“We take horses as collateral all the time.” That’s Middlefield Bank vice president Al Thompson Jr. explaining how his institution works with Amish customers. Apparently, that practice goes against what lenders are taught (“never take anything for collateral that eats”). But for the Amish, the exception is worth it. “If they offer you the horse, you take the horse,” says Thompson. “That’s their transportation, after all.”…
Local NC station Fox8 recently did a “foodie report” on the Amish-owned Shiloh General Store, a popular destination in the Tar Heel State. The video below includes some nice comments from brother and sister Mark and Delilah Graber, who work at the store with their parents and five other siblings. They talk about baking sourdough bread and their most popular items, donuts, which they only…
So another memorable stop from my recent Holmes County trip was at a farm I had first visited a decade earlier. This is a Swartzentruber Amish farm, technically located in Wayne County. They have a creaky signpost by the road displaying whatever it is they have for sale. At the time, the only items on offer were rag rugs. We’ve seen glimpses of this place…
Did you know that Amish are heavily involved in building recreational vehicles? We’ve touched on this topic in the past, in posts like Why are Amish building RVs? and 3 Concerns for Amish Working in the RV Industry. The funny thing is that these are really some luxurious vehicles that don’t seem at all to fit an “Amish” way of life. Yet Amish workers are key…
I don’t how much of an anomaly this might be, but it seems there have been an awful lot of fires striking Amish businesses lately. In the past few weeks, there have been at least four significant Amish business fires: January 14 – Spring Mills, PA (Centre County): Diamond Custom Kitchens burns down (the Amish opted not to call the fire department, for reasons, I…
The vehicles Amos Zook restores, specifically, are Ford Broncos from the “first-gen” era, built from 1966-1977. Zook lives in Lancaster County, where he runs Zook’s Bronco Barn, doing work for clients as far away as Florida, on projects that can exceed six figures. What makes this story unusual is that Zook is Amish. That’s not the only thing unusual about him though, as revealed in…
One of my favorite stops in Holmes County last month happened while out with my friend Rich Stevick, author of Growing Up Amish: The Rumspringa Years. Rich has lived in Holmes County for several years now. If you know Rich’s warm demeanor you will know how he could be right at home in a place like Holmes County. While out and about visiting some Amish…
A look today at an Amish candle business I visited in Holmes County last month. Sunset View Candles & Such is a little shop sitting a stone’s throw from the Amish owner’s front door, typical of shops like this. There was a buggy parked outside when I pulled up, and one customer in the shop when I dropped in, speaking with who I assumed was…
If you’re in Lancaster County, one Amish store to have on the radar is Glick’s Natural Products. Glick’s is an Amish-run food store specializing in – you guessed it – natural foods, remedies and other health-related items. This is a fully-stocked store which has been around for awhile. The people working here are friendly and helpful. Last time I visited, I was actually there as…
The 12th annual Borntrager’s Consignment Auction is happening next month in Beeville, Texas, site of the state’s lone Amish community. Reader Bob passes along the auction bill for the upcoming sale (below). Several things caught my attention: 1. Homemade ice cream – With an average November temperature in Beeville not far off 80 degrees, ice cream is most definitely still on the bill. 2. Animals for…