Last October we had a look at some unusual occupations in Michigan Amish communities. I was recently going through an Ohio Amish directory while doing book research and came across more uncommon Amish jobs. Amish church directories vary. Some have the head of household’s occupation listed; others don’t. Sometimes the listing is just a generic description of the job (“Mason” or “Roofer” or “Bakery”). At times…
National Geographic has developed Amish: Out of the Order (you may remember this program from late 2010, featuring ex-Amishman Mose Gingerich) into a full-fledged series. It will air in 10 parts this spring and is named, nearly identically, Amish: Out of Order. I found the original program interesting but wonder if they’ll be able to get enough mileage out of the concept for a full series….
While I was in the US in February, we had Amish visitors at my parents’ home in North Carolina. One morning one of our guests took it upon herself to whip up a truly scrumptious breakfast casserole. It took about 15 minutes to do, she said. Wow. At the 15-minute mark I am still trying to find a clean pot and determine which ingredients in…
Conflict over the SMV safety triangle, which has seen numerous Amish sent to jail in Kentucky, has ended. Governor Steve Beshear signed Senate Bill 75 into law yesterday. The new law allows reflective tape to be substituted for the Slow Moving Vehicle emblem. Amish reaction from the AP story (no longer online): Atlee Miller, an Amish farmer from Franklin, said he appreciates the help from the…
I compared statistics from the 2003 Amish Settlements Across America by David Luthy with numbers from the 2012 Raber’s Almanac to come up with a list of 5 fast-growing Amish settlements over the past decade. Past calculations have found the Amish population to double roughly every 18-20 years; these communities would be exceeding that, some by a significant margin. Why “fast-growing” and not “the fastest-growing”? There…
Among the Amish, rugmaking is a thriving cottage industry that goes hand-in-hand with quilting and cloth handiwork. Amish craftspeople often create rugs from scraps left over from quilting or making clothes. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles as you can see below. Here’s an example from an Amish quilt shop at New Wilmington, Pennsylvania: These rugs are from the Amish community…
Dusted off your lawn loungers yet? Outdoor rockers, tables, and chairs are a big part of the Amish furniture repertoire. Amish outdoor furniture shops have been gearing up across the land for sun-hungry customers ready to plop down some cash–and then plop down on the lawn for some much-needed rays. Today Tom shares photos of Amish lawn furniture pieces from Raymond’s shop in the Conewango…
“The flag is fine, but we’re the only nation that worships the flag. It’s very heathen. The kingdom we live in, we pledge our allegiance to God, not the flag.” That’s a quote from an Amishman in the PBS film “The Amish”. This struck me as I’ve never really thought about it in those terms. I know that people do object to the pledge on…
You’ll find guide dogs, schools, Amish visiting other churches, and more in the latest batch of questions: Al in KY: What is the present status of farming as the primary source of income for Amish, especially among the more progressive Amish? Do they lament having to be employed off the farm and do they hope that some day there once again will be more Amish farmers? The general trend…
Orlando Fragasse was his real name, and he was my friend. “Peach” or “Peaches” is what everyone called him though, on account of his big peachy-looking cheeks, a nickname he picked up in childhood and stuck, to the point that even his own children would use it. We met on my first bookselling trip to Holmes County, and Peach’s place, the creaky but cozy home…