I spent the week-end in Lancaster, PA recharging my battery and admiring the Amish. Regardless of the time span between my visits, I always find it to be peaceful. First, who can’t use a little peace in their life, right. We may recharge our batteries and seek peace in different ways, but we all need to stop and take action at some point.
Next, watching the Amish and their way of life causes me to pause. The fields of corn, horse and buggies, roadside produce stands, handmade quilts and the slow pace take me to a peaceful and simple way of living. They are gentle people with a deep belief in God and family above all else. Furthermore, they have a deep sense of community and helping their neighbor without the distraction of modern technology. Most importantly, they are self-sufficient, independent, and they take care of each other. They pay income taxes, but no welfare or social security benefits for their community. They have no desire to integrate into our society, their lifestyle is a choice. Plain and simple is their motto and they live it.
During my visits, I’ve taken tons of pictures and I thought I would share some of them with you in a two part post on the Amish and their lifestyle. This is Part I – The Amish Home and Farm. Before the Amish Home and Farm became a tourist attraction, Amish and Mennonites families lived in this house for many years.
Because most Amish families are large, most have 7 or more children, Amish homes are usually quite large. When parents get older they remain at the home. They usually stay in another home on the property called a Dawdi Haus. The second home can also be used as a guest house. The Amish take care of each other life. Rarely is an Amish person put into a nursing home or sent elsewhere to live.
Furthermore, the Amish are a deeply religious community. However, they don’t attend churches as we know it. For example, families take turns hosting church service at their homes. The picture above shows an Amish living room that has the furniture removed. The host family removes the furniture and replaces it with benches. Or, benches are set-up barn or buggy house on the property.
Benches are placed on both sides of the room. Women sit on one side and men on the other. So, benches are placed on both sides of the room. German is the official language of the service. After the service, lunch is served. Everyone socializes while the children play. Sunday is the day of worship, so only the basic chores are done at home. Therefore, businesses are closed. Visiting neighbors is high on the list for the Amish on Sundays.
There is no divorce in the Amish community. The women take care of the home, husband, children and kitchen gardens. The men bring home the money, work the fields and take care of the farm animals. There are some Amish men and women who work outside the home or farm. They own businesses such as making furniture, storage sheds and yard furniture. Additionally, they also work as waitresses, in factories or other jobs with the English, non-Amish. I own 2 storage sheds built by the Amish. Their work is superior.
Those who work on the farm are ready to go at sun up and stop working at sun down. As a result, they eat a hearty breakfast before heading out to the fields. Normally, they return around noon for lunch and again for dinner. They usually start their day at 5:30 am and are in bed by 8:00 or 9:00 pm.
The above picture is a typical Amish kitchen. Appliances are powered by propane gas. Lights, faucets, sewing and washing machines, as well as blenders and mixers are powered by compressed air. As in most homes, the man sits at the head of the table and his wife to the right of him. The oldest child sits on the opposite end of the father. There are no pictures of family or children hanging on the walls, Amish do not take pictures. They do hang quilted wall hangings, a framed list of their children and their birthdays, framed puzzles etc.
Amish serve hearty meals. They typically preserve hundreds of jars of vegetables, fruits and meat during the canning season to feed a family of 9 or more during the winter months. They are masters at baking bread, pies, and cakes. Fortunately, they are able to grow their own fruit for jams, jellies, pies and cobblers as well as vegetables in their kitchen gardens. Their gardens and flower beds are meticulous. You won’t find a weed in them. The children start in the morning pulling weeds to ensure that nothing distracts from mom’s garden. They butcher or use Amish butchering shops for their meat. Self-sufficiency and being experts at it is the name of the game. And the Amish know how to play. They are astute at making things happen.
Amish women are experts at sewing and quilting. They do the sewing for the entire family. Furthermore, they make their own dresses and aprons, pants and shirts for their husbands and all of the children’s clothing. Additionally, they also make quilts, diapers for infants and a host of other items. Most prefer the old Singer treadle sewing machines shown above.
They do shop at local stores such as Wal-mart for plates, glasses, and other home goods as well as undergarments, socks, hosiery, Birdseye diapers/pampers etc. Most stores provide hitching posts for their horse and buggies while they shop.
This is the typical wardrobe for Amish girls. Dresses are muted colors and calf length. Muted colors include: pink, green, purple, blue, brown and black. However, no prints are allowed. Prayer coverings are black or white. And are pinned onto the solid colored dresses. Hook and eye closures can be used, but no buttons. Prayer caps are white and heart shaped. Shoes are black. I have seen the Lancaster Amish wear sandals, Crocs, sneakers or go barefoot.
Girls wear a white prayer cap around age 9. A black bonnet can be worn over the prayer cap. In the winter, a black cloak is worn. The black bonnets may be worn without the cloak, but the black cloak can’t be worn without the black bonnet. Also, Amish women do not cut their hair. Amish women are not allowed to wear prints or jewelry, not even a wedding band.
This is a picture of a nursery or small child’s bedroom in the Amish home. They have the usual furniture that you would find in a nursery: a crib, rocker, changing table and dresser. What I didn’t see was a bottle warmers, mobile or baby monitors.
I bet this changing table is worth a mint. It was heavy and study. The hardwood floors are the wide planks and absolutely beautiful. Amish women take their ability to keep house seriously. As a result, their homes are spotless.
This is the typical Amish boy’s room. The boys wear black pants that hit about the ankle. Their shirts are muted colors with snaps and hook and eyes. The pants are worn with suspenders, but they have no zipper. Instead, hook and eyes are used. On Sundays, the boys and men wear black pants, white shirts, black vests or jackets. Married men grow beards without a mustache.
This is the typical dress of a married Amish woman. Her aprons are black instead of white. Her husband’s clothing, is the same as the boys.
Another fact is, Amish women usually give birth at home and are assisted by a mid-wife. However, they can use a birthing center or hospital if they desire.
It looks like an older son is replacing posts on the farm. Also, he has several of his younger siblings on the wagon. He made sure everything was in place after making each turn. Amish boys work the fields with their fathers at an early age. Women and girls also help if needed. Usually, Belgian horses or mules pull the equipment.
Corn fields are abundant in Lancaster. This young man above is handling a team of 6 horses. The women are subservient, but equal partners in their marriage. They are involved in the daily operation of the farm ensuring that it efficiently and that it is productive. Many can be seen hand picking various vegetables or helping with the harvest.
Amazingly, the Amish still use wringer washers to do laundry. Hanging clothes outside on a clothesline is still a part of their chores. Once dry, they iron the clothes.
Most of all, Lancaster is a combination of things. For example, traffic, shopping malls, horse and buggies and endless rows of corn and other vegetables. It’s a place where you can lose yourself in the simplicity of a culture. The beauty of the farm houses and acres of rolling land capture your deepest senses. Furthermore, it draws you into a life that can only be admired by those who are willing to put down their smart phones and laptops. I admire their ability to persevere in the mist of modern technology. Also, their calming affect takes me back to the days of running through the cool grass bare foot. Eating homemade ice cream or drinking ice cold water from the hand pump down the lane when I visited my grandparents. Oh, how I yearn for those days now.
Last, if you have an Amish community nearby and you haven’t visited, you should. We can all learn from the Amish, and it’s a great family activity. Additionally, you may also like: Quilts, Transportation and Great Food.
