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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An “Abandoned” Amish Farmhouse (17 Photos)

An “Abandoned” Amish Farmhouse (17 Photos)

You should be able to tell right off why I titled this “abandoned” – though not technically the case (it’s up for sale, after all), with the overgrown yard, vacated rooms, and grey sky adding a bleak touch to these photos, it certainly has the feel of an abandoned home. Unlike most homes we look at, this one is emptied out, with just a few…

Do the Amish really live in Georgia? (Yes & No)

Do the Amish really live in Georgia? (Yes & No)

People often wonder about Georgia when it comes to the Amish.  Maybe it’s because the Peach State borders other states with Amish communities. The Amish have been settling in the South in greater numbers lately. You may have heard people claim that there are Amish present in the state. But are there in fact Amish in Georgia? Despite Amish growth in the South, Georgia currently…

Horse Left Injured In Latest Amish Buggy Hit-and-Run (UPDATED)

Horse Left Injured In Latest Amish Buggy Hit-and-Run (UPDATED)

It seems hit-and-runs on Amish buggies are the latest bad roadway trend. Another happened in Oneida County, New York Tuesday (other recent ones have occurred in Ashland County, Ohio and Trumbull County, Ohio). This time the driver somehow made out okay, but the horse was left injured: Marcy, N.Y. — A horse was injured Tuesday after a car crashed into an Amish buggy and then…

The “Secret” To Well-behaved Amish Children

The “Secret” To Well-behaved Amish Children

If you’ve spent a little time in an Amish home or around Amish families, you may have noticed the children and their behavior. Many people comment that Amish children are – generally – especially well-behaved (at least in public or in the presence of non-Amish). I’d say that is generally the case as well. I’ve seen it from two angles. First, as someone visiting Amish…

Amish Rescue Car From Ditch In Snowy Weather

Amish Rescue Car From Ditch In Snowy Weather

Tennessee has been seeing some snowy and icy weather recently, and this weekend one driver found herself in a ditch in Lawrence County. News station WSMV reports in a snippet on how local Amish helped this lady out: On Sunday morning, a little snowfall caused some problems for motorists in Lawrence County, including a woman who lost control of her car and slid off the…

The Amish & Humility (Podcast)

The Amish & Humility (Podcast)

After a little hiatus, I’ve still got a couple more podcasts from Donald Kraybill’s “What I Learned From The Amish” series to share with you. In this eighth episode, he explores that characteristic trait espoused (and generally demonstrated) by Amish, humility. He starts with an example of why Amish don’t seek media attention – at least not the type that exalts the individual. He looks…

Search By Air For Driver Who Hit Amish Couple On Scooters

Search By Air For Driver Who Hit Amish Couple On Scooters

Law enforcement in Ohio is pulling out all the stops in their hunt for the hit-and-run (aka “hit-skip”) driver who struck a scootering Amish couple on New Year’s Eve and fled. They searched yesterday by air over Trumbull County for a second time for the vehicle involved. Via WYTV: Sergeant Ray Santiago says they are using every tool they have available to try to locate…

Look Inside This Southern Ohio Amish Home (30 Photos)

Look Inside This Southern Ohio Amish Home (30 Photos)

I happened to visit this smallish Ohio community a couple of weeks ago. So it was neat to happen across a home for sale in this settlement just a few days later. The settlement at Oak Hill in Jackson County has grown to four church districts in size in the 20 years since its founding. I met several friendly Amish people there, including one from…

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Amish Pet Food Company Sales Shut Down By Judicial Order

There’s a dispute ongoing between two raw pet food companies with ties to one another. Answers is the name of the established company; Amish farmers in PA have supplied it with raw materials for its foods for years. Kure is the upstart brand founded by some of those same Amish suppliers last year. Apparently two sisters who worked for Answers left the company and began…