Amish Guide 2023

APRIL 28, 2023 • BRADFORD PUBLISHING COMPANY

Amish businesses grow in southern Allegany County

By Kathryn Ross

Since before the turn of the 21st century, the Amish began to establish themselves in the northern part of Allegany County and particularly in the Belfast area, so much so that the village even provides a hitching post for their Amish equine citizens.

More recently, within the last decade, Amish

homesteads have been growing in the southern part of Allegany County, so much so, that the village of Wellsville is looking into an equine refuse law for its business district.

One of the projects completed before COVID shut down everything in early 2020 was a map created by the town of Willing, with

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Photo by Wilson Wheeler Lumbering and milling timber is a popular business among the local Amish.

Amish businesses in Allegany County

the help of the Allegany County Planning and Development Office, of the Amish businesses located in the southern part of the county. The map includes some 48 businesses located in Wellsville, Whitesville and Hallsport and along the major highways.

Willing Town Clerk Deborah Buchholz helped to create the black and white map that is available from her office and at the Wellsville Area Chamber of Commerce office.

“We found that we were seeing an influx of Amish and that they were contrib-

uting to the growth of the local economy by creating a variety of businesses,” she said. “People don’t realize that they pay their fair share. They pay property taxes, school taxes, and they pay for hunting and fishing licenses just like the rest of us.”

Buchholz went on to note that the Amish population is continuing to grow and they have constructed their own schools. Amish children attend school to the equivalent of eighth grade in the public school

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1. Noah E & Elizabeth Miller – Sawmill * 1756 Meservey Hill Rd. Wellsville

