Traveling through Amish settlements you may notice something like this: That’s not a Plain people hauler, nor the caboose of some sort of horse-drawn train. Â This bulky vehicle is a church wagon, and you’ll see them throughout Amish America. Each Amish church district will have its own wagon, used to transport benches from one location to the next. The benches are mainly used as seating…
Delaware may be our first state, but examining a US map today, it’s easy to overlook.  The average state in America consists of 63 counties; Delaware, with the fewest of all, has just three. The “one in the middle”, Kent County, is home to the second largest city and state capital, Dover.  Just west of Dover city limits you’ll find Delaware’s only Amish settlement, a community…
Pennsylvania and Maine have been locked in a sweets skirmish the past few weeks. Â The territory under siege is the famous whoopie pie. Both PA Dutch culture and the Amish have connections to the whoopie pie, so there are tourism marketing implications at stake here. Folks in both states have laid claim to the whoopie as the official state dessert. Â If you can believe it,…
In her guest post last Friday, Kate Hastings pointed out how common calendars are in Amish homes. Â Kate noted that while visiting an Amish friend, “I realized that I could see six picture calendars from where I was sitting in the kitchen.” Â The calendars “featured horses, barns, lighthouses, bluebirds, and wildflowers.” While you won’t find family portraits on Amish walls, you will find a range…
Today is the first day of spring (also known as the furthest day possible from next winter). Depending on your latitude, you may need the calendar to tell you that. But even if your weather this morning doesn’t seem so springy, it will be here soon enough. With spring, plants know the wait is over. They may now officially begin to sprout and grow. Of…
I think you’ll enjoy this guest post today from Kate Hastings, about a special publication with a long and interesting history: I was excited when Erik asked me to be a guest blogger, although I feel unworthy of the honor. I teach journalism, film, and writing at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania, and I am not a scholar of Amish history and culture. I simply have…
Following up 10 views of Lancaster County, here are 10 photos from another Pennsylvania Amish settlement. Big Valley, officially known as Kishacoquillas Valley, is home to the second-largest Amish community in Pennsylvania. Big Valley is located in Mifflin County in central PA. Â Here you’ll find three distinct Amish groups–Nebraska Amish (white-top buggies), Renno Amish (black top) and Byler Amish (yellow). The valley is truly a…
You may remember the “Trouble in Amish Paradise” documentary film of a few years ago, which examined two Amish couples’ decisions to leave the Lancaster Amish. The maker of that film, Andrew Tait, has released a follow-up film called “Leaving Amish Paradise”. Â This is one of a number of recent films and books on the experiences of former Amish (see also the National Geographic ex-Amish…
There’s been a change in Illinois:  Amish gun owners will now have to “say cheese” for their gun IDs. According to this news story, if things stand Amish will apparently now need to have pictures on their Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) cards. This story might shed some light on a couple of lesser-known topics: photo IDs for Amish and other religious minorities, and the Amish approach…
A few items of interest for your Friday: Amish winter headwear Reader Slightly-handled-Order-man recently asked: Â Could you write an article on Amish winter clothing? Well, I don’t know about a whole article, but why don’t we start with the head? Â The Amish straw hat is an icon, and comes in a wide range of styles. Â But did you know that when it gets chilly many…