, John, Harold, Lincoln, Helen and Barbara.

These children addressed their parents as Mama and Papa. The family adhered to the Plain Mennonite traditions of the times.

Walter and Ada's children gave them 57 grandchildren. That's right, I have 49 first cousins just on my father's side. We cousins in turn generated 149 great-grandchildren and, so far, 81 great- great grandchildren.

What has become a large tapestry of descendants began with one young couple married in Rapho Township on Oct. 14, 1913. In 1931 the Keeners moved to a larger farm near Elizabethtown.

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Grandpa Keener helped my father and several uncles to buy their own farms. Having a vested interest, grandpa frequented the farms to make repairs and renovations to barns and sheds. When he came to our farm I helped him with his projects, kind of the farm version of a bat boy.

I have distinct memories of helping grandpa build fences. First we dug the post holes. Next we cut the oak posts and rails. Then, holding my nose, we applied creosote on the post to retard rotting.

Mixing concrete and setting posts were two important details of constructing a fence. We would portion out crushed stone, shovel in a measured amount of cement then manually blended the ingredients.

My least favorite part was holding the hose as grandpa mixed in the water. I say "least favorite" because grandpa was fussy about how this was done.

After placing the post in the hole, I held it steady while grandpa tamped the dirt at the bottom before pouring in the concrete. When the concrete dried we attached the rails. I held one end while grandpa nailed the other.

All this required focused attention and efficiency, qualities that grandpa taught, demonstrated and expected.

A strong, straight fence can be a work of art. It's a fitting analogy of the values, work ethic and Christian faith that characterized the legacy and heritage bestowed to my generation. From this experience I've gleaned principles that give strength to life and relationships:

Dig deep enough to lay a firm foundation.

Combine the correct ingredients so the outcome is strong and durable.

Hold steady while things settle.

To make the best impression, hit Porsche Design Watches the nail squarely on the head. (Don't put your thumb between the hammer and the nail, as cursing was strictly forbidden.)

Work until the task is completed.

Fifty years ago, most of my cousins lived on farms. Today we have more diverse lifestyles and vocations. We are soccer moms and NASCAR dads. Some are Republicans. Some are Democrats. Most of us have televisions in our family rooms and white wall tires on our cars. (Well, I guess white wall tires are a thing of the past.)

While we are no longer all Mennonite in religious affiliation, the Mennonite family farm is at the heart of our heritage. There is something glorious about farming even considering the dust from drought, the mud from a downpour and the demanding physical labor required for the work.

Some time ago my minister articulated a concept in a sermon that I think d
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