2. Jacob D & Linda E. Wengard – Construction * 2622 Trapping Brook Rd Wellsville

3. Phillip J & Anna J Hostetler * 3800 Ford Brook N. Branch Wellsville

4. Johnny B & Fannie P Raber - J&F Cabinetry * 3829 Ford Brook S Branch Wellsville

5. Andy B & Amanda P. Raber * 4035 Ford Brook S Branch Wellsville

6. Emanual N & Sarah M. Miller * 750 Stone Dam Rd. Wellsville

7. Levi N & Emma P Miller * 3592 Weidrick Rd. Wellsville

8. Roy L. & Sarah E Raber - Country View Sheds, Quilts-N-Crafts * 1070 State Route 19. Wellsville

9. Andy L & Anna E. Raber – Sawmill * 1030 State Route 19. Wellsville

10. Harvey C & Ellie E Raber - Tin Shop, HR Footware, Baked Goods * 827 State Route 19. Wellsville

11. Eli Y & Elizabeth J Miller – Produce * 645 Lampe Rd. Wellsville

12. Emanual Y & Mattie A Miller – Miller’s Produce * 755 Lampe Rd. Wellsville

13. Atlee L. & Lizzie A. Wengerd – Wengerd’s Log Siding, Sheds-N-Cabins * 1411 Shear Rd. Wellsville

14. Abe L. & Linda R Wengerd – Sawmill * 2616 Brandes Rd. Wellsville

15. Raymond R. & Emma N Miller * 2616 Brandes Rd. Wellsville

16. Henry E. & Saloma E. Mast – Dry Goods Store * 2316 Beech Hill Rd. Wellsville

17. Adam R & Ella M. Hershberger – Apples, Peaches * 2182 Beech Hill Rd. Wellsville

18. Mose & Lydia Stutzman – Baskets * 2182 Beech Hill Rd. Wellsville

19. Crist E & Emma M Miller – Greenhouse-N-Produce * 2329 Hallsport Rd. Wellsville

20. Emanuel Y & Sally Miller – Harness Shop-N-Rugs * 2329 Hallsport Rd. Wellsville

21. Roy A & Mary M. Raber * 2119 Stout Rd. Wellsville

22. Andy J. & Katie A. Raber – Hallsport Kitchen-N-Bath * 2102 Stout Rd. Wellsville

23. Mosie J & Mattie L. Miller – M&M Woodworking * 2143 State Route 248 Wellsville

24. David E & Ada E. Miller * 869 Peet Rd. Wellsville

25. Yost E & Ada E Miller – Sawmill * 662 Peet Rd. Wellsville

26. Amos A. & Amanda R. Yoder * 1885 Graves Rd. Wellsville

27. Joe A. & Mattie L. Yoder – Yoder’s Furniture, Rugs * 1834 State Route 248. Wellsville

28. Roy J & Mary B Miller – Beech Hill Maple Syrup * 839 Harris Rd. Wellsville

29. Alvin R & Miriam A. Miller * 1715 Graves Rd. Wellsville

30. Eli L & Amanda A. Wengerd – Country Custom Furniture, Kitchen Cabinets * 1487A Graves Rd. Wellsville

31. Alvin J & Rebecca J Miller – Rugs, Chair Repair * 1487 Graves Rd. Wellsville

32. Delila A Wengerd * 1487 Graves Rd. Wellsville

33. Levi C & Mattie Raber – Rustic Log Furniture * 1630 Casey Rd. Wellsville

34. David J & Fannie E. Hershberger * 917 Spicer Rd. Whitesville

35. Andy L & Dora L Yoder – Yoder’s Custom Kitchen Cabinet * 1210 State Route 248A. Whitesville

36. Yost L. & Lydia E Miller * 1262 Casey Rd. Whitesville

37. Levi Y & Anna H Miller * 1262 Casey Rd. Whitesville

38. Jonas Y & Mattie A Miller – Hillside Furniture * 1669 County Road 22. Whitesville

39. Atlee Y & Amanda A Miller * 1669 County Road 22. Whitesville

40. William J. & Ella Y Miller * 823 Spicer Rd. Whitesville

41. Andy D. & Verna E. Slabaugh – Windows * 2271 Trapping Brook Rd. Wellsville

42. Joe A & Ada A Slabaugh – Sawmill * 2271 Trapping Brook Rd. Wellsville

43. Noah A & Mattie L. Miller – Horse Training & Boarding * 2341 Trapping Brook Rd. Wellsville

44. Lewis D & Frany J Slabaugh * 2341 Trapping Brook Rd. Wellsville

45. Elmer D & Emma Y Gingerish * 1262 Casey Rd. Whitesville

46. David & Rosie Slabaugh – Sawmill * 2851 McCurdy Rd. Wellsville

47. Ura J. & Anna Y Gengerish * 1262 Casey Rd. Whitesville

48. Levi A & Ada Y Miller * 2056 Trapping Brook Rd. Wellsville

South Eastern Amish Community

This map was produced using a list compiled by the Town of Willing in Allegany County, NY with assistance from an Amish community member. Any data points should be used for reference only. Please be aware that Amish businesses may no longer be in the locations indicated here.

Photo by Kathryn Ross An Amish School House on Beech Hill in the Town of Willing.

system. She conjectured that the reasons the Amish are moving into the area is because of its rural character and the already existing and inexpensive farmland.

“Our Amish are conservative, but they are reaching out to the community with the businesses they have started,” she said. “They only agreed to be on our map because we agreed to make it black and white.”

The businesses listed on the map include five sawmills, numerous furniture and cabinetry stores, baked

goods, produce, greenhouses, fruit markets, dry goods, baskets, footwear, rugs, maple syrup and horse training.

In an interview on the Amish America blog, Amish scholar Karen Johnson-Weiner noted that, “Some counties have created maps showing the location of Old Order businesses. This is the case in Western New York, home to the oldest Amish settlement. Other counties have mentioned Amish settlement in tourist brochures, and there are a number

of local shops in areas of Amish settlement that offer Amish-made items for sale.”

Allegany County Planner Kier Dirlam said his office will be working on an Amish Trail map over the summer.

According to Amish America, New York state is home to more than two dozen Amish settlements with Western New York being one of the fastest growing populations in the state. Throughout the state, the Amish population grew from a little over 4,000 in

1992 to more than 22,500 in 2022.

Statistics gathered in 2020 show that there were nearly 1,500 Amish living in Allegany County with the most making their homes in the towns of Angelica, Belfast and Friendship. About a quarter of the population lives in the Wellsville, Willing and Whitesville area.

The statistics were compiled by Edsel Burdge Jr. of the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabeth College near Geneva.

Cattaraugus County’s Amish history goes back more than 70 years

By Rick Miller

Cattaraugus County’s Amish communities began in the Conewango Valley area in 1949 by a number of Troyer Amish families from Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Many people driving through Amish country see little more than black horse-drawn buggies, laundry hanging from clotheslines and farmers working their fields. They have a way of life to protect.

The Conewango Valley Old Order Amish, numbering about 2,500 residents, is the oldest Amish settlement in New York state. It is the second largest Amish community in the state. Its residents were drawn to the area by the availability of cheap farmland.

The first Amish settle-

ment in New York was in 1831 in Lewis County, but its residents now identify themselves as Mennonites.

Amish communities in New York have the fastest growing population of any of the 30 states with Amish

settlements. There are now more than 50 Amish communities in New York, including 40 settlements since 2000. The latest population figures show there are 12,000 Amish residents across the state.

In Western Cattaraugus County on the rural roads off Route 62, the Amish are dairy farmers and in the building trades where their

Photo by Rick Miller

An Amish farm family haying in a field off Route 62 in the town of Conewango.

Catt. County’s Amish history

craftsmanship is sought after by their “English” neighbors. Quilts and Amish baked goods are also highly sought after. Many newly-built Amish sheds and children’s playsets are for sale along the roads.

The Amish run most all of the sawmills in the county

Several years ago, Cattaraugus County tourism department unveiled its Amish Trail booklet that had a map of the county’s Amish communities and the Amish and other businesses that could be found there.

It has become very successful and can also be found online at Amishtrail. com where there is an interactive map describing the businesses and the address. There are 225 busi-

ness listings mapped out on the website’s interactive map. Since the conservative

Amish here do not have electricity or phones, you have to drive to their business. Don’t go on Sundays

because they are closed. In “Life in the Plain Community of the Empire State,” author Karen Johnson-Weiner writes that the Conewango Valley area Amish are among the most conservative in New York. Their homes have floors of wood and are without electricity, upholstered furniture and indoor toilets. They are lit with oil lamps and the ovens are woodfired.

The Amish farmers’ milk is unrefrigerated and goes to the local Valley View Cheese Co. plant on Route 62 in the town of Conewango. Besides their agriculture roots, local Amish operate their own sawmills, furniture, tarp

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Photos by Rick Miller

Three horse-drawn Amish buggies drive along Route 62 in Conewango, the oldest and secondlargest Amish settlement in New York state.

Milk cans stand outside an Amish barn in Western Cattaraugus County waiting for pickup.

Catt. County’s Amish history

and harness shops. They make soap and jellies and jams that are sold at roadside stands and farmers markets. Baskets and quilts are other popular Amish goods.

Another conservative Amish group, the Swartzentruber Amish, have a settlement in the Farmersville-Fredom area. It is much smaller and less established than the Conewango Old Order Amish group. They are also entrepreneurs, with small carpentry and building businesses, cabinet and furniture makers, quilts and other trades.

You don’t have to be Amish to sell your wares on the Amish Trail. Many businesses — accommodations, activities, dining

and others — also look to visitors along the trail for business.

