The Gingerich basket

amish knitting basket

Adair Faust (Ethridge Amish photos) shares one more photo along with an Amish Gingerich anecdote:

I stopped at a roadside stand at the Gingerich house on MacDowell Road (I mention the road because there are zillions of Gingerich mailboxes all over the area – see below). Mrs. Gingerich, a wonderfully cheerful, energetic, and friendly lady, came out and we chatted while I bought bread and fried pies and a beautiful basket made by one of her sons and his family … In the course of chatting, Mrs Gingerich let it drop that she has 103 grandchildren!!! No wonder there are Gingerich mailboxes everywhere and the settlement is expanding!!

Great-looking basket.  And 103 grandkids–doing pretty well in that department, don’t you think?  Makes me wonder which Amish Momy or Dawdi holds the current grandkid record.

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25 Comments

  1. Lee Ann

    Erik,
    Why don’t you post a way for us to buy some of those baskets? If they will ship them and you can post photo’s it would help those selling, and give those of us that live far from the Amish a way to purchase what we love.

    1. Ordering Amish baskets

      Sure thing Lee Ann, I don’t have the seller’s info, but Adair is welcome to post those details for anyone that’d like to order (Adair, are you there?) 🙂 .

      If anyone is interested in Amish-made baskets I’m also going to recommend the Amish Workshops offering; they have a number of both hand-woven and wooden baskets here (including something called a “Cat Ear Shaker Basket” which has me intrigued):

      http://www.amishworkshops.com/category/Woven-Baskets-66

      Here are the wooden ones, most of these are “collapsible”:

      http://www.amishworkshops.com/category/Wooden-Baskets-65

      1. Teresa Zetty

        Buying collapsible wooden baskets wholsale

        I am looking for Wholesale collapsible wooden baskets. I live in South Florida and sell at Flea Markets. If you are interested please contact me with the different types of collapsible wooden basket and your wholesale pricing.I can also be reached at 561-791-1341 or by mail 140 Swan Parkway East Royal Palm Beach Fl.33411. I am looking forward to your response.
        thank you

      2. Sharon A. Congdon

        Baskets

        I would like to know more about these lovely baskets and
        also are planning a trip to tour The Amish of Ethridge, TN. in the
        future. What is a good time of year to come for a vist and tour.
        We live in Crossville, TN. 38555

        Sharon Congdon

  2. Theresa

    What a beautiful basket.

  3. Basket

    What a Beautiful Basket. We do not get out that way but We sure would like to own one of those basket could you get the name and address plus the price of them and let us know. The Amish are sure wonderful people and know how to make things. “Very Beautiful”.
    Rach and Ivan

  4. Roberta Klooster

    What a beautiful basket. I would have bought some if I had seen them too!! I’m getting really envious of you seeing all of these Amish neighborhoods and can’t wait until spring when I’m scheduling another trip to Lancaster area. God bless all of our Amish and Mennonite brothers and sisters in Christ out there.

  5. Adair Faust

    Yes – Mr Gingerich puts his name and address on all his baskets do I suppose it’s OK to post that info here. It’s Chris D. Gingerich 86 East Edan Rd Ethridge, TN 38456. He has baskets like the one pictured, and also other sizes and shapes, all of which can be done in various color schemes ( I think red, blue, and green are the choices but there may be others as well), also in all natural. Some – maybe all – have leather handles for easy carrying. He told me he could make them to a specified size, too.I ‘m really sorry i didnt think to ask him if i could photograph the collection of baskets he had on display at his mothers stand. I did ask him if he would ship them; this seemed to be a new idea to him but he was very willing and said he would be glad to look into it.

  6. Damon Hickey

    What's Newt's Amish connection?

    Does anyone know whether Newt Gingrich has an Amish connection? Yes, there’s an “e” missing from his name, but his family came from Pennsylvania. So I assume that, back there somewhere, the Gingriches and the Gingeriches were the same family.

    1. Gingrich to Gingerich?

      Interesting question Damon. I never heard that any Amish spell it without the “e”; I believe all Amish Gingeriches today spell it just that way.

      I’ve learned there were/are Mennonite Gingriches, and there were a number of ways to spell it including Guengerich.

      GAMEO has a good article: http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/G563ME.html

      Maybe there is a Gingrich or Gingerich on here who can make the connection 🙂

  7. Diann

    Chris also makes beautiful furniture. He does hickory bent mixed with oak and other woods. All of his work is beautiful. It’s always a treat to go by his shop just to see what he’s working on.

