Amish Country in Indiana

We took these pictures when we visited Amish Country near Nappanee, Indiana. There is a replica of a working farm with all of the out buildings. The Amish provide as many of their products as they can so as not to rely on others-the grocery store,etc.

The state taxed a house determined by the number of closets. Therefore, the Amish hung their clothes on pegs around the room. They make all of their clothes-very plain and only solid colors using the same patterns.

 Their farms have dairy cows, chickens, beef cows, horses, ducks,etc. These animals provide their food or help with chores.  The Amish do not have electricity in their homes and they travel in horse and buggy.

  

The Amish children use this to learn how to saddle up the horses. They had very simple toys that usually had a learning purpose.

They painted the bottom of the fruit trees white to ward off bugs.  They also put maple syrup in cans on the trees to attract bees for pollination. 

The one room schoolhouse was also on the farm property.  The children only go to school through the 8th grade. Other buildings on the farm were the smokehouse, the root cellar, the blacksmith shop and huge barns. The Amish usually have many children to help with running the farm.   They still make their own butter and wash their clothes without electrical devices.  The Amish meet with about 20 other families taking turns in their homes every other Sunday for worship.  Each of these groups elect a bishop for their group. You can tell the married men because they don' t shave after they get married. The women stay at home and raise the children, but we saw young girls who had not married working in the RV manufacturers. Now many of the Amish provide the cabinets and other word working for the camper and RV manufacturers. They have to wear the white bonnets on their heads and now alto of the younger Amish ride bicycles for traveling from place to place.  The roads had larger shoulders for the horse and buggies to travel.  The buggies now have tail lights for safer travel. The different towns we visited near this area were. Shipshewana, Middlebury, Howe, and LaGrange. These are in western Indiana. 

On this farm they had converted one of the barns to a huge restaurant. They serve foods typically eaten by an Amish family. It is served family style. We had Navy bean soup and cabbage slow and homemade pickles and homemade bread as an appetizer.  Then for the main part of the meal, they served green beans, mashed potatoes, dressing, noodles, turkey and roast beef, and you could choose dessert.  I had chocolate pie and Jeffrey had apple pie and ice cream.

The Round House is also on the property and is used as a theater. Several times a year actors come in and play in various plays. 

Before I go I have to tell you to visit Das Dutchman Essenhaus. This is a restaurant near Middlebury. Country Amish cooking, buffet style.  Great food!  There are also gift shops on the grounds.