The Amish and Daylight Savings
The Amish often ignore daylight savings time. Tradition and symbolic separation from the world are often cited as reasons why.
But with closer economic ties with non-Amish society, things have begun to change.
Amish in northern Indiana, many of whom work in the RV industry, were compelled to follow daylight savings time for the first time this year. An informal survey of dozens of local Amish failed to turn up a single person pleased with it.
This may be due to the Amish habit of working til dusk, regardless of the clock. Kids tend to stay up an hour later too. With many factory workers getting up around 4 am to get to work, some local Amish were ‘just plain wore out’.
Link (no longer online) to an article on the fast time/slow time dilemma in another large Amish settlement, Ohio’s Geauga County.
Hey Erik-
Love your blog. I tried to find an email for you and didn’t turn one up, so I thought I’d answer the question you asked in my comment section–which is where I grew up. Ashland County borders Holmes, Wayne and Knox Counties. Ashland has one sizable Amish community (enough to warrent hitching posts at the hardware, Wal-Mart, hospital and grocery stores) mostly Schwartzentruber Amish, with a smaller group of Old Order Amish. My father is a Brethren minister so we have deep roots in the Anabaptist movement and personal ties to the Mennonite community in Wayne County, Ohio. Our settlement appears to be leaving Ashland County. I’ve been told that there are disagreements with the new Bishop.
I hear that some are moving to Aroostock county in Maine and others have moved to upstate New York (reasonable prices on land).
Melissa I had one more question–you mentioned Aroostock County–is there an established settlement there? any idea how big or if there are any others in Maine?
You might know that an Amish printer in Baltic puts out a really neat national guide to all the churches each year, but I have to admit I am a bit behind on it, need to get the latest one.
Amish in Maine
I have written quite a few times about the Old Order Community in Unity, Maine (Waldo County) on several different subjects. I am friends with quite a few of them. Some are moving next month to Hodgdon in Aroostock County, east of Houlton. The parent Old Order community is in Smyrna, west of Houlton. There are also 2 Schwartzentruber communities as noted above in Aroostock County. The community in Unity has been well received.
There is a settlement in Aroostock County Maine. It’s small, I think, but growing. I’ll try to do a little research and see what I can find out for you. We’re planning to head up to the “county” this summer, mostly to see about the Amish.
And yes, I’d love a link. Thanks for asking. You’ve been added to the Mainiac blogroll.
Thanks Melissa! I’ve got you on here too–have really enjoyed reading your blog.
Would be curious anything you learn about the Maine Amish.
It’s always neat to hear where the Amish are spreading, and if the new settlements are working out. One of my favorite books on the Amish is called ‘Settlements that failed’ by an Amish convert, David Luthy, which details all the ones that didn’t make it over an 80-year period–Amish in random spots in California, NC, Mexico even.
Amish in Aroostock County
There are 3 “settlements” in Aroostock County and 1 in Southern Maine (Waldo County) I think. Fort Fairfield has a successful settlement and have been accepted in that community. One in Smyrna that is doing quite well and well accepted. There is a new one that has settled in Patten and Island Falls area. These people have not been so welcomed. They have caused a stir with rather unflattering behavior – surprising for the Amish. This group is the Schwartzentruber Amish. Signs depicting buggies have been shot at and people do not speak highly of them.
Interesting to hear Denise. It’s been some time since this was posted but this went up in the meantime: https://amishamerica.com/amish-maine/
The Amish and Daylight Savings
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