Plain Answers About the Amish Life (11 page)

Different situations call for different types of buggies. Some common buggy types include:

•
family wagons, which have room for parents and children inside and windows in the back

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courting buggies, which have a single seat for two and no top, allowing unmarried couples to ride together without too much privacy

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bench wagons, which transport the benches used for Sunday services

•
minister's wagons, which are like family buggies but without the storm front

•
pickup wagons or market wagons, which have an open back

•
spring wagons, which have room for two or three people and no top

To see photographs of various buggy types, visit
www.amishfaqs.com/supplemental.php
.

What are the orange triangles on the backs of their buggies?

Over the years, as roads have become more congested with cars, the Amish have had to adopt certain safety equipment on their buggies, such as reflective triangles or tape, turn indicators, mirrors, and lights. Church leaders are sometimes at odds with municipal authorities over these items because they feel they are flashy and encourage pride.
However, the Amish have slowly begun to compromise for the sake of the greater good and the safety of their members.

What if they are in a hurry or have to go farther away than a horse and buggy can take them? Do they have other options?

Yes. Most districts will use public transportation, though some have restrictions against air travel. Bicycles are used by some groups but not others. In Lancaster County, the simplest way to get around is on a scooter.

Many Amish communities also have “Amish taxis.” These are cars with non-Amish drivers hired by the Amish to take them to work, appointments, and trips. In most cases, Amish taxis are not to be used to get to church.

Children on the farm enjoy riding in pony carts. These are like open-top buggies in miniature, pulled by ponies. Children learn to drive their pony carts at a very young age, and if their ponies are shod, they may even take them out on the road.

20

OCCUPATIONS

Do the Amish have a preferred or primary occupation?

Yes. The primary occupation of the Amish has always been farming. Unfortunately, in some of the more population-dense settlements such as Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, rising land costs and decreased availability of farmland are making it much more difficult for younger Amish to continue this tradition.

Why farming?

In the early days of the Anabaptist movement, many fled into the countryside to avoid persecution. There they learned farming skills, which they later brought to America.

The Amish believe that, according to Scripture, farming is a sacred lifestyle and a way to connect closely with God. Farmwork helps ingrain many Amish values, including a strong work ethic, patience, and simplicity.

Are their farms big? What sorts of crops do they usually grow?

The average Amish farm in Lancaster County has about 70 acres, and the crops commonly include corn, tobacco, alfalfa, or various grains. Dairy farms are also common.

Besides farming, what other occupations do the Amish hold?

They work in other trades, factories, restaurants, retail establishments, farmers' markets, and so on. Amish women may also work as housecleaners.

Is entrepreneurship common among the Amish?

Yes. The Amish are starting up their own home-based businesses in record numbers.

Are these home-based businesses successful?

Frequently, they are. Glenn Rifkin gives this report in the
New York Times
:

The businesses, which favor such Amish skills as furniture-making, quilting, construction work and cooking, have been remarkably successful. Despite a lack of even a high school education…hundreds of Amish entrepreneurs have built profitable businesses based on the Amish values of high quality, integrity and hard work. A 2004 Goshen College study reported that the failure rate of Amish businesses is less than 5 percent, compared with a national small-business default rate that is far higher.
¹

How do the Amish go into business without going against their values?

As one Amish man said, “If we hang on to our beards, buggies, and bonnets only so we can sell trinkets, we will indeed have sold our souls and our birthright for a bowl of porridge. Or to the other extreme, if we sacralize the name Amish to the point that we can hardly use it at all, we will have missed the point, which is that our lives are to be a light to the world and a service to Christ.”
²

With the shift into entrepreneurship, of course, comes other challenges to the Amish way of life, such as greater wealth, new technologies, less time spent at home with family, and even mothers working outside of the home. How the Amish will face these challenges as their world slowly changes remains to be seen.

21

FREE TIME, VACATIONS, AND ENTERTAINMENT

What do the Amish do for fun?

