An “Amish Cabela’s,” Yoder’s Sausage Kitchen, & A Long-Debated Amish Community Center: What’s New In Jamesport, Missouri
Don Burke is back with a look at an old favorite – Jamesport, Missouri – and what’s new in the community since his last visit. The Jamesport area is home to one of the state’s larger and best-known Amish settlements. Helping him out again is Laura Graber, who grew up Amish in the community, and even taught in an Amish school for four years.
Don Burke: Good morning! How’s our go-to gal for all things Jamesport Amish? It’s hard to believe it’s been four years since the last time Pam (my wife) and I visited here!
Laura Graber: Four years is too long! We really enjoy having the two of you come and stay a while!
Don: When we first pulled into town we naturally made our obligatory must-stops at a couple of our old favorite Amish-owned stores: H&M Country Store and Countryside Bakery.
But as we began to drive around it is clear that a lot of things have changed since our last trip. So I’m hoping you can catch me up on all that’s new in Amish Jamesport.
Laura: There are several new establishments in the area that are pretty neat to see! Many of them just relocated or updated their building in the past four years. You definitely have some things to catch up on!
Don: Well, it looks like we just missed the annual pumpkin auction as evidenced by the few remnants still out in the auction yard.
But we discovered that Jamesport now has two newer Amish-run auctions. So how are these auctions different?
Laura: The North Missouri Produce Auction which you’ve been to obviously sells produce, usually one to three times a week (during the part of the year they are open). They do have some specialized auctions like Pumpkin Day you mentioned where fall pumpkins and mums are the highlighted items, as well as other auctions which specialize in hay bales and various other items.
Timberline Auction is strictly a horse sale area with an inside arena. I’ve personally never been there so my details are a bit sketchy, but from the word on the street it’s a pretty hot spot for horse traders and trainers!
Then there’s Tiny’s Auction. It hosts a three-day auction each year around the Fourth of July. It is HUGE. There is every item imaginable at the sale with three or so auctioneers going at most times. A definite must-see to get a glimpse of the culture surrounding Jamesport.
It also hosts monthly small-animal auctions where you can buy most any small animal you can imagine – rabbits, chickens, ducks, etc.
Don: Wait a minute…. Tiny’s Fourth of July auction sounds surprisingly like the annual big Spring Hill school auction I’ve attended a couple of times, but at other locations. Has Tiny’s taken over that auction?
Laura: Yes, Tiny’s is now hosting that very same auction.
Don: Interesting. And next to Tiny’s Auction we noticed a couple other newer places. Are these Amish, and what kind of businesses are they?
Laura: Red Rock Surplus is one of those, but it is not a new business, just a new location. They have a little bit of everything!
The items are new but are sold at discounted prices. They get large shipments in, sort things, price them then put them out to sale. You really never know what you’ll find there.
The other business is Yoder’s Sausage Kitchen and is owned by two Amish brothers. They butcher any kind of animal and do an incredible job. You can find any meat there from steaks to hamburger. Their quality is top notch.
And with deer season arriving soon, they will be swamped with butchering deer – people around here eat a lot of venison.
Don: Back out on Highway 6, there are a couple of new businesses here as well. What’s the scoop with these?
Laura: Gingerich Portable Buildings was started by a young Amish man. They build anything from a chicken house to a storage shed to a playhouse. You can create whatever design you desire and they would work with you.
It’s neat to see what all they have made as you drive by. A great place to go to with your ideas and they can help you bring them to reality.
Next to that is Midwest Sporting Goods – or as everyone around here calls it, “Amish Cabela’s.” It is Amish-owned and has every hunting and fishing attire and gadget you can think of. It’s a hot spot for the guys…although I must say I don’t do a lot of shopping there myself.
Don: So what’s going on at this next stop? I remember going to Jamesport Country Store on previous visits, but I don’t remember it looking quite like this.
Laura: Unfortunately the previous Jamesport Country Store building burned down. It was an awful fire. Someone drove past in the night and saw the fire and woke the owner. They were able to salvage some things but lost nearly the entirety of their store.
The community helped in ways to bring it back as quickly as possible, but I am sure the owners and workers were pretty stressed for several months. The new store is beautiful and is a huge help to buying groceries without having to “sell the farm” (as they say).
Don: Now here’s another new place, out in the countryside all to itself. What is this?
Laura: The Amish community came together and built a community center. This was a very needed and long awaited project finally brought to reality. It was a long-discussed topic, hammering out the pros and cons of how it will affect their lifestyle – while many felt a great need for it, some were hesitant for various reasons.
This building is used for everything – youth volleyball games, funerals, events, fundraisers, and whatever else such a large area may be used for. It has allowed opportunities for people to have a space to share their products or for hosting large gatherings. It was even used for the community Fourth of July fireworks, not to mention many a weekend volleyball game. It has proven to be a very well-used establishment!
Don: One other new sight caught my attention – a new school.
Laura: Pleasant Hill School was built many years ago, but I do not remember exactly when. In fact, my siblings and I went to school there. Due to the previous building needing extensive work, and realizing it would be easier to build a new one than fix it up, the church decided to build the new facilities.
It has indoor bathrooms which is a huge improvement from the outhouse the old school had. I’m sure the children are enthused about the upgrade. The baseball diamond is improved also!
Don: Well, with a day’s worth of sight-seeing now behind us, feels like it’s about time to eat. And I believe you suggested the local Jamesport Fire and Rescue community supper and auction?
Laura: The fire department is operated by volunteers. Once a year they have a community-wide fundraiser with a pay-what-you-want supper and an auction of donated items afterward. It’s a great time to socialize and support a great cause.
Don: One thing that impresses me so much about Jamesport is the level of interaction between the Amish and non-Amish. Is it true that the fire department here has some Amish volunteer firefighters…, and that there is a rumor that some of the Amish make it to the fires before the non-Amish (in their motorized vehicles) do?
Laura: Both true. The community as a whole appreciates what each culture specializes in and utilizes their strengths to have a better community – it’s somewhat unique and quite a blessing!
Don: And not only do the Amish and English freely interact, they actually cooperate together on community things. For example, isn’t that an Amish church-bench wagon on the left side of this picture, with Amish church benches being used at the community supper?
Laura: Yes! The Amish help set up and serve the meal. They work well together.
Don: Well, that about covers our visit to Jamesport this time. After supper and a night’s rest, and a quick stop the next morning at the town’s Heritage Days Festival for a jar (or two…or three) of local Amish-made jellies, it’ll be time to head back home.
Laura: You guys picked a great weekend to visit, with the festival and all. So glad you could come! Jamesport has a lot to offer for people wanting to catch a glimpse of the cultures!
Don: Laura, as always it’s great to visit and share your insights explaining what all we’ve seen. Thanks!
Laura: You’re very welcome. And come back before four years next time!
More from Don and Laura:
- I Taught in an Amish School at Age 16 — Here’s How We Managed 8 Grades in One Room
- I Taught in an Amish School at Age 16 — What a Typical Day Was Really Like
- I Grew Up Riding in a Buggy — Here’s What All Those Amish Vehicles Are For
- I Grew Up Riding in a Buggy — The Differences Between 3 Common Types
- I Grew Up Riding in a Buggy — These Are the Amish Vehicles You Don’t See Every Day
