Amish Country

[TonyaW]

Sorry if this is a bit off topic, but I specifically wanted to ask fellow TFers about this.

I want to plan a trip to Amish Country in the spring. I was thinking of heading to Ohio. There is a farm listed in the Wise Traditions journal for the Millers Farm in Pennsylvania with lots of TF food. Upon further reading I noticed a lot of the farms listed in Wise Traditons were located in Amish Country. I want to get to know the Amish people and their way of life. I plan to come home with a boat load of food after my trip too, if I can.

Does anyone have a recommendation of a place to stay that I can stay with an actual Amish family. I know some people have B&B's, but I don't want this to be just a tourist experience. I want to be in the heart of farmland and to experience their way of life.

Thanks!

[Metasequoia]

We live pretty close to Amish country in PA. In my experience, not all Amish eat a TF diet (or WAP.) I do know a lot of Amish who follow the WAPF guidelines, but there are plenty who don't.

[TonyaW]

Originally Posted by Metasequoia

We live pretty close to Amish country in PA. In my experience, not all Amish eat a TF diet (or WAP.) I do know a lot of Amish who follow the WAPF guidelines, but there are plenty who don't.

Would you happen to have any good recommendations of a family or an Amish lodging. I know they don't all eat TF. Are you familiar with the Millers Organic Farm? I am interested in picking up some food from them.

[wholewheatchick]

For meat and dairy, I think that things are relatively TF-ish. They often drink raw milk in their own homes, at least, and almost all families have a dairy cow and chickens and a garden. They cook with lard and butter and raise and butcher their own meat for the most part. However, many Amish families (perhaps even most) also do a lot of sugar and white flour and "regular" canning and preserving. I believe that some families still make their own cheese. Check out the farmer's markets in the area; there are usually lots of Amish vendors. My mom gets amazing cheese and meat! A lot of the restaurants are actually run by Old Order Mennonites, and they are not tied to the land they way that the Amish are, and so the food served in those places may not be more TF than any other restaurant.

I'm more familiar with the PA Amish rather than the Ohio communities, so I can't help you out with specifics there. But as for staying with an actul Amish family...I'm not sure that is even possible. They try to avoid forming actual relationships with "Englishers" as they call the non-Amish. Since their way of life is based entirely on religion and tradition (called the Ordnung), they cling very tightly to that and don't want to be disrupted, if you know what I mean. Also, Amish tend to speak in their own dialect of German amongst themselves.

But it is very interesting and kind of fun to talk with them at the markets and see them out their mules and plows and buggies and such.

[TonyaW]

I guess don't mean staying in an actual families home. Sorry about the confusion. I mean staying in Amish owned and run lodging and I am looking at Pennsylvania instead of Ohio. I just don't want to stay in a typical tourist hotel or B&B if you know what I mean.

[serenbat]

I mean staying in Amish owned and run lodging

I don't think you will find this in PA. They have business but the don't do that!
You would have better luck looking for a B&B with a "mennonite" family
Best is to start with the Lancaster site - www.padutchcountry.com they can help you find a B&B that is run by a mennonite family.

There are lots of "Amish" like place and they can help you find one to stay at- depending on where you plan to go in PA, you might also want to think about checking out www.rodaleinstitute.org not that far from Lancaster.

Cross post in the PA tribe section for more help. State what area you plan to go to and ask for help finding local butcher shops and also local farms.
EX. this place (they are also at local farmer's markets- there are lots of themall over and on different days!!
www.dietrichsmeats.com - they sell LOCAL meats, some dairy, some is NOT organic, but close, you have to ask.

[handzfull]

We stayed in a B&B called Artist Inn in Lancaster County and part of the package was that the innkeeper would make a reservation for us to have dinner at an amish home. We throroughly enjoyed our dinner with a sweet amish lady and her grown son, although it was not TF. Her baked chicken was delicious and I asked her how she cooked it. "It's just shake and bake", she said! Anyway, I was surprised to say the least!

But I highly recommend both the inn (just google it) and having dinner at an amish home. It was a wonderful experience. We went in June and the farmer's markets and roadside fruit and vegetable stands were wonderful!

[Metasequoia]

A lot of Amish will cook/bake with veggie shortening (Crisco) too - that's what I mean by not all Amish are into TF/WAP. Shortening is neither TF nor WAP.

Yes, Miller's is fantastic! We go quite often. There are a few families on the same land (on Miller Lane.) Levi Miller owns the large natural foods store which sells a lot of good bulk grains, nuts, salts, etc, as well as homeopathic/herbal remedies & CLOs, FOs, coconut oils, etc. Don't buy cheese or anything at the store - buy dairy/meat directly from the farmers.)

Across from the store is Levi's home, where he sells his quality foods. You need to be a C.A.R.E. member to purchase food from WAP Amish farmers. It's $20-$25 for a membership.

If you drive down the lane, you'll come to Leroy Miller's farm. His little store is on the left, next to the barn. Again, you'll need to be a C.A.R.E. member, but you can fill out the paperwork there. (This is just to protect them from gov't.)
I LOVE Leroy's cottage cheese (I prefer it to Levi's because it's creamier.) They both have excellent dairy - very rich & delicious, high quality meats. I buy my chicken feet/heads/backs/necks from Leroy.

There are other farmers whose farms I frequent when I go out to Levi's (Miller's.)