Visiting an Amish Farm

We buy our milk at an Amish dairy and our produce from the Amish as well. We have a large Amish population both where we live now and back in Lancaster, where we are from. Michael will be hitting PA History this year and both he and Katie Grace are very curious about the Amish. Well, OK, to be honest, Michael is a little scared of them. When we explained they don't do television or computers, he kind of freaked out and kept saying "But I don't want to be Amish!" I explained that they don't really take converts, and we're not Anabaptists, but he still is flipping out a bit.

Um... anyway, we decided our "Staycation" in Lancaster would be a great opportunity to learn more about the Amish by visiting a farm.

Some of us, however, could not be quiet during the house tour.


Did you know that you can tell if an Amish man is married or not by the brim on his Sunday meeting hat?


Beautiful simplicity. While the Amish don't hold with frippery, they can have beautiful decorative things if they are also useful. Thus the beautiful quilted potholders. Oh, and calendars with nature pictures. Lots and lots of calenders.


More beautiful usefulness.






And a sampling of Amish clothing for girls and women.


The summer kitchen.




Apparently while I was in the gift shop, Daniel escaped under the fence and got into the goat pen. Color me "not amused".




Nicholas and Katie Grace in an open "courting" buggy.


I do feel the need to make the point that all Amish do not have the same rules. Each Amish community is different and has their own rules and customs.