We’ve been seeing a fair share of Amish barn moves lately. This one, from Clymer, New York (Chautauqua County), stands out – because it was filmed entirely from above, using a drone. You get a great bird’s eye view of the whole process, which looks like it involved at least 100 men. The move happened just a couple of weeks ago – Saturday, May 31st,…
Shawn C. Cranston has been found guilty: Meadville, Pa (WJET/WFXP)– Guilty on all charges — That’s the verdict in the trial of Shawn Cranston, the man accused of murdering a pregnant Amish woman last year in Sparta Township. It took the jury less than three hours to find Shawn Cranston guilty on all charges in the murder of Rebekah Byler and her unborn child. Rebekah…
The plea agreement for Samantha Jo Petersen, facing 17 charges (including six counts of vehicular homicide) will have her pleading guilty to just two counts – one count of criminal vehicular homicide and one count of criminal vehicular operation. The rest of the charges will be dismissed. Samantha has admitted consuming methamphetamine and then hitting a buggy in a September 2023 crash in Fillmore County,…
The biggest news of Day Three of the Shawn Cranston trial came from the testimony of a fellow inmate. An inmate named Joseph Burch claimed that Cranston confessed to killing pregnant Amish mother Rebekah Byler to him while the two were at the Crawford County, PA Correctional Facility. If you missed them, here are the recaps of Trial Day One and Day Two. Some of…
From CNY Central: CLAYTON, N.Y. — The New York State Police are investigating an amish buggy crash in Jefferson County which sent two young children to the hospital. On June 11, 2025, at 3:46 p.m. State Police responded to County Route 3 in the town of Clayton for a vehicle collision. Investigation revealed that a 2023 Dodge Challenger was traveling westbound on County Route 3…
A township in Ogenaw County, Michigan is welcoming a new Amish settlement. And by the sound of the report at the Ogemaw County Herald, they are getting quite a warm welcome indeed. Edwards Township Treasurer Ellen Fournier had this to say: “The township would like to welcome them and we want to make everyone aware that there are a lot of new families out here,”…
Yesterday (June 10th) was Day Two of the trial of Shawn C. Cranston for the killing of Rebekah Byler and her unborn child, ongoing in the Crawford County, Pennsylvania Judicial Center (here’s Day One if you missed it). Testimony focused on a red Jeep seen at the Byler’s residence on the morning she was killed, his DNA which was found on part of a glove…
The trial of Shawn C. Cranston began yesterday at 1pm, following jury selection. I’ve pulled from reporting from several sources to provide a rundown of the first day of trial. The judge expects the trial to take several days. Rebekah Byler’s husband Andy Byler testified yesterday, as did the first officer on the scene of her murder as well as a forensic state trooper. First,…
Now for something a bit different – an Amish-owned modular home. It’s not the first modular or mobile home we’ve featured (by my count, it’s the third), but I’d say it’s the coziest – hence the title. This one comes to us from Princeton, Missouri (Mercer County), home to a pair of Amish communities – one a good-sized one of over 600 people. Sometimes people are…
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is home to the largest and best-known Amish community in the country. It’s a place where traditional ways of life thrive alongside the modern world, offering an opportunity for cultural connection. From buggy rides and farm visits to family dinners and scenic train rides, there’s no shortage of meaningful ways to experience Amish Country. Here are 10 engaging tours and activities that…
Well so they teased us with one great song…and then delivered another great song – nice one there guys! 😉 Several days ago, I posted a 23-second clip that Ben & Rose released of a new song they are apparently working on (a cover of “Dream of Me”) – expecting that the full version would be out soon. But instead of that, they’ve just released…
It was initially reported Wednesday that “a child was severely injured in a crash involving a horse and buggy in Lancaster County Wednesday morning.” Now there are more details on how the crash occurred – due to a startled horse. From Fox 43: LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Update (Thursday, June 5 at 3:15 a.m.): Pa. State Police announced that the crash occurred when the horse…
