Commercial dog breeders (also frequently described as puppy mills) have been in the news a lot lately. Recent changes in Pennsylvania law has made it difficult for breeders to operate, thus forcing many to begin to get out of the business. Opponents, most visibly in the form of activists such as Bill Smith of Main Line Animal Rescue, have made headlines with their sometimes dramatic…
Behalt is the name of a pictorial history of the Anabaptists from the time of European beginnings through their existence in America. Not only is it educational, it has been dubbed “the most exciting cyclorama in America”. Having only visited one cyclorama in America (the other – of the Battle of Raclawice in Poland being non-American and of a decidedly non-pacifist nature) I can’t say…
A week back I wrote about how Amish celebrate Christmas, with a mention of the holiday program that takes place in many Amish schools. Rick shares a photo from a recent visit to the New Wilmington, PA Amish community, taken during the Christmas Eve program at a local one-room school.
North Carolina is my home state, and not one known for having a large Amish population. Amish have attempted to settle NC in the past, however, and today one settlement does exist, at Union Grove, a hamlet lying some miles west of Winston-Salem. Union Grove, which began in 1985 as a spinoff of the Guthrie, Kentucky community, is considered a New Order settlement. Like its…
The Amish settlement at Kokomo, Indiana, founded 1848, is the third-oldest in Indiana. Yet despite having been in existence for over 160 years, Kokomo remains a tiny settlement of just 2 church districts. Meanwhile, other settlements founded in the state at roughly the same time have grown and thrived. The Nappanee and Adams County settlements approach 40 and 50 church districts respectively, while the Elkhart-Lagrange…
The ten largest Amish settlements, by number of church districts, as of 2009: 10. Allen County, Indiana (Founded 1852; 19 church districts). This Amish settlement located to the north of Fort Wayne is a Swiss-ethnicity community. Open buggies are driven here; the construction trade is popular. Allen County Amish homes are often built of red brick, unlike those of most other Amish. The three most…
Ohio Amish bishop David Kline is an interesting person. I’ve known David for a couple of years and fondly recall my last visit to his Ohio farm, and specifically some warm muffins and warmer companionship at the kitchen table. David is also unusual as an Amish person in that he is a twice-published author. David’s descriptions of wildlife, farming, and rural living in Great Possessions…
Dover, Delaware Amish buggy The Dover Amish settlement, founded in 1915, lies to the west of the city. The Dover community was settled by Pennsylvania, Kansas, Ohio, and Michigan Amish. Today Dover consists of 9 church districts. Lying near a heavily settled urban area, Dover has experienced similar land and population pressures to the Lancaster County Amish to the north. David Luthy cites the editor…
Rustic Russ reports on the Yoder Horse and Carriage Auction in Mount Pleasant, MI. Russ has a nice site with a number of Michigan Amish posts and photos. Furniture is among the many items sold at Amish auctions; woodworking has become a chief industry among Amish, many of whom have opened small businesses in recent years. Read more on Amish woodcraft in the state: Amish…
The last installment, of three, from the recent Lancaster County trip: When I’m at Abe’s, on Saturdays we sometimes do a big breakfast down by the river out back. This involves Chef Abe grilling up a variety of meats–sausage, bacon, spicy sausage, etc, on an open riverside fire (though this time he used the grill up by the house). Eggs, toast, jelly, sliced peaches, pancakes,…