Mark Louden is a linguist, educator, and author of Pennsylvania Dutch: The Story of an American Language. Mark recently answered some questions on Pennsylvania Dutch. We’ve got that interview for you today, plus a chance to win a copy of his book (the contest has now ended – you can find the winner here). If you’ve ever wondered about things like how close PA Dutch is…
Last month we explored 5 common features of the most conservative Amish communities. Today let’s have a look at 5 things found in the more progressive Amish communities. The term “progressive” comes with a caveat, as the word can refer to different things. For instance this could mean materially progressive – meaning allowing higher levels of technology, or, we could mean progressive in a religious sense….
TIME Magazine has an article called “Amish People Stay Healthy in Old Age. Here’s Their Secret.” It starts with some interesting info I’d never seen before: The average American life expectancy is currently just under 79 years. Back in 1900, it was only 47, but for early–20th century Amish it was already greater than 70. I don’t know the source of this, but let’s take…
Lancaster County now has its first two Pennsylvania Dutch medical interpreters. They are Amish-raised Crist Beiler, an RN at Lancaster General Hospital, and Lydia Nolt, a medical liaison and member of an Old Order Mennonite church. Both were recently certified by their institutions. A big part of their work is reducing anxiety, especially in children (Amish children below school age typically have varying degrees of English…
With Amish found in over 500 locations across North America, you have a decent chance of stumbling across a community while on the road (assuming you stay off the interstate). Don Burke had this happen on a recent road trip when he came upon an unexpected settlement in northeastern Ohio. He shares his passing visit to the Andover settlement, along with some photos in today’s…
To me, the Harvey hurricane and flooding disaster feels like it was ages ago, but it’s only been about five months. Of course, for those still dealing with the aftermath, the hurricane’s catastrophic effects are clear and present every day. Harvey displaced over 30,000 people and left $125 billion in damage, a figure comparable to the 2005 Katrina storm. Thankfully, material support has poured in…
Following the recent post on ice cutting in Amish Iowa, reader Neil Shattuck shares a look at an ice harvest in New York. You may have wondered, how long does the ice last? You’ll find that answer and other details below. The following are Neil’s photos and comments on what we’re seeing: These photos were shot January 18 in the Jasper/Troupsburg, NY community. They are of…
A new bill may require Amish buggies in Wisconsin to reduce the size of horseshoe studs in the warmer months. Typically the spikes used in winter need to be larger to get traction in the snow and ice. It turns out this is overkill in the spring, summer and autumn. And it’s really beating up local roads. The buggies have caused significant road damage in…
Here’s a neat story of friendship that started when a fifth-grade teacher in Pennsylvania came across a balloon released several days earlier by an Amish girl in Ohio. From triblive.com: A deflated and tattered orange helium balloon landed in the Leechburg backyard of the Young family on April 20 of that same year. “It was not easy to read,” recalls Debbi Young, who was teaching…
We had a look at icehouses last week, which you’ll find in plainer Amish settlements. What are some other things you’d expect to find in the most traditional Amish communities? 1. Outhouses So we start with another type of “house”. Homes in the plainest Amish communities don’t have indoor plumbing. This means outhouses, and for that matter, less frequent bathing (as a two-shower-a-day person, I…