Plain publications help Amish maintain ties and promote Old Order Christian values
Amish produce a number of newspapers, books, and other publications. Following is ordering information for three Amish resources:
- Family Life-a general-interest magazine from Pathway Publishers in Ontario
- The Budget-Sugarcreek, Ohio newspaper which covers both local news, and produces a “national edition” with letters from Amish scribes
- Raber’s Bookstore-an Ohio Amish-owned bookstore that carries a wide variety of Bibles, songbooks, educational books, and Amish publications
Family Life
Family Life is a magazine published by Pathway Publishers of Aylmer, Ontario. Family Life features stories that teach morals, pieces on Amish history, articles discussing faith issues and challenges to living a Christian life, parenting, medical advice, as well as uplifting poems and drawings.
Family Life’s editors produce much of the content, but also publish a large number of reader contributions. Letters from readers and notes from the editor are included as well.
Readership is Amish and Mennonite, and also includes readers from outside Plain circles. Subscriber totals exceed 30,000. Family Life has a plain appearance, and is printed in black-and-white. The cover features a hand-drawn illustration, as well as that issue’s table of contents.
Along with Family Life, Pathway publishes 2 companion publications, Young Companion and Blackboard Bulletin.
Young Companion is addressed to Amish youth and examines issues of relevance to adolescents. Pieces in Young Companion often taking the form of fictional pieces that teach moral lessons, or advice stories from older adults.
Blackboard Bulletin is a teacher’s publication and focuses on education. It is widely-read by teachers of Amish parochial schools.
Since Pathway offers a package subscription deal, many Amish families receive all three.
Family Life, Young Companion, and Blackboard Bulletin can all be ordered from Pathway at this address:
Pathway Publishers
Route 4
Aylmer, Ontario
N5H 2R3
Price is $12 per year for 11 issues (August-September is a double issue). A year’s subscription to all three magazines can be had for the discounted price of $24.
The Budget
The Sugarcreek, Ohio Budget has been published since 1890. The Budget comes in two editions: the Local Edition, and the National Edition. The National Edition has as its motto “Serving the Amish-Mennonite Communities Throughout the Americas”.
The National Edition consists primarily of letters from mostly Amish and Mennonite “scribes”, who write in to report on local happenings. Topics covered by scribes include births, deaths, weddings, visitors, the weather, the state of crops, and so on.
The Local Edition consists of the National Edition, along with additional coverage of area news.
Subscription requests should be sent to:
The Budget
P.O. Box 249
Sugarcreek, OH 44681
The Budget phone number is (330)852-4634, and the fax is (330) 852-4421. Once placing your order, it takes 2-3 weeks to receive the first issue.
Current (2010) subscription rates for the National Edition are as follows:
6 months $30.00
1 year $42.00
2 years $77.00
Rates for the Local Edition:
Local Edition (OH subscribers)
6 months $30.00
1 year $42.00
2 years $77.00
Local Edition (outside OH)
6 months $32.00
1 year $48.00
2 years $89.00
Individuals wishing to try a sample issue of The Budget can do so by sending $4 to the above address.
Raber’s Bookstore
Raber’s Bookstore, located in Holmes County, sells a wide variety of Bibles, German language books, Bible stories, Christian and inspirational books, books written by and about the Amish, and hymnals.
The 2010 catalog, for example, includes Egermeier’s Bible Stories ($17.95), the Ausbund songbook ($7.50 for the standard version; $22 for “Ausbund Translation”), and McGuffey Readers ($9.95-12.95 per volume, or $77. 65 for the set of 7). You can get a Martyrs Mirror for $40, or the book Sunshine and Shadow, an account of an Amish attempt to settle in Honduras in the 1970s, for $9.50.
