A reader sends in the following set of photos, of an improvised vehicle in northern Indiana. Â I guess we could call this an Amish go-kart. “It was quite a custom job,’ he explains. Â “The steering wheel was fabricated of round steel stock powered by a Honda engine with a drive belt to the rear axle. Whoever assembled it was quite creative. Â I have no idea…
There have been quite a few stories involving the Amish and health-related issues lately. Â Let’s start with the story of a new clinic in Indiana. Community Health Clinic Following a visit to Indiana this summer I mentioned the soon-to-be-opened genetic clinic in Topeka, Indiana. Â A week ago was the official opening of the Community Health Clinic, though it has been seeing patients since September. Operations…
We’ve looked inside Amish homes many times before. Today, something a little different: an English-owned home, inspired by the design of Amish houses and built by an Amish contractor. My English friends who live in this home near Shipshewana, Indiana, previously lived at Arthur, Illinois. Â They had this home built three years ago with a distinctly Amish flavor. As you can see below, the exterior…
Last week I made a short visit to the Pinecraft Amish community at Sarasota, Florida. Â I wanted to share that visit with you via a series of photos. Â If you haven’t heard of it, Pinecraft is an unusual Amish community for a few reasons. It is located in a city (Sarasota, population 52,811–technically just outside city limits). It is more of a vacation destination for…
I am working on a big Pinecraft photo post for tomorrow and, phew, have finally finished “traveling season” (for a few months, at least).  I just did a quick tally – over the past 5 months I’ve rented a total of 7 cars, making 6 trips to Amish communities in 4 states. And since most Amish communities are some drive from North Carolina, I don’t think…
I know we have a lot of readers interested in Amish quilts and many with experience buying them.  We’ll be hearing more soon on the subject from Janneken Smucker, author of the upcoming Amish Quilts: Crafting an American Icon, including a chance to ask Amish quilt questions. In the meantime, reader GamGam recently left an insightful comment full of tips for Amish quilt buyers.  I thought any…
I am in Florida for a few days and heading to visit the Pinecraft Amish community in Sarasota for the first time today. Palm tree foliage doesn’t seem to change much around these parts. Everything is green here and it feels like July. I like the warmth but I appreciate the change of seasons too. With that in mind today we have some autumn photos…
Why are people drawn to Amish markets? Kevin Shelly examines the question in a recent article about Amish markets in southern New Jersey.  Shelly counts seven in south Jersey alone, despite there not being any Amish in the state. A few points to consider: “The quality is a lot higher here and I’m willing to spend a premium,” says one shopper.  Amish-sold goods are commonly…
Today I thought I’d touch briefly on Council Meeting, a special twice-yearly occasion happening now in Amish churches in Lancaster County and elsewhere. Council Meeting: Preparing for Communion Last Sunday while staying with Amish friends in Lancaster, I did not get an invitation to attend Amish church. Usually the family I was staying with asks if I’d like along. But last Sunday they had Council Meeting,…
Is it just me or do pumpkins make their appearance earlier every year? They have been camped out in front of the local Kroger, and popping up around the neighborhood for the last week or two at least. People just seem to like being around pumpkins, and pumpkin-branded things. They’ve certainly gotten into our foods. McDonald’s is selling some pumpkin coffee now, and so is…