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Tickets at www.EnjoyBIHStage.com or (800) 790-4069
Pumpkin Season! The Smucker Family’s farming roots shine every fall. What could be fresher than pumpkins grown in our very own Smucker pumpkin patch? Taste the difference it makes in our delicious pumpkin pies, breads, bars, rolls and whoopie pies.
DUTCH HAVEN W
AMISH COUNTRY LANDMARK
hile driving along Route 30 in Lancaster County, you may see both familiar and unexpected sights. Certainly the Plain folk and their horse and buggy transportation will seem a step back in time. But one unique and unmistakable landmark is the Dutch Haven windmill. Its revolving arms have been drawing thousands of visitors each week ever since it first opened as a restaurant back in 1946. And while hungry visitors could satisfy themselves on any number of Penn Dutch specialties, it was Dutch Haven’s shoo fly pie that put it on the map…and in the record books as “America’s Best Shoo Fly Pie.”
Made with a secret recipe, some 40,000 pies are sold in the store or shipped via UPS all over the USA. Indeed, so popular and delicious are the pies that some faithful customers have been buying them for over 50 years!
This is undisputedly Amish Country’s most famous dessert, and all you have to do is walk through the door at Dutch Haven to be offered a sample taste of this amazing treat, warmed and topped with whipped cream, just as it was served in the restaurant all those years ago.
The pie that was featured in TIME magazine still plays a feature role at Dutch Haven. But the windmill building is now home to an amazing selection of over 10,000 items. One of the area’s best selections of primitive Amish furniture includes corner cupboards, pie safes, chests, and shelves.
T-Shirts
Souvenirs
Woodcrafts, souvenirs and collectibles of all kinds fill the former dining rooms. Also on the shopper’s menu would be everything from spice mats and Amish dolls to jams, jellies, and local honey. Who can resist buying a T-shirt, or maybe a bonnet or Amish felt hat? If you grow tired looking at all of the Dutch Haven gift items, relax in one of the Troutman Rocking Chairs, from the oldest rocking chair company in America. Also deserving of a trip home in your car are the colorful and decorative hex signs, a perfect reminder of a visit to Dutch Country. Dutch Haven’s shopping hours are Sun.-Thurs. 9am-7pm, Fri. & Sat. 9am-9pm. For more information about this Lancaster County landmark, call (717) 687-0111 or visit dutchhaven.com. A visit to Dutch Haven, “the place that made shoo fly pie famous,” will make your trip to Amish Country even more memorable…and tasty!
Hex Signs
AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 3
From New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
S H E L L E Y S H E PA R D G R AY
joyful return to sugarcreek book three
Return to Sugarcreek with the heartwarming story of second chances for a young Amish couple
“A story that will capture readers’ hearts from the first page.” —Bestselling Author Suzanne Woods Fisher
coming this holiday season
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a days of redemption christmas novella ShelleyShepardGray 4 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
don’t miss
Books One & Two
From the Horse's Mouth
Brad: I don’t think so, but tell me more about where you go…
Interview by Brad Igou
EDITOR’S NOTE: We are pleased to offer what we believe is a first-of-its-kind interview. Our subject’s name is Aaron and he is one of the horses at Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides. We sat down (actually we stood) in the stables at Plain and Fancy Farm on RT 340 between Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse where Aaron works. So move over Mister Ed, it’s time to hear what Aaron has to say! Brad: To begin, what did you do to get your name in the business? Did you log in more buggy miles than any of the other horses? Aaron: Neigh! I mean, “Nay.” When Jessica and her dad started the buggy rides, they obviously only needed three things --- a carriage, a driver, and a horse. So my name was added along with Jessica’s. I think it also had something to do with getting top billing in alphabetical listings, you know the “AA” in Aaron, but I don’t understand such human concerns. Brad: How did you prepare for this work? Did it involve any rigorous training, like plowing fields or pulling a hay baler? Aaron: Those would be jobs for work horses and mules! We often see them out in the fields when I do the rides. But we carriage horses are a different breed. Speaking of breeds, the most common for pulling buggies are American Standard or American Saddle. We need to get accustomed to cars and trucks and horns and traffic, which we did, of course. But our rides tend to be on back country roads where it is beautiful and peaceful. Brad: How many people can you pull at a time? Aaron: That depends on how much they weigh! Just kidding. In reality, we can usually pull about three times our weight. Since I weigh about a thousand pounds, I can actually pull about 3,000 pounds worth of visitors. I once told Jessica she could weigh everyone before they get on board, but for some reason, she hated that idea. Even with a full carriage, you can see we don’t get anywhere close to my comfortable pulling limit. Of course, people on the ride aren’t seeing my best side!
Seeing the world from a buggy the way the Amish do on back country roads is a memorable experience for the entire family. Brad: Do you ever get a rest? Is there a horses union? Aaron: We are well taken care of. Plenty to eat and drink, and we are not overworked. We even get a cool-rinse off on hot days. I usually work a little over three hours a day and there are three shifts of horses. There’s time for us to relax between rides. You might see us standing there with one of our hind legs bent. We’re just resting, like you humans when you cross your legs or lean against something. We also enjoy chewing on wood, but not because we’re hungry. It’s like when you chew gum.
Aaron: Well, it’s difficult to get bored because we have so many different routes, at least seven I think. Sometimes I go on the short “Cookie Run,” which takes me to an Amish farm where people can buy cookies and drinks. But there are longer rides with names like “Amish Town Tour” and “Amish Farm Tour” and “Amish Journeys.” That last ride is well over an hour, so folks really get to enjoy the countryside. Of course, you never know what we will see. Sometimes farmers are harvesting corn, or kids are coming home from the one-room school. Really, I don’t understand how you humans can appreciate the scenery whizzing by at 50 miles an hour! Brad: We don’t. I guess you do see the world differently from a horse and buggy. You even get to go through a wooden covered bridge, right? Aaron: Yep, every ride goes through the little bridge at Plain & Fancy where folks also come to eat and see the Amish story of “Jacob’s Choice.” I love to hear the sounds of my hooves clipclopping as we go along, and I kinda think the visitors do, too. Brad: What kinds of things do people say about the rides?
Aaron: I really enjoy these rides and many of us work well into our early 20’s. Our life expectancy is about 30 years old. So I have good years left in me before it is time to retire and, literally, be put out to pasture. I know I’ll miss seeing all the smiling faces and getting my picture taken after each ride.
Aaron: I’ve heard so many comments that it’s hard to remember. Unlike elephants, our memories aren’t so good. I do recall one family that has come to ride with us at least five times. I think they were from Long Island, which I assume is near Hawaii. Anyway, the day I had them, the mom said ever since her son woke up that morning, “Aaron and Jessica’s” is all she heard. But one visitor probably said it best… “The sound of the horse was wonderful. The countryside is just beautiful. It was so relaxing. It was just what I needed.” That’s how I feel every time I take the visitors out on a buggy ride.
Brad: Do you ever get bored going on the same route all day long?
Brad: Thanks for talking with me. Some people aren’t going to believe this.
Aaron: First of all, I enjoy “overhearing” the conversations our drivers have with visitors. Most of the drivers are Plain, so they get lots of questions from visitors about their way of life. I sure have learned a lot about the Amish by listening to them. Sometimes they ask some pretty funny questions. Have you ever heard a horse laugh?
Aaron: Well, I don’t talk to people that often. I’m more the silent type. But after work at night in the barn, you should hear the stories we have to tell when we’re all just horsin’ around. We really like sharing our tails, I mean tales, of all the sights we saw that day, with people from all over the world, knowing how much fun they had. I know we’ll be seeing some of them again!
Brad: How long do you expect to work?
AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 5
Dutchland Quilt Patch
Miller’s Smorgasbord
RONKS RD.
Welcome to Our Paradise PARADISE
S. Vintage Rd.
Historic Rainbow Cackleberry Revere Dinner Dutch Haven Tavern Theatre Farm Antique Mall LINCOLN HWY. EAST 30 30 Killer Hats Jake’s Country Trading Post Strasburg Rd. 741
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isitors to Lancaster from the east on RT 30 travel through Paradise, which celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2012. The town’s story traces back to Europe over 300 years ago, to the area of the Palatinate in Germany where Protestants had settled following the declaration of King Louis XIV that all Protestants in France would be persecuted. Fearing a French invasion, many accepted the invitation to settle in the New World in William Penn’s colony of Penn’s Woods. By 1712, they had secured land in Lancaster’s Pequea Valley as the area’s first white people, living peaceably with local Indians.
The origins of RT 30, also known as “Lincoln Highway,” date back to Lancaster’s Colonial days when the frontier county needed a highway to connect it with the provincial capital of Philadelphia. The first road that was constructed is now RT 340, still referred to as the “Old Philadelphia Pike.” Soon, it was apparent that this road was insufficient to handle the increasing traffic, and in 1790, a commission to survey a new route was created. Since the cost was too much for the state to undertake, the company charged with building it was given the power to demand “reasonable” tolls from users. Investors
received dividends earned from tolls collected along the gates of the turnpike. (As the toll was paid, the gate or “pike” was turned, hence the term “turnpike”). The Act described the construction of the highway, which was to be a bed of small crushed stones on top with, rather than dirt, larger stones underneath to prevent carriage wheels from cutting into the soil. This revolutionary system of road construction is credited to a John McAdam, whose name became the term for paved or “macadam” roads. The "Lincoln Highway" (RT 30) opened in 1795 as the first long-distance, hard surfaced road in the country. Taverns and stagecoach stops grew up along the turnpike for weary travelers. Of these, the Revere Tavern, dating back to 1740 and originally called the “Sign of the Spread Eagle”, still proudly stands today. In 1841, the tavern became the residence of Reverend Edward V. Buchanan and his wife Eliza Foster Buchanan. Eliza was the sister of Stephen Foster, whose immortal songs will always be a part of Americana. Foster not only penned music at the tavern, but sent many of his manuscripts to Eliza, also a talented musician, for her approval. On the banks of the Pequea Creek, Eliza and Stephen played many of Stephen’s 200 songs, including “Way Down Upon the Swanee River” and “Oh, Susanna.” Wherever you happen to call “paradise,” we hope that a little bit of our own Paradise won’t do you any harm!
Cute and Cuddly Mini Horses On The Farm By Clinton Martin
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are welcome to visit, pet, and learn all about each of them. Visits to the farm are free, as is meeting and petting the horses. For a small fee, children can ride the miniature horses or enjoy them on a pony cart ride.
The Stoltzfus family raises about ten of the mini-horses at a time, all bred and raised to be gentle, friendly, and approachable. Visitors
Visitors are welcome Monday through Saturday, but the farm is closed on Sundays. The address is 264 Paradise Lane, Ronks, PA 17572. Traveling east of Strasburg on Route 741, turn north on Paradise Road at the traffic light. For more information, call and leave a message at 717-687-8237.
ust down a country lane, off a back road, not far from Strasburg’s biggest attractions, the Henry and Linda Stoltzfus family tends a small farm and country store that is quite possibly Amish Country’s cutest place to visit. The farm doesn’t raise corn, cabbages, cows, or carrots. But rather, this farm raises cute, cuddly miniature horses.
(717) 687-8602 6 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
Superb Steaks, Fresh Seafood & Chicken Children’s Menu • Casual Attire • Reservations Accepted Serving Dinner Daily • Monday-Friday • 5:00pm-10:00pm Saturday • 4:30pm-10:00pm Sunday 4:00pm-9:00pm
AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 7
(717) 687-8980 • www.jakeshomeaccents.com
On Route 30 in Paradise • 2954 Lincoln Highway East
with $20.00 purchase or more and this coupon. Limit one coupon per family. (Expires 09/30/14) Cookbook valued at $2.00
FREE COOKBOOK
Amish Quilts at J&B Quilts & Crafts — A Patchwork Heritage By Brad Igou
With the store in the home, the Lapp family displays many of their quilts (how else?) on a bed.
