I don’t believe we’ve yet seen inside a Mississippi Amish home, so I couldn’t pass this one up. That’s in part because Mississippi has such a small Amish population – just one community of around 160-some people. For an Amish community in the Deep South, you wouldn’t expect to see a lot of icy precipitation. But when these photos were taken, the area (Pontotoc in…
Following yesterday’s report of a drive-by robbery of an Amish teen in Jackson County, Ohio, a suspect is behind bars. Good work by law enforcement and an unnamed local citizen: Authorities have successfully captured the suspect believed to be involved in the armed robbery of an Amish teen in Jackson County. The arrest came following intensive efforts by law enforcement, culminating in the apprehension of…
When I do posts and videos showing the insides of Amish homes, often enough you’ll be able to see fuel sources such as propane tanks and kerosene, used for lighting, cooking and other purposes. People frequently wonder whether these sources of heat and light are safe. I asked Ben about this and he gives his answer in the video below. The types of fuel (and…
An Ohio Amish teenager was robbed at gunpoint yesterday evening, and deputies are now seeking the suspect. This happened in Jackson County in the area of Beaver. From the Scioto Post: Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputies are actively investigating an armed robbery incident that occurred on Thursday evening, involving an Amish teenager traveling on Cove Road. Dispatchers received a report just after 5:30 p.m. indicating that…
This is one of the smallest Amish homes we’ve looked at (but not the smallest). The floor space is actually just a hair above 1K, at 1,028 square feet. What we most likely have here is a classic case: growing Amish family needs more room. This home is in Hancock, Wisconsin (Waushara County), home to an Amish community which has been around since the early…
Mike Kinsey’s garage was moved to its new location on Saturday – thanks to a volunteer team of Amish and non-Amish people. Nelson Troyer, the Amishman in charge of the move, gathered 70 Amish people, and put out the call for 70 more to join from the non-Amish community. And enough responded to get the job done. They ended up with “more than 100” people….
Another feel-good story for your Friday – at least “part one” of the story. An Amish man named Nelson Troyer is spearheading an effort to move the garage of a non-Amish neighbor. Mike Kinsey lost his home in flooding on the Yellowstone River in 2022. The move is happening tomorrow and Troyer is looking to have 150+ people to get the job done. Amish moving…
Back in December, while on the way up to Goot Essa cheese, Ben and I stopped in at an Amish farm food business we happened upon along the way. Spring Bank Acres is located in Penns Valley and is run by Raymond Fisher and his wife Mary. I realized I hadn’t shared this yet, so here are some photos from that day and our travel…
A viewer writes/asks: “My understanding is that the church bishop makes decisions on what is and isn’t allowed for their community.” I’ve found this is a common belief: the bishops are “in charge”, and in some cases wield heavy hands on their flocks. It fits with certain perceptions of the Amish as an insular, conservative religious community to have a dominant figure at the center,…
In the past week, court documents were unsealed that revealed new details in the Rebekah Byler murder case. Much of it concerns the behavior of the man charged with the crimes, Shawn C. Cranston, as well as relevant evidence (and what he may have done with it). There are also new details on Cranston’s prior contact with the Amish – both with other members of…
This may have been my favorite video to put together. In it, I show Ben several Amish-themed memes and get his reaction. And by reaction, I mean not only whether he finds them funny. But we also hear from Ben how plausible or true-to-life each one is. I’m not going to put a lot of screen shots in this post so as not to spoil…
Almost exactly one year ago it was reported the Amish were leaving Tripp, South Dakota. The community had been around for over a decade, and represented the only Amish presence in the state at the time. I had found examples of Amish homes for sale at Tripp prior to this news coming out and speculated that the settlement was winding down. However, a year later it…
Last month we heard from Marlene Lehman, who belongs to an Amish church in Shipshewana, Indiana. In that post, she shared what her typical day looks like in a video excerpt from our longer conversation. Here in Part 2 with Marlene, we start by discussing the importance of the Amish tourist industry in her area. Then she shares a fun anecdote about tourists (Marlene used…
Shawn C. Cranston, accused in the killing of Amish mother Rebekah Byler, had a preliminary hearing on Friday, March 15th. It lasted over three hours and saw more than 10 witnesses called to testify. After looking at reporting from the case, I’ve put together some of the takeaways here, compiled from several reports linked within this post.  1) Cranston as Amish taxi driver Cranston…
Amish vs. non-Amish in a competitive basketball game? In Geauga County, Ohio, home to the world’s fourth-largest Amish settlement, it happens every year in a charity event, pitting Amish against non-Amish teams. The purpose is to raise money for the local DDC Clinic, which helps children with rare genetic disorders. This is something I’d heard about, but hadn’t ever had a chance to share here…
Of the ten people involved in the Amish van accident last week, only one survived – an approximately two-year-old Amish boy named Micah Schrock. Not long after, an account emerged of how the boy made it through the catastrophic wreck in west-central Wisconsin.  A former Marine named Nathaniel Jahn was fortunately on the scene right as the accident happened. From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: The…
 Some very sad news following a road accident in Wisconsin Friday. A vanload of Amish people was struck by a semi in Clark County (west-central Wisconsin) while on a trip to visit family. From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: As many as 7 of the 9 people killed in the second-deadliest crash in state history Friday are members of an Amish community from Burke’s Garden in…
That’s the question Lancaster County Judge Thomas Sponaugle asked in the ongoing legal saga between Amish dairy farmer Amos Miller and the state of Pennsylvania. “Why doesn’t Amos Miller just go get a permit … just like every other Amish farmer in the county and commonwealth does if they want to sell raw milk?” the judge asked. “Doesn’t he see in his heart that’s all…
In this video (at bottom), Ben Riehl shares some of his story with us. We talk about his job, past work, and family. Then he answers some more questions, including on telephones, pizza, and the difference between Amish in northern and southern Lancaster County. There are also a couple of brief cameo appearances, by Ben’s wife Mary and son Jay Lester. We end with Ben’s…
When are the mud sales in Lancaster County? (Jump to full 2024 Mud Sale Schedule) 2024 Mud Sale Guide (22 Sales) The Lancaster County mud sale schedule for 2024 is now available, with the first event happening just over a week from now (February 23 & 24 at Strasburg Fire Company). These Amish-heavy events draw members of the community and outside visitors in support of the…