Northern Indiana – Elkhart and LaGrange Counties (along with nearby Nappanee) – is home to one of the largest Amish communities in the United States. The area’s rich cultural heritage – with its heart in the town of Shipshewana – is reflected in its culinary offerings, with numerous restaurants serving traditional Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. From hearty buffets to cozy family diner-style venues, these…
Well, this is something. From Valley News Live: CLEARWATER COUNTY, Minn. (Valley News Live) – A Bagley woman has been charged with assault and reckless driving after an incident Friday in Clearwater County. Court documents state Jamie Harmon intentionally rammed into another vehicle, an Amish buggy, with her motor vehicle while the other vehicle was occupied. Harmon apparently managed to flip her SUV in the…
About 10 days ago, Amish music couple Ben & Rose released a short clip of a new song on their channel: “Dream of Me” (written by Jimmy Darrell, Raleigh Squires, and Buddy Cannon). I held off from sharing it – because I figured that the release of the Short meant that the full song would be just around the corner. Well, it still might appear…
Unlike some other health myths about the Amish, this is a claim that evidence suggests is true. The BBC takes a look at this phenomenon – and wonders if we non-Amish can enjoy the same benefits: The Amish have gripped the imaginations of Hollywood scriptwriters, documentary makers and sociologists for decades. But in the past 10 years, their way of life has become of increasing…
Over the past two months, horse owners in Kent County, Delaware – in particular the Amish – have seen their horses dying suddenly from an unknown illness. “Sudden” as in fine one day, gone the next. But thankfully, the good work of veterinarians has likely put an end to that. From Delaware Online: A mysterious illness has been killing horses in Kent County in the…
Compared to the last barn move we saw, this one is a lot more straightforward. But still quite impressive. The Amish – reportedly 300 of them (though again I’m not always sure how accurate these numbers are) – pick up and move a 45′ x 72′ pole barn. They carry it directly forward to its new resting spot, for a distance of what looks a…
If you’re spending time in the Holmes County Amish community and looking for a good place to eat, you’ve got plenty of good options. The area is known for hearty, homestyle cooking—think broasted chicken, real mashed potatoes, fresh-baked pies, and plenty of comfort food made from scratch. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveler, these establishments – from hearty buffets to Amish-run bakeries…
The Witmer, Pennsylvania Fire Protective Association reported last week about a male person being run over by an “Amish-style wooden hay wagon”. Witmer is an area near the heart of Lancaster County, PA, a stone’s throw from better-known locales like Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse. It is an area heavily-inhabited by Amish residents, and in all likelihood this accident involved an Amish person. Some outlets are (potentially…
In another remarkable video, a whole lot of Amish people pick up and “walk” a large barn structure to a new location on the property. There aren’t a ton of details given – no explanation of why the barn is being moved. But overall, this might be the most complex Amish barn move I’ve come across – in a long line of them (more on…
Not long before he passed away in 2021, Don Shenk shared with me a wonderful collection of his Amish Country images. Don took some beautiful photos over the years (mostly in Lancaster County, PA), compiling them in photo books. We had a look at one selection of his images in this 2021 post. I recently have been looking back through what Don shared with me,…
The Ultimate Mud Sale Guide | Jump to full 2025 Mud Sale Schedule OR scroll down 2025 Mud Sale Guide (22 Sales) When are the mud sales in Lancaster County? The Lancaster County mud sale schedule for 2025 is now available, with the first event happening soon (February 21 & 22 at Strasburg Fire Company). What is a “Mud Sale”? How did it get the…
After three prior postponements, it looks like the trial of Shawn C. Cranston is happening. Cranston faces trial for the murder of Amish woman Rebekah Byler and her unborn child, soon set to proceed in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Jury selection is happening today (June 9), according to the Erie Times-News: In jail without bond since his March 2, 2024, arraignment, Cranston, 53, returned to a…