The West Ladies?

[GenerationCedarchip]

I got a VF catalog today in the mail(that's a whole thread by itself), and i saw a whole page in there featuring DVDs by the West ladies. I've seen them around before and keep meaning to ask what the deal is with them. Obviously, they're very handy with sewing, cooking, gardening, etc... and I'm guessing they are fundie of some variant since they are in the VF catalog. Does anyone know where they fit into everything?

 

I'd heard of a lot of the VF crowd at least in passing before this, but the Wests are new to me.

[fundies_like_zombies]

Not sure they have dvds on loads of stuff like gardening sewing and dairy and a cookbook and I think they sing too.

Didn't realise they were fundies - no idea who the dad is of the family. Must be fundie if they are in the catalogue though!! lol!!

[MamaJunebug]

Fascinating -- spent a good 5 minutes Google'ing them and have yet to find mention of the West gentleman!

Plenty of merchandising for their DVDs and CDs, though. More than one blogger describe them as mother and duaghters who moved to live off the grid in Tennessee and learned old-fashioned ways from their neighbors -- never a mention of a father.

One of their CD covers is rather defrauding for the leg-men out there. The daughters are striding toward the camera and their legs limbs can be detected easily in silhouette beneath their long, cottony, flowing skirts.

Sex sells. Everywhere. ;)

[alisonwhit]

Here's their blog thewestladies.blogspot.com/

I've always wondered about the missing father but have never heard even a whisper about him. I think Doug and Beall Phillips visited them in July this year (at least the pic in that post looks like Doug and Beall). All the daughters are old enough to get married but there's been no mention of a suitor. Their garden is unbelievable.

Edited to properly break link. Please simply remove the http:/www prefix, no need to substitute DOT for . and doing so makes things difficult for mobile platform users.

[GenerationCedarchip]

Hmm. Very interesting. It is odd that there is no mention of a suitor for any of the girls. Also, since they're obviously in the VF crowd to some degree, I wonder why you don't really see them mentioned by that group outside of the VF catalog?

[gustava]

Hmm. Very interesting. It is odd that there is no mention of a suitor for any of the girls. Also, since they're obviously in the VF crowd to some degree, I wonder why you don't really see them mentioned by that group outside of the VF catalog?

Since they mention that they homeschool, I'm assuming that at least one of the daughters has spawned.

[Janes Heir]

Bumping this because I recently watched some of their homesteading videos and got curious about the conspicuous absence of a husband/father. Seriously, a search on their blog yielded one result for the word "man".. and he was just a random guy in a store! They aren't preachy, and seem to be very independent and happy without any men. I think I'll take them for pet fundies.

[NoneandDoneinCali]

Okay, I have to be honest. Something about their lifestyle appeals to me. Maybe it's the lack of obvious Headship. It reminds me of this commune I've camped on a few times (although the commune was more spiritual than religious, and was welcoming to people of all faiths as well as atheists). I don't think I'd much enjoy homesteading full time, but sometimes. In good weather. In, like, a Marie Antoinette's pretend farmhouse way.

**The commune was also somewhat clothing optional, at least in the swimmin' hole. I might tolerate some modesty in exchange for fresh baked pie.

ETA because a person that lives on a "commune" is not necessarily a "communist."

[danvillebelle]

I happily and unabashedly admit that I LOVE the West ladies. We have several of their DVDs (bread, dairy, canning, sewing, soap-making) and have watched and re-watched them numerous times. Their hamburger bun/cinnamon roll dough recipe is a staple for us, my daughter makes it weekly. I want the rest of the series, especially the quilting one.

I totally covet their kitchen and their farm. They are living my dream life. THAT GARDEN - just her herb garden is unreal.

They don't strike me as typical fundie at all, more just good ol' country gospel folks.

I don't know for sure, but my assumption concerning the absence of the father was that maybe he was deceased.

