Amish Culture

So a couple of interesting photos from Jim Halverson today, where you can see what looks like Amish women wearing rings. This first is from a recent auction in Clare, Michigan: And here’s another, also from an event at Clare (2020) – the woman in purple: Now, when looking closer, I must admit it occurred […]

Continue Reading Are these Amish women wearing rings?

The Good ‘N Plenty restaurant was one of the best-known Lancaster County eateries, serving PA Dutch style meals for over 50 years, until the pandemic-related downturn put them out of business. Now, an Amish group has organized to purchase the property and make it into a health clinic catering to the area’s Plain community. Via […]

Continue Reading Amish Buy Lancaster County Restaurant – Will Become Plain Health Clinic

This is the second part of the Q&A I did with my friend Ben in Lancaster County in June (here’s the first part, on Amish & auctions). In this one, Ben describes how he buys buggy horses for his family – what characteristics he looks for in a horse, where he buys them, and price. […]

Continue Reading Ben Explains: How I Choose A Horse (Video)

I’d never heard of this one. But it’s apparently taken off in some Amish communities. Spikeball‘s rules are simple. It’s played in two teams of two. I won’t try to explain the game in depth here (this is what I watched to learn the rules). But essentially you have three hits of a ball, back […]

Continue Reading New Amish Youth Game: Spikeball

Albert Miller grew up as the son of an Amish church deacon in Holmes County, Ohio. He left his community at the age of 18, got his GED, attended Kent State University and eventually medical school, before becoming a doctor. He documents his journey in a new book: You Can’t Do That!: The Story of […]

Continue Reading Amish-Raised Man Leaves Community, Becomes Doctor

While in Lancaster County last month, I had the chance to film inside the buggy of a friend’s son (16 years old). He helpfully explained the controls and other elements of the buggy (useful for an English non-buggy-driver) so I could better explain them to you. In this video I give you a look at […]

Continue Reading Inside an Amish Buggy (How it works – Video)

Last year we noted an exhibition of photographs by Dennis L. Hughes, who captured thousands of images of Amish life. This exhibition, at Elizabethtown College (Lancaster County, PA) has returned, and is currently running until August 4th. If you’d like to view the collection here’s more on how to do that, along with a link […]

Continue Reading Dennis L. Hughes Amish Photo Exhibition (Lancaster County & More)

A viewer recently asked if Amish marriages are arranged on the Amish America YouTube channel. Odds are you already know the answer to this one. But I can kind of see where the question might come from, when looking at this religious society, which certainly must appear “strict” to some, from the outside. The question […]

Continue Reading Are Amish marriages arranged? How do they find a spouse? (Video)

Gloria Yoder opens up in the new Amish Cook column today about the loss of her husband Daniel. I know a lot of readers have been following this story and will want to know what Gloria has to share in this time of great loss. It has now been two weeks since Daniel died in […]

Continue Reading Gloria Yoder Writes On Loss Of Husband Daniel

Lancaster Online reached out to Steven Nolt of the Young Center at Elizabethtown College on when Amish weddings take place in Lancaster County and related settlements. He provided some data based on the Amish publication Lancaster Gemeinde Brief, which is a church newsletter. Autumn and specifically November is traditionally the most common time for Amish […]

Continue Reading Lancaster Amish Weddings By Month