Pennsylvania Amish Delights

"The Amish live in 28 states and the Canadian province of Ontario. About two thirds live in three states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. There is about 250,000 adults and children. In most communities over half of the population is under 18 years of age. Thus, the number of baptized adult church members is likely about 112,000. The Amish Christian Church is growing! There are many different affiliations of Amish, each of which has its own dress styles, carriages, occupations, and rules about technology. The enormous cultural diversity among Amish groups and church districts makes it risky to generalize about the Amish."

~ "Who are the Amish?" DVD

Today was Mommy Day!

So, I chose Amish Country in Lancaster.

The first place we stopped at was the Mennonite Information Center. The Center is lovely. http://www.mennoniteinfoctr.com/

I highly suggest that if you want to know the things to do in Amish Country you go there first! It is here that you will be able to get so many of your questions answered and they will provide you with a map and information to the best places to visit with in the Community. They also provide you with the information that if a business has "Amish" in it than it is not Amish!

While we were there we saw a film called "Who are the Amish?" In the Pictures below I will provide just a little bit of the information that we learned from the film. The information that is not mine will be from the Amish Studies site which came directly from the film. All the pictures were taken by me.

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The Farms were abundant.

Big.

Beautiful.

Some of these Families have lived in this area for 200 to 400 years. Now, that is a Generational Inheritance!

The Farms are built on Hard Work.

Family.

Christians Principals.

Amish do not reject all modern technology. They selectively use technology—choosing the types that serve their community rather than debilitate it. The rules for what is accepted are largely determined by the local church, so there is a wide variation on what is permitted. In general, the Amish accept some new technology such as chain saws and inline skates, and reject computers and television. Most groups modify technology to fit their cultural values. Some, for example, place steel wheels on tractors and put electric turn signals on their carriages. They don't use power grid electricity. But, they generate their own by wind, water, gas or propane generator.

The Amish think that ownership of cars would encourage people to drive away from home more often and give youth easier access to cities. In short, they fear that the car would pull their community apart. The horse and buggy is also a symbol of their separation from the larger world. Many Amish groups permit their members to hire “taxis” driven by local non-Amish people who provide their own vehicles for business and long distance trips. With the exception of air travel, the Amish are permitted to use public transportation—buses, boats, and trains.

The Amish support education in a broad sense, but they think that, beyond elementary school, vocational training is sufficient for success in their society. About 90 percent attend one- or two-room private Amish schools; the others go to rural public schools. In Amish schools, an Amish teacher is typically responsible to teach all eight grades, or in the case of a two-room school, half of the grades. Amish children typically end their formal schooling at the end of eighth grade.

Most Amish children attended public schools before 1950. Indeed, some Amish fathers served as directors of rural public schools. The Amish were comfortable with small rural schools that were controlled by local parents.

Amish in numerous states protested the national consolidation of small public schools into large districts that occurred in the late 1940s and 1950s. Parents protested these developments because they were losing control over the nurture of their children. Moreover, they considered formal study beyond the eighth grade unnecessary for farming. Finally, in 1972, the United States Supreme Court, in a case known as Wisconsin vs. Yoder, ruled that Amish children could end their formal schooling at the age of fourteen.

I do not know why this is important but it is a very popular question. "Do Amish pay taxes?" Yes. And in the case of education, often they pay twice! They pay for the public schools and then taxes for their private schools.

School with a horse watering troft in front of it.

The Amish Community is growing. However, there isn't enough Farms and Land for them to expand with in their Communities. Many are moving to the West and some are finding the need to turn toward non farming business such as quilt stores, wood working, etc.

We got to explore this sweet shop which was located right on an Amish farm.

Amish Quilts

I adore these pillows!

Gorgeous Canning!

We also got to explore a Wooden Toy Store!

We went through an Amish Barn too.

The Bake Good stores are abundant as well!

We ate homemade Pretzels!

The Children enjoyed their time in Amish Country too!

They are taking home a good many goodies!

Toy Blocks to build cities for the Boys.

Little Boy Tool Aprons.

A Coloring Book Purse for the Little Lady.

And, a apron of clothing pin people that the Little Lady has been playing with all evening.

They are also taking home a wealth of knowledge!!!

(A successful School trip. Don't you think?)

I am so blessed! I don't have to come to Amish Country in Lancaster to see these Precious People.

I just have to visit the local veggie stand around the corner form my house! And, if I really need a good Amish fix, I just have to drive up to Indiana and Ohio! The Ohio Amish Community is the biggest in the United States! And, in my State alone there are 31 Communities.