The 5 Hardest Things About Living With The Amish

What's it like to live with the Amish? Here's my list of the 5 hardest things for "English" (non-Amish) people staying in Amish homes.
My name is Erik Wesner and I'm not Amish. Back in 2004, I met the Amish by accident...while selling books door-to-door. Since then, I've visited over 5,000 Amish homes, and dozens of Amish communities. I write about the Amish at amishamerica.com/
Images: Don Burke (www.flickr.com/photos/ozarkin..., Jim Halverson, Karen Johnson-Weiner, S.I., Lehman's (www.lehmans.com/product/sad-c... www.lehmans.com/product/farmo...)

[@stitchergary]

Most people associate the amish with Pennsylvania and Ohio, but here in Northern New York we have a large Amish population because of the low land prices... My driveway is shared by a business that deals in old barns and they have an amish worker that drives his buggy about 8 miles each way... One time he forgot his lantern and I drove him home to get the lantern and back for the buggy...he offered money for the ride and of course declined...He gave me some baked good for my trouble....Jacob is a very nice person..

[@minky7252]

Yes. My Amish friends moved fromOhio to NYS

[@francesodle6069]

Yum very grateful respectful I love the bread.

[@kentkearney6623]

Righteous

[@nathanaelmcmahan872]

We have a large population in TN, VA, KY. All are within an hour or so of each other. The store close to my mom's house stays busy. The donut buggy they bring is the most delicious. It's on my list to visit when I go off my diet. We have a lot of Mennonites, as well. Some have cars, some have electricity, and some live off grid. I have never seen one with a phone, but I'm sure they're out there.

[@goober69er]

Foods the only payment o accept from friends lol.

[@debrajahnke5904]

Hanging cloths on the line may not make them soft but they will smell FANTASTIC!!! Being a non licensed person, having a ride is a real blessing when you need to go somewhere and I am not Amish.

[@emmib1388]

especially sheets dried on the line!

[@kathkwilts]

I appreciate the crispness of line-dried clothes and linens…

[@seanleith5312]

Interesting, 5 hardest things don't include diamond.

[@minky7252]

I still do

[@rinaticson390]

Me too , especially bath towels. Still used the Downeu fabric softener

[@christineworsfold7431]

I HATE crunchy clothes....yuck!

[@vickiehat1074]

Me to this is the way I live. I don't like electric for very much..

[@hoojam1838]

Oh my! So many memories. I didn't grow up Amish but in a mennonite group that farmed with horses. No electricity. I no longer live that way. But still live on a farm. No air conditioning. Love the outside noise. Love raising my kids in the country.

[@hicknopunk]

Heck yeah. I am just a non city living farm worker. I lived the first 20+ years of my life with only DC lights at night on a truck battery. We had a 12 volt TV and would only watch the news or pbs for 30 minutes, during dinner. I think this life made me good at entertaining myself with little more than my imagination.

[@Dont.do.art.]

Country living is definitely the best! I love how quiet it is at night. What a break from city living noises!

[@hicknopunk]

@@Dont.do.art. 👍👍 yes. I just love going for night walks in nature when I cannot get to sleep.

[@tontoruiz7289]

Yup

[@tipperbunbun8031]

Eric, I can tell that you truly love your amish friends by the way you smile with your whole face as your explaining things about them pleasant or not so pleasant.

[@AmishAmerica]

Really nice to hear that comes through in that way. I much enjoy recalling them as I tell stories in these videos.

[@outlawfarms6961]

Live off grid in northern maine. No electricity. Battery powered lights run a generator to charge phones. Use horses to go in and out in winter

[@obsidianjane4413]

My in-laws still get the actually printed on paper daily newspaper , and its almost a luxury to read it when we visit.

[@dragondancer1814]

I still get the print newspaper too-I HATE the electronic version! My eyesight is bad enough without subjecting myself to screen glare, and I have to deal with computer screens enough at work as it is! Plus, it’s a little hard to hold a laptop and eat breakfast at the same time….

[@denniscoz6228]

Love you videos. I am a amish taxi driver in Geauga county, Ohio. I actually have more Amish friends than yankee (English) friends. I can relate to everything you say. Keep the videos coming. Thanks. Dennis.

[@AmishAmerica]

Thank you Dennis!

[@KameraShy]

In the 1950's my aunt and uncle lived a couple miles outside of a rural town in Missouri on a few acres. They had no electric, no indoor plumbing, no running water, no indoor bathroom, no central heating. Kerosene lamps, wood-burning stoves, hand pump outside the back door and outhouse 50 feet away. We would visit in the summer. The Outhouse Experience was especially interesting in the summer with the aromas and flies.

[@hoojam1838]

Yup, I grew up that way, except till I was born we had running water but the pump was still there, and then around 12 years old we finally had an indoor bathroom. What a luxury.

[@francesodle6069]

I hang clothes outside to dry. You cannot beat the smell. And iron the clothes dried outside there again the smell.

[@nancybaumgartner6774]

It’s the showers that is a sticking point for me. I have a small farm , and get dirty everyday : I LOVE my long, hot showers at the end of the day . Candle light prompts your brain to produce melatonin - so that is a good thing !