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isitors to J&B Quilts & Crafts have no problem finding quilts, both those made to meet the tastes of the “English” and the more “traditional antique Amish quilts.” No matter if contemporary or throwback, Amish quilts are works of art and the family at J&B displays them as both bedspreads and wall-hangings, not in an impersonal shopping center store, but in a delightful shop right on the family farm. Periodically I will gaze at the old quilt I have hanging in my house, and I marvel at the colors and patterns. But most importantly, I celebrate the lives of its creators…my mother and grandmother. The quilt had long been tucked away in a drawer, out of sight. One day my mother and I unwrapped it, and suddenly these scraps of cloth took on a new life. It is not a work of art, perhaps, but now it is hung where it deserves to be. It's varied pieces of cloth are a daily reminder for me of the love that binds family and friends. It is our family’s “patchwork heritage.” I would urge you to take the first step in writing your own family story with a visit to J&B Quilts & Crafts to select a very special quilt that will become your personal treasure. J&B has many different designs, colors, and sizes, all of which are made by skilled Amish craftswomen. J&B is located at 157 N. Star Rd, Ronks PA. Call (717) 327-0707 and leave a message for more information.
8 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
Living in the Lapp of Luxury at Lapp’s Quilts & Crafts By Clinton Martin
$5 OFF
PER PERSON Lapp’s Quilts & Crafts is known for quilts, all of which are locally made by skilled Amish and Mennonite ladies.
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ut wait! There’s more! Sounds like another pitch-master plugging something on TV right? Well, in Amish Country you don’t shop off the TV set, you shop on your feet! There’s good reason, too...the area’s hardworking and skilled Amish craftsmen and women invariably upstage the infomercial stuff. Take for instance that Snuggie. Everyone’s heard of it, but few people have heard of the Amish Country “transformer” equivalent… that would be an Amish “quillow.”
Continued on Page 17
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AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 9
Music and education were important to the Moravians. In fact, the Lititz schoolhouse erected in 1746 marked the beginnings of what was to be Linden Hall, the oldest continuously operating residence school for girls in the United States. For one hundred years, Moravian church members were the only people permitted to live in the town. It was not until 1855 that nonMoravians were allowed to own their own homes. The complex of buildings comprising the Moravian congregation is well worth seeing, particularly the church built in 1787. One name is linked forever with the history of Lititz --- Julius Sturgis. It was Julius Sturgis who
AV E
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Free Parking Welcome Center Train Station
772
To Lancaster and
30
MAIN ST.
Lititz Historical Foundation
CEDAR ST.
Lititz Springs Park
Free Parking
501
Moravian Church Square
Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery
LOCUST ST.
LN
WATER ST.
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LITITZ
CEDAR ST.
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N. STURGIS LANE (Parking)
501 N. BROAD ST.
here really is no place quite like Lititz, and visitors should plan time there while in Amish Country. The Lititz story is tied to that of the Moravian faith in Bohemia. As was the case with other persecuted religious groups in Europe, many Moravians sought freedom in the New World, arriving in the early 1700’s, with settlements in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. In 1755 the town actually took the name Lititz, the German spelling for Lidice, where European reformers had taken refuge in the 15th century.
S. BROAD ST.
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Historic Lititz • A Hometown Treasure
772
ORANGE STREET
opened the first commercial pretzel bakery in the New World in Lititz. The year was 1861, and the site at 219 East Main Street is on the National Register of Historic Places. A tour of the bakery, still in operation, is unlike any other and well worth your time. Just recently, Lititz won Budget Travel's 2013 "Coolest Small Town in America" competition. The Lititz Moravian Church in Lititz, PA.
Daily Pretzel Twisting Tours at America’s 1st Pretzel Bakery Summer Hours Monday - Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 10 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
The legend of the naming of Bird-in-Hand dates to the time when the Old Philadelphia Pike was being laid out. By 1734, surveyors at McNabb’s Hotel were discussing whether they should stay at their present location or return to Lancaster to spend the night. One of them said, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” The sign in front of the inn, which became known as the Bird-inHand Inn, is known to have once "portrayed a
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Plain & Fancy Farm Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides Amish Country Homestead Amish Country Tours Amish Experience Theater Amish View Inn & Suites Plain & Fancy Restaurant
Kauffman’s Fruit Farm & Market
Mt. Hope Wine Gallery
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Bird-in-Han
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man with a bird in his hand and a bush nearby, in which two birds were perched." Variations of this sign appear throughout the town today. McNabb’s Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1851. By the following year, a three-story hotel was built to replace it. More recently, it was Bitzer’s Hotel before becoming the present Village Inn of Bird-in-Hand, a beautiful bed and breakfast property. The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County states that the existing
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HARVEST DRIVE Zook’s Homemade Chicken Pies
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Bird-In-Hand Stage, Family Inn & Restaurant
Bird-In-Hand Farmers Market
Abe’s Buggy Rides
N. HARVEST DR.
CHURCH RD
340
MONTEREY RD WEAVERTOWN RD
Bird-In-Hand Bake Shop
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f the many unique village names that dot the Amish Country map, one of the more interesting is Bird-in-Hand. William Penn, an English Quaker, had founded the colony of Penn’s Woods, and settlers began arriving from Europe in the early 1700’s, moving westward from Philadelphia. The trip by stagecoach, or Conestoga wagon with freight and merchandise, lasted several days. Inns were built every few miles, identified with signs held by an iron pole or attached to the side of the building. The reason for the signs was so that they could be understood by all nationalities. Further, since many teamsters or wagoneers were poorly educated they could not read. Given orders to stop at a certain inn, they were able to do so by recognizing the artwork on the sign by the road.
BEECHDALE RD
Welcome to the Village of Bird-in-Hand 340
To Gordonville Bookstore
brick building “may be one of the few 19th century inns in the context of a small town in Lancaster County, which survives with a high degree of architectural integrity.” It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. When referring to their bird-in-hand symbol, some residents say that the bird nestled in the human hand indicates friendship, comfort, and hospitality, all of which you’ll discover in this perfectly delightful little village of shops, farmers markets and eateries.
Wanda Brunstetter Hit Musical Packing Houses at “Beautiful music, story, so Bird-in-Hand Stage great relevant…”
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pen windows into the Amish world with the return of the Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club to the Bird-in-Hand Stage at the Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant. In an entertaining tale only New York Times bestselling author Wanda Brunstetter could spin, “six loose threads and an Amish widow” bind together like scraps of fabric stitched under the loving guidance of their Amish instructor, Emma Yoder. “Half-Stitched” is appearing on the Birdin-Hand Stage through November 29. Show-only tickets and meal packages are available, with most theatergoers treating themselves to Grandma Smucker’s farmfresh lunch or dinner smorgasbords before or after the show. This original musical introduces its audiences to the Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club as their lives unfold around
“A lifetime memory, so fun…” Amish quilts in a delightful, musical journey of self-discovery, healing and humor. There’s a young woman yearning for stability, a couple at odds in their marriage, a young widower seeking solace, a rough-and-tough biker doing community service, a preacher’s wife escaping parish problems—and an Amish widow teaching her first quilting class. The “Half-Stitched” musical is pulled from Wanda Brunstetter’s first story about the Amish quilting club. You’ll find plenty to make you laugh and perhaps shed a few tears. And the music? Oh, the music! Nashville musician Wally Nason, who composed the powerful music for Beverly Lewis’ “The Confession,” has certainly done it again. He
Special to Amish Country News wrote this show’s soaring melodies and lyrics and directs the performance. Wanda E. Brunstetter’s “Half-Stitched” musical was adapted for the stage by Doveand Emmy-nominated writer, Martha Bolton. Award-winning, Nashville-based Dan Posthuma produced the show. “Half-Stitched” premiered in Lancaster County last fall and welcomed more than 13,000 people to its sold-out shows. “HalfStitched” first opened in 2012 at Blue Gate Continued on Page 20
AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 11
Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop Celebrating 42 Years of Goodness
Butch & Linda Miller Owners ince 1972, the Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop has remained family owned and operated. Erwin (Sr.) & Annie Miller were the first of this family chain. Now in the second generation, Erwin (Jr.) & Linda Miller, along with their son, Glenn Miller (3rd generation, who has a son Erwin Miller III) have been running the business since 1996. Many of the recipes used today are still the “tried and true from scratch” recipes Grandma Miller used since the family began operating the business in 1972. The wonderful aroma of baking hits you almost before you’re through the door. And it only gets better from there!
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The family and its many Plain community employees want visitors to get that great homemade taste at a better price than commercial bakeries. “We take pride in the things that we bake and enjoy the look on people’s faces as they taste our selection.” And what a selection it is! You’ll see varieties of fresh baked breads (their cheese bread is a personal favorite), potato rolls, cinnamon buns, “melt in your mouth” whoopie pies, gooeybottom Dutch shoo-fly pie (their specialty), cookies, fruit pies, angel food and layer cakes, and many, many more items. Through a window behind the counter, you can observe the mixing and baking process, and see trays of baked goods waiting to go into the display cases or to be sent to fulfill wholesale orders for several local restaurants. (Bird-inHand Bake Shop baked goods can also be
found at various market stands in five different states.) The sweet scents of fresh breads and cookies always greet your nose! Not only can you indulge your sweet tooth with a chocolate whoopie pie or 12 flavors of handdipped gourmet local ice cream, but Bird-In-Hand Bake Shop also offers its visitors a few extras. They have a fine selection of local handmade crafts. “Our wide assortment fits many people’s tastes and interests.” You’ll find locally made Amish dolls, pillow cases, pictures, candles, Amish straw hats, hand painted slates, and much more. In addition there is always a variety of canned goods and bulk foods, especially popular with those large families that live in the area. The Millers realized that with all that food and country peacefulness, visitors might want to linger and relax. “Our large wrap around porch provides an excellent place to enjoy a hot cinnamon roll and a steaming cup of coffee.” And with more than enough green grass to go around, they have installed several picnic areas to enjoy, along with public restrooms and waste bins for your picnic use. Finally, since the Millers have a family of their own, they know it is important to keep the children entertained on a vacation. “While you shop, your children can burn some energy outdoors in our huge play area.” And any place in Amish Country just wouldn’t be right without some animals.
12 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
That’s why they’ve added a petting zoo to their list of attractions. It may be a little off the beaten path, but at the Bird-in-Hand Bake shop you can truly savor the quiet peacefulness and baked goodness found only in the heart of Lancaster County. As the Millers would say, “You can consider yourself personally invited to come and spend a day with us in beautiful Amish Country. We are confident that you will find the baked goods, crafts, and location second to none.”
Open All Year — 8:00AM - 5:00PM (Winter Hours - 8:00AM - 4:00PM) Bus groups and tours are welcome. Closed Sundays, Good Friday, Ascension Day
One Big Happy Family Business By Brad Igou
created serious problems. It’s not surprising that sound business decisions can sometimes be clouded by emotions, made all the more intense when family is involved.
The Smucker family has been famous for their PA Dutch cooking in Bird-in-Hand ever since they were pictured on the March 1938 cover of National Geographic magazine.
