You may have heard the Amish described as a “separate people” or “in the world, but not of it“. These kinds of descriptions can make the Amish sound like they are simply apart from everyone else – isolated somehow from the rest of us. I think this is one thing that leads to the picture in some people’s minds of the Amish living in closed…
Gloria Yoder writes an introspective Amish Cook column this week, on why she is Amish. As she often does, Gloria first notes that there are many different types of Amish people and that she can only speak for her community (Gloria belongs to a New Order Amish church). She then explains: Of the thousands of denominations out there, there is no other I’d rather spend…
“Amish Atheist” certainly feels like an oxymoron. That’s what I thought when first hearing about the turn in Kenneth Copp’s life in a story four years ago. Copp originally appeared on this site even earlier than that, when he was still with the Amish and living in the Unity, Maine community. In 2013 one of our readers contributed a guest post on Unity, much of…
I recently checked in with the head of a large tourist business in one of the main Amish settlements. He told me that 2020 “was certainly an absolute disaster.” Things are somewhat better this year, but apparently not by a ton. That said, it is only May, and states are still in the process of releasing their citizens from restrictions. So I’ve been wondering about…
Why are Amish opting out of the COVID-19 vaccine? This Cedar Rapids Gazette article about Iowa Amish and the COVID vaccine is one of the better that I’ve seen. We get a deeper look at the Kalona Amish community, in some ways one of the more progressive settlements. Author Brooklyn Draisey speaks with several Amish leaders, including several current bishops, as well as a former…
It’s been a while since we had an Amish singing clip. I think it’s a nice time to post this one. This is described as an “Amish Hymn-Sing at the Historic Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead”. It’s a good time because the homestead just celebrated its 250th anniversary this past week, with a gathering and benefit auction. Former Stoltzfus Homestead caretaker Nic Stoltzfus with current caretaker &…
Somerset County, Pennsylvania is home to one of the most intriguing of Amish settlements. It’s small and not especially well-known, but it has an important history as a “seed settlement” for other large and significant Amish communities (including Holmes County and Arthur, Illinois). It also has the unusual distinction of being one of the few Amish groups which use meetinghouses for worship. The vast majority…
I notice that people are wondering lately if the Amish are going to vaccinate for COVID-19. A recent study showed that 75% of Amish in one large community would reject the COVID vaccine. So you see why it is a concern for the people paid to worry about these things. Image: David Arment Here’s one report from CBS21 on how that is playing out in…
Anna Schrock continues with part two on her time as part of the Lancaster County New Order Amish. If you missed part 1, you can find that here. Beautiful Farms & Simple(?) Living As you drive through the Lancaster County countryside, you may notice that most of the farms and homesteads are very neat looking. Yards are neatly manicured, and the landscaping is breathtaking. It…
Anna Schrock has an unusual backstory for a person who grew up Amish. Her family was a part of the New Order Amish movement in Lancaster County. The New Order Amish are primarily associated with Ohio, and particularly Holmes County (though today there are communities in quite a few other states). As the Ohio New Orders emerged in the 1960s, there was another New Order…