Amish wedding season is in full swing. I was reminded of this yesterday speaking with an Amish friend about visiting Thursday – he had to stop to think if they had any weddings that day. Thankfully the schedule is clear, but it’s not uncommon to have multiple weddings to attend in a week, and even on the same day (Tuesday and Thursday being the traditional…
How do Amish celebrate Thanksgiving? As anywhere, that can vary, but Gloria Yoder shares one special experience in her latest Amish Cook column – an annual supper held for widows in her community: This year Wanita took charge of coordinating the event. The meal consisted of ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn and salad, as well as pumpkin, apple and peach pies served with ice cream….
How to prep food for 300+ wedding guests? The Amish, accustomed to frequent weddings with many attendees, have figured out a way to make the whole affair easier and more efficient. Enter the wedding wagon: For those who don’t know what a wedding wagon is, it is like an RV with a ramp added on, with six or seven propane gas stoves and ovens in…
With the air crisp and the calendar about to leave October behind, I thought it would be a nice time to look back at fall-related posts we’ve featured here over the years. Check out these beautiful photos by Bill Coleman and others, a look at the Amish and Halloween, and more below. I hope you’re enjoying this autumn season – it has been absolutely beautiful…
Several weeks ago we had Don Burke’s visit to the home of the Grabers, an Amish family in Jamesport, Missouri. This got a variety of reactions, including descriptions of the home as “very interesting”; “too modern”; “cluttered…[but] cute and homey.” Readers also noticed the high gloss paint on the ceiling and the simple electronic games on a recliner-side table (view the original post here). These…
Nearly 10 years ago we had a post about corner ball, a traditional game played by Amish and Old Order Mennonites. I had long heard of this game – described in depth by Richard Stevick in Growing Up Amish: The Teenage Years – and had always wanted to see it “live”. Fortunately, I had a chance to do just that on my recent visit to Lancaster…
A neat bit from Jack Brubaker’s “Scribbler” column today at Lancaster Online. Some Amish first responders are using motorized scooters to get to the firehouse faster. Here’s what one looks like: As you may know, Amish are significantly involved in volunteer firefighting and emergency response in Lancaster County. And Lancaster County is one of the more prominent Amish communities where scooters are used rather than bicycles….
Just some photos today from my (ongoing) visit to Lancaster County, PA. We had a gray day or two but the sun poked out yesterday and it was a beautiful morning. I nearly called this post “Spring in Lancaster County”, but with no green on the trees yet it’s more that in-between season between winter and spring, which I am going to take the liberty…
Following the recent post on ice cutting in Amish Iowa, reader Neil Shattuck shares a look at an ice harvest in New York. You may have wondered, how long does the ice last? You’ll find that answer and other details below. The following are Neil’s photos and comments on what we’re seeing: These photos were shot January 18 in the Jasper/Troupsburg, NY community. They are of…
Here’s a neat story of friendship that started when a fifth-grade teacher in Pennsylvania came across a balloon released several days earlier by an Amish girl in Ohio. From triblive.com: A deflated and tattered orange helium balloon landed in the Leechburg backyard of the Young family on April 20 of that same year. “It was not easy to read,” recalls Debbi Young, who was teaching…