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et’s start off with what this article is NOT about. I begin with a definition of a family-owned business as “a commercial organization in which decision-making is influenced by multiple generations of a family— related by blood or marriage—who are closely identified with the firm through leadership or ownership.” But I am not going to be writing about the huge nationally-known family-owned businesses with tens of thousands of employees and revenues in the billions. Indeed, family-owned businesses account for over 30% of all companies with sales over $1 billion. These are definitely not the small “Mom and Pop” stores that came to my mind when I set out to write about Amish Country’s family-owned businesses. Here are a few of the “biggies” you might readily recognize… News Corp owned by the Murdoch family, the Mars Candy Company, Comcast owned by the Roberts family (headquartered in nearby Philadelphia), Samsung, Porsche, and of course Ford and Wal-Mart. Isn’t it ironic that the giant family-owned Wal-Mart is credited with destroying small family-run stores across America? Some people are fine with familyowned businesses unless they grow too big and successful, which is only because many folks looking for value patronize them, right? Although we have our share of Wal-Marts in Amish Country, my purpose is not to debate these points, but rather to look at the real “Mom & Pops” here. One thing the big and small guys do have in common is family, ownership, and management. Sometimes these are well integrated, and at other times differing family opinions about how to run the business have
In spite of problems with management and succession of ownership, there are many positive aspects to these businesses, large and small. In the November 2012 Harvard Business Review article titled “What You Can Learn from Family Business,” authors Nicolas Kachaner, George Stalk, and Alain Bloch noted that these businesses are frugal in good times and bad, carry little debt, are more stable, and retain talent better than their competitors. Resilience is more important than performance, and family obligations often lead to better strategic choices looking many years down the road.
Good ‘N Plenty Restaurant is now into the third generation of the Lapp family. Here in Amish Country we often hear from familyowned business owners that “we don’t want to get too big” or “we have enough business.” Many seem satisfied with the state of their business. Many find time with family to be as important as time at the business. Many have employees who have worked with them for years and are “like family.” Thus many family-owned businesses inspire more trust among consumers and more commitment in their employees. Some, like Riehl’s Quilts and Crafts, started with a little stand along the road that then turned into a “shop” in a room of their home, and finally to a store large enough for multiple bus groups.
Starting out with a tiny road-side stand in 1970, the Martin family built the huge Shady Maple complex. Many of our exceptional live local theaters, including Dutch Apple and Rainbow Dinner Theatres are family-owned. Even in the world of lodging, where chain hotels dominate, you’ll still find smaller familyowned properties, like Flory’s Campground & Cottages, who enjoy repeat visitors and regularly know their guests by name. The Smucker family started their business with the small Bird-in-Hand Restaurant, which just kept growing and expanded to include a hotel, bake shop, B&B, other satellite properties, a theater, and even a “Banquet in a Cornfield” that takes guests by hay wagon to the family farm to dine. You’ll find the stories of these and many others in articles scattered through this issue. In fact, our advertisers are an “A to Z” of family-owned businesses, from Aimee & Daria’s Doll Outlet and Jake’s Country Trading Post to Sam’s Man Cave and Zook’s Fabric Store. Since AMISH COUNTRY NEWS has been around for over 25 years, I’ve gotten to know not only the founders of some of these businesses, but also have enjoyed watching their children grow up and become important parts of the business today. The families behind the Choo Choo Barn, Kauffman’s Fruit Farm, and Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides are just a few examples, not to mention virtually all of our Amish advertisers.
Over the years, as available farmland became more scarce and expensive, many Amish looked for ways to supplement their income. The little shops that sprang up on the farm grew into important family businesses. The PA Dutch reputation for fine furniture, quilts, crafts, and food combined with Amish Country becoming a major visitor destination near large metropolitan Ed and Melissa Jackson of Jake's Country cities meant a steady stream of “new” customers. Trading Post call some family members Some of these “cottage industries” are small, employees, and think of all employees as family. while others have grown large and become strictly wholesale. You commonly see trucks transporting furniture, storage sheds, and gazebos far beyond our farmlands. Many Amish travel to farmers markets in Philadelphia and even out-of-state to display and sell their wares and home-grown Continued on Page 26 Others, like Shady Maple Smorgasbord, grew from a small farm market to an immensely popular mega restaurant and supermarket that attracts diners and shoppers from all over the world.
AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 13
AMISH FARMLANDS • SUPERSAVER TOUR • VISIT-IN-PERSON
Tours Since 1959
Amish Farmlands Tour
YOUR BEST VALUE!
Visit-in-Person Tour
Journey along back country roads, deep into the Amish Farmlands to discover sights rarely seen. Under the watchful eye of your certified guide, you’ll gain insights into the “how” and “why”of an everchanging culture, and see at-the-moment activities of the Amish. If you’ve seen the Amish portrayed on the various “Reality” TV shows, and you wonder what really is true and not true about the Amish, this is the tour you won’t want to miss! We’ll debunk myths about the Amish and provide accurate, respectful, and authentic information, just like we have done for over 50 years. Plus, now through November 30, 2014 we’ll provide each guest who purchases the Amish Farmlands Tour, when combined as part of your SuperSaver Tour, with a voucher for a FREE BUGGY RIDE at Aaron & Jessica’s, plus a free autographed Amish Cookbook.
The SuperSaver Tour includes the Amish Farmlands Tour, the acclaimed “Jacob’s Choice” at the Amish Experience F/X Theater, and a tour of the Amish House & One-Room School. As a bonus, receive an Amish cookbook and a voucher for a FREE BUGGY RIDE from Aaron & Jessica’s on property.
Rare is the opportunity to meet with Amish families willing to share their traditions and beliefs with you. In a group whose size is never more than 14, this is the only Amish Tour to be designated an official “Heritage Tour” by the County of Lancaster. Visit an Amish farm at milking time, stop at a Cottage Industry, and finally gather round a living room in an Amish home for an informal conversation with the family. Includes FREE BUGGY RIDE voucher.
Duration: 1 1/2 hours. April 1 - November 30 Mon-Sat, 10am, 12pm, 2pm & 4pm. Sun 10am, 12pm & 2pm.
This is your Total Amish Experience!
Duration: 3 hours April 1-November 30 Mon-Sat, 5pm.
3121 Old Philadelphia Pike, Rte. 340 Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505-0414
FREE AMISH BUGGY RIDE Receive a voucher for a free “Cookie Run Buggy Ride” just a few steps away at Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides with the purchase, at the Amish Experience Theater Box Office, of a regularly priced Supersaver, Theater/House Combo, or Amish Visit-in-Person Tour.
at Plain & Fancy Farm
One voucher for each adult or child ticket purchased with this coupon. Not
(717) 768-8400 Ext.210 AmishExperience.com
valid with any other offer or with group tours. Offer expires 11/30/14. Valid 14 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com up to six people. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. BUGAN
Advance Tickets, including Free Buggy Ride Voucher, by Phone or Online:
Plain & Fancy — Farm to Table Since 1959 Where It All Began Over 50 years ago, Plain & Fancy Farm opened to provide delicious, authentic Amish meals to visitors from all over the world, the first family-style restaurant in Lancaster County. Today Plain & Fancy is a destination all its own, featuring the acclaimed “Jacob’s Choice” at the Amish Experience Theater, Amish Farmlands and Visit-in-Person Tours, the Heritage Site Amish House & One-Room School, and Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides. The onsite Country Store offers excellent country shopping, and the newest addition to the property, Amish View Inn & Suites, has a brand new extension with great views and luxurious lodging surrounded by stunning Amish countryside.
A Lancaster Original Amos, Ben, Manny and Elmer are some of the Amish farmers who supply the restaurant with the farm-fresh produce it serves on a daily basis. Depending on the season, sweet corn, tomatoes, watermelon, cabbage, broccoli, squash, peppers and onions are all sourced from farms within a horse-and-buggy’s drive. These neighbors, and the neighbors before them, have helped Plain & Fancy go “from farm to table” for over 50 years. The restaurant is AAA recommended, a PA Preferred and ServSafe award winner, and the Pennsylvania recipient of USA Today’s Great Plate AwaRoad
The Amish Farm Feast Plain & Fancy Farm Restaurant is best known as Lancaster County’s original family-style restaurant. The all-you-can-eat Amish Farm Feast includes your entrees, side dishes, starters, desserts and beverages. Enjoy fried chicken, roast beef, chicken pot pie, baked sausage, real mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, green and yellow string beans, sweet shoe peg corn, chow chow, cole slaw, raisin bread, rolls and apple butter, lemonade, iced tea, hot tea, coffee, sour cream apple crumb pie, shoofly pie and vanilla ice cream. It was this very meal that drew Man Vs. Food’s Adam Richman to Amish Country, where he went behind the scenes in the Plain & Fancy kitchen for one of his popular show’s episodes.
The New “a la carte” Menu The restaurant also offers a new a la carte menu featuring mouth-watering appetizers, signature soups and salads, charbroiled burgers and sandwiches, and made-from scratch entrees and platters, including several PA Dutch specialties. Guests can “build a platter” with items from the family-style menu or choose one of the daily specials starting at $10 or less. You can do it all at Plain & Fancy, so why not come and “spend the day!”
AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 15
16 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
Lapp's Quilts (Continued from Page 9) A quillow is a quilt that is made to quickly and easily fold into a pretty pillow. When it is a pillow, the rest of the quillow is folded up into a pocket on the back. When it is opened into a quilt, the pocket serves as a perfect pouch to keep your feet warm. They are still made by hand with quilted stitching, but are smaller and far more portable than the traditional quilt. Lapp’s Quilts & Crafts makes, displays, sells, and explains quillows to visitors and has long been a quaint and endearing place to shop for Amish crafts. The Lapp family tends the shop right on site at their farm, carrying not only quillows but also full-size quilts, wooden toys, local jams, jellies, and canned goods, as well as a selection of small craft items. Lapp’s is located at 206 N Star Rd, Ronks PA. Call (717) 687-8889 ext. 1 to leave a message.
SPOTLIGHT ON: BLUE GATE FARM
Fun for Everyone!
Two Beautiful Golf Courses • Petting Zoo Fish and Duck Pond • Hand Dipped Ice Cream
717-768-GOLF
230 N. Ronks Road Bird-in-Hand, PA
Visit Our Ice Cream Parlor!
(Located behind Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant)
Buy One Round of Mini-Golf
Get One 1/2 Off Not valid with any other discounts or offers!
acn
Expires October 31, 2014
We’re shining the spotlight on the newest advertiser in Amish Country News. Over 40 years ago Amos Beiler decided to open a small farm stand along Route 30 to offer visitors the best produce from his 75 acres of prime Lancaster County farmland. Amos then passed the business along to his son, Mannie. With a new generation came a newly expanded market, welcoming visitors with delicious home-made baked goods, produce from the family’s own farmland, and all of this on one of the few Amish farms located along Route 30 in Lancaster. Visit the stand for what’s fresh in season at 2725 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster.
Lapp’s Toys Wooden Toys Made on Premises • Childrens Playsets • Marble Games • 18” Doll OPE Furniture Mon. to N Fri. • Trucks & 7-5 Trains Sat. 84 • Toy Chests • Farm Sets
(717) 945-5366 2220 Horseshoe Rd • Lancaster • PA 17601 Visit our website
www.lappstoys.com
In Business In Bird-in-Hand For 99 Years!
For more information, call 717-768-7112 or visit KauffmansFruitFarm.com
Voted Best. Again.
Fight Obesity.
Homemade Apple Butter No Sugar Added
Homemade Sweet Apple Cider Drink Away Your Apple-A-Day!
AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 17
RENEGADE AMISH
Beard Cutting, Hate Crimes, and the Trial of the Bergholz Barbers
Donald B. Kraybill “Chillingly reconstructs what happened during a series of Amish-on-Amish beard-cutting attacks that culminated in a precedent-setting federal criminal trial.”—Dick Lehr, author, Black Mass: Whitey Bulger, the FBI, and a Devil’s Deal $24.95 hardcover / ebook
1-800-537-5487 / press.jhu.edu
18 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
The Bird-in-Hand Stage
(Continued from Page 11)
Theater in Shipshewana, Indiana. It also premiered last year at the Carlisle Inn in Sugarcreek, Ohio. The Bird-in-Hand Stage is located on the banquet level of the Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord. Tickets to the “Half-Stitched” musical are $34. Pre- and post-performance meal packages are $47 to $52. Tickets and meal packages may be purchased by phone at (800) 790-4069 or online at www.Bird-in-Hand.com. Lodging packages are also available.
