A Southern Yankee Meets Amish Winter and Lives to Tell the Tale (17 Photos)
Twenty years ago, I had the pleasure of spending the night in my pickup truck, heater on blast, in the parking lot of a Middlefield, Ohio, gas station. The reason? A heavy, early-April lake effect snowstorm had caught me off guard while I was in the area selling books.
The roads too slick to exit town, and nary a hotel bed to be found, I did what I could with what I had. Call it a memorable evening.
I must not learn my lessons very well, because last week the story repeated – in the very same Geauga County Amish community.
I emerged into the early evening darkness from a meeting (more on that later) to find snow pouring down and inches already accumulated on the road.
A passing snowplow gave me fleeting confidence that I might continue on my journey. But I soon learned that wasn’t going to happen, as my wheels began spinning out when I came to an unplowed section of road, as snow continued dumping down.
Not in the rental car I had, anyway. Rentals with Florida license plates tend not to have snow tires attached.
Fortunately for me, there was a family who took pity on this Southern Yankee*, providing the comfiest bed of the trip, plus a cup of coffee and a slice of breakfast kapsa boi. So this Geauga snow incident was decidedly more enjoyable than the last.
The next day, the roads were much more navigable, so I was able to get around the community a bit.
I stopped in at some businesses – though fewer than I would have liked, as I dared not drive down the long, unplowed Amish farm lanes – beckoning with signs promising “Pure Maple Syrup” – with my Sunshine State wheels.
But I did manage to see enough, for now at least. Here are some of those scenes. I hadn’t been in this community for at least five years, and maybe closer to ten. So it was nice to be back.
Like in other communities, the signs for Amish businesses here are pretty easily recognizable. But I’d say they’re more modest, and less “flashy” than some of those you see in more tourist-geared places, like Holmes County or Lancaster County. And a lot of them are the types of places patronized mainly by Amish customers.
End of the Commons is one of the more tourist-oriented spots in the area. It’s a fun old-timey general store with Amish-style treats and other gifts and foods.
They have several signs advertising their fry pies – which are quite good from what I tasted, though I’ve heard there are even better ones in the community.
Making friends – I think? – outside the store.
A nice lady runs this place. I learned it’s been here since the early 2000s, but that doesn’t mean everyone knows about it.
Children were taking full advantage of the snow during their breaks for play at school.
Some roads were plowed and some weren’t. From what I gather, in this part of the country the lake effect means you can have pretty frequent, extended sessions of snow, and not every road is going to be cleared all the time. This one appears to have gotten some gravel and/or sand.
A layer of snow usually makes work a bit more challenging…
…but provides opportunity for fun as well.
And here’s one from the previous day, before the storm hit. You can see this wasn’t the first snow of the season.
More to come
Next year will mark the 140th anniversary of the first Amish arrivals to this community. Geauga County today is home to over 21,000 Amish residents, making it the fourth-largest Amish settlement in the world.
You don’t hear about it as much as some of the other large communities, which is curious and maybe a topic to cover in another post.
So I hope you enjoyed this peek at the snowy Geauga community. I’ve just finished a week traveling to five Amish settlements in several states, so stay tuned for more.
*”Yankee” is the local Amish term for non-Amish people. In most Amish communities, they use the term “English”.
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Beautiful, I tell you what Erik you are lucky to be a “Southern Yankee” you guys don’t have it half as bad as us Northern Yankees. The lake effect is terrible here in Ohio. Great pictures though!
No doubt, the snow followed me around on this trip (VA-WV-OH-PA), but it seemed to mean the most business in the Geauga settlement 🙂
Good Old Middlefield
I enjoyed reading this post. I grew up in Middlefield, and still live in Geauga county. I recognized some of the locations in the photos; one is my uncle-in-law’s store. There are a few Amish-owned BnB’s that have opened recently. Well, they’re more just an extra apartment/in-law suite or room, but they advertise in the local Amish paper as being open for visitors or drivers. I can send you the info for those if you like. Did you get a copy of the Geauga Amish Post while you were here? It has those listings and lots of other things too. Anyway, I’ve been out of the Amish church for ten years now, but still keep in touch with some of them. I’d be glad to provide an update on Middlefield/Geauga, if you ever need one.
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Hello, wie bischt du Mrs. Miller? Was Gma Dale bischt du fun? Bischt du im bann? Middlefield sis’ en Shay Gemeinschaft though! God bless!
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Hello Daniel M.
Ich bin originally von dale 29, und noh 88, noch es verdehlt war. After getting married, we moved to another district, but I don’t remember the number. We were there less than a year before we left. Which one were you from?
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Sharp Run East #62 (Edwin N. Weaver — Millersburg, Ohio). Ich bin net Amish, believe it or not! I am only 17 and have taught myself Deitsch. I am converting and will be moving into that district in January, where I will be living with Bishop Edwin N. Weaver. He owns Trail Farm Supply—not sure if you have heard of it. He gets a lot of lumber from MMM lumber up there on Wiswell Rd. I think it is.
Just curious, did you leave because of the Salvation issue? I hope you all are happy with your lives as “Hocha Leit”! Gott Sayknah dich un die familye!
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Wow! Learning the language is an accomplishment! Congrats! Obviously, as one who has left, I would caution against joining, but as long as you go into it with your eyes wide open…
My husband & I left for various reasons, but a big one was because some of the fundamentals of scripture were either ignored, twisted, or denied in our community. I know not all are the same, and I’ve heard that many in the Holmes county area are more committed to accurate teaching; unfortunately, in Geauga it is not so. Anyway, blessings to you and your journey!
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I wasn’t raised in a typical English household, and I hold to my beliefs. I try to live my faith by example rather than speak loudly about being saved. Looks can be deceiving, and I understand that there are difficulties in any church, even in non-Amish ones where sometimes there is more focus on the self than on discipline. I don’t think it is wrong to live for Christ while being Amish, and I believe discipline is important, as long as it follows the teachings of Jesus. Some might say New Order Amish are more committed, though even they live much like Old Order Amish. The community I’m joining may seem “progressive” because of what they allow with technology, but in belief and practice it is Old Order Amish. They teach that you don’t have to be Amish to go to heaven, yet they are cautious of loud “I am saved!” talk. I’m not naïve about the culture, and I go in with my eyes open. Thank you for your kind wishes, and I hope your journey has brought you peace wherever God has placed you.
Glad you liked it! And happy to hear from you as a local person. I’d also be glad to know about the Amish-owned BnB’s, feel free to send along if you don’t mind (ewesner [at]gmail.com). I did not pick up the Geauga Amish Post, but also glad to hear any updates you’d feel like sharing.
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Yes, let me find a recent copy of the Post, and I’ll send you the info.
Thank you for taking us along on your trip – the pictures are beautiful!
My pleasure Nadege!
Kapsa Boi
what is Kapsa Boi? I tried to google it and all I got was the arabic dosh kepsa, which is a rice dish……
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Kapsa boi is like a custard pie. Or that’s how I know it. Maybe he spelled it wrong….Pennsylvania German isn’t really written.
I might need to confirm that I heard it correctly 🙂 but it’s a term that at least *some* there use for pumpkin pie. What I ate had a custard-like texture so sounds like Daniel is in the same boat here.
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You were pretty close! Maybe not exactly but that’s just one down side of Pennsylvania Dutch it isn’t really written so we have to sound it out and then people get confused.
Kapaa Boi
It’s pumpkin pie. ”Kuerbis” in German. My mom used to make hers more custard-y, so that may be an Amish thing.
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Yes even I almost got stuck in the snow
I think you have a lot more snow driving experience than me so that is something!