Here in Sparta, Wisconsin is one of the many areas that the Amish live. We have seen them riding down the street in their horse-drawn buggies. These are members of the Old Order Amish because they still use horse and buggy. We have also seen New Order Amish driving down the street in mini-vans and doing their grocery shopping at Walmart. I couldn't help but snap this picture as we were driving down one of the country roads here.
There is an Amish community here that will allow you to come take a tour through it for a cost of $50 per person. Jaren and I didn't take the tour but we did meander through the small cottage like shops they had and even purchased a few things.
Because the horse-drawn buggies are considered a slow-moving vehicle, they are required to display an orange reflective triangle on the back of the buggy. Signs are posted in areas where the Amish live to show the buggy crossing.
I haven't spoken with any Amish folk and am too chicken to go and ask them questions so I just did some research about them online. In the 18th Century Amish Mennonites migrated to the United States from Germany and Switzerland. To this day many traditional descendants of the Amish Mennonites speak Pennsylvania German (or Pennsylvania Dutch). As you probably know they are mostly known for their plain dress and simple living (without modern conveniences). Jaren and I wondered what their retention rate was and in my research found that they have a steady increase of about 4% a year. From 1992-2008 their numbers increased by 84%! That's more than I thought. I really like my modern conveniences but I do wonder what it would be like to live a quiet life without the distraction of so many worldly things around us. The Amish people seem to be such hard workers and very nice neighbors. I enjoy that there are so many living in this area because it means all of this beautiful farmland will be sticking around!
There is an Amish community here that will allow you to come take a tour through it for a cost of $50 per person. Jaren and I didn't take the tour but we did meander through the small cottage like shops they had and even purchased a few things.
Because the horse-drawn buggies are considered a slow-moving vehicle, they are required to display an orange reflective triangle on the back of the buggy. Signs are posted in areas where the Amish live to show the buggy crossing.
I haven't spoken with any Amish folk and am too chicken to go and ask them questions so I just did some research about them online. In the 18th Century Amish Mennonites migrated to the United States from Germany and Switzerland. To this day many traditional descendants of the Amish Mennonites speak Pennsylvania German (or Pennsylvania Dutch). As you probably know they are mostly known for their plain dress and simple living (without modern conveniences). Jaren and I wondered what their retention rate was and in my research found that they have a steady increase of about 4% a year. From 1992-2008 their numbers increased by 84%! That's more than I thought. I really like my modern conveniences but I do wonder what it would be like to live a quiet life without the distraction of so many worldly things around us. The Amish people seem to be such hard workers and very nice neighbors. I enjoy that there are so many living in this area because it means all of this beautiful farmland will be sticking around!
4 comments:
Hey, we have that very same horse & buggy yellow sign out here, too! We have yet to see a horse and buggy, but we've seen a couple of shops. Haven't gone in yet. The curse of being too busy. ha Love the research you did--I didn't know that stuff. My sister lives in central Illinois, and she said the Amish shop down there sells tons of food-storage-friendly stuff in their food market area. I am going to look for that here. I wonder if they have something like that in WI??
that would actually be pretty fun to live next to. and i bet it is pretty safe there also.
That's crazy! Love all the pictures of your new home/area. Keep them coming. Hope you guys are doing well
We have Amish close by too. We go and buy jam and stuff from them. They do not like their pictures taken, it is an insult to them, something to remember.
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