When I stay at John and Rachel’s* home in Lancaster County, one of my morning tasks is to go on a milk run. This doesn’t mean running down to the store but rather to the closest source possible. And in this part of the world, that means another Amish farm. Here’s the jar I used one morning: Not “Strawberry Jelly” but organic cow milk in…
We’re officially into winter. And this is the time of year that families are cracking into those canned items they worked hard to prepare when the weather was warmer and fresh fruit and veggies were plentiful. On my recent Amish trip I had the good fortune to bring back a Christmas basket of canned goods as a present for the family. I thought I’d share…
A kerosene lamp explosion caused a fire which burned down the home of two families in the Path Valley settlement (Pennsylvania). Here’s how it happened and the fire team’s response, via the Chambersburg Public Opinion: One of the people in the house was handling a kerosene lamp when it exploded, Hall said. Flames spread. It took a while for someone to reach a neighbor’s house…
This weekend the Guardian featured an extensive article on the Amish, under the heading “‘Our faith will be lost if we adopt technology’: can the Amish resist the modern world?” Writer Ian Birrell visited a community in New York and spoke with several Amish and Amish-raised people. The main topic is the growth of the Amish and the threat posed by technology and modernity. It’s a…
“My way of thinking is keeping it in the centre is the right path. One extreme is as bad as the other.” That’s Amishman Chris Hershberger, in a new CBC story on the Amish in Manitoba. This summer reader Urs Christen shared a look at the first Amish community in the province. Manitoba had just become the fourth Canadian province with an Amish population, joining…
Last week I shared 5 unexplained photos from my latest Amish trip, each with a story behind it. Today we have the answer key. You had some good guesses. Going through all the comments, you gave the correct answer, or were close, on nearly everything. Nice job! Here are the photos and questions again, and the explanations: 1. There’s something unusual about the bicycle this…
I’m on my way to NC today after a week on the road, having visited four Amish settlements – plus one – let’s call it for now “future Amish settlement” – with a stop at a Virginia community still to go. Usually when I am traveling and staying with Amish friends, I post a bit less here – not because there are not things to…
Four Swartzentruber Amishmen took the unusual step of filing a lawsuit in 2017 against a Minnesota agency, over objections to wastewater requirements. Their trial began last week (article no longer online): PRESTON — For the last week, four members of the Swartzentruber Amish community have listened to arguments on whether their religious beliefs would allow them to not comply with state wastewater regulations. Four men,…
This morning I spotted this poem on the wall at my Amish friends’ home here in Lancaster County. I asked if I could share it with you. I thought it might be nice food for thought on a Sunday. It’s called “When Tomorrow Starts Without Me.” She hand-copied it from another source. I took a couple of photos, forgive the dark tone as it was…
If you’re in Lancaster County, one Amish store to have on the radar is Glick’s Natural Products. Glick’s is an Amish-run food store specializing in – you guessed it – natural foods, remedies and other health-related items. This is a fully-stocked store which has been around for awhile. The people working here are friendly and helpful. Last time I visited, I was actually there as…