The Amish Trail shows visitors a slower, simpler way of life and lots of beautiful countryside. Remember when driving to be cautious and slow down around the black horse-drawn buggies.

The Randolph Amish Trail Welcome Center, 72 Main St., has Amish Trail maps and brochures available.

The Enchanted Mountains tourism arm of the Cattaraugus County Department of Economic Development, Planning and Tourism also mails copies of the map and brochure through the amishtrail.com website.

A group of Amish children walk home after school along Route 62 in the town of Conewango.

Plein air plethora

by Kathryn Ross

In the heart of the Western New York Wilds, Allegany County is not only home to breathtaking vistas, but also to a cadre of artists who create works which will take your breath away.

It is the perfect place to pack up your brushes, canvases and easel, or your camera and head into the great outdoors for a morning, afternoon or evening of Plein Air painting, or scenic photography.

Made into an art form by the French Impressionists plein air painting, ‘en plein air’ is the art of leaving the studio behind and getting out into the fresh air to capture that perfect slant of light – the light photographers call the “golden hour.”

Whether your artistic eye is for landscapes or streetscapes, throughout the county almost any road will take you past vistas that will stir your senses and get your camera clicking or your brushes stroking. From hilltops or across

a farm field, to backroads under a canopy of trees, on the bank of a rushing creek or river or on a lakeshore the artist is sure to find a pleasing subject.

For or those plein air excursions, try:

Hanging Bog in New Hudson

Alma Pond in Alma

The WAG Trail in Wellsville or, Cruise any backroads such as the Davis Hill Road between Andover and Whitesville where you’ll find a quaint country church amid a rolling countryside or county route

15 between Angelica and Fillmore where you’ll find picturesque Amish farms and 50 mile vistas.

And, if you happen to run out of Cerulean Blue you’ll find your art supplies readily available at stores near Wellsville, and in Alfred, Cuba and Houghton.

While the Allegany Artisans, 30 to 40 working artists, offer an open studio tour in October, galleries are found in Wellsville, Alfred, Belmont, Cuba, and Houghton. Artists are also frequent vendors at area farmer’s markets.

Museums A to B and everything in between

by Kathryn Ross

Visiting local museums is a good way to get to know the area where you are vacationing, and Allegany County has a variety of small museums stretching from one end of the county to the other.

Did you know that the biggest deer in the state was harvested right here in Allegany County?

Did You know that the Sinclair’s Oil Company’s dinosaur logo originated in Allegany County?

Did you know that the Tin Man in the “Wizard of Oz” came from Allegany County?

Did you know the world-wide price for cheese was at one time set weekly in Allegany County?

Did you know that the proto-type for the first artificial limb was developed in Allegany County?

You can explore those facts and discover more as you tour the museums in Allegany County. You can visit most of these museums free of charge, but since they are often operated by a historical society volunteers, regular hours may be erratic. Call ahead to have them opened for you, or to find out when they are open. These organizations will not ask, but donations are appreciated.

In one of the northern most towns in the county, the Town of Hume, near Fillmore, houses information and memorabilia for five towns, and, also, has a monument to a deer - the legendary Luckey Buck.

In 1939 when the first official deer hunting season opened in the county, a record was set when Roosevelt “Bill” Luckey harvested what was to become known in the annals of hunting as the Luckey Buck. The 14-point, Whitetail harvested on Claybed Road in the Town of Hume scored a 198 2/8 on the Boone and

Crock ett Scale

to become the NYS Record Typical Gun. For the last 84 years the original mount has been housed in a refrigerated vault in the state museum in Albany, but you can see a replica of it in the Hume Museum. The museum also has a collection of memorabilia from the years when the town led the county’s suffragette movement as well as from the Iroquois Federation’s encampment on the nearby Genesee River.

Located at 10842 Claybed Road in Hume the museum is open 1 to 4 p.m. Mondays and 2 to 5 p.m. Thursdays and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. Appointments can be made by calling (585) 567-8399. For one of the more unique museum experiences travel a little south

19, to Belfast where The Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame is located. The museum is housed in the original 1889 training barns used by The Great John L. Sullivan, the first superstar athlete, to prepare for the last Bare Knuckle Boxing Championship of the World. See Sullivan’s boxing ring, learn about his training and put on the gloves. Sullivan spent only a few months training in Belfast, but his story is part of the village’s folklore.

To setup a tour of the 5 Hughes Street facility call, 585-610-3326

Continuing to travel south, before you reach Belmont, you come to the crossroads of I-86. Take a

turn toward Cuba where you will find the Cuba Cheese Museum housed in the renovated Palmer House on Main Street.

During the early 1900’s Cuba was considered the “cheese center of the world”. The price for cheddar cheese was established at a meeting in Cuba each week at the Hotel Kinney, and was accepted as “The Price” nationwide. The museum is available for perusing during regular business hours for the Palmer House.

Continuing your exploration of the county on state route 19 brings you to Belmont where you can see a rhinoceros in the village hall. Located on Schuyler Street (main street) the village and town hall houses the Horn Room where official meetings take place under the glassy gaze of dozens of animal heads mounted on the walls. Many species of native and exotic horned animals grace the collection which was donated to the village and town many years ago. The building is open

during business hours weekdays and it is totally free for the curious to drop in and take a look.

