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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Buggy Plunges 20 Feet Off Bridge

Buggy Plunges 20 Feet Off Bridge

An unusual buggy accident happened last week in Missouri, involving an Amish woman and boy (via KTVO): ADAIR COUNTY, Mo. — A northeast Missouri woman and boy were injured Sunday evening in a terrifying accident. It was reported around 8 p.m. on Apache Way, about six miles southeast of Greentop. First responders told KTVO an Amish horse and buggy carrying a 28-year-old woman from Greentop…

Amish On Using High Tech: “Out of sight” and “Respectfully”

Amish On Using High Tech: “Out of sight” and “Respectfully”

Lindsay Ems has a new book out called Virtually Amish: Preserving Community at the Internet’s Margins. A portion was adapted for an article in Wired magazine. I’m looking forward to reading this book, but for now I’ll share a couple of excerpts. This first one suggests the etiquette of using higher tech like smartphones within the community. “If you’re going to use it, don’t rub…

Hello from Lancaster County (3 New Things I Noticed – Video)
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Hello from Lancaster County (3 New Things I Noticed – Video)

I just returned from a week in the Lancaster County Amish community. While there I attended the 2022 Amish conference at Elizabethtown College, and spent a lot of time with Amish friends. I’ll have a post sharing some favorite images from the trip coming soon. I also recorded a short video from inside the buggy of a teenage son of one of my friends. It…

New Ohio Law Requires Flashing Light Atop Buggies. Will All Amish Comply?

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine made the bill a law last week: COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine has signed a bill requiring Amish buggies and other animal-drawn vehicles to display a yellow flashing light while driving on public streets. House Bill 30, co-sponsored by Republican Reps. Darrell Kick of Loudonville, and Scott Wiggam, of Wooster, is intended to reduce the crashes between Amish buggies and…

Footage Shows Passed-Out Amish Driver In Moving Buggy…Then Hits Police Car

This story won’t make this guy’s parents proud….and unfortunately it’s not an isolated incident in this community (Geauga County, Ohio). A 21-year-old Amish male struck a police cruiser while passed out drunk in a moving buggy. Here’s the gist of what happened May 14 via WKYC: The horse didn’t come to a stop and continued past the officer’s vehicle as it turned eastbound onto Hague…

Inside an Amish “Barn Home” (17 Photos)

Inside an Amish “Barn Home” (17 Photos)

We’ve seen a number of examples of Amish “shop homes”, but I believe this is the first “barn home” I’ve come across online. Here’s the key bit from the listing: “The barn and house were built as one unit, having the three bedroom home on the east side of this large building.” You can see the layout from the exterior photo here, with the home…

3 Reasons Why Amish Food ISN’T Organic

3 Reasons Why Amish Food ISN’T Organic

 As we enter the prime season for fresh produce, I thought this might be a good topic to address. I suspect most in the public would assume that Amish-grown food (and dairy) is organic, although that’s not really the case. There are certainly organic farmers among the Amish. And organic farming has grown in popularity over the past years and decades. However, the “default”…

Plain New York Amish Farmhouse For Sale (17 Photos)

Plain New York Amish Farmhouse For Sale (17 Photos)

This Amish farm property in Newark Valley, New York has only a handful of interior photos, but caught my attention for several reasons. The first thing was this sign out front: I’ve noted before how the Amish typically do not use the word “Amish” in their marketing. But in a recent video on the subject I pointed out that you might still see it in…

A Look Inside 3 Different Amish Stores (22 Photos)

A Look Inside 3 Different Amish Stores (22 Photos)

Don Burke shares photos from three businesses in the Clark, Missouri Amish community. This is the state’s second-largest Amish settlement, of around 10 churches and 1,500 people, and one of the three oldest in the state. We previously saw this community in Don’s photo post from 2015, “A Thanksgiving Visit to The Amish of Clark, Missouri“. So today we have a look inside some of…

Visiting An Amish Community For The First Time (Video)

Visiting An Amish Community For The First Time (Video)

I have written a lot about visiting new Amish communities (new for me, that is) over the years. And so this past December when on a trip through Kentucky, Virginia and Ohio, I filmed what it is like for me when I go to a new community. As I’ve written before, I usually just try to find Amish businesses and start from there. That’s what…