[@sundaerosehines5312]

We grew up in the country and lived like the Amish. No big deal. Just a way of life. We used oil lamps because we had no electricity. People had big families. No biggie at all. And there were lots of people that lived this kind of life. We lived in a house that had no water except for barrels at each end of the house to catch water off the roof. Outside toilets, round tubs to bathe in. Boiled our water on the coal stove. Many people besides Amish lived this kind of life.

[@AmishAmerica]

That's right, no doubt, a good point here. I suppose one reason people enjoy learning about and visiting the Amish is because most people's lives have grown increasingly distant from the lifestyle you described here. I think people want at least a taste of that (though most of us are happy to go back home to A/C and a fully-wired home :) ).

[@JohnLee-pt5jz]

I suppose if you grew up that way, you wouldn't know the difference, Iam Australian we have Christmas in summer, when I first went to the USA they found it odd to me that was normal.

[@kentkearney6623]

We will be back to basics again.

[@JoeR203]

I guess some Amish secretly like riding in cars. In 2014 I took a trip to Amish country in Pa. I think I was in Ronks, Pa. I had just turned off the main road onto a side road and was passing the house that was on the corner. A boy, about 13 years old, came running down the driveway and into the road. He came from the left so he was in the opposite lane. I thought he was going to run in front of my car so I hit the brakes. He stopped running before he crossed the double yellow line. I said to him "I thought you were going to run out in front of me." He said "Nice car. Can I have a ride?" I told him I didn't think his parents would like it if he got into a stranger's car. He said "They won't care." I couldn't help but think these parents need to teach their kids not to be so trusting of people. I told him I can't take him for a ride and that he shouldn't get into anyone's car because it could be dangerous. He just turned around and walked back to his house. I'm pretty sure I wasn't the last person he tried to get a ride from.

[@MAuroraCharvat]

I heard about a non Amish neighbor with the only TV in the area .... A bunch of kids would be watching from their window which the old couple didn't mind...the kids dare not go in though .

[@RK-cj4oc]

@@MAuroraCharvat Bro. My grandfather did exactly this in the netherlands when the first old couple in their street got a tv. Damn.

[@dorthyerhart7358]

Have lived in amish community for about 30 yrs. Shortly after we moved in I went to bed, my brother stayed up watching TV. It was dark in the house as he watched TV. With it being summer time the screen door was the only door being used. He happened to look over to the screen door, and there were 3 teenage amish boys standing on the porch looking thru the screen door watching our TV. He asked them in and they came in and watched TV with him for several hours!

[@shirleylake7738]

Glad you enjoy having Amish friends. They will be a life saving aspect for the future.

[@unacceptablesisterpeter3431]

Yep. Amish 2.0 is coming for many of us.

[@johngrimoldy7637]

Wow! I just stumbled across this (as I do when I fall down the KZbin hole). What a class act you are in describing your experiences! When I was younger, I'd thought the Amish so silly for shunning technology. I'm not so sure any more. I think a lot is lost these days (in technological society) that the Amish have held onto. Thanks for sharing this. I'm clicking on your "plusses" video now. Sadly, not much (any) Amish in California that I'm aware of anyway.

[@AmishAmerica]

Thank you John very kind! Yes the Amish get called "hypocrites" sometimes on technology but that's usually people who are mostly clueless on how they use technology and the reasoning behind it. They generally don't think of tech as "evil" but that unfettered use can be destructive to the family, church, etc. You're right no horse-and-buggy Amish in CA. You might find it of interest that there once was a community in the state, briefly (lasted about a year). amishamerica.com/california-amish-community/

[@c.m.cordero1772]

@@AmishAmerica They need to come back. I’d rather see Amish farms in the Central Valley than the water-sucking megafarms out there now. Unfortunately, it might already be too late to save the hydrology…

[@erin19030]

I was a kid when I spent my summers on my uncles farm. I saw it as an adventure and loved every minute .the work was hard and at the end of the day I was tired. The bed was comfortable and breakfast outstanding.

[@JohnDoe-wb4iv]

I was Amish n can always return it's more romantic on the outside looking in than the inside looking out Also there's a lot less stress in the old order than stressed out Beachy Amish n Mennonites

[@cynthiastinson7059]

Why? Technology?

[@wildcasa9714]

I read your written website for years and yesterday discovered your KZbin videos and am enjoying those. Thank you for sharing this slice of culture with us :)

[@LE-bz7kr]

I have also spent many weeks living in Amish homes. I found your comments to be dead on with my experience. The only thing I didn't see mentioned, for whatever reason, is their absolute dedication to their faith. If you weren't comfortable with that neither you nor they would be very happy with your visit.

[@AmishAmerica]

Interesting to hear you've experienced the same. Dedication to faith would not go on a list of hardest things, but I agree it is present in the daily rhythms and attention to things as basic as regular prayer and also expressed in how people interact with one another

[@LE-bz7kr]

@@AmishAmerica Actually, I didn't mean it as something that would be difficult or hard.

[@AmishAmerica]

Gotcha - and right I didn't think you meant it that way, but it made me think about it from a different perspective - I suppose someone who is say fervently atheist might be bothered by that aspect of Amish life (so it might make that person's list). But it's probably less likely someone in that category would be living with the Amish for an extended period anyway.