A Tradition of Pennsylvania Dutch Hospitality It was all the way back in 1938 that National Geographic first introduced the world to Grandma Smucker and her delicious, farm fresh, Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. Today half a million people flock annually to Bird-in-Hand to enjoy her favorite recipes at the Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord and at the Bird-in-Hand
Bakery. Meats, poultry, eggs and, whenever possible, fruits and vegetables from nearby farms are showcased on both the menu and smorgasbord at the Family Restaurant and Bakery. So, too, are Grandma Smucker’s famous chicken corn soup, ham balls, chicken pot pie, pork & sauerkraut, real mashed potatoes, apple fritters, shoofly pie and other Pennsylvania Dutch favorites. Children love the Noah’s Ark Kids’ Buffet. It features an ever-changing selection of kid-pleasing, fun foods like macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, hot dogs and hamburgers and a dessert bar with soft serve ice cream and yummy toppings. Young diners from 4-12 are charged just 75¢ per year of age; children 3 and under are free. The Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord and the Bird-in-Hand Bakery are open Monday through Saturday. Both are located in the historic village of Bird-in-Hand on the Old Philadelphia Pike (Rt. 340) — an AAAdesigned scenic byway. Call 717-7681500 for hours and information.
20 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
September Events Sampler Through November 30 Amish Visit-in-Person Tours
Amish Experience at Plain & Fancy Farm Through November 29 Wanda Brunstetter’s HALF-STITCHED: THE MUSICAL
Bird-in-Hand Stage
Through October 25 DRINKING HABITS (a nun’s story)
September 13 – 21 A Day Out With Thomas
September 5 – 7 Run, Ride, Soar Weekend Marathon & 5K
September 20 Clinic for Special Children Auction
September 6 Whoopie Pie Festival
September 26 – 28 Homecoming Extravaganza
Rainbow Dinner Theatre
Strasburg Rail Road
Opposite Bird-in-Hand Family Inn & Restaurant Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn
Shupp’s Grove
Through October 26 Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire
NEW BORN NURSERY ADOPTION CENTER
Mount Hope Estate & Winery Through September 20 HAIRSPRAY September 25 – November 8 CRAZY FOR YOU
Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
Leola Produce Auction
CLOTHES TO FIT:
***AMERICAN GIRL DOLL** ♥ DOLL EAR PIERCING ♥ ♥ DOLL HAIR SALON ♥
HOURS: OPEN WED, THURS, FRI, SAT, SUN 10:00 AM TO 5:00 PM CLOSED MON & TUES
AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 21
Schnitz Pie from Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop A Fine Way to Keep Doctor at Bay
By Clinton Martin
A
s the saying goes, “An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away.” I believe this to be true but, though nutritionists may argue with me, it is also open to interpretation. After all, apples can be consumed in an astonishing variety of ways...freshly picked, raw, and crisp or of course any style of cooked, cored, chopped or topped. Perhaps the Pennsylvania Dutch were particularly healthconscious (and superstitious) since apples have always been an important part of our regional cooking.
YOU CAN’T STOP THE BEAT! THRU SEPTEMBER 20
The custom of drying sliced apples for use later in the year resulted in some unique dishes, most notably “schnitz pies,” which are delicious dessert pies made from the chewy, slightly tangy pieces, soaked in water overnight prior to baking in order to restore their malleable texture. The Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop has Apple Schnitz pies available daily, along with a few new and innovative ways to get your Schnitz-fix as well, such as Schnitz Turnovers, Fry Pies, and other delectable treats made from the zippy slices.
GEORGE GERSHWIN MUSIC AND TAP DANCING HIT!
CRAZY FOR YOU SEPTEMBER 25 - NOVEMBER 8
The Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop on Gibbons Road is often simply called “The Bake Shop” by locals since many folks around here consider this the one and only stop to make for delicious homemade sweets, cakes, and pies.
At least twenty other varieties of pies are also baked on the premises. Expect to find fresh baked bread and rolls, hot cinnamon rolls, “melt in your mouth” whoopie pies, their signature wet bottom shoo-fly pies, angel food cakes, layered cakes, fruit pies, cookies, and just about the most delicious sticky buns in Amish Country. The Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop is open daily except Sundays and is located at 542 Gibbons Road, Bird-in-Hand, which is not far off Route 340, taking Beechdale Road north and then turning right on Gibbons. The Bake Shop is on the left after passing the one room school. Call (717) 656-7947 for more information. www.bihbakeshop.com
Flory’s Cottages Camping
FlorysCamping.com
Hosts: Claudette, Lou & Shelly
(717) 687-6670 Expires 12/31/14.
22 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
99 N. Ronks Rd. PO Box 308 Ronks PA 17572 Between US 30 & Rte. 340
Level Shaded *Campsites E,W,S Cable TV Wi-Fi Pet Free Smoke Free *Cottages *Guest Rooms *Camp Store *Pavilion *Laundry *Bathhouses
Strasburg - A Town of Trains & Heritage
As early as 1716, when the first wagon was used for hauling goods, the path became known as the Conestoga Road, and the wagons that traveled them eventually became known as
30
BACHMAN TOWN RD.
Hershey Farm Restaurant & Motor Inn
HERR RD.
RONKS RD.
J & B Quilts & Crafts Country Creations
V FAIR
NORTH STAR RD
IE W
Lapp’s Quilts & Crafts Parking
896 Ghost Tour
741 To Village Greens Mini Golf
DECATUR STREET
Strasburg, named for the city in France, was actually “founded” by a Frenchman, Pierre Bezaillion, who traded with the Delaware Indians. The story goes he came to the area in 1693, as French fur traders opened up the first path through this area from Philadelphia to the Susquehanna River.
To
896 STRASBURG
Conestoga Wagons. Main Street Strasburg was developed during the next half century as traffic on this road increased considerably and the first log houses appeared in the village about 1733. Strasburg continued to flourish in the 18th century primarily because of its location along the major wagon routes between Philadelphia, Lancaster, and the Susquehanna River. As Strasburg flourished, so did its neighbor to the east, Philadelphia. The commercial interests of Philadelphia pressured the State Legislature to improve the transportation network into their city. As a result, a series of canals along with the Philadelphia and Columbia Rail Roads were constructed. Strasburg residents became alarmed at the possibility of losing their commercial position and there soon emerged a charter for the Strasburg Rail Road to construct a rail line connecting Strasburg with the Philadelphia and Columbia Rail Road main line near Paradise. Finally in the 1850’s, trains were hauling freight and passengers.
Choo
741 Choo
Lil Country Store & Mini Horse Farm National ToyTrain Museum
Strasburg Rail Road
Barn
PARADISE LANE
A
ll aboard! Strasburg is a destination all its own in Dutch Country, home to many well known attractions. To name just a few --- the Strasburg Rail Road, Ghost Tours of Lancaster, Village Greens Mini Golf, National Toy Train Museum, and the Choo Choo Barn. But you may not know much about the interesting history of "Train Town."
About 100 years later, business had dwindled, and a severe storm in 1957 destroyed much of the track. It seemed the SRR had reached the end of the line. To the rescue came a group of local train enthusiasts who began bringing the SRR back to life in a totally new way. They added passenger cars and buildings, and today’s Strasburg Rail Road was born, destined to become one of Dutch Country’s top attractions. Appropriately enough, the State decided to build an expanded Rail Road Museum of Pennsylvania across the street, the ideal place to preserve the history of railroading in Pennsylvania. With the other train attractions nearby, it’s little wonder that Strasburg has earned the title of Train Town!
VillageGreens.com OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Please Call For Hours
The Only 23 Hole Golf Course in Lancaster County
AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 23
Living with the Amish
by Brad Igou
Part Five in a Series...
O
ver the years, I have had many experiences with the Amish as partners in various tours we’ve created for the public, as business owners, as farmers, and certainly as friends. I even lived with an Amish family when I was in college. For my Amish Series this year I thought it would be interesting to look back and share some of my favorite people and stories.
Shoe gardens are popular uses for old worn-out shoes, both from the horse and the house!
Buster’s New Shoes — A Visit to an Amish Blacksmith
whispered to me that “they are a singing family.” When he was finished, he dipped the now red metal into water, and clouds of steam rose around him as we heard that familiar hissing sound.
My Amish friend Elam told me he needed to get “new tires” for Buster, his carriage horse. This meant, of course, that Buster needed new horseshoes. I asked Elam how long this process took, and he said about an hour. I noted that I had never actually seen the shoeing of a horse. Elam knew me well enough to interpret that to mean I wished to be invited to tag along, if that was possible. And as I had hoped, he responded immediately, “If you want to see it, be at Johnny Beiler’s tomorrow and you can watch.”
Now Johnny was ready to put the shoes back on again. Eight nails were driven through the holes in the shoes until the point came out at an angle through the side of the hoof. The point was then hammered back into the hoof to anchor it. The excess was cut off, and another tool was used to further secure the nail. What little metal was left was filed away, and then the hoof was shaved down, even with the shoe. Buster seemed to take it all in stride, not unlike I would imagine a woman getting a manicure.
I figured that this was an experience my father might enjoy. He had certainly changed quite a few tires in his day, and now he could see how the Amish “change tires” on their horses. So the next morning the two of us drove down the road north of Intercourse, looking for a white sign showing a black anvil and the words “Horse Shoeing --Closed Wednesdays.” Elam had arrived before us, and was rolling his carriage out of the way as our car turned into the driveway. Buster was already tied up at the rail. A sign inside noted “All shoeing by appointment only.” The row of horses reminded me of people awaiting their turn in a doctor’s office. Buster was next, right on schedule at 10:00. I observed the shop. Brooms and other tools were hanging efficiently from (what else?)... horseshoes attached to the walls and ceiling beams. I also noticed two metal frames were connected to the ceiling, and these could obviously be released to swing down on either side of a rambunctious horse during a shoeing. Of course, there was an anvil, various tools, rows of horseshoes of different sizes hanging above, and a specially designed rolling cart which contained all the necessary tools in their proper places.
themselves, cleaning out the dirt accumulated in each hoof. Then a special tool was used to cut off about a half inch of the actual hoof, all the way around. After further scraping and filing, each hoof was pretty much down to the bone base of the horse’s leg. The hoof material is basically like our fingernails, only very thick and hard, of course. The shoes keep the hooves from wearing down too fast on the roads, but the hooves need to be shortened since they continue to grow with the horseshoes attached. Elam told us new shoes were needed about four to five times a year, or every two to three months. Elam walked over to get the broom and swept away the dirt Johnny had removed from Buster. I asked him if he thought the bill was going to be less because he was helping to clean. He laughed and said, “No, Johnny knows I’m doing it out of friendship.” Now Johnny took the horseshoes he had removed to hammer them on an anvil a bit so as to straighten them out, seeing if they could be worn yet another time. Then he used a small blowtorch to raise the surface on parts of the shoe to help give the horse more traction on the roads. While Johnny worked, he whistled and sang, barely audible over the noise from the torch. Elam
As the job neared completion, Elam asked the price, which back then was $27.56, and he wrote out a check. In less than 45 minutes from the time he arrived, Buster was again hitched up to the carriage and heading home with a new pair of shoes. As my father and I passed Elam in our car, we waved. I watched as Buster and the buggy disappeared from sight in my rearview mirror. My father commented, “You know, Elam was about right when he compared Buster’s getting new shoes to our getting new tires on the car.” Luckily, however, we don’t need to get new tires or re-treads every three months! But then, how many of us have a personal relationship with the man who changes our tires, enjoy friendly conversation while the job is being done, and pay only twentyseven dollars for the work!
