Visit to St. Jacobs

21 November 2009

St. Jacobs is a small farming village located in the region of Waterloo, which is about 2 hours drive from Toronto. It is a popular place for tourism due to its Mennonite heritage. The region of Waterloo is home to almost 20,000 Mennonites, with about 30 different kinds, ranging from the most traditional Old Order and Amish to modern Mennonites who are fully integrated into society.

The early history of Mennonites starts in the German and Dutch-speaking parts of central Europe. The Old Order Mennonites have the strictest practices that practice a lifestyle without certain elements of modern technology. The only vehicle they drive is a horse-drawn black buggy, and their farm may not have electricity. Other aspect of the Old Order Mennonite life is concerned with plainness that is considered a virtue. As such, they are usually dressed in black or plain dresses or pants with straw hats or bonnets.

Some of the other groups can drive cars, but the cars have to be black with no radios. Some homes have electricity and phones but abolutely no other technology. In the Old Order tradition, the youngest son gets the farm, but he has to provide a home for his parents for the rest of their lives. It is called a dawdey haus.

The meeting house, on Sunday mornings, has more than 150 horses and buggies tied to the post. The women go into the left side of the building and the men on the right. Young people enter via the rear doors. Women and men sit separate from each other. The 2 hour Sunday service is all in German. Singing is done without a piano or organ. There is no electricity.

The Three Bridges School is the only public school that is attended by the Mennonites children. Most will complete their formal education at the end of 8th grade. None will attend secondary school or university. While the language of the community is a German dialect, only English is allowed once inside the school compound. Teachers have only gone to 8th grade but they get together during the summer to learn from each other and plan programs. The school year ends after the first week in June when all the families attend a picnic on the school grounds.

While academic success is important, of more importance to the parents is how well their children behave, respect authority, cooperate with each other and develop strong working habits. All education expenses are paid by the community. They pay regular taxes like the rest of us, but the Old Order generation does not accept any handouts from the government like health benefits or pensions. Neither do they have insurance on anything.

Dating is not allowed until age 18. The marriage of the daughters will take at least 8 handstiched quilts to her first farm home. Old Order families average about 8 children. There are no divorces or separations in the Old Order communities.


Most of the families are farmers and they bring their produces to the local Farmer's Markets for sales. Fresh and abundant stocks of vegetables and fruits. Take note of the farms along the Three Bridges Road. Any with green roofs on any of the buildings are Old Order Mennonite farms. The land is worked by horses instead of tractors.


Apple Fritters ~ my favourite dessert. Red apples are peeled and sliced into apple rings, which is then dipped in batter and deep-fried. Top with delicious vanilla ice-cream and feel the warm crispy fritters melt in the sweet creamy coolness of the ice-cream...yummy!!!


Family dining can be found in the Olde Heidelberg Restaurant Tavern & Motel, which serves the best pork knucker in the region. Established in 1860 originally as a stage coach stop, the Olde Heidelberg Restaurant is renowned for its generous servings of ribs, pigtails, smoked pork hocks, sausages, schnitzel, and sauerkraut etc. Also enjoy its authentic Old Bavarian style lager beer that is brewed right on the premises.


Here is the small little village of St. Jacobs, with gift shops, clothes, meat, cheese, pastry shops, cafes, restaurants, quilts, antiques stores along the road. Once in a while, little horses and buggies can be seen hurrying down the road back to their farms...the little toy train too-too its way on the round-about track...the chilly evening and the greyish sky...bye bye...