    1. Adair Faust

      Diann, I am so glad to hear about his furniture, and next time I’m in the area ( probably not for a couple of years, I will most definitely drop by his shop. I just happened to stop at his mother’s stand ( she advertised bread and I was hungry!!) and he was there, along with one of his sisters and a lot of really winning children (some of those 103!) it was a real treat. I would have bought several baskets but had to get something that would fit under the airplane seat.

  8. Eugenia

    Other Ethridge, TN, vendors

    Adair, we plan to spend some time in Ethridge in the spring. How can we find out where the real Amish vendors are in that area? Vendors like Chris Gingerich.

    1. Adair Faust

      Eugenia – I just hit the back roads and drive around. roadsThere’s a map that shows every back road and also businesses and vendors, but also just keep your eyes open! Thefirst time I was in the area I picked up the map at a gas station, and I know they have it at the Welcome Center on Hwy 43, and I’m sure they have lots of other good info. I’ve never been to the Welcome Center, , as my timing was just all wrong for their hours, but I was able to download the map from the internet. I did notice, in my driving adventures, that the Amish are expanding their settlement to the east – there were more businesses over there than we’re shown on the map, plus several buildings under construction. There’s a big produce auction a couple of times a week, but I forget which days.

  9. collapsible baskets

    Eric, thank you for the link with the collapsible baskets. They are really neat. I see Christmas presents coming from this. 🙂

    1. Glad to hear it Karen 🙂 Yes they are neat, aren’t they? I hadn’t realized there was such a thing as collapsible baskets. Don’t know if that’s another Amish innovation or not, but I do like the design.

  10. Lattice

    Here’s the information on the basket that I bought in Ethridge:

    Levi J. Hershberger
    28 Indy Avenue
    Ethridge, TN 38456

    The baskets are wooden (Longerberger quality or better!). Mine is for a large, deep casserole dish. It has leather carrying straps on the ends and has deep wine and forest green wood strips woven in. It was thirteen dollars. I’m going to buy some more for Christmas gifts. They have all shapes and sizes. There’s no way to call. You’ll either have to go, or else write and tell them what you’re looking for. I didn’t see any brochures either. It will be somewhat of a leap of faith, but even if it’s not exactly what you needed, you’ll have a beautiful, high-quality basket at a very reasonable price.

    1. Adair Faust

      Thanks so much for this info; now I have two addresses to go to on my next trip , three actually, counting Mrs.Gingerich. And I’ll have to drive, so that I won’t have to restrict my purchases to what fits under the airplane seat!

  11. Slightly-handled-Order-man

    The image reminds me of a part of my childhood.
    My mother used to knit prolifically and she would often fill product of Ontario fruit baskets full of balls of yarn, as I recall. Though not homespun like “The Gingerich basket”, I, in my memory associate cardboard baskets of that shape will wool, yarn and warmth as much as I do with apples and peaches.
    I bet my mom would like a basket like that though, it is a great idea for Christmas.

  12. Tom

    Shopping

    One thing I like about shopping from the Amish is haggling. I seldom go to a Amish store a pay the initial asking price.

  13. Sally

    Mahlon S Gingerich 1992 basket

    I have a basket marked Mahlon S Gingerich 1992 no address) with the names Diana, Jovin, Michael, Julia, Rose written on the bottom as well. The weaving on basket appears similar to your post and was wondering if you had any info? Basket has a hard/board bottom and has a woven handle.

    THX!

  14. OHIO GINGERICH BASKETS

    In Kidron, Ohio, there is a family of basket makers named Gingerich. They live/work at the corner of Berg Road and Kohler Road and their store is right in their home. Besides really nice, well-made baskets, they sell canned foods, quilts, hats, etc. Their home/store is approximately 1 mile west and then 1 mile south from Lehman’s Hardware Store, Kidron, Ohio. If you need/want more info – contact me at kinjano@comcast.net This place is on my “must always visit” list!

    1. E.jay

      we too met this wonderful amish family and return each year on our annual trip to amishland to add to our collection of excellent Gingerich family baskets, (and take “the boys” some “cream-sticks” from Walnut Creek Cheese)

  15. Deb Geckle

    We have stopped at a Gingerich home twice in last 2 months and bought some wonderful quality baskets. May be the same place–near Kidron–just a very common home with small sign and a gentleman who sells right from his workshop. I can post address if anyone is interested. Located just inside Wayne County.

  16. Fern Barrett

    Amish baskets

    I would like to buy a couple baskets made by Katie Gingerich on South Brace Rd in Etheridge Tennessee. I bought one of the big round baskets when we visited. Should I write her a letter? The one basket I bought was made by Herman Gingerich. It would help to have pictures from which to choose
    Thank you