[@Primalxbeast]

@@AmishAmerica It's the religious people who try to convert people who are hard to deal with as an atheist. Prayer time is a bit awkward as an atheist being around religious people, but it would be much easier to just see that as part of thier culture when it's a group of people who aren't trying to force it on you. Atheists mainly have a problem with religion when religion has a negative impact on their life or the lives of others. I've never heard of Amish people bothing other people like many Christians do.

[@johnmilner5485]

@@Primalxbeast Funny .. I find Atheists push their beliefs ,or lack there of far more than ' christians ' do . It's pretty damn annoying and I find them to be the biggest hypocrites . Fun fact the Amish consider themselves ' Christian ' , and you would certainly find fault with their faith because it would ' negatively impact ' you while dealing or living with them .The only thing that comes remotely close to being more annoying than an atheist ( lets face it most of you are militant in your beliefs, like those annoying christians you always wine about , and get major butt hurt at everything ) is having Johovas Witnesses come to your door , except with them you don't have to open the door , with you it's always at work or a social setting where it's inappropriate to just slug you're smug, arrogant face .

[@barbc7698]

Have Amish neighbors close by. Our English family and theirs benefit each other, I've found. The only thing I wouldn't like is not having a warm shower daily. Other stuff- no internet, no TV- I already do that.

[@alexsam1175]

South western ny has alot. I hear as many hooves going down my street as cars. Very kind people

[@christinapepino5261]

Loving your channel! Thanks for the time and effort put into them sharing your authentic experiences and interactions among the Amish. I also have good friends that are Amish in Lancaster, PA. Seven years later we have many good memories to recall!

[@AmishAmerica]

My pleasure Christina, I'm happy you found it. No doubt you have some great stories and memories, I think people may not realize that Amish people also appreciate having good friends that are English too.

[@stepheniedomingo9089]

You just described my childhood life in the Philippines. I really loved the rooster, when I go back home that is the one I am looking forward too. (I am a Canadian for a while now🙂)

[@Korilian13]

When you think about it, billions of people live similar or even more simple lives than the Amish. I guess the only difference is that they actively choose to live like that.

[@myragroenewegen5426]

I feel like there's a fun book to be written from the perspective of a "Amish Taxi" person serving the same community over the years. I'd read that.

[@chandragray8186]

Yes you get very used to the clock chimes. You will actually miss them going off, and they don't wake you up when you are used to them..

[@faithfulforever6331]

Your videos are so good about the Amish because they give an accurate and true representation of them. I am older than you, but I can tell you that my grandparents lived very much like the Amish do. My grandparents did have electricity but they got it relatively late and there were never any plug outlets in any of the rooms. If you wanted to plug in something you had to run a cord to the light bulb that had a kind of adapter to plug in something. They still had outhouses and had to haul water. And they used those wringer type washing machines just like the Amish. I probably would not have too much problem adapting to Amish life because I saw so much of that type of living when I was young.

[@AmishAmerica]

Thank you! I hope they show Amish more accurately than the extremes they are often presented as - that is, either idealized or demonized. I think there are a lot of admirable things about Amish culture as a whole, and I have met and know many good people in their communities, but neither the people nor the culture or society are perfect, because people are people and nothing is perfect. And I think most Amish will be quick to admit that. Neat that you had that experience via your grandparents. Reading this account, I have to wonder which modern convenience - outlets, modern plumbing, modern washers, etc. - was most appreciated when it came in, just in terms of the burden it eased, for your grandparents and others like them.

[@faithfulforever6331]

@@AmishAmerica I can tell you what made a difference to my grandparents and that is when they got electricity. I remember my mother's parents had a "Servil" refrigerator that used natural gas to cool. I remember that Lehman's Hardware in Kidron still sold these kinds of refrigerators when I lived in Ohio. As a boy, I remember that nothing inside of it was ever very cold. My grandparents got electricity before I was born, but not much before I was born. They got it as part of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "Rural Electrification Authority," which my grandparent's called "REA." I remember as a young boy having to go into town to pay "REA." But my grandparents still had a "wash house" outside where they literally washed clothes by heating up water in a huge tub. Then they got the wringer type of washer that the Amish still use. You have to understand that the houses were not built for electricity, so to adapt them was pretty primitive. My dad's parents had one tiny restroom for a family of nine! And my mom's parents didn't get indoor plumbing until shortly before they died! If you wanted a bath at my mom's parent's house, it meant sitting in a tub and using water that was hauled from outside! Really, in many ways the Amish live today MUCH better than my grandparents lived!

[@faithfulforever6331]

@@AmishAmerica And you do very well on accurately portraying the Amish. I never found them different or strange because in all honesty, I didn't grow up a whole lot different than they live. We did a lot of farm work manually and certainly most of our work in the garden was by manual tools and by plows that we pushed.

[@AmishAmerica]

Interesting, and yes I guess electricity essentially opens the doors to many things. Stories like what you shared here make me realize how well we have it today - living something like kings (or better, actually). That older lifestyle toughens you up, I would suppose.

[@AmishAmerica]

Nowadays, sometimes the Amish seem more "normal" than ever.

[@BSG0005]

Wow! I’m so glad I found your channel! I’m so interested and curious about the Amish! I find it a fascinating lifestyle!

[@randykerchmar5296]

" ... no lights, not phone, no motorcars, not a single luxury, ... "

[@jimstewart6587]

I seen some married Amish people drink beer smoke cigarettes. They also have cell phones.