The Book All Readers of Amish Fiction Need to Have! There are many entertaining books about the Amish anywhere books are sold. Most are worthwhile, and provide hours of enjoyment. But, where does one turn to hear the voice of the Amish themselves?
Johnny, the blacksmith, was a young man, dressed in the traditional Amish black pants and plain shirt. He had a heavy apron over top, perhaps leather, for the work he was doing. Johnny started with the front hooves and then moved to the back. The first step involved removing the nails and horseshoes
The Amish In Their Own Words, compiled by Brad Igou, brings together writings from 25 years of Family Life Magazine, which Igou organized into topics such as Faith, Family, Friends, and Fun. Purchase your copy today anywhere books are sold.
800-458-2772 (x2)
24 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
Available at the Amish Experience, Plain & & Fancy Farm, and LifeWay, by phone, and online at leading book web sites.
REAL BIG
REAL BIG
An amazing ride with Thomas the Tank Engine™ alongside his best friend Percy! Plus tons of other activities.
Advance purchase is recommended. Ticket sales are final. Events are rain or shine. Day Out With Thomas™ Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends™ Based on The Railway Series by The Reverend W. Awdry. © 2014 Gullane (Thomas) Limited. Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, Thomas & Friends and Day Out With Thomas are trademarks of Gullane (Thomas) Limited. © 2014 HIT Entertainment Limited. © 2014 MEGA Brands Inc. All rights reserved. MEGA BLOKS and the MEGA BLOKS logo are registered trademarks of Mega Brands Inc.
For over 50 years, visitors of all ages have enjoyed the realistic detail and creativity of our layout. • A work of art for the entire family to enjoy… so much more than “just trains”! • Huge layout with 22 operating model trains • Over 150 hand-created animated figures & scenes
Family
50+ owned for
YEARS!
Visit Traintown, U.S.A® at choochoobarn.com Route 741 East, 226 Gap Road, Strasburg, PA (Two blocks from the Strasburg Rail Road) 717-687-7911
Visit us online at www.AmishNews.com where you'll find archived issues, Brad Igou's continuing Amish Series, recipes from dining issues and lots more! AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 25
Family Business
Kids Eat
Free Breakfast & Lunch Smorgasbord. Everyday.
Shop from home!
R O$3 OFF
*Exclusions Apply
Select items from the Bakery and Shops at Hershey Farm are available online!
Adult Dinner Grand Smorgasbord or
$2 OFF
Adult Lunch Grand Smorgasbord
800-827-8635 www.hersheyfarm.com
Not valid Holidays, on Family Style Dining, or on parties of 8 or more. Please show coupon. No other discounts apply. Exp 01/31/2015 ACN14
800-827-8635
Dining • Shopping • Lodging Rt 896 240 Hartman Bridge Road Ronks, PA 17572 www.hersheyfarm.com 26 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
(Continued from Page 13) produce. All of this has spawned books on Amish entrepreneurs and the secrets behind their success. Indeed, some of these Amish “cottage industries” gross over a million dollars a year! As you visit the shops of our advertisers, you may well end up talking to the owners themselves or their children “owners-inwaiting” working in the business. Budding Amish entrepreneurs are everywhere. Visit Daniel at the Li’l Country Store for just one prime example. Not bad for an eighth grade education! Many of us locals patronize these family businesses not just for the quality of the goods, or the reasonable prices, but because we thoroughly enjoy our relationship with those who own and run these businesses. After all, we have watched our families grow up together. As you read their stories here and visit their shops, I do hope you meet some of these folks face-to-face and perhaps share some stories together. You won’t find any “Blue Light Specials,” but you are likely to encounter a shopping experience very different than you’re accustomed to, one that will make you glad you came and most likely looking for more of the same!
Welcome to New Holland • Blue Ball 322
897 23 RANCK AVE.
RD.
NVILLE VO G A
To Ephrata
Flower and Home Marketplace
BLUE BALL
Country Home Blue Furniture Ridge Furniture
.
RD
Riehl’s Quilts & Crafts E. EBY ROAD
MAIN STREET Witmer’s Quilt Shop
RS TE PE
S. GROFFDALE RD.
23
N. GROFFDALE RD.
LEOLA
NEW HOLLAND
RAILROAD AVE.
Smucker’s Quilts
Country Lane Quilt Shop
HILL RD. / WALLACE RD. To September Farm Cheese
T
he instability in Europe in the late 1600’s spawned and nurtured the pioneer interest in the deep forest lands of Pennsylvania — 60 miles inland from Philadelphia. In 1681 William Penn received his 40,000 square-mile land grant to settle King Charles’ debt to his father. Himself a Quaker, Penn had experienced religious persecution firsthand, and decided to establish his American colony based on complete religious freedom.
This entire century had been one of continued misery for the peasants of the Palatinate (western Germany). The Thirty Years War had raged across the area with barbaric ruthlessness. The peasant inhabitants fled to nearby Holland for refuge. And within a decade of the end of that conflict, King Louis XIV of France started a new religious war in the same general area. These Palatinate peasants were exhausted by war’s desolation, and were ripe for a new start. Traveling land agents for William Penn’s new colony found listening ears. In addition to religious freedom and a peaceful existence, Penn offered cheap land. The stated price was 100 English pounds for 5,000 acres. (At today’s rate exchange, this would be less than $.04 an acre). By the year 1702, a goodly number of Palatinates had immigrated to Pennsylvania, and Queen Anne, newly reigning in England, was delighted that Penn was colonizing his immense grant without drawing off the population of Britain. The area today called New Holland was practically covered by virgin forests—sturdy timbers of oak, ash, chestnut, and walnut. By 1728, William Penn had been dead for 10 years and his American colony, called Pennsylvania, was being administered by a proprietary governor while the sale of land was formalized by patent deeds. In 1802, when a post office was established and an official name was necessary, there was no objection to naming the town New Holland. These grateful people remembered how extremely kind the inhabitants of Holland were to them, and the assistance that included funds to cover the cost of the refugee German immigrants’ ocean voyage. This was no small matter when the alternative was indentured service for a period of years. For adults, indenture frequently meant four to seven years of labor without pay. Minors served until their 21st birthday. But still, William Penn’s Quaker Pennsylvania was liberation compared to the Europe they fled seeking freedom of religion, assembly and speech for all, hopefully, none of which we take for granted today.
AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 27
Family of Millers Becomes Family of Bakers at Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop By Clinton Martin
D
on’t waste your time with those “Cookie Cutter” or “Cupcake” chain bakeries. There is just no match to the authentic baked-goods taste of Amish Country. Bird-inHand Bake Shop on Gibbons Road has been a “pretty special place” since the day it opened in 1972. It was an original no-chain bakery then, and the same family still operates it today, offering only the finest made-from-scratch baked goods
all the while surrounded by picturesque Amish farmland. This is a place you simply don’t want to miss. Erwin (Sr.) and Annie Miller were the first of the family tree to work the Bake Shop’s kitchens. Now the second and third generations, Erwin (Jr.) and Linda Miller along with their son Glenn Miller, are at the helm, ensuring that skilled bakers continue to mix, sift, sprinkle and glaze the recipes from scratch just like Grandma Miller did on day one.
They were “tried and true” then and still create unmistakable mouth-watering sweets and cakes. Enjoy the taste and aroma of fresh baked bread and rolls, hot cinnamon rolls, and “melt in your mouth” whoopie pies. Don’t miss their signature wet bottom shoo-fly pies, their angel food cakes, layered cakes, fruit pies, cookies, and just about the most delicious sticky buns in Amish Country. Along with the baked goods, the Miller family dedicates some of their bake shop for showcasing a selection of unique locally handmade crafts. These include locally made canned goods and bulk foods. The large wrap-around porch and picnic areas provide an excellent place to enjoy a hot cinnamon roll and a steaming cup of coffee, and the friendly farm animals and playground are a fine way to entertain the kids while mom and dad enjoy their coffee break. Consider yourself personally invited to come and spend some time with the Miller family at their wonderful bakery nestled in the beautiful farmlands. The Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop is open daily except Sundays. Hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm. Finding your way there is a delightful drive through the unspoiled Amish countryside. From Route 340 take Beechdale Road (adjacent to rail road underpass) to 542 Gibbons Road. The Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop is just past the one room school house off to the left. Call 717-656-7947 if you have questions or need more information. www.bihbakeshop.com
28 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
Bear & Sons in the News Nationwide, Seen & Sold at Country Knives
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iehard knife fans and the casual observer alike have been reading lately about Bear & Sons, whether in knife enthusiast publications, or nationwide via the Associated Press. Residing somewhere in the middle between the pros and the weekend warriors, I decided to dig a little deeper about the knife manufacturer that so recently became a media darling.
Whenever I have a question about anything sharp, I always call Brian at Country Knives, a knife and edged tool expert by any definition, who just so happens to call Amish Country his home, operating his impressive knife and cutlery store just two miles east of the village Intercourse along Route 340. With over 8,000 knife and cutlery items in stock at his store, he carries a full line of pocket knives
By Clinton Martin
by Bear & Sons, in addition to various knives and cutlery pieces from around 400 other manufacturers the world over. As he has personally met and knows well the owner of Bear & Sons, having established a 30+ year friendship with the man, I figured speaking with Brian was second only to driving to Jacksonville, Alabama, to interview Bear & Sons president Ken Griffey in person.
the manufacturers that Brian carries in his store have fascinating stories, and yes they do. Brian considers the principal world of commercial knife manufacturing to hold roughly 400 makers, ranging in size from 100 employee workshops like Bear & Sons to gigantic multibillion dollar companies like Victorinox which, located in Switzerland, gives us the “Swiss Army Knife.”
According to Brian, Bear & Sons is one of five remaining traditional US pocketknife manufacturers. There are plenty of US knife brands that import their products from overseas, but you can count on one hand the number that manufacture domestically. Bear & Sons has captured the imagination because it is a feel-good success story. Sales have increased year after year, jobs have been added, the American Dream is growing, and the price tag remains perfectly accessible to the average consumer.
I could print an entire issue with stories from 400 knife manufacturers, but basically it is much easier for you to simply visit Country Knives for as much or as little of the story as you want. Brian has amassed not only an inventory of 8,000 plus items, but he has also gathered together highly knowledgeable employees that will easily be able to match you with the perfect knife, scissors, or edged tool that meets your specific needs.
Brian regaled me with the long and sometimes circuitous Bear & Sons story, a tale which includes two times when Bear & Sons was owned by huge corporations. I asked if all of
Using a GPS to find Country Knives – 4134 Old Philadelphia Pike, Gordonville PA 17529. The store is just two miles east of Intercourse on Route 340, and is open every day except Sunday. Call 717-768-3818 or visit www.CountryKnives. com for more information.
Located at Shady Maple!
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uality, affordable, luxury. That's what American made and Amish handcrafted furniture at Country Home Furniture is all about. When Shady Maple Smorgasbord moved into a larger building across the parking lot more than a decade ago, the former restaurant building became home to one of the largest and best furniture stores in the Lancaster area, Country Home Furniture. On two large selling floors, and 30,000 sq. ft., you will find American made sofas and recliners, made in North Carolina, Ohio and Mississippi, in addition to solid wood, USA made and Amish handcrafted dining, bedroom, office, occasional and entertainment furniture. The wood pieces come from artisans in Ohio, Indiana and right here in Lancaster County. With hundreds of stylish products in traditional, transitional, modern and country looks on the floor, there is something for everyone. According to management, “Amish built furniture and quality go hand-in-hand. As far as American handcrafters in the hardwood and upholstery industries, their knack for getting their styles to mesh with today’s buyer is second to none. No one builds better, more stylish furniture than American furniture makers.” Unlike other stores where your only choices of the style or color or wood is what you see, at Country Home Furniture you can have a hand in every facet of your design. That's the beauty of shopping there. Customers love the flexibility to have a piece made for them by selecting their wood, stain, hardware and fabric.