Taking 19 further south, before you hit Wellsville’s business district, turn west on route 417 and head for Bolivar. There the county’s oil history is on display in the Pioneer Oil Museum on Bolivar’s Main Street. Not only does the museum display original equipment from the oil fields, in a nearby building it offers working models and oil field displays right next to a narrow-gauge railroad track. Learn how wells were ‘shot’ with nitroglycerine and read about the oil barons who pumped their wealth out of the Allegany Oil Field. Learn how the

famous Sinclair Oil Co. dinosaur, which flies in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, was hatched from the local bedrock. And read how Frank Baum, author of ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ got his idea for the Tin Man from an oil can garden display when he lived in the area during the oil boom, before writing his famous book.

From Memorial Day to Labor Day the museum is open daily and on weekends. Call 585-610-2038 to schedule a tour.

Back to Wellsville, head for the southside of the village on the Arterial and take the Dyke Street turnoff, across from the park. Cross South Main Street and continue on Dyke be-

fore reaching the Nathaniel Dike Museum. Located in a turn of the 20th Century firehouse, the museum has one of the largest genealogical and historical caches of information for the village. It also displays memorabilia from the many industries, businesses and celebrities who are native to the village. One special display features items crafted by Dike, Allegany County’s first settlers in the late 1700s.

The museum is open Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. from May 1 to Oct. 31st, or by appointment by calling 585-610-5343.

From the Dike, turn onto state route 417 again and head for Andover where the Allegany County Historical and Andover Historical Society Center is located at 11 East Greenwood Street, not far from Main Street. Both museums display items of historical significance to the area. On the county side one such item is an artificial limb dating back to the Civil War and designed by Jobe Smith, a medical man who settled in Hallsport.

The museum also offers many books about the area which can be purchased and has an extensive newspaper archive which may be browsed.

The museum is open Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Saturdays by appointment. Call 585-6108668.

Run by volunteers, these museums provide a wealth of information and provide hours of entertainment.

Take A Hike in Allegany County

by Kathryn Ross

Described as a “tunnel of green” the Greenway

Trail State Park enters the county at Rossburg and exits the county just west of the village of Cuba. It is Allegany County’s only state park.

It is a public, multiuse trail that is straight, and level and consists of surfaces that are cinders, gravel and mowed grass as it passes through woodlands, wetlands, river and stream valleys farmland, steep gorges and through villages and towns. It can be used for biking, horseback riding, fishing, hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing and snowmobiling in designated areas. There are no fees to

enter this state park, but along its 30 plus mile course within the county there are restaurants, facilities for camping and lodging, historical sites and plenty of flora and fauna and wildlife. The entire trail is described on state websites as a 90-mile open space corridor that follows the route of the old Genesee Valley Barge Canal and the Pennsylvania Railroad

Rochester branch from the Erie Canalway Trail in Rochester’s Genesee Valley Park to the Village of Cuba.

Markers along the trail within the county designate historical sites such as the Belfast Barge Canal Warehouse, locks and a Barge Canal culvert in Black Creek.

On the trail visitors will see more than 40 species of trees, shrubs and vines including spruce, pine, cedar, tulip tree, cucumber tree, spice bush, sassafras, moonseed, sycamore, witch hazel, hackberry, elm, hickory, beech, oak, alder, birch, hornbeam, basswood, cottonwood, aspen, willow, shad, hawthorn, cherry, rose, ash, locust, autumn olive, dogwood, buckthorn, creeper grape, butternut, maple, sumac, ivy, hon-

eysuckle, elderberry and viburnum.

They may also catch sight of a variety of wildlife from squirrels, chipmunks and woodchuck to fox and deer.

Birdwatchers may see woodpeckers, flycatchers, jays, crows, titmice, nuthatches, wrens, thrushes, catbirds, waxwings, warblers, tanagers cardinals, buntings, towhees and more.

The Greenway Trail State Park connects to the Genesee River Trail, Finger Lakes Trail, Erie Canal Recreation Way, the Erie Attica Trail and the Lehigh Valley Trail.

Gateways to the trail can be found on state route 19. For more information go to https://parks. ny.gov/parks

McKean County sees rise in Amish population

SMETHPORT, Pa. —

More and more Amish families have located in recent years in McKean County, as horse-drawn buggies on roads, Amish farms and workplaces and Amish workmen repairing roofs and constructing buildings are more evident.

There has been a strong Amish presence for many years in neighboring New York state, but McKean County Commissioner Cliff Lane, who lives in Annin Township, told The

Bradford Era in 2021 that he and his family have seen an influx of Amish families in the the Port Allegany, Turtlepoint, Eldred and Smethport areas.

“When we go by them in our vehicles they always wave and when they are out on the road, they try to stay to the right as much as possible so people can easily pass,” Lane said. “But they do realize they have a right to be on the road.”

Lane said he began noticing Amish families in

2019 and had learned that many of them had moved from the Smicksburg community in Indiana County, east of Pittsburgh. A number of the families now live on farms that had been sold by the local owners, Lane said.

While he wasn’t sure how many families have moved to the area, Lane has seen gatherings of that population at homesteads and knows of Amish schools in the communities.

“I know there are at

least three schools that are active,” he said. While passing a home hosting a Sunday meeting, Lane also had seen as many as 50 buggies parked on the property.

In addition to being good neighbors and farmers, Lane said the Amish maintain and pay taxes on the homesteads. A number of them also sell their produce and baked goods from

Angelica’s many historic designations

by Kathryn Ross

Formed in 1805 Angelica is the oldest village in Allegany County and features many homes and buildings which have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

At least three independent films have been set in Angelica due in part to its quaint architecture and building facades reminiscent of the 1800s and similar to Pre-Revolutionary towns throughout New England. For many years, a Civil War reenactment was held on its Main Street for this very reason.

