There’s a nice story making the rounds about a man named Matthew Secich who recently joined the Amish community at Unity, Maine. If the name of that community rings a bell, you may have seen it discussed here before. Here is one reader’s account of a visit to the settlement, and a look at what makes the community unusual. Secich is apparently a well-known and successful chef, who’s…
You might read this post title and assume that an unfortunate Amish buggy driver was the victim in this accident. And I wouldn’t blame you. That’s usually the case. But in this instance the tables were turned, when a non-Amish woman was hit by a buggy seemingly “out of nowhere.” Victoria Ulrick was driving in Gladwin County, Michigan, home to two Amish settlements, when a passing buggy veered into…
This updated post on the Amish & Old Christmas was originally published in 2011. If you missed it the first time, here’s another look at the story behind this tradition, observed on January 6 in Amish communities. What is Old Christmas? How do Amish celebrate Old Christmas? Not all Amish observe Old Christmas Old Christmas History Other Amish Holidays What is Old Christmas – and…
Here’s footage from a home fire which occurred Saturday evening in the Amish community at Oak Grove, Kentucky. Due to the intensity of the blaze, seven fire companies were called in to help, with one injury. The blaze was sparked by a gas motor in a freezer, which ignited a 300-gallon tank of gasoline creating a huge explosion, completely destroying the home and the business,…
As we close the books on the last day of 2015, it’s always nice to take a look back at the previous 365. Every year has its ups and downs. I hope yours was overall a good one, and that 2016 is only better. Here on the blog, I’ve collected some favorite posts from the previous year. In this case “favorite” means either highly-viewed, highly-commented, or simply ones…
On several previous occasions we’ve looked at photos taken in Amish homes, including an Ohio home as well as a farmhouse in New York state. But we haven’t seen a lot of video footage from inside Amish homes. However I recently came across the below video taken in what appears to be a Lancaster County Amish home. In this two-and-a-half minute video, the Amishman who…
Reader Frank shares a few photos from a recent visit to Holmes County, Ohio. No snow in these shots, but lots of nice views. Frank also passes along two anecdotes demonstrating the friendly community feel of the area. If you’ve ever spent time in Holmes County, home to over 30,000 Amish people, you won’t be surprised: While shopping at Hershberger’s Store outside Berlin, an elderly gentleman explained to…
With December 25th around the corner, it’s the perfect time to look at how Amish observe Christmas. Contributor Rebecca Miller, member of an Ohio Amish church, shares with us five ways her own family celebrates Christ’s birth (the ways Amish people observe the season may vary). How Do The Amish Celebrate Christmas? I have been asked this question numerous times, and as with any other…
It’s been over five years since my Amish business book (Success Made Simple: An Inside Look At Why Amish Businesses Thrive) was released, and it’s neat to still bump into people who’ve read it or at least heard of it 🙂 I recently met someone in the latter group from Portugal, of all places. In a nutshell, I interviewed 60 Amish entrepreneurs and then distilled their wisdom…
Do young Amish men drive motor vehicles? For most non-Amish adolescents, acquiring a license at age 16 or thereabouts–usually followed by a beater of a car–is an assumed rite of passage. For Amish youth–many of whom enjoy freedoms similar to that of non-Amish during their “running around” years–the choice is not so obvious. While it’s safe to say the majority do not, more than a few…