The concept of “Amish community” has a number of meanings The term “Amish community” is often used to refer to the Amish in general. For instance, you might hear the questions, “What does the Amish community do when a barn burns down?” or “What does the Amish community believe about technology?” Sometimes the term is used appropriately, ie “My friend Lavern comes from the Nappanee Amish…
I was just digging through my things and came across the pen above, picked up while visiting Amish communities earlier this year. This pen commemorates the wedding of Steven and Lydia, married this past spring in Ohio. Keepsakes and souvenirs such as this memorialize Amish weddings in many communities. Remembrance items can range from pens with the couple’s name and date of marriage, to painted…
Amish are typically buried in simple pine boxes. Who makes them? In many communities, an Amishman will operate a business constructing the pine coffins. I recently spoke with a casket maker after a business talk I gave in Holmes County, Ohio. He asked me if I had met one of his kind while writing my book. Unfortunately I had not. Given the nature of his…
The short answer: yes, Amish people do eat fast food. McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Wendy’s too (and not just those). McDonald’s Here are a couple of visual Amish fast food examples from Amish communities. First, this sign showing buggy parking at a McDonald’s in Sugarcreek, Ohio, a heavily-Amish area: I took that photo sometime in the mid-2000s. Like other businesses in Amish areas,…
Plain publications help Amish maintain ties and promote Old Order Christian values Amish produce a number of newspapers, books, and other publications. Following is ordering information for three Amish resources: Family Life-a general-interest magazine from Pathway Publishers in Ontario The Budget-Sugarcreek, Ohio newspaper which covers both local news, and produces a “national edition” with letters from Amish scribes Raber’s Bookstore-an Ohio Amish-owned bookstore that carries…
I recently read a book I’d been looking forward to for a long time. An Amish Paradox: Diversity and Change in the World’s Largest Amish Community is an in-depth look at the Amish settlement at Holmes County, Ohio, and one of the most interesting books on the Amish I have read. In Ohio last month I had the pleasure of meeting the book’s authors, Charles…
At a talk I gave in Holmes County, at one point one of the Amish entrepreneurs on the 5-man panel expressed concerns over technology. Paraphrasing, he spoke of worries over “kids having the PSP and the Game Boy and half of the boys having cars”. Having been to a few Amish homes, I can say this is not far off in some communities, where both…
Dan Miller is a top careers and business consultant, bestselling author, and founder of 48 Days, where he helps people from all walks of life discover fulfilling vocations. He is also a long-time successful businessperson and runs an online community for entrepreneurs at a second site, 48Days.net. Dan has Amish roots, which I first learned a few years ago after reading an article he wrote…
One of my favorite stops of this recent Holmes County trip was Raber’s Bookstore, located “2 miles south of Charm”, as it says on the business card. This photo is not of the store itself, but of an old schoolhouse nearby. The bookstore has changed hands to the next generation and is run by a lively pair, we’ll call them “Atlee” and “Emma”. The store…
Just had a nice talk yesterday evening at the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center (home to the Behalt cyclorama) at Berlin in Holmes County. About 130 people attended, roughly 70% of whom were Amish. I explained that I was glad it was a non-violent, pacifist crowd. I figured that gave me a better chance of survival if I really messed something up in my talk….