The town was named after Angelica Schuyler Church, sister-in-law of Alexander Hamilton, by her son Philip Church who founded the town and designed its layout in a

Parisian style. It features a long main street with a park circle at its center with streets leading away

from it. Angelica was the first county seat from 1819 to 1892 and the original county courthouse serves

as town hall today. This austere building known as the Old County Courthouse, built in the Federalist style in the early 1800s, was in 1972, the first Angelica building to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Later, the Park Circle near which it stands was given Historic District status in 1978.

In 1972 Villa Belvidere, a short drive from downtown, was also listed on the NRHP. Built in 1804 from plans attributed to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, it is an example of Federal

The Villa Belvidere was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

The federalist style home of early pioneer Moses Van Campen was added to the National Register of Historic places in 2004.

architecture. The mansion was constructed for Philip Church and his bride Anna Matilda Stewart, who chose the banks of the Genesee River on which to build their home.

Local folklore has it that when Philip was away, friendly Indians would protect Anna from harm, sometimes sleeping inside by the hearth.

This building can be seen from county route 20 off state route 19.

The Moses Van Campen House was listed on the NRHP in 2004. A contemporary of Church, Van Campen built his brick and frame, Federalist style home around 1809 on the road he surveyed and laid out – now county route 16. It is acknowledged as the first brick structure in the area.

Van Campen was a Revolutionary War veteran, an Indian fighter who sur-

vived running the gauntlet who went on to serve in a multitude of offices.

It has been reported that the old county home, located on county route 2, not far from the Van Campen homestead, has earned a spot on the National Registry of Haunted Places. Whether or not, this rambling structure, abandoned for the last 50 years, certainly has a lot of history behind it.

While not listed on the NRHP, other interesting sites in Angelica are the 100-plus-year-old post office with its old-time lobby, windows, and boxes, midway Main Street stands the building which housed the Angelica bakery and still does, it is well-known as the home of Salt Rising bread, and if you happen to be in town in mid to late July, check out the Allegany County Fairgrounds serving the county since 1844.

McKean Amish population

their properties or at farm stands in the area. Many of the men also work in construction, repairing roofs or building structures.

State Rep. Marty Causer, R-Turtlepoint, said the community has noticed the largest influx of Amish.

“I think it’s a great thing, I actually met with them and welcomed them to the area,” Causer recalled. “I met with them to talk about some school transportation issues.”

He noted Amish children are transported by the school districts to their smaller schools, either in

separate buses or with other children from their district.

That aside, Causer said he believes it’s good that the Amish are moving into the area and buying old homesteads that might otherwise sit empty, unfarmed and off the tax rolls.

“They’re building houses and adding additions onto existing houses,” he continued. “So I think it’s a great thing.”

He also believes there are more Amish families that plan to move to the area.

At Carlson’s Store in

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Turtlepoint, longtime employee Barb Wright said she, too, had noticed her new Amish neighbors in the area a couple of years ago. Many are regular shoppers.

Wright admitted that she was surprised the first time a horse and buggy pulled up to the store, with the shoppers mentioning they were originally from Smicksburg.

At Worth W. Smith Hardware on Main Street in Eldred, Cindy Smith said the business has hosted an Amish stand in front of the store the past couple of

years.

“I have a mother and daughter (from Turtlepoint) who come in every Saturday morning,” Smith said. “They sell produce, baked goods and flowers. People look forward to them being there because they’re very constant.”

Smith said the farm she grew up on along the West Eldred Road was sold to an Amish family as well.

“This is a beautiful, beautiful piece of property, and now it’s going to be Amish,” Smith said, adding she is sure it will be well-operated.

Angelica is famous for its Salt Rising Bread.

great places to buy Amish foods, products in Upstate NY

As more and more Amish and Mennonite families move into Upstate New York, it is getting a lot easier to find their homemade products.

There are now more than 12,000 of these families in Upstate New York, living in 89 designated “church districts.” The Empire State has the fastest growing Amish population and ranks 5th overall in the U.S.

Here is a list of a dozen places where you can find Amish meats, produce, dairy items, bulk foods, furniture, crafts and (of course) their fantastic baked goods. (NOTE: Few of the Amish businesses use computers and have a web site.)

BAINBRIDGE, CHANANGO COUNTY

The Pine Ridge Grocery is one of Chenango County’s most popular fixed Amish grocery stores. Many aisles of bulk foods, an extensive meat cooler, a Lancaster-Dutch deli center, nice selection of produce and baked goods and a dazzling display (mostly outdoors) of Amish-made craft items. After 25 years, the owners still dedicate their business “to the glory of God and to provide quality, values and savings through a unique old-fashioned shopping experience.

4086 State Highway 206, Bainbridge

BELLEVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY

Founded in 1992 by Joseph and Martha Sharp, the Sharp’s Market is just off Interstate 81 in Jefferson County. They moved to Belleville with 17 other families of the Beachey Amish Mennonite sect. Believe it or not, they came to Belleville from Belleville, Pennsylvania! They have a large bulk food section, a deli, aged cheeses, bulk candies, maple syrup, meats (they slice almost 200 pounds of smoked bacon a day), vegetables, and more. They also sell coal, wood and pellet stoves.

8220 State Rt. 289, Belleville

CAZENOVIA, MADISON COUNTY

Troyer’s Country Store is an old-fashioned type

of place one might find on Walton’s Mountain. Here you will find everything from bulk food to cheese curds, to beef jerky to spelt bread (Amish bread made using spelt flour). Classic old-timey feel here; notice the Amish gas-powered lights on the ceiling!