Raber’s sells by mail order. The mailing address for Raber’s is:
Raber’s Bookstore
2467 County Road 600
Baltic, OH 43804
Write to request a full catalog. The catalog includes these instructions:
Following is a list of current prices on our books. Prices are subject to change at any time. Please feel free to place order and pay upon receipt of invoice. Please be sure to include your name, address, account number and phone number with your order. We ship our books media mail which is “Slow” mail. We will gladly ship priority mail (at additional cost) which then you would have your order in approx. 2-5 days. If your order is for your church or school please mark it on the order form to receive a 10% discount. Aden and Mary Raber
If you’re in the area, you can also drop in to the bookstore at the above address. When I last visited Raber’s Bookstore in April, Aden and Mary were in the process of expanding to a new facility, much larger than the current store, which is/was housed in a converted milk house. The new building is located at the same location, but will have much more floor space.
Other Amish publications and bookstores
There are a number of other newspapers and publications produced and read by Amish and Mennonites. These include Die Botschaft, Die Blatt, The Diary, Plain Interests, The Fishwrapper, The Pinecraft Pauper, and others.
Other Amish bookstores and publishers include Gordonville Bookstore and Print Shop in Lancaster County, PA (275 Old Leacock Rd. Gordonville, PA 17529), as well as Pathway Bookstore, a branch of Pathway Publishers, in Lagrange County, Indiana (2580N 250W LaGrange, Indiana 46761).
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23 responses to Family Life, The Budget, and Raber’s Bookstore- addresses and ordering info
I have at least two Amish relatives that run successful publications.
My aunt compiles a magazine called Ladies Journal and has 2,000 subscribers and growing. She accepts contributions from non-Amish writers. Believe it or not there is a Facebook page for the magazine. She accepts credit card payments via a credit card terminal that is powered by a solar panel on the roof of her house.
My cousin’s husband is the publisher of Plain Communities Business Exchange, a business-oriented newspaper that has around 6,000 subscribers.
Family Life, The Budget, and Raber’s Bookstore- addresses and ordering info
Frage:
Wie kann ich die Deutsche Druckschrift bekommen?
Hallo, Schreiben Sie Raber’s Bookstore in Charm, Ohio. MfG, WiedertauferMuesse
Mike, thanks for reminding me about Plain Communities Business Exchange, should have added it to the list. Great publication.
Had not heard of Ladies Journal, but just checked out Facebook. Nice! Very “non-Amish” cover logo
Hello Erik on this Labor Day. Do you also know about the magazine “Keepers at Home”? I have subscribed for a couple of years.
Here’s info:
Keepers at Home
2673 Township Road 421
Sugarcreek, OH 44681
Best to you, Erik.
Hey Ann, hope you are not laboring too much today yourself!
Thank you for posting the info for Keepers at Home. I am familiar with it and know that it is popular in some Amish households but haven’t had a chance to read it much myself.
For that matter if anyone else has subscriber/contact info for any publication I’ve missed here, please post!
Five years ago I subscibed to the Budget. I expected more information about the Amish Community, but was disappointed.
I am an ‘Outsider’ but respect the Amish life style and am very interested in the Amish.
At times I wished I lived next to them.
I did buy some DVDs about the Amish which was very informative.
I also purchased some Amish photos from Bill Coleman.
I am always interested in photos of the Amish, especially children.
If any of you you have some additional information about the Amish let me know.
Family Life, The Budget, and Raber’s Bookstore- addresses and ordering info
Books and resources on the Amish
The Budget is not really a guide to the Amish but rather a communication tool used by Amish. It allows them (and other Plain People) to exchange information and follow events occurring in other communities.
So maybe that is why you found it lacking George. It’s a bit like tapping into a wide conversation, where the main topics are local events, the weather, etc.
For more info on Amish culture, religion, and society, there are a lot of great books out there. Here’s a short list: http://amishamerica.com/recommended-amish-resources/
Or have a look through this website, particularly the Amish Online Encyclopedia, which currently has 75 articles on Amish life: http://amishamerica.com/amish-online-encyclopedia/
Family Life, The Budget, and Raber’s Bookstore- addresses and ordering info
Erik, you would have the address to die Botschaft?