[@maxinedavieds8102]

We stay in Lancaster for a week every summer. This year we went twice. Love it , the food is the most delicious and the crafts, I love the cows and horses, the countryside. I admire the hard working people,esp the women! We just returned and your videos started popping up, Very interesting, I always hope the horses and cows are treated well, especially the work horses.How do they fare in the harsh winter. Maybe consider addressing that for us in a future video, Thanks for the great,interesting topics!

[@nicoleturczynski7730]

I'm from Lancaster, PA, but have recently moved to the south. I have a lot of amish friends and miss them dearly! Thank u for the videos. Also, since being in the south I have learned there r a lot of misconceptions about amish (mostly stemming from tv). PeOpLe pLEaSe do not believe everything u c on television

[@pooginmouse]

Tourist see's Amish Buggy in front of them while driving: "Wow! Cool! A BUGGY!" Local see's Amish Buggy in front of them while driving: "Crap! An Amish buggy!"

[@AmishAmerica]

This :)

[@faithfulforever6331]

You make me miss living among the Amish. I can tell you the best thing about living with or among the Amish and that undoubtedly would be the food! Hands down!

[@faithfulforever6331]

Oh another thing is their acapella singing in their worship services. That is very beautiful.

[@faithfulforever6331]

Oh another thing too is all the handcrafted solid and beautiful furniture they make. It is made to last not for a lifetime, but for generations.

[@Tobitobiify]

​@@faithfulforever6331 The acapella singing I witnessed among the Amish was with heartfelt dedication but by far not as beautiful as the much quicker four part singing of less conservatives groups. Once in Northern Mexico, North of Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, I was just blown away in amazement when some Russian Mennonites from a group that separated from the "Gemeinde Gottes (Wiederherstellung)" (eng.:Church of God (Restoration)) , called "Kleine Herde" sang acapella in four part. The remarcable singing of the Church of God (Restoration) sounds like this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mniUdXaJidR4ibM but this subgroup sang even much better and also incredibly loud. By the way, this group consisted of Plautdietsch (a German dialect) speaking German Mennonites who came who lived in Russia in the 19th century plus an indigenous Amerindian family of Tarahumaras and some few others.

[@faithfulforever6331]

@@Tobitobiify Thank you for sharing the link. I love this kind of singing.

[@jturner2577]

You can bring the aspects you like in your current life and leave put the ones you don't.

[@blkhawk661]

Tldr 1) modern comforts like electricity, internet, laundry machine, showers 2) lighting 3) you’ll sleep less - rooster, early work hours, mechanical clocks 4) less down time - crowded house 5) Amish taxi - you may be asked to drive people

[@violetangelflame1]

Have you been to the Mennonites and Amish around Hutchison, Kansas used the buy for all our milk there. One afternoon in the summer there was a young woman plowing very very very pregnant. She was plowing a rather large garden without help from an animal or another. My friend looked at me and said " I bet she has NO problem having that BABY!!

[@silver_salvage_savage]

Love those pics of early morning fields. I can almost smell the fresh air

[@theresacarmen9847]

The Quilting group I belong to used to go to Berlin and Charm Ohio. We had so much fun. We went to visit all the quilting shops and restaurants. Lemans country store is not far from Berlin, neither is the best bulk grocery store. It is a picturesque area and worth a visit.

[@AmishAmerica]

Great areas, almost feel like home.

[@dragondancer1814]

A visit to Lehman’s is on my bucket list-I order from their catalog every so often (when finances and needs permit), and I LOVE their selection! I was able to get a wall mop that extends long enough to reach the ceiling in the stairwell of my split-foyer house, so for the first time in 15 years the foyer is totally cobweb-free now and I can retire the Swiffer with its wasteful disposable cloths, yay! Ditto the ceiling fan blade duster-I couldn’t reach the blades of the ceiling fan over the stairs as well, and now that’s clean too! Same with the ceiling fan in the bedroom-standing on the bed with a feather duster was just not working, and now dusting it is a snap! I’ve also gotten lamp oil, a laundry soap-making starter kit (which got used to the point where the bucket wore out, so I’m now using a cat litter bucket to hold my homemade laundry soap-the ingredients for the laundry soap are easily found at my town’s grocery store), and tools for working in the vegetable garden and flower beds. Love it, love it, love it!

[@bigbarkingdog2010]

Well done series. Very Interesting. Thumbs Up.

[@AmishAmerica]

Thanks very much. Five Best Things will be the next video

[@gerigowers8318]

I enjoyed this video. My parents had that Maytag Washing Machine at 0:11 and hung out on lines that ran from the apartment window in the City to the telephone pole in the yard. Now I live in a development where we're not allowed to dry outside - somehow that doesn't seem right. My Grandparents' farm in PA had coal stove for cooking, had electricity, but bed not long after the sun went down since cows needed to be milked early the next day. No running water, no indoor plumbing hauling water from the spring. So, that was life for me in the 50s and 60s....not so long ago. I guess I could be almost-Amish. Wonderfully simple life.

[@AmishAmerica]

Glad you liked it Geri. In the video I talk about outside air drying making the clothes feel more stiff but I think I probably prefer that to say drier heat shrinking my shirts which tends to happen more often than I like:)

[@gerigowers8318]

@@AmishAmerica My solution is to dry in dryer for 15 or 20 min and then I hang them on a rolling rack I have in the house. Takes most of the stiffness out and not enough heat to shrink.

