Indiana Amish

Name that Amish item

What is this?  I bought it at an Amish variety store in Adams County, Indiana, earlier this summer, for $3. To make things more fun, the first one to guess correctly wins a back issue of the Connection magazine. I have no idea if you’ll find this easy or difficult, but I’ll be checking back in on this post to see if anyone’s hit it–and…

10 views of northern Indiana Amish

After yesterday’s Arthur Amish photos, here’s another ten–from the northern Indiana Amish of Elkhart and Lagrange Counties. I’ll be taking all next week off from posting (family vacation), but will return to a regular blogging schedule Monday Sep. 19.  In the meantime, we’re doing a little contest. I’ve got a few back issues of Amish magazine The Connection to give away (The Connection is headquartered…

Amish trip roundup and highlights

Two weeks, 5 states, 15 communities. Five (plus) pounds. It was a whirlwind trip as I packed a month of visiting into 2 weeks of time.  I spent the past weekend zonked out and resting up (3700 road miles will do that to you). But I’ve recovered enough to put together a collection of highlights from my recent Amish trip: Dessert at the home of…

|

Amish races in Ohio

If you’re near Hicksville, Ohio, tomorrow, you might want to drop in on the Defiance County fair for one of America’s rarest sporting events: I picked this flyer up at the Topeka auction house here in Indiana.  I found the terms of the race pretty interesting–“a limit of five horses per race”;  “all drivers must wear a helmet”;  “any type of cart or buggy may…

Mystery shack explained?

Mystery shack explained?

We got a lot of interesting guesses on the Allen County mystery shack.  Everything from a portable toilet to a shepherd shelter to an Amish buggy camper. Now, I will preface this by saying that being Sunday, I did not have a chance to confirm.  But I’m pretty sure this: has to do with this: That’s an Amish school in Allen County.  Bigger than you’d…

What is this thing?

SMV triangle, streamlined top, mini-door.  What is this thing?  A road-ready chicken coop? I took this photo yesterday in the Allen County (Grabill) Indiana Amish settlement. Today I’m off to Michigan.  Will have more on this photo tomorrow, but til then, what do you think?

Amish Architecture

The Amish home is changing When you visit Amish communities, can you pick out the Amish homes? As a general rule, the more conservative the community, the easier it is to tell the Amish dwellings from the English. The lack of power lines is one giveaway.  So is the style and design.  A Swartzentruber Amish farm home has a distinct angular look to it.  The (often…

What are your Indiana Amish favorites?

Last week’s Lancaster County favorites post has been getting some nice suggestions.  Lot of food places and Amish businesses, plus some rather off-the-beaten path recommendations like Amos Hoover’s library and the Lititz area. Lindsay asked if we could do the same for Elkhart and Lagrange Counties in Indiana (i.e. Shipshewana, Middlebury, and so on).   I’d even open it up to nearby Nappanee, and for…