In a recent piece for The Washington Post (“Inside the seldom seen world of the Amish”), photojournalist Michael Hanson gives readers a glimpse inside the heavily-Amish Mount Hope Auction with some interesting behind-the-scenes images.
In the one below, for example, the man is described as attempting to “distract and spook” the horse to prepare it to be calm before the large auction crowd. “A calm horse is a more valuable horse” notes the caption. Nice balance there.
There are also photos taken at an Ohio Amish farm and in the community at Unity, Maine, with a diversion into the story of a formerly Amish man who left that community.
You’ll also notice men wearing something like a mustache in the Unity photos, which is an unusual practice specific to that Amish community and at least one other.
You can view all the photos (16 total) and read accompanying captions here.
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The comments on the link to the photos are sickening. It’s sad to see there is so much hate towards the Amish.
The Internet...
Sadly, Adam, that’s the internet – and the comments on the Washington Post are not moderated as stringently as the New York Times. I just don’t look at the comment section anymore – they’re mostly angry people who spread hate, reject differences, and are looking for attention because they didn’t receive love as a child. But I do pray for them – because they are lost.
My wife and I traveled to Holmes County, Ohio several years ago and loved everything we saw and learned about Amish living. I have great respect for the Amish lifestyle, though it would be hard for most to live your way. We wish we could come back, maybe someday, we are in our 70s, and don’t travel far any more, so I read a lot about the Amish. I wish all good things for you.
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed your visit to Holmes County. 🙂
I really loved the photos! But I was surprised at the amount of faces in the photos. And since the photojournalist was there to cover another story – I wondered how much he knew about the subject he wound up covering – the Amish. But maybe these photos are not offensive to some Amish communities. I must admit though, I always have a knee jerk reaction to photographs that I think were “stolen” that contain images of the faces of the Amish. It’s a privacy thing, a courtesy thing. But it doesn’t stop me from enjoying the beautiful work.
So sad for the man that left his community. Even Mother Theresa struggled with her Faith for 40 years. Faith is such a gift, and for those who strive for it – it can be a harrowing road – and of no fault of their own. The one photo of him eating alone in his workshop brought a tear to my eye. God bless him.
Just a week ago, I was on a bus tour of the Kingston & Dalton areas of Wisconsin to visit an Amish community there. Our last stop in Dalton was to a former (now shunned) Amish man’s woodworking shop. Our step-on guide told us that the bulk food store (run by Amish) just across the road from his shop will not have any dealings with him, as he is shunned. She explained that if he wanted anything from that store, he’d have to just leave his money on the counter. (I have no idea if that’s ever really happened.)
I’ve been to a couple of other Amish communities, but this is the first one I’ve visited that is on the “conservative” side. I’d never met a shunned individual before. He and his wife have a wonderful store…wish I could have stayed longer.
Alice Mary
Thanks for sharing this. I have read news many times in The Budget from Maine settlements, so enjoyed seeing some pictures on the link that was mentioned.
The Amish in Maine feel that if they are open to the public and to people, that more will join and become Amish. There are actually MORE Amish today than there were in 1980 for example. People are realizing that the world is too much with us.