Everywhere in Ephraim there are signs of humanity, of both the lost and the living, rich with texture and personality.  One can easily imagine the generations whose strong hands carved the past and their descendants who will craft the future.  The old work ethic remains alive in Ephraim and the surrounding small communities, and their current inhabitants' communal practices, while seeming old-fashioned to outsiders, work toward commercial successes despite the ever-present harsh natural environment of scarcity.