We’ve been following the story of Amish Acres, in Nappanee, Indiana, and its repeatedly delayed full re-opening, for some time now. The latest stage saw the property being purchased by a man named Brad Juneau, who took it over in October 2025, pledging to return it to something like its previous form. But a full reopening was delayed multiple times for various reasons, and last…
In today’s guest post, Fred Hendricks shares a closer look at Weaver Wagons, an Ohio Amish-owned wagon and carriage business. Ervin Weaver could not have envisioned the success of this venture when he built the first wagon in 1994 – simple, but quality flatbed to haul hay. Ervin and his family operated a medium sized dairy farm along with other livestock near Dalton, Ohio. The…
Two days after ordering Amish Acres closed, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security has released a new report stating that no violations were found at the Nappanee, Indiana property. The owner, Brad Juneau, says the shutdown came down to missing paperwork rather than anything unsafe at the site. The IDHS abruptly shut down the business on Tuesday, citing violations identified during a reinspection. The violations…
Amish Acres, an iconic Amish-themed destination in Nappanee, Indiana, has been shut down by the state until fire safety violations are corrected, following a reinspection of the facility. Several safety-related violations, according to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, have led the agency to issue an emergency order requiring all to leave the property and prohibiting anyone from entering. Sold, Rebranded, Then Sold Again Amish…
So here’s something you don’t see every day – an Amish benefit auction held at over 7,500 feet, in country with vast views as far as the eye can see. Reader Alan LaFon checks in from an Amish part of America we don’t often hear too much from. These photos come from the annual La Jara Amish School Consignment Auction, held each July in Conejos…
A “devastating” fire tore through an Amish-run sawmill in Geauga County, Ohio, Thursday evening, leaving behind smoking remains that are expected to smolder for days to come. Twenty mutual aid companies from four counties responded to help Middlefield Fire in battling the blaze – a sign of how powerful the blaze was. The business is called M. K. Hardwoods, and going by their reviews they’ve…
An Amish man named Lewis Wengerd needed to research an excavating machine. He didn’t have computer access at the time. His church bans smartphones. So he picked up his flip phone and dialed 1-800-CHATGPT. That’s not the only way the Amish are using AI — but it might be the most memorable. I had never known Chat GPT has an actual number you can call…
If you’ve followed my stops through the Somerset County, Pennsylvania Amish settlement these past several months – starting at the charming backroad bakery, stopping in at the tiny farm stand, and on to the hidden variety store – we now come to the final Amish business I visited on this wintry mid-December day. And I actually went one state over to reach it. That sounds…
For those who have kept track of my posts over the years you have likely noticed my particular fondness for the Jamesport, Missouri Amish community. I suppose many elements have factored into that. While not quite close enough for a day trip from my home, it is close enough for a good visit even if I am limited to a single over-night stay. Additionally, being…
On my recent visit to the Amish community in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, I of course made sure to visit a lot of Amish businesses. And I had one in mind in particular – a certain variety store that I remembered fondly from my last trip to the settlement – over a decade earlier. Variety stores are among my favorites. That’s because, by their nature, they…