5518 Nelson Road, Cazenovia

DUNDEE, YATES COUNTY

Shirk’s Meats is a wellknown family butcher shop and meat store. Owned by Naomi and Luke Shirk (and daughter Emma), they source local meat from animals that have been raised without hormones or antibiotics. There are poultry, beef, cheese, eggs, beef and spices. They are a registered Mennonite slaughterhouse. Known for

their smoked hot dogs. Shirk’s, 4342 John Green Road, Dundee

MADISON, MADISON COUNTY

Kountry Kupboard II is a full-service Mennonite market. Although they are fully stocked with deli meats, cheeses, candies, gift items, bulk foods and more, it is always about the baked goods here. Always baked fresh and a delicious variety to choose from.

MORRIS, OTSEGO COUNTY

Daniel Weaver belongs to the New Order Amish Church. His Weaver’s Market is the newest on this list, having been opened only a year. It covers over

Photo provided by syracuse.com

The Windmill Farm and Craft Market has about 250 vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables, along with Amish and Mennonite goods, antiques and crafts every Saturday from May through December.

4,000 square feet, erected by an Amish crew from Lancaster County, Pa. They will sell fresh fruits and vegetables grown at the Weaver family farm, plus meats, cheeses and homemade Amish baked goods.

1273 East Side Road, Morris

PENN YAN, YATES COUNTY

The Windmill Farm and Craft Market is one of the Finger Lakes’ major tourist destinations. More than 100,000 visitors come to the market each year. Over 175 vendors sell everything from clothing to antiques, to crafty yard art to homemade foods and more. Many places to pick up some delicious Amish and Mennonite homemade baked goods, sweets, and crafts. Check out the onsite wineries, breweries and distillery.

3900 Route 14A, Penn Yan

Oak Hill Bulk Foods is another fine place for Amish goods around Penn Yan. Opened in 1983, the store is a specialty market carrying bulk food, candies, grocery needs, pretzels, and a wide variety of Ohio-made Amish cheeses. Try their delicious Amish fry pies (a pie you can hold) with over a dozen flavors.

3173 Route 14A, Penn Yan

PHILADELPHIA, JEFFERSON COUNTY

Open for more than 25 years, the North Country Store always has something new and creative (dill pickle bread). Known for the deli and sub platters which are very popular, it has many familiar product brands carried here, such as King Arthur Flour,

A Rambling River

By Kathryn Ross

Mirrored by State Route 19, from the state line to its northern border, the Genesee River offers a variety of opportunities as it twists and turns its way through Allegany County.

No matter where you are in the County you are never more than about 25 miles from the banks of the Genesee which drops 2,250 feet from its source in the hills near Gold, PA to Irondequoit Bay on Lake Ontario. It is one of the few rivers in the Northern

Hemisphere which flows north.

The width of this shallow river varies from something you can step across in high summer to several feet wide near Fillmore. Its depth varies depending on the time of year. In high summer it is generally very low. Recent years, however, have seen a good flow throughout the seasons with its deepest point generally occurring in late spring.

Created by the Ice Age, in latter centuries the Genesee River, was the historic border between the lands

Amish Wedding Brand, Dutch Country Soft Pretzels, Jake and Amos’ Jarred Goods, Croghan Bologna and Food For Life Ezekial Breads.

32672 U.S. Route 11, Philadelphia

SALAMANCA, CATTARAUGUS COUNTY

This farmers market has been a one-stop shopping source for more than a quarter of a century. The Salamanca Farmers Market offers dozens of vendors selling foods, crafts, plants, meats, vegetables and more. Look for a variety of Amish home baked goods on premise.

12 Park Ave., Salamanca

SENECA FALLS, SENECA COUNTY

Many think Sauder’s Market here is the best Amish market in Upstate. And one of the oldest.

of the Seneca Indians in the East and the Erie and Wenro tribes to the West. It takes its name from the Iroquois words meaning “beautiful valley” and from the Casconchiagon language meaning “the river of many falls.” It is 158 miles long. In the early 1800s there were six, permanent Indian encampments along its banks, with one of the largest located in Canacadea in Allegany County.

The river’s first 40 miles, after crossing the state line at Genesee, PA, are located within Allegany County. This part of the river offers a treasure trove of opportunities from

Mennonite families moved to the Finger Lakes region from Lancaster, Pennsylvania to start this business. Lots of Mennonite baked goods, candies and bulk foods sold here. Fantastic variety of Amish quilts, crafts, toys, books, furniture, baskets and more. Now a destination for motor coach visitors.

2146 River

Road, Seneca Falls WESTFIELD, CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY

The Westfield Farmers and Artisans Market is held in historic Moore Park in the center of the village. Wide variety of Amish goods, from baked sweet treats to homemade baskets. Once voted the 15th best farmers market in the whole country!

Portage and Main streets (Routes 394 and 20), Westfield

fishing and water sports to horseback riding and exploring for arrowheads and fossils.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation notes that there are 18 miles of fishing easements with a 2.5 mile stretch near Shongo restricted to Catch and Release. It is popular for trout fishing. Yearly the DEC stocks the river with yearling brown and rainbow trout from the PA border to the Belmont falls. There are two handicap accessible fishing docks, one located in Island Park in Wellsville and the other

Rambling River

...continued from page 17

at the falls in Belmont. Each year, in April, the Lions Club offers the Great Wellsville Trout Derby with prize money reaching upwards to $25,000. Registration is throughout the weekend long event and there is camping along the river and in the park.

Camping with river access is also located at Trout Run Campgrund in Wellsville and Riverside Campground in Scio. The Wellsville Microtel is also located a stone’s throw from the river.

Maps of the fishing easements are available from the DEC.