[@dragondancer1814]

Too many of our modern housing developments today are run by HOAs that ban outdoor clotheslines, which is one of MANY reasons why I will NEVER live in a place run by one! I have a retractable clothesline on my house wall that runs to a pole in my backyard (I don’t use it in the winter because Of the cold and windstorms), and one in the basement as well as a folding clothes rack. Now I just need to organize the basement storage so I can hang it up because the garage is definitely not an option!

[@Korilian13]

That sucks. I know they also try that in my country, though legally they can't, as long as the laundry is within the limits of your own balcony (you're private living sphere).

[@gerigowers8318]

@@dragondancer1814 That's another thing I miss living here on a cement slab......my basement. Didn't realize the true meaning of an HOA when we moved here. I didn't even fathom that not drying outside would be a thing. I remember seeing somewhere an article about one State that was suing the the "right to dry".

[@Think_About_That.]

Do you know that you literally glow when you speak of your personal experiences with the Amish, and friends?

[@michellelogreco3351]

I love Lancaster Pa Thank you for your channel 🙏🏻❤️

[@kathyreese4052]

I live in Colorado and there are three Amish communities close by all of them have electricity most of them have gone solar and they all have cell phones oh, I think these are some Progressive communities

[@MMCUSN]

I wouldn't want to live the Amish life but, I would rather have them as neighbors than most other people.

[@robbryan2822]

Absolutely

[@EmilyS-gk3st]

Same!

[@terrystephens1102]

Thanks for a very interesting video. 😃👍👏👏👏

[@AmishAmerica]

Glad you liked it Terry!

[@mariekatherine5238]

Me? 1. Unkind gossip about others on the part of certain women; they act more like 12-13 year old girls than wives and mothers of large families. When I was the subject of truly vicious lies, others besides myself were harmed. The lies were ludicrous on so many levels. You know it’s bad when a nonmember is called before the preachers. (To be fair, this sort of thing isn’t limited to the Amish, but it takes on another level in such a tight society. 2. Being an introvert, it was difficult to find some time to myself to recharge. 3. Maintaining a proper boundaries because I was not a church member. Sometimes I’d find myself being used by others as a legitimate (they hoped) excuse to break with the Ordnung when it was entirely unnecessary. At the time, I was in my early 20’s and a few of the young folks, church members or not, would ask me or try to bribe me to them forbidden items or go to places off-limits. Had I the inclination to join in with the fast crowd, I’d have found myself ‘persona non grata.’ I solved the problem by telling such people my integrity wasn’t for sale, but I wasn’t a snitch, either. Want to listen to C&W on my car radio? Well, there’s the dial. You turn it on! Want me to buy you alcohol? Sorry, guy, drinking age is (was) 18. You’re 16. Besides, it’s also against the Ordnung to get rip roaring drunk. No, I won’t go running to the preachers, but if asked directly, I won’t be lying for you, either. Had I been a decade older, I seriously doubt I’d have had this problem. The prime offenders soon learned if they wanted a wild time, I wasn’t their patsy. I pretty stuck to parents with kids, the old folks, and the tamer young folks. 4. Deliberate ignorance of the non-Amish I dealt with in university and in town. Some professors and college employees suffered from amazingly inflated egos because they had letters after their names. I was once told I needed to sit in the back corner chair in a polysci class because the Amish had lice and pinworms! The Amish were all child molesters, the products of incest, didn’t have to pay taxes, didn’t bathe, wore the same long johns all winter, their horses dumped 💩 all over the roads in town, were stupid because their schooling went only through eighth grade, the women were totally repressed and abused by their husbands, bestiality was a common practice…some really nasty accusations of which I was also guilty by association! Sure, a very few Amish people may have fit the bill in a few areas, but the more egregious, I never saw. Most of the English liked the Amish, but those who didn’t revealed where the true ignorance lay. (It seems to me there was an outbreak of head lice in one of the college dormitories and an on-going problem on campus with VD, as it was then referred to. Guarantee it didn’t come from the Amish!) Not on my list is the lack of technology. To me, it became just normal. An Amish person thinks no more of lighting a kerosene lamp than non-Amish of turning on an electric light. Any “charm” deriving from lamplight, buggies, horses, wringer washers, cookstoves, hand milking, butchering and canning massive numbers of chickens, beef, hogs, or produce wore off rather quickly. Everyone had his or her chores, myself included. It was “normal” life, the work made easier by working together.

[@cmccall1272]

Very interesting, thanks!!!!

[@neta565]

Interesting! Loved it!😊

[@AmishAmerica]

Glad you liked it!

[@coyotebones1131]

It sounds so awesome i love it

[@MJYouAreNotAlone1]

Love this

[@katherinekinnaird4408]

I do miss that morning cup of coffee and a newspaper

[@kevinluschak5241]

After watching King Pin I got an idea about the Amish people.

[@maryjoymath3545]

U seem quite enjoyable to be around, the Amish are happy to have your company English!🐓🐖🐑🐂👧🦋

[@missmajestic2158]

Hey Neighbor, I too live in North Carolina.🙂

[@noneofyourbiz6885]

I bet they take praying for traveling mercy’s way more seriously then the rest of us 😂

[@hilltopgypsy]

There are lots of Amish around here in W. KY. and lots of them have smart phones. And they are more than willing to pay people for rides. And there are several stores that cater to the rest of Americans. They have electricity in the stores to enable refrigeration. They do VERY WELL!

