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…
Amos Hertzler is a one-year-old Amish boy who was born with a rare esophageal condition. His story came to public attention last October as his parents were having difficulties raising the funds for the expensive procedure Amos needed. Thankfully, Amos has since had his surgery and now the family is trying to pay off the remaining $60,000 in debt (having already covered $175,000). Last Saturday…
Well overdue, here is our second batch of Amish questions-and-answers. I meant to get to more of these, faster, but as they say “circumstances intervened” 🙂 Thanks for your patience. SharonR: Since the Amish farmers and their neighbors mostly eat farm fresh products, are they generally healthier than the “Englishers”, or have they also fallen to eating “junk” like so many of us Englishers have,…
In addition to the quilts we saw last week, Hostetler’s in Conewango Valley in New York sells faceless handmade dolls. Here’s a fancier version of the Amish doll which Tom notes must be destined for English buyers. The faceless doll is another item iconic of the Amish. Truth be told I haven’t seen too many of them in the Amish homes I’ve been in. It’s…
Amish people can seem a little health-obsessed. At least that’s the impression you get when perusing Amish publications, filled as they often are with advertisements for a wide range of health-enhancing products. Many Amish purchase piles of vitamins and supplements via local dealers and mail order. You can also point to the organic food movement, which has spawned Amish evangelists who believe in the health…