A new study with COVID implications suggests that acceptance of vaccines by Amish in one of the largest communities (Holmes County) has plummeted in the past 10 years. It also finds that Amish would refuse COVID vaccination at a rate of almost 10-to-1. The key findings: The response rate was 39%. Among 391 respondents, 59% did not vaccinate their children, compared to only 14% that…
In her latest column, Amish Cook Gloria Yoder describes the tradition of “Secret Sisters” in her community. This was tied to a Valentine Supper which is something you’ll see among Amish. Gloria first describes the Secret Sisters custom: Last night I was the recipient of the absolute kindness of the dear youth girls in our church. Really now, they all made a huge splash for…
How about some winter shots from the New Wilmington, Pennsylvania Amish community? This is one of my favorite Amish settlements, dating back to my first visit one autumn going on 15 years ago. While the sights I saw then were of hues that matched more closely to the distinct brown-topped buggies of the local Amish, the wintry images in these photos better reflect our current…
Here’s a remarkable feel-good story about a team of audiologists helping Amish children with hearing and ear issues. In one plain Amish community in southern Michigan, medical professionals saw an uptick of children losing their hearing (untreated or repeated ear infections can cause hearing loss). From the Michigan Health blog: In 2019, Winters and her colleagues noticed that a large group of parents within an…
Sadly, after a calm period of some weeks as far as buggy accidents, two fatal crashes occurred on back-to-back days, in Michigan and Ohio. In the first, a 39-year-old Amish mother was killed in Branch County, Michigan when the horse was “spooked” by an oncoming vehicle: ALGANSEE TOWNSHIP, MI (WTVB) – A Reading, Michigan woman was killed and six other family members were injured Friday…
This is not your typical Amish singing video. What we see here is something called the Sail & Sing Christian Cruise. It’s a tour company based out of New Holland, PA. So what are Amish doing on a cruise ship, you might be wondering? For those who wish to visit Europe (or anywhere overseas), ship travel is the only option sanctioned by many Amish churches…
Amish have been regularly faulted for failing to follow COVID regulations – going back to early on in the pandemic experience. Now, a public health body in Canada says local Plain groups are in fact complying with COVID regulations regarding church gatherings. This, despite apparent complaints from non-Plain neighbors. Farming in an Ontario Old Order Mennonite community Grey Bruce Health Unit has just issued a…
Lehman’s is a well-known business catering to Amish and – even more so – to non-Amish who like off-the-grid and low-tech tools and home products. Many readers here are familiar with it – we’ve had posts including 5 Interesting Facts About Lehman’s and 6 Lehman’s Products Used By The Amish. So I thought it might be of interest to share that Lehman’s is being sold:…
Jim Halverson shares a visit he made back in the fall to the Wakarusa area of northern Indiana. This town lying north of Nappanee is in the vicinity of a small Old Order Mennonite community. Jim made two interesting stops while in the area, as you’ll see below. Instead of trick-or-treating on Halloween, I attended the Wakarusa Driving Horse Auction. Wakarusa is about 15 miles…
Writing in to the Finger Lakes Times in early December, a reader made the following claim as part of a review of communism and socialism through history: The only form of communism today that is the same from several hundred years ago is the Amish. Yes, they practice a true form of communism right here in the USA! Last week a reader named Ivan Martin…