The retailer ships and delivers to customers’ homes and businesses all over the country. If beautiful, quality, brand new, solid wood, American handcrafted furniture is important to you, then you owe it to yourself to explore Country Home Furniture. As they like to say, it's worth the drive to the countryside of Lancaster County for savings.
Country Home Furniture is open Monday and Friday 10-7, Tuesday through Thursday 105, and Saturdays 9-5. The entire complex at Shady Maple is closed on Sundays. For more information, call 717-354-2329, go online to www.chfs1.com or e-mail sales@chfs1.com. GPS address is 1352 Main Street, East Earl Township, PA.
AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 29
Beautiful Window into the Quilted World at Riehl’s Family Quilts & Crafts By Clinton Martin
Quilts and pillows are popular items at Riehl’s, all of which are made within a few miles of the farm.
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henever I have the opportunity to step out of the office and show some friends around the Amish countryside, I always make sure to include in my “tour” certain standards, such as passing by a oneroom school, or seeing a field full of green and leafy tobacco (looks pretty despite its health effects). And there’s one stop that I just have to make. That is at Riehl’s Quilts & Crafts. Riehl’s is a lovely Amish family farm, and like most Amish farms multiple generations live on site, tending the land and working together to provide a quiet, serene place to call home. However, unlike the majority of farms in the area, this is one homestead that visitors are welcome to stroll around and appreciate.
There is a barn where visitors can see the family’s horses and mules, a carriage house that often has a buggy or two to view, and what many call the area’s most expansive “farm shop” of Amish made quilts and crafts. When giving a “tour” I often have to gently pull my people out of the Riehl’s shop lest they spend the whole afternoon browsing.
Even with around 70 ladies (Amish friends and neighbors of the Riehls) in addition to the Riehl womenfolk themselves providing the stitching and sewing handiwork, it takes 4-5 weeks to complete the pieced, patchwork quilt blueprint of a “Dahlia Log Cabin.” All of the patchwork is done on a sewing machine, and then the quilting completed by hand. Other popular quilt patterns at Riehl’s include Country Love, Wedding Ring, Heirloom and Penn Dutch Sampler. Riehl’s Quilts & Crafts might have a gorgeous and grand mortise and tendon store building now, but over twenty years ago, when it all started, the “craft shop” was simply two of the Riehl family’s daughters sitting along the road selling potholders that they had lovingly made. Seeing the success the little entrepreneurs had, the family thought perhaps they should sell some quilts as well. They put some quilts on a bed in their home, and told some local tour guides about their new shop. Cars and buses started to roll down the lane to their farm. Twenty years later, visitors are still enjoying the Riehl family hospitality, now more than ever. Riehl’s Quilts & Crafts is located at 247 E. Eby Road, Leola. The shop is open 8:00am – 5:00pm Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays. For more information, call 717-656-0697. www.RiehlsQuiltsAndCrafts.com
Riehl’s Quilt and Craft Shop fills a barn built specifically to house the store, cooled by fans running on “Amish electricity” and lighting to match. Roughly half of the store is devoted to quilts, while the other half is stocked with candles, books, wind chimes, dolls, toys, jams and jellies, and small craft items. Invariably it is the quilt-room that draws my attention. The pure beauty and functional artistic expression make surrounding oneself with quilts a sublime experience. Riehl’s provides not only a way to see handmade Amish quilts, but to fully appreciate the full spectrum and variety. It seems like each time I visit I find a new design to study and critique. My current favorite is the “Dahlia Log Cabin.”
Many of Riehl’s quilts are colorful and contemporary, but some harken back to traditional Amish designs.
In the world of quilting, the “Dahlia Log Cabin” pattern is truly a hybrid. The design was created by mixing the patterns for a “Dahlia” and a “Log Cabin” quilt to come up with something new and different. With “cones” on the edging, the quilt is colorful out to the very edge, without the white border of many other designs. Not that I think a quilt should be handled in such a way to get it dirty, but the absence of a white border does mean the “Dahlia Log Cabin” does not show dirt as easily as other patterns.
30 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
Local craftsmen make beautiful wooden quilt holders which the Riehl family offers to customers along with the quilts themselves.
Cackleberry Farm Antique Mall Special to Amish Country News
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ooking for an experience, not just another antique mall? Cackleberry Farm Antique Mall is home to 26,000 square feet of antiques and collectibles, items such as furniture, glassware, sterling silver, advertising, jewelry, toys and much more displayed by over 125 dealers. For the nostalgic shopper, housed inside the antique mall is an Old Time General Store, full of vintage barber shop, ice cream parlor, hardware and drugstore memorabilia which will take you back to the Mom & Pop stores of years ago. Not Just Baskets, located next door to the Cackleberry Farm Antique Mall, carries a huge selection of
baskets, quilts, luxury gifts and everyday items to choose from. You can fill a basket with any assortment of treats from pottery to spice mixes, quilts to candles, cookbooks
Only Minutes Away From Everything Amish Country Has To Offer! to spa items – and have it all wrapped up in cellophane in a beautiful basket for a perfect gift. Or gather pet treats, dip and spice mixes and PA Dutch candies for your family, friends – even yourself.
Cackleberry Farm Antique Mall is located at 3371 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise, on Route 30, only minutes away from everywhere and everything Amish Country has to offer.
We have a large selection of baskets, quilted throws, men’s and ladies everyday accessories and gift items. Which includes luxury bath and spa cosmetics, jewelry, cookbooks, kitchen linens, candles, pottery, pet fancies, home decor, framed prints, and many more special items. Choose your basket and gift items and we will customize a lovely gift basket for you. Don’t forget to pick up a souvenir for yourself while you are there.
With $15.00 purchase or more and this coupon. Only at: Not Just Baskets Limit one coupon per purchase. (Expires 10/31/14.)
AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 31
Amish Beard Cutters Convicted of Hate Crimes By Donald B. Kraybill
T
his headline might sound like a scene lifted from Amish Mafia—that TV reality show filled with fictional overthe-top stories of Amish life. It’s not! The Amish beard cutting story is a true episode. It’s one of the most bizarre things I have studied in some 35 years of research on North America’s Amish. The undisputed facts are these: in October 2011 sixteen members of a maverick Amish clan living near Bergholz, Ohio attacked nine victims in other Amish groups. The attackers cut the beards of men and the hair of one woman because they were annoyed by the decisions made by leaders in other Amish groups.
in Ohio. After they settled near Bergholz (an isolated area in Eastern Ohio) they gradually broke off relationships with other Amish groups. In Renegade Amish I present evidence, with some two dozen examples, that the Bergholz clan violated typical Amish beliefs and practices despite the fact that they continued to call themselves Amish. The offenders were eventually apprehended by the FBI and charged with federal hate crimes. There were nine victims, 16 offenders, and five different attacks in various counties in Ohio. This complexity made it difficult to pursue multiple prosecutions for a host of reasons. Folding all the attacks into one case, the US Department of Justice prosecuted the offenders under the 2009 Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes
sh i m A s se u c c A I g n FB i t t u C d of Bear That supposedly peace-loving Amish who disavow violence, would attack other Amish and be the first people in the nation to be convicted of religiously motivated federal hate crimes, shatters our stereotypes of Amish life. In my new book: Renegade Amish: Beard Cutting, Hate Crimes, and the Trial of the Bergholz Barbers I explain the origins of the Bergholz clan, show the reasons that they attacked fellow Amish, and describe why a federal jury convicted them of hate crimes. Are the Bergholz Amish really Amish? That is one of the fuzzy aspects of the Bergholz saga. The Bergholz clan is a large extended family that originated from other Amish communities
The case is now under appeal to the sixth district federal appellate court in Cincinnati. At the invitation of the national AntiDefamation League, a coalition of forty different civil rights groups urged the appeals court to uphold the convictions of the Amish defendants. A decision is expected early this fall. Although the Amish were convicted of religiously motivated hate crimes, the case is also pertinent for attacks motivated by the hatred of one’s sexual orientation, race, gender, or disability.
December 6, 2012
Amish Splinter Group Members Face 20 Years For Alleged Hate Crimes
Act. A federal jury in Cleveland convicted the 16 defendants of some 87 different criminal charges. I assisted the Department of Justice by helping them to understand Amish beliefs and practices. I also served as an expert witness for five hours during the three-week federal trial in September 2012. One of the abhorrent facts is that the offenders included Bishop Sam Mullet and two preachers as well as a number of women. This is surely the first time in Amish history that all the clergy of an Amish congregation were imprisoned for hate crimes. Mullet was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. The other sentences ranged from 1 to 7 years. The bizarre case shamed
32 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
thousands of sincere and devout Amish people not only in Ohio, but also in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and elsewhere whose Amish identity was maligned by these attacks.
It is indeed a sad paradox that the hate crime convictions of some former Amish may in fact reinforce the long-standing American tradition to grant citizens legal protection—under the First Amendment—to practice their religious faith according to their conscience without fear of attack by those who abhor their particular religion. Donald B. Kraybill is a distinguished professor and senior fellow in the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College. He is the author or co-author of more than a dozen books on Amish life, and a frequent contributor to AMISH COUNTRY NEWS.
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AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 33
34 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
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Open Daily from 9am til before dusk; Sundays 10am-5pm AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 35 Child Rate is 12 and under / under 3 is Free!
Welcome to Intercourse PA INTERCOURSE To Country Knives
Zook’s Old Fabrics Candle Store Barn
Esh Handmade Quilts
340
Intercourse Pretzel
340
HARVEST DRIVE
P
erhaps no other town in the entire country can claim its fame on just one simple thing --- its name. Harrison Ford drove a buggy past the road sign on a memorable visit in the Hollywood blockbuster hit of the movie "Witness." For years people have postmarked “Intercourse” on envelopes, and the jokes from visitors who travel through Bird-in-Hand to Intercourse are endless. There are several theories for the name, but that which we find most plausible follows. Around 1730, the Old Provincial Highway (now Route 340) was laid out to connect Philadelphia with Lancaster. Conestoga wagons hauled freight back and forth between the two cities. Providing rest for travelers and horses, taverns sprouted
QUEEN RD.
Stagecoach Shops
772
CENTER ST.
Dutchland Quilt Patch
Best Western Intercourse Village Inn
OLD PHILA. PIKE
Factory
772
To Gap
30 41
along the way, becoming centers for news, gossip, and commerce. The construction of a log tavern in 1754 at the intersection of Newport Road and the Highway took “Cross Keys” as its name. It remained such until 1814, when the name was changed to Intercourse as part of a failed real estate scheme of a Mr. George Brungard, who had acquired 48 acres of nearby land and attempted to lay out a town site and divide it into sections for sale by a lottery, advertising “151 handsome building lots of $250 each to be drawn for by number.” Renaming the town made sense, as intercourse had a common usage referring to the pleasant mutual fellowship and frequent intermingling which were so common Continued on Page 38
36 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
LOCALLY MADE
• Quilts • Fabric & Patterns • Primitive Country Decor & Lighting and much more!
2 LOCATIONS Village of Dutch Delights
Rt. 30, 1/4 Mile East of Miller’s Smorgasbord 717-687-0534
Intercourse Store (No Fabric)
Look for the green sign on Rt. 340! 3453 Old Philadelphia Pike 717-768-3981
Mon-Thur 9-6 ∙ Fri 9-8 ∙ Sat 9-7 ∙ Closed Sunday Shop On-Line at www.DutchlandQuilts.com
Immerse Yourself in the Amish Story WITNESS the spectacular “Jacob’s Choice” told with Disney-like Special Effects in the Amish Experience Theater.
EXPLORE the Amish Country Homestead, the region’s only Officially Designated Heritage Site Amish home.