First of all, unlike average Americans who work hard now so they can play hard later, the Amish don't necessarily see work and play as mutually exclusive. Though they work incredibly hard, they almost always have time to enjoy conversation as they feed the animals, take a break from cooking to cuddle with the baby, or even set aside chores altogether for afternoon to go sledding in freshly fallen snow.

Once the workday is done, however, they do enjoy a number of leisure pursuits, such as:

•
visiting friends and relatives

•
playing sports such as volleyball, softball, and croquet

•
enjoying card games and board games

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reading, writing letters, and relaxing

•
hunting, fishing, and camping

Do they ever take vacations?

Yes, though these are usually inexpensive and may not involve traveling long distances. Families might go camping for several days or take an extended trip to visit relatives. While traveling, they might visit a museum or zoo or national park.

Do they play sports?

Yes, in moderation, though sports are frowned upon in some districts, at least for adults.

Do they watch sports?

They rarely attend live games, though many Amish will keep up with their favorite sports teams through the newspaper or via word of mouth.

Do they allow dancing?

No. They consider dancing to be worldly and immodest.

Do they play instruments?

While the Amish enjoy music, they do not usually play instruments. They like to sing and will often do so in church, school, and at home, without accompaniment.

Amish youth regularly have group singings, which also provide ample opportunities for flirting.

What are “singings”?

An important ritual of Amish youth, singings offer a time for teens to gather in a wholesome, supervised environment and sing hymns together.

The goal of singings is to socialize (and perhaps even find a mate). Held in various Amish homes, the events can last several hours and may include outdoor games. Snacks are usually served as well.

How the do the Amish celebrate special occasions?

For the Amish, fun almost always includes getting together with family and friends. Ask them how they celebrated the previous special occasion or holiday, and they will likely tell you who came over and what they had to eat.

Gatherings may also include board or card games such as Dutch Blitz or outdoor activities such as volleyball, archery, sledding, skating, swimming, or softball.

Do they celebrate birthdays?

Yes. Like the non-Amish, they will have birthday parties—even surprise parties—or dinner celebrations where they give cards and gifts and eat cake and ice cream.

Do they celebrate holidays, such as Christmas?

Yes, though perhaps not to nearly as much excess as many non-Amish do. Most Amish celebrate the basic holy days, such as Good Friday, Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas. (Some Amish groups also include the day after Easter and the day after Christmas in their celebration.) Religious holidays usually involve fasting and worship services and then food and fellowship.

At Christmastime, the children may put on a program at school, followed by a gift exchange with their friends. Decorations around the house, if any, are simple and homemade. On Christmas morning, families will share a time of prayer and devotions, and then modest gifts may be exchanged. Christmas dinner is enjoyed that day or the next and often includes friends and extended family members.

What about secular holidays, such as Halloween?

Though some Amish may exchange valentines or gather together for the occasional Labor Day picnic, they tend to ignore most secular holidays, especially those that relate to the military, such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day. They do not celebrate Halloween.

What community events do the Amish participate in for fun?

The Amish frequently enjoy social events that blend work and play, such as barn raisings, work frolics, and quilting bees.

They are also known for “mud sales” and other auctions, which provide ample opportunity for fun and fellowship.

What is a “work frolic”?

A common Amish practice, frolics are events that combine socializing with working toward common, practical goals. Frolics can be on a grand scale, such as with barn raisings, or on a far more modest scale, such as when several women get together for canning or quilting.

What is a “mud sale”?

PA Dutch Country, the official tourism bureau of Lancaster County, defines a mud sale as “an annual auction/sale at one of a number
of local fire companies. The sales, appropriately named for the condition of the thawing ground, attract thousands of people looking for bargains on anything from Amish quilts and antiques to lumber, buggies and lawn equipment.”
¹

P
ART
T
HREE:

PASSAGES

He called me up and I kneeled, bowing my head, barely able to comprehend his words. Thankfully, I'd listened closely in class. When it was time, the water splashed over my kapp, over my forehead, rushing down my face. I tipped my head upward, smiling. When I stood and started back to my seat, brushing the wetness from my face, I caught Luke's eye. He nodded solemnly
.