Don’t forget Die Botschaft
420 Weaver Road
Millersburg, PA 17061
Editor: Elam Lapp
Phone: 717.433.4417
Erik, looks like Terry stepped up here! Thanks Terry
there are some others I might add here when I can dig the addresses up: Plain Interests, the Fishwrapper, and there is another interesting one out of Indiana I read while in PA recently: The Connection. Features Amish columnists from different communities in KY, IN, PA
Hello
I am a German woman of 46 years and would like to get a contact to an Amish woman who would like to write letters to me and whom I can write to?
My address is
Heidi Muell
Ziegelfeld 22a
D – 85419 Mauern
Thank you very much! I see forward to a letter!
Often with my group tours of Holmes county, I take them to “The Budget” in Sugarcreek. In a way, it is like “facebook” in print. I especially draw attention to Page 19. There is a section called, “Shower Section.” It highlights the special needs of the Amish in reference to medical and financial hardships. Example ~ “Let’s have a thinking of you and money shower for Dan Miller. He had an accident at work and will be out of work for 8 weeks. God loves a cheerful giver.
Then if follows with who submitted the request and gives the recipients address.
Family Life, The Budget, and Raber’s Bookstore- addresses and ordering info
Since I just happened to stumble across this I’ll give you info for The Fishwrapper.
234 East Rosebud Road
Myerstown, PA 17067
(717) 933-8091
(717) 933-8017 fax
info@littlemountainprinting.com
thefishwrapperonline.com
Also be sure to check out our new book release – “Grand Ole Fishwrapper Stories – Volume 1″ This is some of the best stories from 1999-2003.
Hello Erik,
I have a farm for sale in Ky that I would like to advertise to the Amish, what would be the best way, newspaper if so which one?
Hi Clint, the Budget is one of the most widely read papers and may be a good bet. If no Amish live in your area already, it may be a challenge to sell to Amish, unless there is other land available where other families could settle as well and create a church.
Erik, thanks for the info, I did put an ad in the Budget sometime ago but wasnt sure if that was the best place, and yes their is plenty of room here thousands of acres for sale including mine, some of the closest families are 15 miles from here. Please feel free to pass this info on to anyone looking for land I can be reached at my e-mail taborfarm@ymail.com and I will check this fourm.
Thanks, Clint Tabor
Family Life, The Budget, and Raber’s Bookstore- addresses and ordering info
I just happen to have my Plain Interests here. Subscription costs $16.00 a year in the U.S. or $25.00 a year in Canada. Their address is:
Plain Interests
420 Weaver Road
Millersburg, Pa.17061
They do not accept credit cards-a check or money order is what they take. I just noticed my subscription expired so I better send them in a check.
Sincerely,
Marilyn
I would like to become pen-pals with others who enjoy learning about the Amish. I have a great respect for the Amish and Mennonite’s. If anyone would be interested in becoming pen-pals please write me at Aletha Lee 1909 Heckle St Augusta Ga 30904.
I also subscribe to the LADIES JOURNAL and it is a nice magazine….lots of reading it it.
May subscribe to the Florida paper or buy the book, can someone tell me a little about both?
I think the Budget is a bit too expensive…..is there a way to get a complimentary copy, before subscribing…That’s why I subscribe to the Ladies Journal….I called and asked if I could get one and they sent me one…… then I subscribed…..
And does anyone know anything about “The Fishwrapper” paper ? Very interesting name !!!
Family Life, The Budget, and Raber’s Bookstore- addresses and ordering info
Thanks for the info. The Plain folk are so very honest when it comes to business. It was a pleasure to run upon your site.
I’m Indian. I shall visit the US from 5th April to 30th June this year. I want to live in an amish community for some time. Kindly arrange to provide me information so that my dream is fulfilled!
Regards.
Family Life
Is there any way I can get just 1 issue of Family Life to try before I subscribe?
Thanks, Susan
dszimmerman1@aol.com
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