Linda Maendel is a member of a Hutterite colony in Manitoba. Â We last looked at Hutterites back in January in an interview with Mary-Ann Kirkby, the author of I Am Hutterite. Hutterites live primarily in Canada and the Upper Midwest, and have some similarities to Amish. Â Hutterites share the same Anabaptist roots as Amish and Mennonites, maintain a plain form of dress, and live lives…
Chances are you’ve heard of the recent attacks on Amish by now. Â Members of a small Ohio group have been entering Amish homes and cutting off men’s beards and men’s and women’s hair. Â Authorities have gotten involved and now there are serious charges – kidnapping and burglary – against the perpetrators. The group in question is located near the town of Bergholz in Jefferson County…
The picture above was taken at an Amish farm in Hardin County, Ohio (we’ve mentioned this settlement already this summer, see the unusual buggy post). Can you guess what’s happening here? The family only does this once a  year.  Luckily, that was the day I stopped by! UPDATE: if you guessed apple butter, well done! See below in the comments for a bit more background…
Over the weekend the school age sons of a friend and I took scooters and a pony cart down to the local schoolhouse to work off some energy following a picnic. And in a flash of inspiration pony cart baseball was born. Pony Cart Baseball: Ingredients *One pony,with cart (A miniature horse should work too) *Any sort of rubber ball you can catch with your…
Yesterday I attended an Amish church service in a friend’s district. Â I only really fell asleep one time, during the ten-minute kneeling prayer near the very end. But I had at least roused myself by the time everyone stood up. Â I clambered to my feet, but nearly keeled over sideways as I tried to shake the sleep out of my head. I can only imagine…
Boy was I wiped out yesterday. I’m not sure if it was a stomach bug or something I ate (I did spend the morning munching on raw mint sprigs while composting a friend’s berry garden) but whatever it was put a hurting on me. Seeing my pain, my Amish hosts whipped up a couple of home remedies. After trying the first with no discernible effect,…
I’m staying with Amish friends in Lancaster County this week, but will try to get to a computer soon. Â In the meantime reader Adair shares some photos taken in the Ethridge, Tennessee area. Thanks Adair for the nice photos. Â Read more on the Ethridge TN Amish.
The big story last week was the imprisonment of 8 Kentucky Amishmen for not displaying the Slow Moving Vehicle triangle on their buggies. Back in June we covered this issue with a lot of discussion on the implications of the case. Â It’s an issue of freedom and safety, similar in a sense to controversies over raw milk or vaccines, and one that brings out strong…
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. Â 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…
Alice Aber shares a pile of pics from a trip to the Arthur, Illinois Amish community. Â A special thanks to Alice; I think you’ll enjoy these photos: See Alice’s photos of the Roselen’s Amish coffee shop at Arthur. Read more on the Arthur Amish and Amish furniture in Illinois.