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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Inside A Simple Amish Country Store (7 Photos)

Inside A Simple Amish Country Store (7 Photos)

Jim Halverson gives us a look inside a plain and simple Amish country store in Gladwin County, Michigan. Gladwin County is home to a pair of Amish communities. Last autumn, we had a nice look at a Swartzentruber Amish barn-raising from this area. And we’ve also seen inside a Gladwin County Amish home, from a group similar to the conservative Kenton, Ohio Amish. An Amish…

2024 Election: Will The “Amish Vote” Actually Matter This Time? (2 Factors That Could Make A Difference)

2024 Election: Will The “Amish Vote” Actually Matter This Time? (2 Factors That Could Make A Difference)

With the election nearly upon us, we have gotten our fair share of the expected “Will the Amish vote?” articles. I’ve been seeing this coverage for months now. I have contributed to some of it as well (for some reason, mostly for French-language publications). Among the latest is this piece from Deseret News, which suggests two things of interest that could motivate more Amish to vote…

“Mass Casualty Incident”: 11 Amish (Including One-Year-Old) Hospitalized After Eating Toxic Mushrooms

“Mass Casualty Incident”: 11 Amish (Including One-Year-Old) Hospitalized After Eating Toxic Mushrooms

It’s wild mushroom season and one Amish family learned the hard way that eating the wrong mushroom can have consequences. This happened last week in Peach Bottom Township in York County, PA. From CBS 21 News: YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — Eleven people, including children, were hospitalized Friday night after eating wild mushrooms in Peach Bottom Township, according to Delta-Cardiff Volunteer Fire Company. Emergency dispatchers received…

An Unusual Amish Community Phone (Before & After Photos)

An Unusual Amish Community Phone (Before & After Photos)

A reader in central Minnesota shares some photos of an Amish community phone. In many Amish settlements, families share a common phone. So that aspect is not uncommon. But there’s one thing about this phone setup that I’ve never seen before. But before we take a look, it’s worth mentioning that Amish use the telephone in many different ways. Here are three options (though these…

Trial Of Amish Mother’s Accused Killer Moved (Again) – Until At Least March 2025

Trial Of Amish Mother’s Accused Killer Moved (Again) – Until At Least March 2025

This is the second time the trial of Shawn C. Cranston, accused of killing 23-year-old pregnant Amish mother Rebekah Byler, has been moved. Cranston was originally meant to be tried in June, but the defense team got a continuance due to having to process “large amounts” of evidence. Cranston had a preliminary hearing in March, which revealed that he had driven for the Amish. Later,…

A Visit With Marlene: Autumn, Amish Art, & More

A Visit With Marlene: Autumn, Amish Art, & More

Marlene Lehman and I sat down this week (virtually, that is) for a talk about a wide range of topics. Here is the first part of it. In this 22-minute vid, we discuss Amish artists, signs of autumn in her Shipshewana-area Amish community, fall craft shows & festivals, “male” and “female” jobs on the farm, and more.  Amish & Mennonite Autumn Festivals If you’re…

Local Man Tries To Stop “Accident Waiting To Happen” At Amish School

Local Man Tries To Stop “Accident Waiting To Happen” At Amish School

A non-Amish man sees a tragedy waiting to unfold in his Wisconsin community – and is trying to prevent it. As reported at WKOW, Jim Kostohrys says this “blind curve” & hill – right before drivers reach an Amish school – are a potentially deadly combo. Have a look. Just past it, dozens of Amish children walk to, or get dropped off at school each…

Inside A Picture-Perfect Minnesota Amish Home (19 Photos)

Inside A Picture-Perfect Minnesota Amish Home (19 Photos)

I’m calling this Minnesota Amish home “picture-perfect” because the photographer did a great job, but also because the place is very neat and well-kept. Often the Swartzentruber Amish homes are not that way. Yards are untidy and the homes themselves have a very rough and unfinished appearance. But this place, inside and out, gives the impression of a very clean, cozy, and well-taken-care-of home. The…

Inside A Cheery (Nearly Empty) Amish Home (18 Photos)

Inside A Cheery (Nearly Empty) Amish Home (18 Photos)

I usually post home photos that show a lived-in space. But sometimes it’s interesting to see what an emptied-out Amish home looks like (like this Mississippi Amish home from earlier this year). That’s what we have again here today with these photos from the atypical Amish community at Enon Valley, PA. According to the description, an Amish family is actually still living here. So these…

Rosanna King, Who Survived 2006 Amish School Shooting, Has Died

Rosanna King, Who Survived 2006 Amish School Shooting, Has Died

Rosanna was wounded in the school shooting as a first grader – just 6 years old at the time. Many felt her survival was a miracle. From Lancaster Online: An Amish woman who was wounded as a child in the 2006 mass shooting at West Nickel Mines School in Bart Township died Tuesday, according to sources familiar with the circumstances of her death. Rosanna King, 23, died in her Paradise Township…