[Janes Heir]

Yeah, it seems most likely that the father is deceased. I got the impression that Mrs West moved out there to start home-steading with just the girls, which maybe as a feminist I shouldn't find so impressive, but I do. I too like the idea of home-steading, although maybe with optional electricity and definitely only part time up here in Canada. ;)

Some of their clothing is rather fundie --skirts dragging in the dirt during gardening -- but I also like some of it. Other than the repitition of the word "blessing", they aren't obviously religious. (And I am Christian and don't mind that.) I almost can see how someone on a yuku thread thought they were lesbian hippies!

[keen23]

Perhaps the use of "blessing" is an obvious appeal to a market that they know will buy LOTS of stuff?

[pook]

Thank you for bumping this. I am going to buy a cookbook. We have so many wild violets around these parts I'm excited to try the jelly!

[GeoBQn]

At some point on their blog, they had a picture of a portrait of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Nathan Bedford Forrest that they hung in their house. They said it had been painted by a family friend with "a G-d-given talent." I posted a comment saying that I would never buy products from anybody who had a portrait of Forrest hanging in their home. Several hours later, the picture, description, and my comment were gone.

[Trynn]

Here's their blog thewestladies.blogspot.com/

I've always wondered about the missing father but have never heard even a whisper about him. I think Doug and Beall Phillips visited them in July this year (at least the pic in that post looks like Doug and Beall). All the daughters are old enough to get married but there's been no mention of a suitor. Their garden is unbelievable.

Edited to properly break link. Please simply remove the http:/www prefix, no need to substitute DOT for . and doing so makes things difficult for mobile platform users.

It's complicated for me anyway because for some reason my phone will not let me copy and paste ANYTHING from tapatalk. It's most infuriating.

[debrand]

Okay, I have to be honest. Something about their lifestyle appeals to me. Maybe it's the lack of obvious Headship. It reminds me of this commune I've camped on a few times (although the commune was more spiritual than religious, and was welcoming to people of all faiths as well as atheists). I don't think I'd much enjoy homesteading full time, but sometimes. In good weather. In, like, a Marie Antoinette's pretend farmhouse way.

**The commune was also somewhat clothing optional, at least in the swimmin' hole. I might tolerate some modesty in exchange for fresh baked pie.

ETA because a person that lives on a "commune" is not necessarily a "communist."

Me too. This is weird but I love the idea of living off the grid while simultaneously loving almost every bit of technology every created. I know that makes no sense whatsoever. So, I am always looking up ways to be self sufficient even though I have no plans to give up my cell phone or computer.

Slightly off topic but sometimes the 'female' arts like sewing and cooking get derided as less important and too typically girlie to respect. I own a pillow case that my great grandmother took the time to embroider a simple pattern onto its edges. From what my grandmother tells me, her mom was a busy woman who worked in a mill, did farm work with her husband and served as a midwife/herbalist to other people. Yet, she still took the time to make her surroundings more beautiful. We don't think of things like my great grandmother's pillow case or a delicious meal as art, but they are.

[Ethdyl]

Bumping this up to ask if anyone has found out anything else about the West Ladies. I have been watching the DVDs and I'm really intrigued as to why none of the girls are married.

[AKaySenoj]

Bumping this up to ask if anyone has found out anything else about the West Ladies. I have been watching the DVDs and I'm really intrigued as to why none of the girls are married.

I came here curious about these girls. A FB friend posted this: youcaring.com/vicki-west-jasmine-west-cecelia-west-and-hannah-west-390004#.Va5SNBi4dBg.facebook

He added the following to his post:

" wanted to share this because these ladies are so dear to our family. We've visited with them several times and been very encouraged by what the Lord is doing in their lives. Their husband/father, as well as their only son/brother, have abandon the ladies of the family to provide for themselves and rely on others for help. They're very hard working and provide much of their own needs, but building even a small house takes a sizable amount. And after visiting them last month, we were able to witness the need they really have for a house, since they're currently in a camper.

Thank you!"