A local group, Genesee River Wilds promotes kayaking and canoeing on the river. With the help of local supporters, businesses, state and federal grants GRW has created 18 River Access points stretching from Genesee to Canacadea. These areas provide easy launch and take-out sites as well as an informational kiosks and parking. The group has also installed mile markers and informational signs along the river’s course.

They provide information about the river and conditions and sponsored events on their website at geneseeriverwilds@gmail. com

In the mid-19th Century, after the success of the Erie Canal, the Genesee Barge Canal was constructed along much of the Genesee riverbank. The canal was built to link Rochester to Olean. Later,

the railroad followed the same route. In recent years the Genesee Valley Greenway Trail was developed and follows the same course. It enters Allegany County north of Fillmore and continues south to Cuba separating from the Genesee in Black Creek. For hikers and bikers it offers views of a canal culvert in Black Creek and the last remaining canal warehouse structure in Belfast, along with easy, level terrain.

Farther south, in Wellsville the WAG Trail also offers an easy, level hike or walk with access for non-motorized vehicles along the river to the state line; nine miles. With its wildlife and scenic beauty, it offers a cornucopia of creative photography. In recent months the trail has been enhanced with the addition of the Airbnb, The WAG Trail Inn which along with fine dining, treehouse accommodations, and views of the river, offers horseback riding.

In 1943, Rochester newspaperman Arch Merrill hiked the river and wrote River Ramble. It is a book about the river, towns, sites and people living along the Genesee River. Those characters may be gone now, but the sites and the towns are still there and offer a great chance to take that fishing pole, paddle or hiking stick in hand and experience life along the Genesee.

Two trout for Mom

By Wade Robertson

One of the nicer things about living in the Twin Tiers is the proximity to outdoor sporting in both states. You can fish both states the same day and double your enjoyment. So, after a Pennsylvania limit, I felt the urge to cross the line and chase a few trout in New York.

It was a beautiful spring day, the sun shining brightly, a few white clouds drifted high in a brilliant blue sky. It was good just to be alive, and fortune smiled upon me with a second limit.

The following morning, I fried up some trout for breakfast and then visited my mom in the nursing home. She loves trout and quickly devoured her snack.

Of course, she’s been witness to my passion for fishing from my earliest days. That smile of hers is difficult to describe.

First, there’s happiness and some pride that I, her son, have been successful. But part of her smile is also touched with a remaining amusement and a mother’s appreciation of her boy’s obsession.

How he came by it, how strong it was and is, perhaps an inability to understand that compelling focus from such a very early age. It was almost a family joke, her son and his single-minded devotion to the sport. But, with a mother’s love, she accepted the fact that rod and reel were a defining part of her boy’s character.

After lunch, I signed mom out and wheeled her

down to the car. Mom and Dad spent countless hours driving together when he was still alive.

Exploring back roads, flea markets, garage sales, antique shops, museums or a visit to a nearby park or wild area to build a fire and toast up lunch or dinner. So, Mom and I take rides together.

She dearly loves to do so and it’s even better if we see some game: deer, turkeys, hawks, it doesn’t matter, any of God’s creatures are delightful and interesting. If nothing is moving, we still have the road and each other. Sometimes, a snack or even an ice cream cone enter the picture, though mom only weighs 85 pounds and eats like a bird.

It was another beautiful day, sunshine and blue sky brightened our mood though the wind had an edge to it. That afternoon, we drove back roads for some time and never saw a living creature of size.

Even the birds seemed to be missing. Perhaps all life was just lying back and soaking in the sun, reveling in the absence of snow and bitter temperatures.

The road dipped and came to a bridge. The stream looked great, sunlight reflecting off the rushing waters and, on a sudden impulse, I pulled over.

Mom glanced at me puzzled for a moment, then smiled. She understood and rolled down the windows and settled back to watch and admire the happy, sun-sparkled world around her.

I grabbed my rod, shrugged into the over-

loaded fishing vest and walked down to the stream. Keeping out of sight, I cast a salmon egg.

The egg bumped down the current and suddenly a trout swirled at it, but didn’t take. Not reacting, I let the egg continue its drift until, at the very end of the hole, something grabbed it.

Lifting the rod tip set the hook. Immediately, a golden flash followed by a heavy weight. Wow, this was a nice trout.

The UL bent and strained, the heavy fish pulling drag and turning its side into the fast-moving current refused to give an inch. I waved to Mom who, seeing the deep bend in my pole, laughed and raised her fists shaking them in support.

Seemingly tireless, the big brown put on an epic, stubborn battle, coming to the net several times, but then thrashed violently, turned and dashed back out. Finally, I slipped him into the meshes with a sigh of relief and quickly struggled up the bank to my mother, who had witnessed the whole show.

We laughed and grinned at the size of the brown and my good fortune. I believe she was happier than me.

Bagging the trout and returning to the creek, I moved upstream to the next hole. An accurate cast, the salmon egg disappeared

under a large rock, a strike. Again, I felt the weight and power of a larger trout, and another battle began. At last, the big trout tired and came to the net. Two casts, two dandy trout.

The very next cast, my bail broke. Mom’s eyes really popped when I returned with the second brown; neither of us could believe my good fortune.

I hugged Mom and she hugged me back with enthusiasm. Both of us felt strongly this was a very special moment that seemed somehow ordained by a higher, loving power.

In a sense, the breaking of my reel sealed those special moments. Two large trout were enough, the experience exceptional and the gift eternally memorable.

And so, we drove home, holding hands, occasionally looking at one another and spontaneously laughing. The fishing crazy son and his ever-understanding mother now in the autumn of her life.

My heart swelled within me, choking tears ran down my cheeks, oh that this moment might last forever.

