As of 2016, there are over 500 Amish-settled locations in the world. Most of those communities are quite small. For every large settlement like Lancaster County there are dozens of 1- and 2-church district communities. The Glens Falls Post-Star recently published a well-written and researched 3-part look at one of those small settlements, a relatively new Amish outpost in eastern New York. Amish moved into the Whitehall…
After last week’s look at the Belleville auction and Amish farming, Jerry returns to take us on a little drive through Big Valley: The Big Valley is alive and well with Amish settlements. When you drive out into the country you see schools everywhere. It almost appears that you can find one every four miles. Most look fairly new, simple, modest one room structures with…
After Tuesday’s visit to the Belleville auction and market, Jerry continues with a look at two aspects of farming among Amish in Big Valley. Below you’ll find more on one old-fashioned technology still in use in this community, and on an environmental challenge involving Amish farmers. Thanks to Jerry’s report, I learned more than I thought there was to know about the cans some Amish use to…
The Amish settlement located at Kishacoquillas Valley in Pennsylvania is one of America’s oldest and arguably its most colorful, at least in a literal sense. While it’s rather off the beaten path, found in central Pennsylvania about two hours from Lancaster County, this community is pretty well-known for its three main Amish affiliations, each of which uses a different-colored buggy top. The Nebraska Amish can…
Amish have been considering a move to Canada’s Prince Edward Island province since 2014. With the recent purchase of land by members of two different Ontario communities, it looks like that is about to happen. From peicanada.com: Mr Wallbank recently moved to the Dundas area from Ontario himself, purchasing a farm where he will be doing draft horse farming similar to the Amish. Currently there…
What happens in an Amish community at Thanksgiving? Today Don Burke takes us through the Amish community at Clark, Missouri to give us an outside visitor’s perspective. These photos were actually taken over Thanksgiving in 2014 (see Don’s full sets here and here). I hope everyone has had a great Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving Day from a Passerby’s Perspective It is an autumn day, late in the…
Since 2012 there has been a small community of Amish people in eastern Idaho, not far from the town of Salmon (Lemhi County). This video report takes us to an Amish-owned market owned by the Paul Miller family. Locals seem pleased to have the Amish in town: The bulk of the above video is on the Miller family’s Country Market and the produce, cheese, and…
As they do each year, the Young Center has published estimated numbers for the Amish population in 2015. A few highlights from the figures: Amish communities are now found in 31 states and 2 Canadian provinces. The new state this year is Vermont. A fresh settlement in the Green Mountain State made news back in July. Also new on the Amish map: the province of New Brunswick (a potential settlement…
Don Burke today shares photos from a little visit to the Belle Rive/Opdyke, Illinois Amish community, taken last autumn. This is a small community in southern Illinois (Jefferson County), two church districts in size. As a state, Illinois ranks #10 in its total Amish population, which is dominated by the large Arthur settlement. Don gives you a tour around the settlement below. You can also think of it…
We’ve had a number of looks at off-the-beaten path Amish communities lately, from the new settlement in northeastern Vermont to the Garnett, Kansas community to the Unity settlement in Maine. Today, reader Jerry takes us to another in that category–a community tucked away in an unusual valley in the southwestern end of Virginia. The following is Jerry’s account of his trip to the Burke’s Garden…