TOUR the magnificent and rarely seen Amish Farmlands with a certified tour guide in complete comfort onboard one of our 14 passenger mini-shuttles. SATISFY yourself that you’re making the most from your Amish Experience...
• Since 1959, the area’s first, and still foremost, interpretative source of Amish Culture.
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SIT in a desk at the new Fisher Amish schoolroom furnished authentically with desks and more from an actual Amish classroom.
RECEIVE a free Amish cookbook autographed by the author herself when you take our our Farmland Tour.
Designated a Heritage Site by the Lancaster County Planning Commission
FREE BUGGY RIDE Receive a voucher for a free “Cookie Run Buggy Ride” just a few steps away at Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides with the purchase, at the Amish Experience Theater Box Office, of a regularly priced Supersaver, Theater/House Combo, or Amish Visit-in-Person Tour. BUGAN
RT 340 Between Bird-in-Hand & Intercourse at Plain & Fancy Farm
SAVE with our Super Saver package which For GPS: 3121 Old includes “Jacob’s Choice”, the Amish Philadelphia Pike • Ronks, PA Country Homestead and a 90 717.768.8400 Ext. 210 minute Amish farmlands Tour. AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 37
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Intercourse (Continued from Page 36) in the informal atmosphere of the quiet country village. Over time, Brungard’s scheme begat others. As recently as 1971, an enterprising soul tried to take advantage of the town’s name by selling deeds for one-inch square plots of Intercourse to visitors. Creative, but nonetheless a failure.
By 1880, Intercourse had a population of 280 with a post office that actually moved among stores or restaurants as owners hoped visits by residents would increase their business. The local stagecoach service started around 1898 as “a single horse conveyance similar to a market wagon, with a roll-up curtain and double set of seats.” As the days of the dirt road drew to a close, so too did the stagecoach era. In 1923 a transit company was organized and bus service initiated to and from Lancaster. Today Intercourse has been recognized as a “foodie” town by the PA Dutch Visitor’s Bureau. You'll soon discover why walking the streets of this tiny hamlet is an absolute mustvisit for everyone.
38 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
Meet the Amish Women Entrepreneurs By Beth Graybill
ZOOK’S FABRICS IN THE VILLAGE OF INTERCOURSE
(717) 768-8153 3535 Old Philadelphia Pike Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-5pm
Shop Online at SaudersFabric.com
For several decades, this shop has been the livelihood for three older Amish sisters who live on the property; a buzzer alerts them when
customers open the bake shop door. They sell to tourists staying at the nearby campground, to passersby and locals, and to a farmers’ market in Wilmington, Delaware, where a neighbor takes some of their baked goods for sale. The ladies have been good company for each other, and their business has supplied their needs. Walking up the lane to Annie’s Amish store, I notice the rows of hand-potted perennials on sale. It’s May, but Amish women gardeners have been hard at work weeding and pruning their flowerbeds, and these extras are for sale. Inside the small, freshly-painted store, four
Knowledgeable Caring Staff. Established 1965.
W
hen I push open the screen door, the aroma of fresh-baked bread greets me. It is Wednesday, bread-baking day at Rachel’s, this small, Amish bake shop in rural Lancaster County. Beautifully crimped pies in six or more flavors adorn the counter, alongside still-warm loaves of bread and five different kinds of cookies and “whoopie pies.” When I comment on the variety, one of the Amish bakers tells me, “We each have our own specialty.”
Sauder’s Fabrics
Quilting a few generations ago offered a setting for Amish and Mennonite ladies to sew and socialize, but now provides an important source of income as well. aisles of dented cans and packaged groceries with upcoming “sell by” dates are available at half-price or less, along with a small selection of bulk-priced grains, fresh produce, home-baked breads and desserts, and garden plants. Tucked away in this rural corner of the county, Annie’s thriving business is a significant means of support for her extended family, and she is a respected businesswoman in her Amish community. These friends and neighbors seek her advice and ask financial support for a new nearby Amish school. Continued on Page 40
681 South Muddy Creek Rd. Denver, PA 17517
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221 South Groffdale Rd. Leola, PA 17540 Proprietors: Chris & Katie Stoltzfus
Can accomodate up to 9 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths & Full Kitchen AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 39
Amish Women
(Continued from Page 39) Rachel’s and Annie’s businesses are some of a growing number of Amish women’s small business enterprises in Lancaster County today. These include quilt, craft and gift shops; stores selling fabric, sewing notions and house-wares; general and grocery stores; flower shops and women greenhouse growers who raise bedding plants for sale; roadside stands selling fresh garden produce, eggs, homemade pickles and preserves; bake shops, many of which may also supply pies and bread to Amish households hosting church services or weddings; scrapbooking shops which sell homemade cards; and Amish women who provide home-cooking for groups. Quilt shops remain the most visible business, as most welcome tour buses.
Significant numbers of young Amish women also sell wares at regional farmers markets in the New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC areas. Many more Amish women are employed doing piecework at home in some stage of quilt production, home-baking a particular item for sale in established bake shops, or producing some other home-based craft. In fact, in the heart of the Amish settlement in Lancaster, women who are not involved in some form of business endeavor for pay may be the exception. As one Amish woman told me succinctly, “Most every woman is doing something on the side. ... It is expected of you.” Many Amish women’s businesses rely on unpaid family labor, for example, children’s work in gardens growing fruits and vegetables or
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canning jams or pickles that are sold to generate cash income, and younger children waiting on customers in shops (children over age 15 are usually paid a wage for their labor). As other researchers have noted, home-based, family businesses often obscure the reality of how much women are central to these enterprises. In my research I have adopted the term, “kitchen table entrepreneurs” to describe these businesses. These small-scale business enterprises typically start at home, often with women doing finances at the kitchen table after supper. “Kitchen table entrepreneurs” grow the business slowly as funds accumulate, for example, from a few quilts hung on the clothes-line for sale, to a quilt room in a home, to a stand-alone quilt shop. This designation is apropos in another way, as well, since typically Amish women in business also retain responsibility for managing “the kitchen,” that is, domestic duties as well. Of her time and household responsibilities, Mary had this to say, “If I wasn’t busy in my shop I was busy with my family.” Sallie noted during our interview that while she was downstairs in her shop talking with me, her daughter was upstairs babysitting three grandchildren. This can also create work for other women. One Amish woman entrepreneur who runs a local quilt shop told me that she pays a hundred women to quilt for her on a regular basis. Many quilt entrepreneurs do less of their own baking, housecleaning, and sewing of clothes. As Mary said… When church is at my house and I need 30 pies, I buy them from Blue Gate Farm (bake stand). There is no shame in not doing your own baking. Maybe 20 years ago, but not today. It might have been unheard of in the past. Twenty years ago, very few people bought their desserts. Some Amish women’s businesses provide small amounts of discretionary money for Amish women. One woman’s flower gardening income was used to finance trips to visit family members who live in Ohio and Indiana, and several businesswomen in my study mentioned now being able to subsidize winter vacations to Pinecraft, the Amish vacation community in Sarasota, Florida. Other Amish women’s businesses are of primary support to the family. In a few cases, husbands have quit their outside jobs to join their wives in business. One Amish woman entrepreneur is referred to among the Amish as a millionaire for her success in business. She has been able to financially support many members of her family through her business acumen! Our guest writer Beth E. Graybill is an adjunct professor at Millersville University and Dickinson College in southeastern Pennsylvania. Beth received her PhD in American Studies from the University of Maryland in 2009. This article is drawn from her dissertation. She lives in Lancaster city and enjoys being a tour guide at the Amish Experience.
40 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
Real Bargains, Real Finds, Real Stories… Reality TV at Shupp’s Grove? By Clinton Martin
I
t wouldn’t surprise me if the Reality TV world soon descends upon Shupp’s Grove. After all, this is one very cool place with super-fascinating people. Buying, selling, trading, and gossiping is a matter of course under the tall oak trees shading the glen, and the drama of the big find still happens for folks every weekend. All this being said, however, the gentlemen in the photo, spotted at Shupp’s Grove, are not those famous fellars of DUCK DYNASTY on TV. Instead, these are just everyday folks displaying the fine wares they’ve collected over the years, welcoming
Shupp’s Grove is frequented by professional dealers, amateur collectors, and everyone in between. These men evoked visions of Duck Dynasty (though they’re not in any way related) at a recent Shupp’s sale.
others to shop, buy, and peruse their treasures to add to their own home’s décor and collections. Shupp’s Grove is a beautiful outdoor antiques and collectibles market and is known as “the picker’s market where real deals still happen.” In existence over 50 years now, generations of Shupp’s Shoppers have been supporting American small businesses while celebrating a rich history of quality goods weekend by weekend, year after year!
Shupp’s is open Saturdays and Sundays, 7:00am-4:00pm. Each weekend has a special theme that many exhibitors feature in their selections, so if you love certain genres of antiques and collectibles, plan your weekend ahead by visiting www.ShuppsGrove.com to look up your niche. For GPS directions, use 607 Willow Street, Reinholds PA. Or, call 717484-4115.
Just one of a jillion flavors you can create, taste, and make a commercial for at the Turkey Hill Experience. Place your reservation and buy tickets now at TurkeyHillExperience.com. Columbia Exit of Rt. 30 | 301 Linden Street, Columbia, PA 17512 ©2014 Turkey Hill Dairy 1-844-VISIT-TH (1-844-847-4884)
Wilkum to Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Friends!
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Pay no membership or resort fees! 576 Yellow Hill Road Narvon, PA 17555 (888) 480-4462
www.lakeinwoodcampground.com
Fantastic articles! Money saving coupons! A guide to Amish Country! For an Amish Country News annual subscription, complete this form and send a check or money order for $30 to: Amish Country News, PO Box 414, Bird-In-Hand, PA 17505
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AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 41
It’s Fall at Flory’s By Clinton Martin
W
hen you come over, sleep over! Amish Country charms by day to be sure, but sticking around to witness the sun set over the beautiful countryside, and then rise again the following morning with the crowing of the rooster is an experience you won’t soon forget. From personal experience, I can tell you that Flory’s Cottages & Camping is an excellent choice for lodging in Amish Country, providing camping from rustic tent sites to full hook-ups for RVs, plus cottages and even a guest-house with a balcony overlooking a country road regularly traveled by Amish buggies.
If you can, call (717) 687-6670 and reserve a site for Labor Day or Columbus Day Weekend. Flory’s sells out fast on the holidays, and for good reason. A schedule of special events makes for added fun and memories, including live music by local legends, Summit Hill Bluegrass. Summit
A Toast from Union Barrel Works
T
o all who visit Amish Country today, “A toast!” to your good health and may the fall season be a welcoming, cooler, more cozy time for you. Union Barrel Works is always a fine and fun place to visit and dine, but the end of summer and the beginning of fall just scream for a delicious craft brewed ale or lager and some scratch-made pub grub. For those who haven’t been before, and even for those who have, September marks a special opportunity at Union Barrel Works. On September 16th, there will be a grand BBQ themed “Beer Dinner” at UBW. This is an opportunity not to be missed, as these special evenings of amazing food, excellent beer, and great times and cheer don’t pop up but for a few times a year. Multiple courses of delectable food are paired with wellpaired pours of UBW’s house-brewed craft beer, with each offering receiving its due diligence in description and digestion. For the lucky customers who attend, they’ll take their time, enjoying a feast of UBW’s best. Tickets are still available, but call ahead to reserve your spot. 717-335-7837.
Shop in the Shade...
September 6 & 7 - Jewelry, Clocks & Watches (Yard Sale Saturday) September 13 & 14 - Vintage Clothing & Accessories
Farming, Hunting & Fishing
Sept. 20 & 21 - Adamstown Fall Hunting & Fishing Show 8am - Spec. Section Sat. Only
Homecoming Extravaganza Sept 26, 27 & 28
(Sept. 26, Early Buyers 7-11am, $10 Gate Fee) Special themes or shows every weekend.
