Author: Don Burke

As a minister, Don Burke has served since 2004 as pastor for a church in a small county-seat community in the rural Ozarks. Don’s introduction to the Amish world is told in the Amish America post here.

The interest that began on that trip has since taken him to over 50 Amish communities in 11 states. His visits have mainly been to the larger communities (prompted by his wife’s familiarity from reading Amish novels), and to much-less-touristy settlements in and around Missouri, where he lives.

A self-taught photography enthusiast, Don has merged these two passions into an online library of nearly 8,000 Amish-themed images. His Amish photos have appeared in the landmark book The Amish, digital and print media by The Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, and feature regularly in Amish America articles and videos.
A Visit to the Amish of Alton, MO (16 Photos)

A Visit to the Amish of Alton, MO (16 Photos)

Don Burke is back with a collection of wonderful photos from a visit to an off-the-main-drag Amish community. This one is located in Oregon County in southern Missouri. Don shares the story of his visit below. You can find more of Don’s photos here. Being a freelance photographer, when I recently discovered I had two-and-a-half spring days free, I quickly made plans for a visit in…

10 Unexpected Things I Saw In An Amish Home (20 Photos)

10 Unexpected Things I Saw In An Amish Home (20 Photos)

This is a photo which we saw on a previous post. Notice anything unusual about this otherwise-standard Maytag wringer washer, common in Amish homes? I wonder if anyone caught it when we shared it before. If you’re still scratching your head, Don Burke explains what’s going on here below. Today Don gives us one last look at the home of Mary Graber of the Jamesport,…

North Missouri Pumpkin & Mum Auction (23 Photos)

North Missouri Pumpkin & Mum Auction (23 Photos)

Tomorrow, September 18th, is the North Missouri Produce Auction’s special Mum and Pumpkin Auction. We had a look at the usual goings-on at this auction last month with photos by Don Burke. The mum and pumpkin edition happens once a year and by its name you can guess what’s sold there. Today we have a gander at what you might see if you’re in Jamesport,…

Tour An Amish Home (Jamesport, MO – 31 Photos)

Tour An Amish Home (Jamesport, MO – 31 Photos)

Several weeks ago we had Don Burke’s visit to the home of the Grabers, an Amish family in Jamesport, Missouri. This got a variety of reactions, including descriptions of the home as “very interesting”; “too modern”; “cluttered…[but] cute and homey.” Readers also noticed the high gloss paint on the ceiling and the simple electronic games on a recliner-side table (view the original post here). These…

The Amish-Run North Missouri Produce Auction (30 Photos)

The Amish-Run North Missouri Produce Auction (30 Photos)

Amish take part in produce auctions all across America, in places like Ethridge, TN, Leola, PA, and Hart County, KY. Don Burke takes us to one in northern Missouri today. Two things that jumped out at me are the unusual horse-drawn haulers…and one odd vegetable in particular. See if you catch which one I mean. Over to Don! Okay, so you read Marie Graber’s post about the Arbor…

Inside A Missouri Amish Home (25 Photos)

Inside A Missouri Amish Home (25 Photos)

What does an Amish home look like inside? That can vary. You’ll see some things appearing consistently across different church groups and communities. Still, there can be a big visual difference between a home such as this very plain one…and one that is significantly less plain. Don Burke has visited an Amish home in Jamesport, Missouri, on several occasions – first on a tour, later on…

A Visit To An Amish Noodle Business (16 Photos)

A Visit To An Amish Noodle Business (16 Photos)

You may have seen Amish-made noodles for sale in shops or even tried some yourself. Today Don Burke takes us to an Amish noodle-making business, to share a behind-the-scenes look at how these noodles get made. While in Jamesport, MO, a few years ago I had the opportunity to visit the facilities where a local Amish family made their Detweiler’s Homemade Noodles. These noodles were…

The Amish of West Plains, Missouri (26 Photos)

The Amish of West Plains, Missouri (26 Photos)

Don Burke is back with a visit to another Midwestern Amish community, that of West Plains, Missouri (Howell County). Don discovered several surprising things in this small and relatively young settlement, two of them having to do with the local Amish transportation. I hope you enjoy Don’s account and photos below. In the autumn of 2016 my wife and I decided to take a couple…

Amish Life in Winter: Q-and-A with Amish-raised Marie Graber (31 Photos)

Amish Life in Winter: Q-and-A with Amish-raised Marie Graber (31 Photos)

How do Amish keep their homes warm? How do they dry laundry in winter? What kinds of cold weather activities are popular? And what’s the hardest thing about Amish life when the mercury drops? In today’s Q-and-A, Marie Graber, raised Amish in the Jamesport, Missouri community, answers these and other questions. Don Burke interviews Marie, and contributes some great photos taken in several settlements including…

An Amish-ish Wedding Part 3: The Reception (22 Photos)

An Amish-ish Wedding Part 3: The Reception (22 Photos)

Don Burke returns today with the final part of an “Amish-ish Wedding.” If you missed the backstory to this event, you can read more and see photos from part 1 (the wedding party and guests) and part 2 (the ceremony). After the wedding ceremony, everyone was encouraged to stay and enjoy a reception with cake and ice cream. There were plenty of hugs and congratulations…