The St. Joseph News-Press is running a nice story on a changing-of-the-guard at a Jamesport, Missouri Amish furniture business. Owner Jake Graber has passed on his company to son John following health problems: Jake Graber survived an aneurysm a couple of years ago and strives now to lead what he regards as a “healthier, more Godly life.” Forgive him, though, occasional moments of exasperation. Some…
“Hello, do I have a twin out there?” Despite how it may sound, this isn’t a plea for a long-lost identical sibling. The above comes from The Diary newspaper, which features a regular “Twins and Circle Letters” section. I remember first learning about Amish “twins” when my friend’s wife, whom I had known for around 4 years at that point, and whose family I had…
We check in with Tom again today, with some photos from a shop owned by Noah, a New York Amishman. Noah’s business is a classic example of an Amish-English partnership. Most of his buildings are sold to an English dealer who picks them up and delivers them to customers. The shed and storage building sector is one with many Amish manufacturers. You’ll often see rows…
In today’s interview, Mose Gingerich answers questions about the National Geographic Amish: Out of Order program. Mose shares his thoughts below on a range of topics including faith, hell, and his hopes for the series. Amish: Out of Order is in the middle of a ten-episode run on the National Geographic Channel. The series looks at the lives of former Amish as they deal with life…
The Amish smoke alarm issue has been ongoing for a number of years in New York state. David Belton, who made the PBS Amish documentary, has written an article on the topic for BBC. Swartzentruber Amish in northern New York have violated building codes by not installing smoke alarms in their homes, leading to fines and court cases. The core of the objection appears similar…
The Harmony, Minnesota Amish community is the largest in the state. In the video below, a television station visits the community and interviews an Amishman named Dennis as well as a local tour guide. It’s a brief but enjoyable look at this conservative Swartzentruber settlement. I don’t recall a lot of cases in which Swartzentruber Amish appeared on camera. Dennis gives a nice interview here;…
Michigan’s Branch County is found on the southern end of the state, on the Indiana border. The two counties to its south are Lagrange County and Steuben County, Indiana, both with an Amish presence, particularly heavy in Lagrange. Head west from Branch County and you’ll reach the Amish of St. Joseph County, Michigan’s largest settlement. Hillsdale County to the east has an Amish population, as…
Cornhole is a game popular among Amish in some communities. I played it once in Ohio at an Amish birthday cookout. I’d say it’s got elements of horseshoes and shuffleboard to it. If you’re not familiar with cornhole, it’s pretty simple. You’ve got two slightly elevated boards with a medium-sized hole towards one end of each board. You place them some distance apart and take…
The Ethridge, Tennessee Amish community is the largest in the South. It’s a Swartzentruber Amish settlement founded in the 1940s. Today there are well over 2,000 Amish living here. Typical of Swartzentruber settlements, it is a farming community supplemented by a lot of small shops and home enterprises. Amish commerce extends off the farm with some selling products off the back of the buggy in…
I got a kick out of this story, about a Colorado resident who hired a Lancaster Amish crew to travel 1,700 miles to build a fence. No doubt Colorado being the destination had something to do with their willingness to go. A less picturesque part of America may not have enticed the crew. As a largely Midwest and Eastern people with a soft spot for…