A while ago we took a long car trip to and from Upstate New York. It was a nice trip, and part of the reason it was so nice is that we took a number of detours off the Interstate. It’s hard to beat the Interstate system for getting places quickly, but that speed comes at the price of not getting to see the local scenery and the sense of history in America’s small towns.
One of our diversions, as the British call detours, took us through Amish Country in northern Indiana. As with most Amish communities, there were plenty of buggies, pastured horses, and homes with no electrical wires connecting them to “the grid.”
We didn’t get the chance to speak with any Amish folks in Indiana, but in an earlier escape from the Interstate in New York State, we stopped at an Amish family’s roadside stand to buy some cookies and a peach pie, and the young children who waited on us were smart and articulate, and – this may be shocking to you – were able to make correct change without a calculator!
Back to Indiana, we noticed that this particular Amish region had a different look about it. The farms seemed to be doing very well. The homes were larger than usual, the yards and gardens were beautifully kept up, and several places had multiple buggies, including some really nice ones. As with most Amish communities, there was plenty of free enterprise going on, with woodworking shops, bakeries, harness shops, and many other businesses in operation.
In a brochure we noted that some Amish gave four hour buggy tours, some culminating in a family dinner at an Amish house. I imagine that is quite an experience. While I believe most Amish communities are wary of becoming too cozy with “The English,” they also realize that we have a real curiosity about them, and are not afraid to pay money to experience at least a hint of their lifestyle.
As we drove along the country roads (looking for a particular shop which turned out to be closed for the day by the time we found it) I thought about why people in modern society are drawn to elements of the Amish world.
I don’t know much about the Amish religion, but I gather that technological progress isn’t seen as a good thing, and that followers are discouraged from being flashy dressers, or otherwise drawing attention to themselves.
As non-Amish folks, I think many of us admire their tenacity in avoiding the shallowness of our reality show culture while living their lives in what would ironically be considered by many as good fodder for a reality show.
Some Amish communities are less inward looking than others. During our drive we went past a Pizza Hut in a small town, and outside were two horses and buggies tethered to a hitching post. I know pizza isn’t in the Bible per se, but it is pretty much unleavened…
Other than avoiding the horse apples in the road, it was a very pleasant side trip. I don’t think we fall into the trap of over-romanticizing the Amish culture. Everything is not sweetness and light in their communities, and many Amish can’t wait to escape to our world.
It is interesting, though, to step back in time for a few hours to see how our great-grandparents lived, but also to see that entrepreneurism in our country is still possible; even for those without cars or electricity or a MBA.