[@carolmckinney4994]

I didn’t know that, what is the name of the town they are located

[@hilltopgypsy]

@@carolmckinney4994 Marion

[@michellesunshinestar]

I'd miss my e-reader because I wouldn't be able to charge it. Do the Amish have large print for people with not so good eyes? Like me. I once heard that they sell large print Bibles for people. LOL, I'm a night owl by trait. I've worked several second shift jobs, and it was perfect for me. I'll stay up until midnight or 1 am. But my nighttime meds make me fall asleep a little earlier.

[@benchippy8039]

If government agencies leave the Amish alone, they’ll maintain their standard of living long after wider society has collapsed. Convenience will be death of us

[@deewagoner3133]

So Thankful We have a Small population here In North Carolina..

[@cabcabs]

I stayed at a HUTTERITE COLONY for 1 summer. The first 4 nights were BAD. The Head Of The Home and his Wife were going at it for 6 hours EACH NIGHT. Headboard banging the wall all the time every night RIGHT on the opposite side of the wall where your bed is and you can HEAR both of them MOANING the whole time is NOT fun. I had finally said that I would prefer to sleep in a tractor.

[@pamelahomeyer748]

Culture shock can happen anywhere. However it is always nice to see how other people approach everyday problems

[@bonniehawkins2979]

Thank you.

[@julieshelley9251]

Love your content, Growing up in Erie, PA we always hung our clothes outside, fresh and crisp. I would love to spend time with the Amish. Please let me know how I can do this. I am in West Chester, PA

[@lesliekendall5668]

The hardest thing would be with the Old Order Amish that I don't speak or understand their language. And I had a landlord let a guy put over 100 gamecocks on the 1/2 acre next to us and I got to where I could sleep through even that. A person can sleep through any sound that becomes familiar.

[@TheSchmed]

No A/C in a blazing hot summer, then again, I did not have it as a kid growing up in a Brooklyn, NY tenement with old wiring that did not allow them.

[@emmib1388]

I think your body gets used to it -- consider -- imagine living in the 1800's with their clothing and in the heat! And/or people in Alaska vs Florida when it is -20 or 100 -- each would not be able to handle the other's temps because they are not used to it. I grew up with fans in the windows and to this day, only use AC during a 'heat wave'

[@rebeccarorie313]

With the propane gas shortage the lighting is going to be a problem Personally I love the kerosene lamps, they're so beautiful I would rather have those and I don't mind a wood stove for cooking inside or cooking outdoors Most people have a pan of water, they just wash up That's been the usual thing for generations Nothing wrong with that! I love roosters they are God's way of saying you got to get up got to go feed the animals I love horses so that would not bother me either That's pretty nice! We all need to be less spoiled don't we? Good Post Thank you 😄🐴🐣

[@kimberlysneden4924]

I agree! I would enjoy living like the Amish.

[@iamjustjudy]

It doesn't make sense to me that they don't allow electricity but battery operated devices (lanterns, flashlights) are allowed.

[@amberpeace5099]

The communities don’t completely shun technology. Instead their goal is to very slowly adopt tech only if they think it will benefit the community. “Benefit” had a different definition depending on the community. An example would be when communities started voting moving over from oil heating to gas heating. Bottom line though is it’s something that is discussed and voted on by the adult members within each community and each community is autonomous.

[@elenachristian9860]

@@amberpeace5099 Honestly that's brilliant. If we took the same approach, what a wonderful world.

[@flynnclement3254]

I enjoy working with them all the time they are very good people

[@ellenraguette4623]

I grew up in North central Indiana. The community I lived in was mostly German/Dutch but in town mostly Catholic but the outlying areas had New Order Mennonite ( they drove cars and had electricity) , Old Order Mennonite and Amish. I never understood fully what the difference was between Old Order Mennonite and Amish . Are they the same? If not what are the differences? I do know the Amish/Mennonite food was wonderful!!!

[@180pottery]

I would not mind the schedule at all. I do not sleep much to begin with, usually up between 2 and 3am. Yes, I take a nap during the day, LOL. My hardest thing would probably be dealing with a lot of people at one time. I have not been around many people for a lot of years. However, I did grow up in a big family, in a neighborhood where people just popped in whenever the mood hit them, often just walking in and yelling that they were there, LOL. Times were much friendlier back then. I often use solar powered lights here, especially during the middle of the night. They can either be recharged by solar or plugged into a jack and charged on grid. I seem to be moving more and more towards solar power.

[@kimfleury]

Speaking of laundry, I've noticed in a lot of the videos that happen to have scenes of farm Amish laundry hanging to dry, the line is strung over the driveway. It looks like it's strung between the house and a silo or barn, I can't quite tell. I'm guessing it's a contraption like the ones they used to use in big cities, strung between the buildings, using a roller thingy to move the clothing.

[@AmishAmerica]

Right - one popular way to do it is a pulley/wheel setup with one end attached close to the home, like off a side porch, and the other end attached to the barn or other building. That system is popular in Lancaster County and you see it in other places as well. Here are some photos from inside a store amishamerica.com/amish-pulley-clothesline-wheels/

[@djquinn11]

An extremely accurate depiction was shown in the classic movie Kjngpin.

