Trend Alert: People are buying Amish sheds and converting them into living spaces, studios, and stores. That’s the report from the Bangor Daily News. They share the story of Jason and Jennifer Remillard, a Chicago couple who moved to Maine several years ago to “homestead”. This fits in nicely with the tiny home movement that’s been mainstream for about a decade now. Here’s the couple…
Jim Halverson gives us a look inside a plain and simple Amish country store in Gladwin County, Michigan. Gladwin County is home to a pair of Amish communities. Last autumn, we had a nice look at a Swartzentruber Amish barn-raising from this area. And we’ve also seen inside a Gladwin County Amish home, from a group similar to the conservative Kenton, Ohio Amish. An Amish…
Are the Amish driving Teslas now? If you glanced at recent headlines, you might come away with that idea. Ben Zook runs Belmont Solar, located in Lancaster County. According to the story at teslarati.com, they install solar panels in 90 local homes, mostly Amish, each year (I’ve heard of this company before, but never had any direct dealings with it). The hook of the story…
After our look at an Amish buggy which sold for $18,400 at an auction in Gratz, PA, Jerry is back with a second buggy from the same event – this one for “only” $15,000. What makes this one different, and almost 20% cheaper? Jerry explains: “The second buggy sold was a step down in components. It featured a drum braking system and “rubber O” suspension.”…
I saw this reported a while back and meant to do a post on it, but it fell through the cracks. Then the New York Post picked up the story this past week and gave it legs. John Stoltzfoos is an Amish farmer from Lancaster County. He’s been doing the 3-hour (one way) commute to NYC for over 18 years, selling his farm products at…
Ten years ago, we had a look at a $9,861 Amish buggy seen in a PA community. This one is nearly double that price. Conclusion: Inflation is hitting the Amish hard too! Well, maybe not just inflation. This buggy comes loaded with some flashy features (at least in Amish terms). So a chunk of the price tag likely reflects those add-ons. Remember this is something you…
This is the kind of local color story I always get a kick out of. Not that I’m excited that this particular community will go without their Amish-made donuts. Not that at all. It’s more how it shows how people value the products and experiences Amish people bring to their communities. The Power of Amish Donuts Amish in many places are renowned for their donuts….
I attended the Schoeneck (pronounced, I believe, “Shay-neck”) Fire Company Mud Sale this past Saturday. What a nice day for this kind of event. Not much mud in sight though, and a rather windy day. This photo doesn’t quite do it justice, but you can see the flags and the “Exit” sign being bent down by the gusts. I was there later in the afternoon…
Back in December, while on the way up to Goot Essa cheese, Ben and I stopped in at an Amish farm food business we happened upon along the way. Spring Bank Acres is located in Penns Valley and is run by Raymond Fisher and his wife Mary. I realized I hadn’t shared this yet, so here are some photos from that day and our travel…
You might recall our visit to Emma’s Gourmet Popcorn back in 2022. At the time I was told they’d be moving to a new location. And Emma’s has in fact gone big, opening up in a new building closer to the heart of the community. This is the original video, from the previous, smaller location, if you missed it: Comparing that to what you’ll…