Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA [Amish Country]

 

Lancaster is Amish country. We were so lucky as our SERVAS homestay hosts took us to visit their Amish friends.

Hanna, who showed us her quilting and Ike who showed us around his house and farm and his restoration of old sewing machines.

When we talk about restoration, we are not talking electricity. The treddle machines are brought back to life with care and attention and ready to be used in the amazing quilt productions that the Amish are well known for. Amish houses are simple and large... all generations live together with additional stories added for each new generation.

check out the air compression used
to power the fan. 

 

      Our home stay was located within a park and they had shared their land to Ike's family for an annual reunion, so in payment, we were the lucky beneficiaries of Amish food. I'd have loved to have witnessed the reunion - a hundred or so children, teens and adults with their buggies, clothes, chatter and fare. Ike showed us his array of family buggies and the teenager buggy was not unlike a teenager's car - trinkets hanging from the mirror, fashion statement fabric on the bench seat.
  
 



To get around and see some more, Adam and I hired a scooter. The intent was to hire one each and so my training began. I was going well, and gaining confidence at taking to the Amish byways when a truck came into the training area. I nearly crashed trying to get out of its way, so was happy to go pillion. It was such fun - a great way to travel the Amish roads, covered bridges and stop at the various Amish businesses along the way.                                                                                                              
 

 Our favourite stops were yet another quilt shop where the owner invited us in to chat with the mother and daughter/sisters sewing session that was going on upstairs. Of course, Amish do not permit close up portait photos of themselves, however, the picture of these women sharing their stories over their quilting will be forever printed in my memories.

 

 

 

The lack of power lines really stood out in the countryside - houses and farms sitting calmly without the intrusion of lines and cables. The simple transport methods of bike and buggy, simplistic clothing that reflected their anti-military stance [also a reason behind their beards].

The other stop was at the bakery where we tried soft pretzels, whoopie cakes and shoo fly cake for the first time. Amish baking is fabulous.

The Amish have one room school houses and each community has a covenant that decides how their community is run - where power may be used, what the community members can do etc. Everyone in that community decides and abides by the decisions. Everything is closed on Sundays and the peace and simplicity was inspiring.

 

  

  

 

So many interesting names for places!!!!!

  

   

The girls from Minerva's going home.

Bob, our host, was a Quaker, and Dorothy had the most amazing vegetable garden. They took us out in their 1963 studebaker to tour the Amish country byways. Such fun. Here we ate black raspberries, and collected a great recipe for refreshing, healthy iced tea.