Amish Culture

One Month After an Amish Man Was Killed on an E-Bike, Holmes County Faces a Problem With No Easy Fix

One Month After an Amish Man Was Killed on an E-Bike, Holmes County Faces a Problem With No Easy Fix

In early March, an Amish man named Jason Yoder, age 30, was killed in a chain-reaction crash on a Holmes County, Ohio highway while riding an e-bike. The accident – which also left a Good Samaritan in critical condition – has put the spotlight back on safety concerns over the e-bike. As we’ve covered before, e-bikes have skyrocketed in popularity among Amish in the Holmes…

Ben & Rose: “Mighty to Save”

Ben & Rose: “Mighty to Save”

Ben and Rose have released a song in time for Easter. This is a more contemporary tune, called “Mighty to Save”, originally written and performed by members of Hillsong Church. The description reads: “Ben & Rose sing “Mighty to Save” written by Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan celebrating Resurrection Day!” This one has a bit different feel to it. It kicks off with some nice…

Amish Birder Spots Rare Sage Thrasher For First Time Ever In Ohio

Amish Birder Spots Rare Sage Thrasher For First Time Ever In Ohio

If you’re a birder in Ohio, this might qualify as the most exciting thing you’ve heard all week. I’m not a birder, but I still find this story neat – for a few reasons. First, what is a sage thrasher? What was it doing all the way in Ohio, when its habitat is much further west (think Colorado, Utah, Wyoming)? And what is it about…

Ben & Rose Short: “This World Is Not My Home”

Ben & Rose Short: “This World Is Not My Home”

“I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.” It’s a sentiment that resonates with a lot of us, at times stronger than at others, I suspect. That is one of the best-known lines from “This World Is Not My Home”. And Ben and Rose are back to tease another upcoming (I assume) production, with this little demo sample of the well-known hymn. This song…

New From Mike & Marty: “Coat Of Many Colors”

New From Mike & Marty: “Coat Of Many Colors”

We’ve got another new tune from Mike & Marty, this one a Dolly Parton classic – “Coat of Many Colors”. Not having any other paper at hand, Parton famously wrote the lyrics to this song down on a dry cleaning receipt while on tour in 1969. This is a favorite song of many. The coat of many colors here is not the Biblical coat given…

Ben & Rose: “Hold Fast To The Right” (Full Song)

Ben & Rose: “Hold Fast To The Right” (Full Song)

Not quite a month ago, we got Ben and Rose’s short preview version of “Hold Fast to the Right”, a 120-year-old hymn. About that, one commenter wrote “I have not hear this song in 70+ years—what a joy to now hear it again!” Now the duo have just today released the full studio version. So this is happy news not only for that commenter, but…

New Song From Mike & Marty (Formerly Third Fret Harmony): “The Storms Are On The Ocean”

New Song From Mike & Marty (Formerly Third Fret Harmony): “The Storms Are On The Ocean”

A nice new song was recently released by brother and sister duo Mike and Marty Fisher. First a note on their name. We’ve known them til now as Third Fret Harmony – a group which also once included their sister Rose, of Ben & Rose. Mike has confirmed with me officially that yes, they have a new name – simply Mike & Marty. I think…

New Ben & Rose Short: “Hold Fast To The Right”

New Ben & Rose Short: “Hold Fast To The Right”

This new short from Ben & Rose is another old one – a hymn written in 1906 by James D. Vaughan called “Hold Fast To The Right”. One commenter on YouTube writes “I have not hear this song in 70+ years—what a joy to now hear it again!” This 25-second clip is just a snippet of the chorus and some nice guitar playing, but it…

New From Ben & Rose: “If I Needed You”

New From Ben & Rose: “If I Needed You”

Ben and Rose return with their first full video in a little while. This one is called “If I Needed You”. In contrast to some of their latest, this is a more contemporary song, written by Townes Van Zandt in 1972. I would call this an “upbeat ballad”. Nice guitar playing and wonderful singing together as usual. Interestingly they are in a different setting here…

New Ben & Rose Short: “Stroll Over Heaven”

New Ben & Rose Short: “Stroll Over Heaven”

While we haven’t gotten a full video in awhile, Ben and Rose have been pouring on the shorts lately. Their latest is “Stroll Over Heaven”. This one is simply Ben playing guitar and singing with Rose in a 37-second clip (below). The simple description attached to the clip is “Ben and Rose work out ‘Stroll Over Heaven’ at Ragamuffin Hall”. Sounds like another lovely tune….