Photo by Wade Robertson

Sometimes, good things seem ordained to take place, occasions when everything just seems to fall into place. Here, my mom, Elsie Robertson, 96 years old, and I hold up the first of two big browns I caught during a ride I never intended to fish on.

Strawberry Shortcake

• 1/4 cup evaporated cane sugar

• 1/2 cup shortening

• 2 eggs

• 2 tsp. of salt

• 3 cups of flour

• 4 tsp. of baking power

• 1 cup of milk

Mix and pour into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 until done. Serve warm with cold milk and strawberries. Yummy!!!

•••

Sweet and Salty Pretzels

• 1 (3lb) bag of salty Stix pretzels

• 1 cup butter

• 1 and 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp. salt

Put pretzels in a large bowl, set aside. Heat butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan and stir constantly. Let cool a little to caramelize and pour over pretzels then put on baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes, rotate and bake for 6 more minutes.

•••

Mocha Cupcakes

• 1 chocolate cake, make as directed and put in a muffin pan

• icing

• 4 cups cool whip

Recipes

• 1/3 cup instant vanilla pudding

• 1tsp. instant coffee

• 1 tsp. vanilla

Yield 24-28

•••

Dandelion Gravy

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1/2 cup flour

• 4 cups milk

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. vinegar

• 1 tbsp. sugar

• 4 slices of Velveeta cheese

• 3 hardboiled eggs (chopped)

• 5 slices of bacon fried and crumbled

• 1/2 cup chopped dandelion greens.

Very delicious.

•••

Monster Bars

• 3/4 cup melted butter

• 1 cup peanut butter

• 1 and 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 tbsp. vanilla

• 4 eggs

• 1 tbsp. karo

• 4 cups oatmeal

• 1 cup M&M’s

• 3/4 cups chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, do not over bake.

Buddy Bars

• 1 and a 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 cup peanut butter

• 6 tbsp. butter

• 3 eggs 1 cup flour

• a pinch of salt

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. When done put chocolate chips on top.

•••

Frozen Mocha Cheese Cake

Crust: 2 and 1/4 cups Oreo cookies 1/4 cup melted butter

Combine crumbs and butter and press in a 9x13 pan, reserve 3/4 cup for crumbs for the top

• 2 (8oz) cream cheese (softened)

• 1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

• 1/4 cup chocolate syrup

• 2 tsp. instant coffee

• 1 tbsp. hot water

• 16oz cool whip

Dissolve coffee in hot water and mix in to cream cheese, condensed milk and chocolate syrup until smooth. Fold in cool whip. Poor over crust and sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Cover and freeze for 8 hours over night! A summer time favorite!

Who are the Amish?

The Amish adhere to a Christian faith and belief system that values community, unity, family, faith, and hard work. The Amish in our area are Old Order, a very conservative and traditional community living without electricity, phones, cars and other modern conveniences.

Most commonly recognized by their plain dress, horse and buggy transportation, and old fashioned farming practices, the Amish live an intentional lifestyle that separates them from the modern world and is centered around their families and community. They make a living from farming and handcrafting products for sale.

The Amish View of Community:

• Everyone in the community is accountable to God.

• The virtue of humility is shown through respect for God and others.

• All persons are worthy of dignity and respect.

• Communities are made stronger when individuals do not use personal desire as their supreme criteria for making decisions.

• Traditions are more important than progress.

• Accumulated wisdom is better than an individual’s ideas.

• Authority in all of its various forms is to be obeyed. Ministers submit to bishops, members to leaders, wives to husbands, children to parents, students to teachers, younger to elder, and so on.

Leadership:

Amish church leadership includes three positions: Bishop, Minister, and Deacon. These leaders serve at the District Level, which is where the ultimate authority lies within the Amish Faith. They work individually and together to guide the actions of their District. The Bishop is the Primary Spiritual Leader, the Minister is under the Bishop, and the Deacon performs duties.

What Language do the Amish Speak?

A common misconception about Pennsylvania Dutch is that it is a variant of the Dutch Language. This is not true. The German is Deutsch, which sounds a lot like Dutch, and one theory holds that

About the Amish

over the years, the term for Pennsylvania German, or Pennsylvania Deutsch began to be pronounced Pennsylvania Dutch.

Schooling:

Amish children attend school in a one room school house. They are large enough for 25-30 children of various grade levels. They start school at 6 years-old in the 1st grade and go until 8th grade.

What do the Amish Make and Sell?

They produce a variety of goods including quilts, rugs, baked goods, candy, furniture, toys, baskets, eggs, homegrown fruits & vegetables, jams, woodworking, leather, lumber, iron works and more.

Where are the Amish Shops?

The Amish sell their products from their homes—the Amish Trail map will help you locate their businesses. Look for a sign in their front yard and an open sign to direct you. You will not find any large Amish stores or commercialized Amish shopping areas or attractions. Their shops can be in their homes, attached to their homes, or in a separate building next to their homes. Rural, small town,

personal and friendly is what characterizes this area.

What else do I need to know?

Amish do not accept credit cards.

Slow down and drive with caution around Amish horse and buggies. Do not take photos of the Amish. It is against their beliefs. Photos of buildings and scenery are allowed.

Respect their privacy and personal property.

What else is in the area?

Besides the Amish shops there are many other local shops and businesses. Be sure to check out the Amish Trail map & visitor’s guide for more information on all the great shops, restaurants, accommodations, and attractions that are part of NY’s Amish Trail.

Amish Shops Hours

Amish Shops are closed every Sunday, Saints Day (Nov. 1), Ascension Day, Good Friday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Shops may also be closed for various reasons such as a wedding, funeral, or family obligation.

-Courtesy of the Cattaraugus County Economic Development