A Trip Back in Time: How Storms Were Viewed in the Old Days?

[Dick McGowan]

Derek Shaffer and I were chasing last week not too far northeast of Kansas City, and spoke to an Amish family while viewing the storm. I tried to snap a few pictures of them viewing the storm when they weren't looking, and for a few minutes, it really felt like a trip back into time. I wonder what they thought back then, what each storm would do? Very few, if any, would have been able to view enough storms in their lives to understand the behavior of storms/supercells, nor distinguish cyclic, tornado-producing machines from a powerful, multi-teared shelf cloud. Just thought I'd share a few pictures of the very old-fashioned Amish children viewing the storm.

 

[Jeff Miller]

These are incredible shots in my opinion.

There's another dimension to storm photography that is sorely lacking - the human element. I think you've captured more than a storm - you've captured american history, the feelings we once had when we didn't understand weather, the innocence of childhood and the awe of nature all in one.

Excellent, excellent work. Thank you for sharing!

 

[Adam Lucio]

Thats pretty neat. I have a little summer trailer up in Burr Oak, MI. Its all amish country around there. They come into town often and they are some of the hardest working people. They build amazing furniture. Since I bought my place there I learn a tid bit about their culture here and there and its pretty interesting.

I gotta admire them for the way they live, I know I could never do that!

 

[Steve Miller TX]

Agreed. Amazing shots, Mr. McGowan. You've captured what words cannot convey. Nicely done.

 

[Dick McGowan]

Thanks guys. I really f'd them up more than I'd like to have, some are way underexposed like this one, so I made it black and white lol.

They were very polite, friendly and the children never said a word and were very well-behaved. We talked to them for a good amount of time and when we pulled up there, had no idea they were even there. Like Adam said, they make very good furniture and are very hard working people.

 

[jason kissam]

wow very nice work and respect. thanks for sharing the humble nature and diversity of the culture.

 

[Mike Peregrine]

These are terrific - I love the first one especially because there's no indication of modern life at all. Definitely some keepers here. Wonder how hard it would be to clone out the fertilizer truck ... just to see how the second two would come out without it in the shot.

I love driving through the Jamesport area. Been a while since I've chased through there.

Great job, Dick -

 

[Chris Rice]

Very nice pictures! I dig the guy in the little wagon being pulled along by what looks like a minature horse. Awesome!

 

[Bob Schafer]

Somebody can do a better job with this than I did, but...

Yeah, too bad about the truck. I still love this pic. Always better to be underexposed than overexposed, Dick! Underexposed details can usually be recovered, but overexposed is gone.

 

[Jayson Prentice]

Have to say I like the idea for the pictures, and the pictures turned out nicely as well Dick. You said you had talked to them for a while, so do they have any idea what the storms will do via radio of some kind? Not certain on Amish standards, but I'm assuming that all they really know is what they know from previous storms, etc...

Anyway... Nice shots!

 

[Darrin Rasberry]

Have to say I like the idea for the pictures, and the pictures turned out nicely as well Dick. You said you had talked to them for a while, so do they have any idea what the storms will do via radio of some kind? Not certain on Amish standards, but I'm assuming that all they really know is what they know from previous storms, etc...

Anyway... Nice shots!

The Amish who live this style generally shun technology, although some allow it for necessity (and not vanity). Since there's a fertilizer truck in the picture, I'm assuming this family belongs to a congregation that allows the latter, and a NOAA weather radio (battery or crank-powered) would likely be allowed if it's explained that it won't pick up anything else. There may be an argument, though, that families with a radio might gain an advantage (via knowing a forecast in advance) in farming over those without NOAA radios.

 

[Dave Ewoldt]

Don't poke in very often.... but this is similar to something that I have wondered about for many chases now. Catch yourself out there looking at something that is incredible to US. Think how you feel about watching it while you KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.... and then think about what it must have been like 100/200 years ago for people that lived on these plains. I'm sure that people could see certain "signs" that led to certain weather.....but still, how mind-blowing it must have been for people out here back then that didn't have a radio/tv or any other source of information about what was going to happen to them. I think about this all the time now for some reason..... and in some respects.... wish I was back there with them.....

 

[Steve Polley]

Awesome pictures Dick. On a side note when chasing in Northern MO and Southern IA, be careful on the backroads, you never know who is over the hill. I learned this around Jamesport, MO. Their home schools let out around 200pm so be careful guys.