[@1982MCI]

So what part of NC are you in brother? Not sure if you saw my comment a day or two ago about me growing up with the Amish from Marion County Ohio and my grandfathers farm was smack dab in the middle of nothing but Amish farms but long, long story cut short by 50 years, lol, I now live in NC as well. I’m about 20 miles SE of greensboro. I just found your channel a few days ago but so far you’ve been the most accurate one on KZbin that I’ve come across so far and it’s really nice to see someone painting an accurate picture of the Amish for a change, thank you very much for that!! If your anywhere close to where I’m at in NC, I would love to meet ya sometime and grab a coffee or something and tell Amish stories to each other. I’m really glad I found your channel!! I love the Amish communities and the people. They were a huge part of my life growing up snd I live by many of their ways now as I’ve gotten older and have really enjoyed it. Take care brother, be safe out there in your travels! I just subbed.

[@AmishAmerica]

Hi Don, nice to hear from you - I'm originally from Raleigh, so you're not too far off, and I have some family roots in Eastern NC. I need to go check for that comment - sorry a deluge has been coming in so I've been flying around trying to keep up! :) some really great comments from people here though. I just did check on Marion County though - I didn't recognize it at first b/c looks like that's the same community that more often gets called "Kenton" after the town in that area. I've actually been there once before - really interesting thing that you might have noticed about them is that they have unusual reflector pattern on the back of their buggies (no SMV triangle) which I believe is unique to Amish of this group (and any daughter settlements). Here's a photo I took of one when I was there in I think 2011 so you can see what I mean: amishamerica.com/ever-see-an-amish-buggy-like-this/ Happy you found the channel - would be great to catch up in person some time, I like coffee (I am actually out of the area right now) - but have you been to either of the NC communities yet?

[@matthewjohnson6360]

I couldn't do it, on too many medications that I need to take a a roughly set time, so I use my phone as an alarm.

[@emmib1388]

so you wouldn't be able to use an actual alarm clock? may I ask why?

[@WhispersFromTheDark]

I drive a (red) Ford Ranger as well. It's a (2000) and love it dearly, although you're right...ya can't haul very many people in it. Which sometimes is a good thing! LOL

[@AmishAmerica]

Awesome to hear from another red Ranger driver! Sadly that one is no longer with me, I got it up to around a quarter-million miles though. Was very fond of that truck and took it a lot of places. For a little while there at the end, it had developed some sort of an engine whine, and my Amish friend started calling it something like "Old Squeaky". He would say he could hear me coming before I appeared in the lane. So probably good for everyone's ears that it "retired" :D

[@WhispersFromTheDark]

@@AmishAmerica I've been dealing with a noise as well. I thought it was the idler pulley so I replaced it. Then the noise continued, so I replaced the tensioner pulley, still that sound continued. And I checked the belt that was only a few years old and it was good. As I was dt all of that realized the radiator had a pinhole in the connection facing the belt so I realized the belt was squeaking because it kept being sprayed and wet by the radiator. Now I have a new radiator I hope to put in by the end of the month. Problem is, my Son (mechanic-truck driver) just moved out of town in June, so I'll be recruiting my Neighbor to help me. My Dad had one of these he left me when he died, it was also a 2000 with a chrome bumper...he was right when he told me if I ever got into a wreck that bumper would save my life (and it did). I was hit by a drunk driver, and was run off the road and wrapped the front bumper around a tree, right where the license plate was. It took me awhile but I found a replacement and I have that one now. I live those little pick-ups, they're easy to get into when your back is out and easy to haul stuff with when needed. And the mileage is good. Stay safe Hun, I enjoy your videos. Check mine out if you ever want to hear something spooky. :-)

[@jojo_COL_23]

lol the electricity and Internet are by far the hardest that would be hard to live without.

[@donnaml8776]

Do women get to stay with the Amish or is it only men that get to. I’ve never heard of women getting to stay with them. I don’t have or want a microwave. Don’t care if I don’t have a cell phone with me. Basically I was happy with the indoor bathroom. I get up around 3:00 or 4:00 am anyway. I don’t need much more than that.

[@dharmaslife3361]

Years ago in college I took some classes from a woman who had stayed with an Amish family for several years

[@donnaml8776]

@@dharmaslife3361 oh, very nice. Thank you!

[@davidsprofitt]

How do they explain the difference between buying a car and driving it themselves and buying a ride in a vehicle. Aren't they equally making use of the exact same technology in both situations?

[@emmib1388]

when you use a horse and buggy , you get to see the world around you -- consider -- if you drive down the same road everyday and then are in the passenger side one time and you get to see what you have driven by for over a year and never noticed it..... when you drive a car , it separates you from the rest of the family - because you just get in and go ...also horse and buggy you have to make a point to go -- it takes longer so you ask yourself , do i really need this at the store or can I wait.

[@michellesunshinestar]

When I stay at the cabin with my dad, we wouldn't have any light turned on at night, and it would be pitch black. So, I'd have to wake up my dad, so he could help me down the stairs to the bathroom.