Visit ShuppsGrove.com or call 717.484.4115 GPS: 607 Willow St. • Reinholds, PA 17569
42 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
Hill is a four-man band that has long played “bluegrass at its best,” plus gospel and a wide variety of other music. Flory’s Cottages & Camping is located at 99 N Ronks Rd, Ronks PA. Visit www.floryscamping. com for more information.
SHOPPING
Our Advertisers An (S) after the name denotes Open Sunday. An * denotes a coupon offer.
ATTRACTIONS
LET'S EAT
*Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides (S).................... 35 Abe's Buggy Rides................................................... 20 Aimee & Daria's Doll Outlet (S).......................... 21 *Amish Country Homestead (S)......................... 37 *Amish Country Tours (S)................................14,48 *Amish Experience Theater (S)........................... 37 Choo Choo Barn (S)............................................... 25 Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre (S)......................... 22 Dutch Haven (S)..........................................................3 Ghost Tour (S)........................................................... 25 Hershey’s Chocolate World (S)...........................42 Intercourse Pretzel Factory................................... 38 Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery................................. 10 *Mennonite Information Center......................... 20 National Toy Train Museum (S).......................... 25 Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (S).....................9 *Rainbow Dinner Theatre (S).................................9 Strasburg Rail Road (S).......................................... 25 Turkey Hill Experience (S)..................................... 41 *U.S. Hot Air Balloon Team (S)........................... 18 Village Greens Mini-Golf (S)................................ 23 *Water's Edge Mini-Golf......................................... 17
Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop....................................... 12 *Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord.........................................................2 Blue Gate Farm & Bakery...................................... 21 Brasserie (S).............................................................. 20 Good 'N Plenty (S).................................................. 19 *Hershey Farm Restaurant and Inn (S)............ 26 *Intercourse Village Olde Mill Restaurant....... 39 Kauffman's Fruit Farm............................................ 17 Lancaster Beer & Wine Gallery (S)..................... 16 *Miller's Smorgasbord (S)........................................8 *Plain & Fancy Farm (S)......................................... 15 Revere Tavern (S)........................................................6 September Farm Cheese....................................... 18 Union Barrel Works (S)..........................................42 Zook's Homemade Chicken Pies.......................40
LODGING *Country Inn of Lancaster (S).............................. 22 Flory's Cottages & Camping (S).......................... 22 Best Western Premier Eden Resort (S)............43 Lake in Wood Campground (S).......................... 41
Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market.............................. 19 Blue Ridge Furniture............................................... 27 *Country Creations.................................................. 26 Cackleberry Farm Antique Mall (S).................... 31 Country Home Furniture....................................... 29 Country Housewares Store.................................. 28 Country Knives.......................................................... 38 Country Lane Quilts................................................ 39 Dolly Bodacious....................................................... 38 Dutchland Quilt Patch............................................ 36 Esh Handmade Quilts............................................ 36 Flower and Home Marketplace.......................... 33 Gish's Furniture & Amish Heirlooms ................ 21 Gordonville Bookstore........................................... 38 J & B Quilts and Crafts............................................ 23 *Jake's Country Trading Post (S)............................7 *Killer Hats (S).............................................................6 Lapp’s Quilts & Crafts.............................................. 25 Lapp's Toys................................................................. 17 Li’l Country Store & Miniature Horse Farm..... 23 *Not Just Baskets (S).............................................. 31 Old Candle Barn....................................................... 38 Renninger's Antique Market (S).........................42 Riehl's Quilts & Crafts............................................. 34 Sauder's Fabrics........................................................ 39 Sam's Man Cave....................................................... 21 Shupp's Grove (S)....................................................42 Smucker's Quilts....................................................... 28 Stagecoach Shops...................................................40 Witmer Quilt Shop................................................... 28 Zook’s Fabric Store.................................................. 39
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Visit www.EdenResort.com for special packages and promotions! 222 Eden Road, Lancaster, PA Tel 717-569-6444 • Toll Free 888-477-7754
AmishNews.com • September 2014 • Amish Country News • 43
To Hershey
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Christiana
September 2014 COVER STORY
Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides......................5
GUEST WRITER ARTICLES
Amish Women Entrepreneurs........................39 Renegade Amish...........................................32
FEATURE ARTICLES
Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop.....................12,22,28 Blue Gate Farm............................................17 Cackleberry Farm Antique Mall......................31 Country Knives.............................................29 Flory's Campground......................................42 Half-Stitched: The Musical............................11 J & B Quilts & Crafts..................................8 Lapp's Quilts & Crafts...................................9 Li'l Country Store & Mini-Horses...................6 Plain & Fancy Farm.....................................15 Riehl's Quilts & Crafts................................30 Shupp's Grove..............................................41 Theme Article - Family Business....................13 Union Barrel Works......................................42
REGULAR FEATURES
Brad Igou’s Amish Series..............................24 Country Home Furniture...............................29 Dutch Haven Lancaster Landmark...................3 Events Sampler............................................21 Publisher’s Message ....................................46
AREA MAP & GUIDES
Advertiser Index ..........................................43 Amish Country Map.................................44-45 Bird-in-Hand ..........................................11-17 Intercourse..............................................36-40 Lititz............................................................10 Lodging .............................................22,41,43 New Holland/Blue Ball.............................27-29 Paradise......................................................6-9 Strasburg................................................23-26
PO Box 414 • Bird-in-Hand • PA 17505
(717) 768-8400, Ext. 218
AmishNews.com
Published by Dutchland Tours Inc. Brad Igou • Editor-in-Chief brad@amishnews.com Clinton Martin • Director: Sales & Marketing clinton@amishnews.com Caleb Bressler • Associate Editor Kirk Simpson • Graphic Designer
For Advertising Information Contact Clinton Martin (717) 768-8400 ext. 217 450,000 copies distributed annually by subscription, and at over 300 motels, information centers and businesses in PA Dutch Country. Copyright ©2014. All contents of this magazine are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without prior approval of the publisher.
Publisher's Message
by Brad Igou
Star Trek and the
Amish
try to decide whether its use will be positive or negative relative to their faith and values… Cars make it easy to travel, but can breakdown the community and forever alter relationships. “The horse and buggy keep us close to home.” Cell phones and electricity coming into the house bring the unwelcome influence of the media and entertainment, a “connectivity” to a modern world much of which the Amish do not approve.
W
In other words, the question becomes whether the Amish control the technology, or does it control them?
The Prime Directive is the guiding principle of the United Federation of Planets. The Prime Directive… prohibits Starfleet personnel from interfering with the internal development of alien civilizations. This conceptual law applies particularly to civilizations which are below a certain threshold of development, preventing starship crews from using their superior technology to impose their own values or ideals on them.
Amish fathers in Lancaster were actually imprisoned in the 20th century for refusing to send their children beyond the eighth grade to large consolidated public schools.
ell, I guess I aroused your curiosity with that title. Recently, I came upon a reference to Star Trek’s “Prime Directive” and also read a quote from the movie STAR TREK: INTO DARNESS that got me thinking about the Amish. So... what’s the connection? Before I answer that, here’s a Prime Directive explanation courtesy of Wikipedia…
The first reference to the Prime Directive occurs in the 1967 episode “The Return of the Archons.” Here, Captain Kirk and his crew encounter a planet which was enslaved 6,000 years earlier by a computer intelligence, its society stagnating into mechanical obedience… Kirk argues the computer into self-destruction, then leaves behind a team of sociologists to help restore the society to a “human form.” A culture gone dead from “mechanical obedience,” ultimately controlled by computers. Absurd? I just heard a horrific story on NPR about a couple who let their baby starve to death because they had become addicted to game playing on their computer and had lost track of reality! The Pixar movie WALL-E portrayed a future in which the earth has been made uninhabitable by humans. Survivors live in space with robots and computers doing everything for them, to the point where they become happily “dependent” and float around on machines, no longer able to walk. Technology per se is not bad, but its impact may well be. The Amish look at a technology and
46 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
Throughout Amish history, the “world” has often clashed with Amish values. The early Anabaptists were hunted down, tortured, and put to death because of their beliefs in adult baptism, separation of church and state, and non-resistance.
Amish clashed with the government, refusing to pay into Social Security, believing it was the family and community’s responsibility to take care of parents and the elderly. The “world” has often tried to impose its “superior” technology or way of life on the Amish. Sadly, one need not look far today for examples of governments and religious groups imposing beliefs, to the point of death, on those who dare to disagree with them. The most recent Star Trek movie INTO DARKNESS deals with terrorism in the future. In this film Captain Kirk observes… There will always be people who would do us harm. To stop them, we risk awakening the same evil within ourselves. Our first instinct is to seek revenge when those we love are taken from us. But that’s not who we are. It’s not that far-fetched to consider that we might even learn something from “inferior” cultures. Let me conclude with these words from Captain Jean-Luc Picard, which I hope leads you to selfreflection, as it did for me… The Prime Directive is not just a set of rules. It is a philosophy, and a very correct one. History has proven again and again that whenever mankind interferes with a less developed civilization, no matter how well intentioned that interference may be, the results are invariably disastrous.
New From the #1 Author of Amish Fiction
BEVERLY
LEWIS Tilly and Ruth, two formerly Amish sisters, are plagued by unresolved relationships when they return to Lancaster County for their parents’ landmark wedding anniversary. Since departing their Plain upbringing, Tilly has married an Englisher, but Ruth remains single and hasn’t entirely forgotten her failed courtship with her Amish beau. Past meets present as Tilly and Ruth yearn for acceptance and redemption. Can they face the future in the light of a past they can’t undo?
The River by Beverly Lewis
A Division of Baker Publishing Group | bethanyhouse.com Available at your bookstore or by calling 1-866-241-6733
LANCASTER’S ONLY OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED HERITAGE TOUR
Amish
Visit-In-Person Tours
k...But So Few Experience! e e S y n a M The Perso o S nal Encounter
On The Farm
Visit an Amish Farm at Milking Time
At Work
Talk With an Amish Craftsman
At Home
Visit With Amish at Home
V.I.P. stands for “Visit In Person,” for you will have the unique opportunity to meet three of our Amish neighbors. Traveling in a comfortable shuttle bus, this exclusive tour is limited to 14 people to allow more personal contact, as we visit the Amish on the farm, at work, and at home.
Stop 1: Amish Farm at Milking Time. Observe the milking process. Discover “Amish electricity” as you learn that the Amish do not milk cows by hand.
Stop 2: Amish “Cottage Industry.” As land for farming shrinks, more Amish turn to home businesses to balance work and family. We may visit a carriage-maker, carpetloom shop, soap-maker, or cheese-maker for a personal talk and presentation.
Stop 3: Visit An Amish Home. We’ll go to the home of one of our Amish neighbors for friendly conversation…a chance to sit, chat, and visit the Amish way. It's not surprising that strangers soon become friends.
Tours from the Amish Experience Theater at Plain & Fancy Farm Route 340 Route 340, between Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse
FREE AMISH BUGGY RIDE Receive a voucher for a free “Cookie Run Buggy Ride” just a few steps away at Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides with the purchase, at the Amish Experience Theater Box Office, of a regularly priced Supersaver, Theater/House Combo, or Amish Visit-in-Person Tour. One voucher for each adult or child ticket purchased with this coupon. Not valid with any other offer or with group tours. Offer expires 11/30/14. Valid up to six people. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. BUGAN
Limited to 14 People
Departs 5:00PM
Monday-Saturday NOW Thru November
Advance Reservations Recommended
717•768•8400 Ext. 210 • www.AmishExperience.com
48 • Amish Country News • September 2014 • AmishNews.com
The Amish Experience Theater • 3121 Old Philadelphia Pike • Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505