Why are people drawn to Amish markets? Kevin Shelly examines the question in a recent article about Amish markets in southern New Jersey. Shelly counts seven in south Jersey alone, despite there not being any Amish in the state. A few points to consider: “The quality is a lot higher here and I’m willing to spend a premium,” says one shopper. Amish-sold goods are commonly…
Sounds like the title of an off-beat Amish fiction series, doesn’t it? While these Camels of Lancaster County have not shown up in any novels I am aware of, they did make an appearance in the news article on Amish camel milk which we looked at last month. I don’t expect Amish camel farming to become a new focus of interest here, but since we’ve…
Reader Ed took these photos a couple of days ago in Lancaster County. Let’s just say both these signs would have me doing a double-take. First, Hershey Farm Restaurant & Motor Inn. “Is this the New Amish cuisine?” asks Ed. Yesterday, I got a follow-up email: “The Hershey Farm sign has been changed; the last line now reads “Elvis Burger”. Somehow I don’t find that reassuring,…
It seems Amish will milk just about anything there is a market for. Lately I’ve even been hearing whisperings of Amish milking camels. Well, why not. So I wasn’t at all surprised yesterday to find an article on a Lancaster Amish camel dairy: LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) — Let’s get the obvious questions about camel’s milk out of the way first. It tastes like skim milk, just…
When you visit an Amish community, you expect to see fields of some sort of crop like corn. While you will see traditional grains sprouting in Amish areas of northern Indiana, you’ll also see fields of another crop–recreational vehicles, with row after row of the machines lined up outside the many factories and dealerships scattered about the region. The Elkhart-Lagrange and Nappanee Amish communities have…
Last month a 15-year-old Amish girl lost an arm in a saw accident in a pallet shop in Allen County, Indiana. Local news outlet WANE has done a story about child labor violations in the business where the accident took place. You can view the clip here (no longer online). Child labor restrictions were lessened for Amish in 2004, allowing greater scope for 14 to…
From the New Republic, on Amish signing leases with energy companies: Miller is physically imposing—stout and broad-shouldered—but also painfully timid. When pressed on what his neighbors had earned, he gazed for a long time at Edna, who, with one of their daughters, was chalking the outline of a man’s pantleg onto a bolt of wool rolled out on the table. “My wife and I took…
Beth Russo shares photos from the recent Bowling Green, Missouri Amish auction. Amish people frequently patronize auctions and sales of one variety or another. These events can have a treasure hunt aspect to them. Estate sales in particular may yield old furniture, books or other heirlooms. Who knows what you might come across. Here are a some of the things Beth came across at Bowling…
An Amish fur buyer in northern Indiana. No photos of the furs, so you’ll just have to use your imagination. I had “fur buyer” on one of the lists of odd Amish jobs, focusing on Holmes County, Ohio. Here is a reader comment about another in a Minnesota Amish community “where they process all types of fur and also salt deer hides”.
We had a look at the Lancaster County Mud Sales yesterday. Today, Terry Berger shares a few photos from one that happened just a week-and-a-half ago, at Gordonville. Terry adds, “One of the best parts of going is being with so many people that l look like and getting lost in the crowd so to speak.” End of the day buggy jam up on Route…