[@doughunter3967]

it all sounds like fun friend, i live in a mennonite town but i am more like the Amish than they are, haha...Yah bless you and yours...doug (central Canada)

[@flynnclement3254]

I enjoy there food very much

[@nightmicu]

Me, about to start a private car service, including coverage in the Northern Neck of Virginia.. 🤔

[@tommiller9743]

What is the brand name and model number for the LED light that is on the DeWalt battery?

[@uriahpeep1753]

Very interesting comment about one having an introverted personality.......I know that not all Amish are extroverts as their lifestyle would certainly indicate. Those who are naturally not extroverts would be miserable in this life and I can see plenty of trouble for those who cannot conform personality-wise. This lifestyle in fact is ultimately dependent on several key features such as this personality composition. Another huge departure could be the birth of a great intellectual mind into the midst of the Amish.......this person would crave intellectual stimulation and education.......I can see a huge conflict with this situation. It would be interesting to hear of those who had to remove themselves from this carefully constructed lifestyle to be free to follow their own inner guidance as to their own lives. I personally from the age of six had the intellectual level that I could plainly analyze every adult within my scope and point out their errors from a standpoint of sheer logic. I, however, had to keep most of this to my own self after I misguidedly openly criticized some of my grammar school teachers (to their faces!) for being incompetent.....which they actually were!

[@AmishAmerica]

Have you heard of the story of Ira Wagler? Ira is a friend who grew up Amish in a few places and then left the Amish with significant internal struggle. He's written two books about it, the first at least was a bestseller (Growing Up Amish). In light of the issues you note here, Ira's writing might resonate. And aside from that he's a great writer.

[@libertyann439]

I don't mind waking up early but no showers would be a "rub."

[@frydemwingz]

ok I'm surprised by the battery powered shop lights. It's that common? Isn't that more high tech than an old electric light? I guess I don't understand a lot. You didn't seem to mention candles, just the oil lamps. Sometimes even at my house I'll light one of those tall Jesus candles I get from the Mexican grocery store that burn for about a week straight, since it's hard to relight I just leave it alone. Do Amish ever use tall glass candles like that?

[@AmishAmerica]

Candles are not really common. It might be that they don't give off very strong light and oil lamps in some ways are more efficient/easier to use (also have the protective glass shields). In the more progressive places they will permit more high tech-type lighting, including things like battery lamps in the home (they resemble classic lamps but with glass decorative shades). I can't remember the exact photo with the shop lights you're referring to in this video but you'll see that sort of thing in more progressive Amish places

[@philipmalaby8172]

Where is your accent from? I mainly notice it when you say ‘home’. Just curious. I’m enjoying your videos.

[@tracygriffin4439]

It is a Pennsylvania accent. It is how they say the word "home."

[@ManuelPinner]

You can Carry a Solar Charger for Smartphone! Most Android Phone are Powerful Computer's,

[@smittykins]

I’ve sometimes seen Amish at our local laundromats.

[@ivyb4351]

I want to know what books you sold as well as how did you were did live and how

[@hazelwears8728]

No lights, no electricity,thus far sounds like my up bringing in the hills of Kentucky! No electric clothes iron,been there, done that! I can even iron silk clothes with one of those non electric cast iron clothes irons! I'm not blowing. Smoke! I would have to do this when I got in trouble for something I did. No indoor plumbing,water I didn't have any water or a toilet in my home either! I think I'd fit in just fine in Amish County, but would ( as adult) miss my cell phone and electric guitar. Outside of that, I'm game! Horses are my favorite animals and I know how to ride! Hell yeah sign me up!

[@akabga]

How about a video on the five hardest things about living near the Amish?

[@JLKB-1947]

I used work with an very nice good Amish man for a while during the late 80’s onto the early 90’s . The only thing he wouldn’t want to do was to carry and use the walkie-talkie so I was the one that do all the radio communications . It’s all OK for me .

[@vanessadillon3421]

Salmon ID has a group 70 Amish people near Salmon, the only Amish in ID...

[@DaveSomething]

"North Carolina", was that just an example? you sound very Pennsylvania to my Kansan ear.

[@robertball1090]

what work boots do the amish men wear???? where to buy please tell me. thank you Rob Ball

[@slim9978]

Good living

[@FisherKot11235]

Comfort is the enemy of man.

[@AA-db9cb]

Those clocks must be really expensive.

[@JuliaB1955]

Do you know anyone in the Pinecraft section of Sarasota, FL? I am moving from my off-grid homestead (solar power, small, no running water or paved roads) in northern NM to Florida in early September. Looking for a small place in a quiet area but with a fenced-in backyard for my dogs (a terrier and a Chihuahua, neither of which bark unless there's a good reason). The shock of moving from the high-desert mesa will be enough for Kimba and Midge, so I don't want to deprive them of a yard, too. I am a semiretired book editor. Nonsmoker. Not a drinker (occasionally wine). Quiet and respectful. Thank you. ~Juli B.

[@karenenglish4900]

Don't know if your looking to buy or rent, but it is not cheap. Another KZbin, Lynette Yoder, has a hubby realtor/flipper. They may direct you. I'm not sure how many long-term rentals there are.

[@JuliaB1955]

@@karenenglish4900 Looking to rent for the time being. I don't expect anything to be priced fairly anymore, so that's not a surprise. Thank you for taking the time to respond. ~Juli

[@ronv6637]

I will be living a few miles away and never knew about it,saw a dutch restaurant have to try it Suprised my dutch grandparents did not know or say anything about it.