Visiting Amish Farm Stand Spring Bank Acres (20 Photos)
Back in December, while on the way up to Goot Essa cheese, Ben and I stopped in at an Amish farm food business we happened upon along the way. Spring Bank Acres is located in Penns Valley and is run by Raymond Fisher and his wife Mary.
I realized I hadn’t shared this yet, so here are some photos from that day and our travel through these beautiful central PA valleys.
The place primarily sells food products, and some interesting and unexpected ones at that. For example, how about some chimichurri?
If you aren’t sure what that is, that makes two of us. According to Wikipedia:
Chimichurri (Spanish: [tʃimiˈtʃuri]) is an uncooked sauce used as an ingredient in cooking and as a table condiment for grilled meat. Found originally in Argentinian, Uruguayan, and Paraguayan cuisines, it has become widely-adopted in most of Latin America. [1] The sauce comes in green (chimichurri verde) and red (chimichurri rojo) varieties. It is made of finely chopped flat leaf parsley, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano and vinegar or lemon juice. It is similar to Moroccan chermoula.
Sounds great. Now I wish I had picked some up. Here’s another exotic one, at least for me. Ghee is a clarified butter which originates in India. It sells for $15.50 per pint.
A shot of the refrigerated section. If you squint, you might recognize the gentleman in the reflection.
In addition to kombucha, you’ll find cheese, sour cream, raw milk, and pesto in this section, among other things.
Dried herbs section, including dried lavender. Catnip kitty toys for sale at $3 apiece.
Some of the less exotic offerings, like this great-looking produce.
Food info section, where you can learn about what kombucha tea is among other things.
There is also a sizeable honey and bee products section.
Besides food, there are some other items like these handmade cards.
And these bath salts (legal version of course):
We had a nice visit with owner Raymond, who popped in the store shortly after we arrived. We weren’t the only customers, as some of his regulars stopped in while we were there. As you can see in these photos, the place has a delightful selection which I imagine changes somewhat by the season.
If no one is in, you can still buy something. Honor system purchasing is a normal thing at Amish stands.
Heading on our way.
More info on Spring Bank Acres:
You can get Spring Bank Acres products at other locations as well.
And here’s the basic info if you want to stop by. It’s described as being “open all day Monday thru Saturday.”
Spring Bank Acres
531 Millheim Narrows Rd
Rebersburg PA 16872
(814) 349-5594
Grass fed beef
I once bought a side of beef from an Amish/Mennonite colony in Tampico Illinois. I ended up giving away to various people an entire side of beef. It tasted like fresh cut hay.
Definitely not my thing. Their store and furniture shop are amazing. They used to hold community events a couple times a year. Home cheesen meats etc.
Tampico, located in Illinois, USA, indeed has a significant presence of Amish Mennonite communities in the area. Let’s explore a bit more about these communities:
Fairfield Amish Mennonite Church:
This independent congregation was initially organized in Shelby County, Illinois, with 42 members under the leadership of Levi C. Hostetler in 1933.
Over the years, it moved to different counties: Henry County in 1938 and finally to Bureau County in 1944.
As of 2007, the membership stood at 187, with Norman L. Hostetler serving as the bishop.
The congregation maintains an informal affiliation with the Amish Mennonite Churches1.
Kauffman Amish Mennonites (also known as Sleeping Preacher Churches or Tampico Amish Mennonite Churches):
This branch of the Amish Mennonites traces its tradition back to John D. Kauffman (1847–1913) and Noah Troyer (1831–1886).
These preachers were known for delivering sermons while in a state of trance, earning them the nickname of “sleeping preachers”2.
Amish-Mennonite Families in Tampico:
The area around Tampico is notable for the Amish-Mennonite families who have settled there.
They have made significant contributions to local agricultural enterprises.
The school and church of these communities are located south of Tampico on State Route 1723.
So, Tampico indeed has a rich history and ongoing presence of Amish Mennonite communities
Chimichurri
The origin of chimichurri arose in the mid-19th century with the construction of the railway by the British. It is said in roasts that the English had brought curry and used it on meats. It is easier to roast a lamb or beef, to make a more elaborate meal, it was grilled or staked, the thing is that the English said give me the curry, one thing is to write and another depending on the colloquial accent, what the locals understood was left in chimichurri, too The degree of spiciness depends on the region in which you consume it.
A Real Gem
I am ever more enchanted by the Amish. They are a hard working country based group. I would love to learn more about them and their culture.