Amish auctions, muddy and non-muddy

The Amish auction, or quite simply, ‘sale’, is an institution.

It’s a social event, family outing, and chance for a good deal wrapped up into one.

Sales of personal items occur when grandparents pass away.  Members of the community may also donate items for a sale that benefits a local cause, such as a medical center or fire station.

Horses, farm implements, and quilts are among the numerous items bid upon by Amish and non-Amish attendees.

Produce auctions are big in Lagrange County, Indiana, with buyers and sellers trekking weekly to the auction center east of Shipshewana.  Many come down from Amish communities in Michigan as well.

On Fridays in Daviess County in southern Indiana, it can be hard to catch any Amish at home, especially the men.

Wives often suggest you check for the hubby ‘down at Dinky’s’.  ‘Dinky’s’ is the enormous sale complex that is a center of Amish social life in this community.

Lancaster County runs ‘Mud Sales’ every spring, named for the soggy condition of the fields they are held in, visible in the photo here.

Mud sales often benefit the local volunteer fire department, of which many Amish are often members.