Amish Culture

With the air crisp and the calendar about to leave October behind, I thought it would be a nice time to look back at fall-related posts we’ve featured here over the years. Photos by Bill Coleman and others, the Amish and Halloween, and others follow. I hope you’re enjoying this autumn season, it has been […]

Continue Reading Amish Autumn Scenes, Pumpkins, Halloween and More (29 Photos)

Amish typically do not become doctors and nurses, but they do help save lives in other ways. For one, there is the Amish involvement in fire companies, particularly in Lancaster County, but not only there. Amish also work as Emergency Medical Technicians. Sisters Miriam and Karen Schlabach of Baltic, Ohio, are doing just that. From […]

Continue Reading Meet Amish EMT Sisters Miriam & Karen Schlabach

Several weeks ago we had Don Burke’s visit to the home of the Grabers, an Amish family in Jamesport, Missouri. This got a variety of reactions, including descriptions of the home as “very interesting”; “too modern”; “cluttered…[but] cute and homey.” Readers also noticed the high gloss paint on the ceiling and the simple electronic games […]

Continue Reading Tour An Amish Home (Jamesport, MO – 31 Photos)

What does an Amish home look like inside? That can vary. You’ll see some things appearing consistently across different church groups and communities. Still, there can be a big visual difference between a home such as this very plain one…and one that is significantly less plain. Don Burke has visited an Amish home in Jamesport, Missouri, […]

Continue Reading Inside A Missouri Amish Home (25 Photos)

Next week, Clare, Michigan plays host to the 25th edition of Horse Progress Days. This Amish-heavy event celebrates horse farming, horse-drawn equipment, and land stewardship. Previous editions have seen upwards of 20,000 attend the gathering. The event rotates through a number of locations including Leola, Pennsylvania, Arthur, Illinois, and Mt. Hope, Ohio. The mission statement of […]

Continue Reading 25th Annual Horse Progress Days – June 29-30, 2018 (Clare, MI)

Nearly 10 years ago we had a post about corner ball, a traditional game played by Amish and Old Order Mennonites. I had long heard of this game – described in depth by Richard Stevick in Growing Up Amish: The Teenage Years – and had always wanted to see it “live”. Fortunately, I had a chance […]

Continue Reading Corner Ball – Traditional Game Of The Amish & Old Order Mennonites (15 Photos)

A neat bit from Jack Brubaker’s “Scribbler” column today at Lancaster Online. Some Amish first responders are using motorized scooters to get to the firehouse faster. Here’s what one looks like: As you may know, Amish are significantly involved in volunteer firefighting and emergency response in Lancaster County. More on what makes this machine different from […]

Continue Reading Amish Firefighters & EMTs Using Motorized Scooters

Just some photos today from my (ongoing) visit to Lancaster County, PA. We had a gray day or two but the sun poked out yesterday and it was a beautiful morning. I nearly called this post “Spring in Lancaster County”, but with no green on the trees yet it’s more that in-between season between winter […]

Continue Reading Mud Season in Lancaster County (15 Photos)

TIME Magazine has a new article called “Amish People Stay Healthy in Old Age. Here’s Their Secret.” It starts with some interesting info I’d never seen before: The average American life expectancy is currently just under 79 years. Back in 1900, it was only 47, but for early–20th century Amish it was already greater than […]

Continue Reading 4 Reasons Why Amish Stay Healthy in Old Age

Following the recent post on ice cutting in Amish Iowa, reader Neil Shattuck shares a look at an ice harvest in New York. You may have wondered, how long does the ice last? You’ll find that answer and other details below. The following are Neil’s photos and comments on what we’re seeing: These photos were shot […]

Continue Reading An Amish Ice Harvest in Upstate NY