The Amish here told the judge they prefer jail to paying fines for violating Ohio’s new buggy lighting law. That might seem surprising. But it’s not, if you’ve paid attention to how these things go with Swartzentruber Amish. From Ashland Source: ASHLAND — A group of eight Amish people refused to pay their fines for their violations of Ohio’s new buggy law in a fines and…
After 15+ years of writing a blog on the Amish, from time to time I still hear from people who wish to become Amish. I usually advise people to take a look at what is attracting them to want to join the Amish. Often, I suspect, the real reasons have little to do with the Amish at all (more on that below). Often it seems…
May 2026 UPDATE: With one more previously “Amish-less” state – Alabama – getting an Amish presence in the past year, the size of this list decreases further – from 18 to just 17 states without Amish. So that means right about two-thirds of the states have at least one horse-and-buggy Amish location. Essentially, it’s becoming easier and easier to say where the Amish aren’t than…
Amish homes have certain features that you’ll tend to see over and over again, due to how useful they are. The following are all features I made use of – and found myself appreciating, some more than others – on my latest visit staying with Amish friends in Pennsylvania. 1. Heating stove in basement This is how many Amish homes are heated. The hot air…
In this video I show you more of my visit to the horse-and-buggy Mennonite community in Buffalo Valley (Union County, PA). You’ve already seen the posts on the Mennonite bakery and market – they appear here too as well. Additional things you’ll see in this video are a visit with to an old cemetery in Buffalo Valley where 19th-century Amish settlers are buried, some…
A heartwarming story out of Vernon County, Wisconsin. A man named Bill Markee had a special relationship with the local Amish community. They apparently felt similarly towards him, as you’ll see in this account (via news8000.com): “My dad was a unique individual who could carry a conversation with anybody,” said Mat Markee. Born in 1936, William “Bill” Markee considered himself a part of the old…
Another year comes to a close. I hope yours was a good one. I’ll finish up 2022 with what I usually do – a look back at some favorite posts of the soon-to-conclude year. “Favorite” means well-commented or just generally liked by you (or me). I’ve listed these in no particular order, other than chronologically. And, one piece of news: I have been working for…
As promised, following the look inside a plain Mennonite market, let’s check out the bakery. As you might recall this was found just next door to the market in the Snyder County, PA Stauffer Mennonite community (Port Trevorton area). We were met by the aroma of what I thought was apple cobbler as we exited the market, and promptly located the bakery entrance. This ended…
While in Lancaster County I took a trip with a friend and his son to an Old Order (horse-and-buggy) Mennonite community in the Buffalo Valley area of Pennsylvania. It’s about a two and a half hour drive and there had been inclement weather that day, which worsened as we headed further north. We did get a nice visit at the community which I’ll go into…
I just got back from a very Christmas-y week in Lancaster County. Christmas is in the air everywhere, even though it was warmish with not a ton of frozen precipitation (except for one morning). Amish families have been doing late-in-the-game shopping for Christmas presents, just like non-Amish people are this week, and some have already been having family get-togethers. While there, I attended two early…