Amish Business

I have a favorite pair of shoes. They’re cold-weather hikers, originally waterproof but after a few years of use, not so much anymore. That’s not the problem, though, as apparently a tiny hole has appeared, somewhere, in the sole (where exactly, I haven’t been able to determine).  However it lets enough water in that walking […]

Continue Reading Amish Shoe Repair

“We could probably build a better car than Detroit can. I will go out on a wing and say that. I honestly believe we could do that.” It’s not often you hear an Amishman make such a claim. But it almost makes sense–when you learn that the fellow who said this is from northern Indiana. […]

Continue Reading What does “wealth” mean to you?

It took a little arm-twisting, but I’m finally posting a piece about–well–me, written by “Captain Ahab”, aka Rich Stevick.  Not because it wasn’t good, because as regular readers of the Pinecraft Pauper know, a Captain Ahab piece is going to be good reading. More on account of me being a bit bashful, I suppose.  This […]

Continue Reading Yours truly in the Pinecraft Pauper

Say the words “Pennsylvania Amish”, and Lancaster County inevitably comes to mind.  But Pennsylvania is a state covered with Amish settlements, with over 50 as of 2010 (see Young Center 2010). The Amish community in Juniata County is one of the Keystone State’s many lesser-known settlements.  I had a chance to visit Juniata County last […]

Continue Reading The Amish of Juniata County, Pennsylvania

I don’t know if the video I just watched-entitled “Amish Smugglers’ Shady Milk Run”–was intended to be funny, but I couldn’t help but chuckle. Technically, I guess you do call someone who brings in product to sell in an area where it is illegal a “smuggler”.  But the term is such a loaded one. The […]

Continue Reading “Shadowy” Amish raw milk smugglers

Happy Groundhog Day! (UPDATED BELOW) Something tells me that with the weather lately, old Punxsutawney Phil might just see his shadow, dooming us to 6 weeks more winter.  Punxsutawney, of course, is the central Pennsylvania town known for holding the most prominent Groundhog Day celebration, complete with a tuxedoed band of residents known as the […]

Continue Reading Groundhog Day Brain Dump: Punxsutawney Amish, “Grundsow Lodges”, and the Miracle Heater in court?

“I see this in the food industry.  There’s quite a few organizations here locally that will sell using “Amish”.  And what they’re trying to do is create the perception that it does come from Amish producers.  When it doesn’t.  They don’t explicitly say so, they just say “Amish Country this”, “Amish Country that,”…”Amish” is big, […]

Continue Reading “Amish Country” on the label: Deception or fair game?

It’s become something of a habit to share a few thoughts, comments, and links every couple weeks in what I call a “brain dump”.  It’s not as scary as it sounds: Reader Steve recently asked “Where are the Texas Amish?”  We don’t have a Texas Amish State Guide entry yet, but I can point you […]

Continue Reading Friday brain dump: Lone Star Amish, getting hitched, and an Illinois buggy “brew-thru”

It’s Friday, and a good day to clear the deck.  Here are some news bits, updates, and mental flotsam from Amish America-land: Comments are now enabled on all Amish Online Encyclopedia entries.   I held off on this earlier as I was figuring out the format.  But no longer.  Looking forward to hearing from you […]

Continue Reading Friday brain dump: news, updates, semi-random thoughts…and one odd photo

Last week, an excerpt from The Amish Way mentioned a gentleman named Abner, a deceased Amish historian whose trade was bookbinding. Abner was apparently quite a remarkable person who touched a lot of people in his community.  Brad Igou (The Amish in Their Own Words) knew Abner well and has shared some remembrances which he […]

Continue Reading Abner the Bookbinder