From Prussia to Russia to North America: 300 Years

Step into the last days of 18th century Prussia as the followers of Simon Menno help reclaim the vast swamp land south of Danzig bringing their expertise from the Netherlands. Travel with the "Menno-nites" as they explore Catherine the Great's offer of free land in the newly conquered lands of what she calls "south Russia."

Experience the tough choices the Czar presents a century later after they have helped make Ukraine the breadbasket of Eastern Europe. Follow along as they explore options in Canada and even the Red River Valley of Minnesota. When the choice is finally made to migrate, many families face the tough choice of leaving everything to start over in North America.

Trace some of the many families, in particular the Quiring, Siemen, Harder, and Sawatzky families, that settle in Minnesota to raise a family, develop land never farmed before, deeded to them as homesteaders, then are severely tested by the Dust Bowl years known as the Dirty Thirties. Follow along as they go from candlelight to electrification, from outhouse to indoor plumbing, and windmills to running water.