Visiting The Desbarats, Ontario Old Order Mennonite Community (42 Photos)

Visiting The Desbarats, Ontario Old Order Mennonite Community (42 Photos)

ByErik Wesner
51 Comments

Have you ever visited an Old Order Mennonite community? One of our readers recently did, and shares a look at an off-the-beaten-path Ontario settlement in today’s post. Old Order Mennonites are spiritual kin of the Amish. Similarities include language, plain dress, cultural values, and of course an Anabaptist religious heritage. Amish and Old Order Mennonites live side-by-side in some places (like Lancaster County and the Nappanee, Indiana area),…

How Do Amish Youth Prepare For Baptism?

How Do Amish Youth Prepare For Baptism?

ByErik Wesner
46 Comments

What steps do Amish youth go through once they’ve decided to be baptized? Ohio Amish church member Rebecca Miller today takes us through the process. Rebecca describes the instructional meetings based upon the 18 articles of the Dordrecht Confession of Faith. She also shares what happens on baptismal Sunday, and what it feels like to become a member of the church. As Rebecca hints below, the…

5 Non-Amish People Who The Amish Depend Upon

5 Non-Amish People Who The Amish Depend Upon

ByErik Wesner
28 Comments

The Amish, contrary to popular belief, are not self-sufficient. In one of our previous “Ask an Amish Person” posts, PA Amishman John Stoltzfus addressed this topic. John noted that “we are very dependent on the outside world, far from self-sufficient, all of us are intertwined…” It’s easy to see why some might think Amish live in a bubble. They’ve been called “a people apart,” and sometimes described…

Jim Cates: The Challenge of Finding Amish Alcohol Program Leaders

Jim Cates: The Challenge of Finding Amish Alcohol Program Leaders

ByErik Wesner
19 Comments

In a community that values outward uniformity, it can take some courage to stand out. In today’s post, Serving The Amish author Jim Cates details the challenge of recruiting Amish leaders to help guide a fledgling alcohol program for Amish adolescents. As Jim describes below, finding those leaders wasn’t easy–but was pivotal to the program’s success or failure. — It Was Such a Clever Idea! As a…

Amish “Retro” Publication: 1970s Young Companion

Amish “Retro” Publication: 1970s Young Companion

ByErik Wesner
42 Comments

One of our readers recently came across some issues of the Amish publication Young Companion, dating to the early 1970s, at a local thrift shop. I’m calling this “retro”, but as a look at the contents shows, most of the subject matter would probably be just as appropriate today. A little background first. Young Companion is a publication with an interesting history. It is one of…

Heuvelton Amish To Nearly Double Safety Tape on Buggies

Heuvelton Amish To Nearly Double Safety Tape on Buggies

ByErik Wesner
12 Comments

Coming on the heels of the Wisconsin building code exemption, another conflict involving Amish appears to have been resolved last week in Heuvelton, New York (St. Lawrence County). As reported in the Watertown Daily Times, area Amish have agreed to nearly double the amount of reflective tape used on their buggies (the group in question objects to using the orange SMV triangle; for a summary of the case, go here)….

7 Days Of Recipes From An Amish Kitchen

7 Days Of Recipes From An Amish Kitchen

ByErik Wesner
46 Comments

Ohio Amish church member Rebecca Miller takes us inside the Amish recipe book with seven meals, one for each day of the week. Of course I got hungry just reading these, and I predict the same will happen to you. Below you’ll find ideas for breakfast, dessert, “quick and easy” meals, and a Saturday night family favorite. Which of these sounds best to you? Do you plan…

Exemption Solves Smoke Detector Troubles For Wisconsin Amish

Exemption Solves Smoke Detector Troubles For Wisconsin Amish

ByErik Wesner
25 Comments

Amish in Wisconsin will no longer be required to install smoke detectors in their homes after a new exemption was signed into law last week. You may recall that Amish in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin had come into conflict with authorities after failing to secure building permits which would obligate them to install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Some Amish in the area had been evicted, while some had…

Your Amish Questions Answered (Part 2)

Your Amish Questions Answered (Part 2)

ByErik Wesner
20 Comments

We’ve got the second batch of answers to your questions on the Amish, courtesy of Merlyn Yoder in northern Indiana. If you missed it, here are Merlyn’s replies to the first 17 questions. Below, you’ll find responses to 16 more. Today’s questions cover everything from waking up early to celebrating Christmas to tracking the weather to former Amish clothing. Thanks to everyone who asked a question, and a…

5 Ways Amish Women Are Different

5 Ways Amish Women Are Different

ByErik Wesner
46 Comments

How is the average Amish woman different from her non-Amish counterpart? This article was inspired by a reader request. This list shouldn’t be read as a critique. As I note below, these differences reflect realities of Amish culture and community. Important: of course, I’m necessarily generalizing here – both about “modern” women, and the Amish. There are definitely some non-Amish women who would fit the…