Author: Erik Wesner

Erik Wesner is the creator of amishamerica.com, and author of Success Made Simple: An Inside Look At Why Amish Businesses Thrive. Erik began visiting Amish communities in 2004 – eventually meeting thousands of Amish families while selling books.

He began writing about the Amish on this website in 2006, and is often cited in national media, including USA Today, The New York Times, and others on a wide range of Amish topics. A native of North Carolina, Erik has visited dozens of Amish communities across the country, and loves spending time with Amish friends and discovering new Amish places.

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10 views of northern Indiana Amish

After yesterday’s Arthur Amish photos, here’s another ten–from the northern Indiana Amish of Elkhart and Lagrange Counties. I’ll be taking all next week off from posting (family vacation), but will return to a regular blogging schedule Monday Sep. 19.  In the meantime, we’re doing a little contest. I’ve got a few back issues of Amish magazine The Connection to give away (The Connection is headquartered…

Why don’t Amish discuss pregnancy?

Why don’t Amish discuss pregnancy?

Sarah writes:  I know pregnancy is a taboo subject in the Amish culture… what are the does and don’t when discussing? I have very close Amish friends. The woman is about 8 months pregnant by my estimate and today is the first day her husband has even acknowledged her pregnancy to me, and quite honestly, he only acknowledged it because she needs to go see…

Inside an Amish Stamp Shop

Inside an Amish Stamp Shop

Raber’s Stamp Shop 2467 County Road 600 Baltic, OH 43804 If you walk to the back of Raber’s Bookstore and hang a right, this is where you end up. The sister stamp shop to Raber’s is full of everything you need for some serious stamping. An entire wall of stamps. And some more.  Stamping is popular among Amish women in particular.   It’s not uncommon…

Do Amish work on Labor Day?

Do Amish take Labor Day off? Some do, others don’t.  If you’re Amish and work for someone, it would depend on your employer.   Amish schedules typically differ from English ones, taking into account more religious holidays. From What holidays do Amish celebrate?: Amish appreciate working  for Amish employers, who follow the same holiday schedule and may grant employees time off for weddings.   In Amish Enterprise, Kraybill…

The Amish Buggy (All About Plain Transportation)

The Amish Buggy (All About Plain Transportation)

The horse-drawn buggy is essential to Amish society. Amish buggies are both practical transport, and symbolic of the people. Though most Amish allow riding in motor vehicles such as cars and buses, no Amish permit ownership of the automobile. Amish feel the horse-drawn carriage promotes a slower pace of life and greater reliance on community. Amish buggies are not all alike. Different designs designate specific…

Amish Produce Stands

Amish Produce Stands

Amish are well-known for their produce, which they sell at stands and auctions.  Produce season is in full swing, with lots of tasty garden treats to be had.  You can usually find some great buys for relatively little money. On my recent trip I bought a lot of fruits and veggies from Amish produce stands (to counter the caffeine and other unhealthy stuff I inevitably…

Inside an Amish Bookstore

Amish-owned Raber’s book shop in Holmes County, Ohio Raber’s Bookstore 2467 County Road 600 Baltic, OH 43804 We’ve featured Raber’s Bookstore a number of times on this blog.  Raber’s is a longstanding Amish book seller in the heart of Holmes County.  Mary Raber, who runs the place, let me shoot a few photos during a recent visit. The outside of the shop.  It is the…

Do you own Amish furniture?

There are many hundreds if not thousands of Amish furniture craftsmen across America. They make bedroom sets, cabinets, children’s pieces, patio furniture, and on and on. I’ve been lucky to spend a good bit of time in and around their shops. This past trip, I visited everything from a one-man operation running on belt and pulley power, to a 180-man factory driven by automated CNC…