Ten EXCEPTIONS to Amish Rules

What makes some Amish different than others? Here are ten exceptions to the Amish "norm".
0:00 Intro
0:43 Church
1:44 Beards
2:27 Public Power
3:41 SMV Triangle
4:20 Photos
5:18 Alcohol
6:05 Tobacco
6:37 Hiring Drivers
8:00 Firefighting
9:09 Assurance of Salvation
My name is Erik Wesner and I'm not Amish. Back in 2004, I met the Amish while selling books. Since then, I've visited 5,000+ Amish homes & dozens of Amish communities. My book on Amish business, Success Made Simple: An Inside Look at Why Amish Businesses Thrive, was published in 2010. I run the Amish America website: amishamerica.com/
Image Credits: Jim Halverson; Don Burke; Mike Sparks; Don Shenk; WCIA ( • CI Living Old Order Amish ); KIFI Local News 8 ( • The Amish come to east... ); Karen Johnson-Weiner; Ed C.
Learn more:
Swartzentruber Amish: amishamerica.com/who-are-the-...
New Order Amish: amishamerica.com/whats-the-di...
Amish & Tobacco: • Do Amish smoke? Do the...
Amish & Alcohol: • Do Amish drink alcohol?
Meetinghouses: amishamerica.com/amish-meetin...
Somerset County: amishamerica.com/somerset-cou...
SMV Triangle: • No Lights. No Safety T...
Photography: amishamerica.com/what-do-amis...
Amish Taxis: amishamerica.com/an-inside-lo...

[@lockman004]

I lived in a mostly Amish community in Lancaster County. Some of my acquaintances were on the volunteer fire department. They said every shift of volunteer firefighters tried to have a Amish person on call who was skilled with horses as there were accidents and veterinary emergencies involving horses or livestock. All the fire trucks were equipped with special horse lifting harnesses and supplies. Many of the Mennonites were skilled with livestock as well, and their dress and appearance is almost indistinguishable from the English.

[@AmishAmerica]

Great comment

[@dragondancer1814]

I heard that Amish men on the volunteer fire department are also granted an exception from not being allowed to shave after marrying because it’s impossible to grow a beard and still wear full firefighting gear, mainly the face masks we wear as part of our air packs. It’s impossible to get a complete seal on our faces with a beard, so these Amish men are permitted to remain clean-shaven for the reason of their personal as well as their community’s safety.

[@skip123davis]

i was lutheran for many years, and the menonnites, amaish, and other similar groups sort of used us as their "political arm" to look out for them and we gladly did that for them.

[@sandybruce9092]

Mennonites do dress differently at least I. Lancaster, PA! My hometown is York, PA right across the river as I visit Lancaster at least once a year. Mennonite c,ot hung us different from Amish!!

[@norml.hugh-mann]

That's very interesting...I would have never thought that they would carry horse lifts

[@scottrayhons2537]

I love the Amish and how they live. Just hard workers and don't show off to everybody. They don't bother anybody and mind their business. Great video!

[@Evan-lr8nq]

Some of the Amish were I live (Upstate NY) have meeting houses. Thy also double as schoolhouses.

[@user-lv3or5xk3t]

I used to smoke cigars and always got a few cigars made from Lancaster county tobacco. They were very good.

[@matthewshaffer9377]

I work in an ice shop, and we sell blocks of ice to the Amish. Blocks that we freeze and store with electricity.

[@knight0334]

Much of my area, like from Somerset County PA and northwards, some will use tractors and other powered implements. The tractors typically have steel wheels though, no tires. I asked one Amishman about it and he said "so long as it is uncomfortable to operate, and only used as a necessity for larger farms". Another Amishman uses gas engine powered mills. I work for the telephone company in Somerset & Cambria Counties and occasionally have to design phone lines to their shanties - so I regularly interact with a few of them.

[@cb4920]

Just a question friend. Have you ever traveled to Montgomery / Fulton County area of NY state? When I bought the land I farm near Canajoharie forty years ago there were only a smallish community of Amish establishing themselves north of us across the river around and about Ephratah. Over the years the population and different communities of both Amish and Mennonite has basically exploded across both countys and now there’s established communities in Schoharie county as well. Forty years ago I bought a section of an old farm gone fallow surrounded by vacant unused decrepit farm houses barns and fields and fields and fields, acre apon good acre that hadn’t been worked in some cases for thirty years before I showed up. Today I’m pleased to say I’m sided on three boarders by three completely rejuvenated, working, and prosperous Amish farms. It’s wonderful, it’s beyond wonderful to see the countryside peopled and busy like it must have been eighty years ago before the small family farms that fed the country were lost to progress. There seems to be more and more Amish moving here all the time. I welcome them. They buy old farms with abandoned houses and barns that were decomposing back into the landscape and in short order have them squared away and looking and working as they. did in their heyday. A lot of the Mohawk Valley has become a sort of rust belt of dairy farms. It’s so nice to see it recover, at least in my part of it. I’m rambling. Anyway. If you haven’t been through my neighborhood yet I’m sure it would be worth your while. I might add, it’s really beautiful up here. Gods country indeed

[@randymack2222]

The rules vary from one community to another depending on what the elders feel better about allowing! There can be controversy over what type of butter churn is acceptable...

[@jasonstclair6293]

Years ago I ran into a group putting siding on houses now and again. Two regular guys that drove the van and the truck and also ran all the power tools. Six or eight Amish guys hanging up siding all day. They could knock out a decent size house in a day (around 2000 sq foot floor space). It was maddening to be inside at times hearing the constant thump of the hammers, but it was amazing how fast they moved around the house.

[@davemiller9570]

One difference I’ve noticed between communities is bicycles. Some communities don’t use bicycles, only scooters. Some use only basic bicycles while others use multi-speed bicycles.

[@WastedTalent-]

From what was told to me by an Amish man is that his sect aren't allowed to use bicycles, only scooters and the Menonites were allowed bicycles. You'd see Menonites flying around town on recumbent bikes.

[@dianastewart2850]

Holmes County Ohio is flooded with electric bikes and solar panels

[@sandybruce9092]

@@WastedTalent-Mennonites also can drive cars. Amish will asked them or the English,ish to drive them places that their buggies cannot go but they cannot drive cars themselves. I recently was in Lancaster County, PA and saw some young Amish kids on something that looked like a cross between a bicycle and a scooter - had wheels like a bicycle but were still foot- powered. But I’ve never seen Amish in that area use a bicycle!

[@Vengir]

@@sandybruce9092 This description seems to match a balance bike. These are becoming more common, as it was discovered that they are better at teaching people how to ride a bike than traditional side wheels.

[@tiffanimilburn8885]

IEnjoy your videos, and I’ve learned a lot from your channel. I’m not Amish and don’t feel called to join them, but I’ve always been curious about them. As a blind person, I’m curious about what life is like for disabled Amish people.

[@AmishAmerica]

That's a great question. I can't do justice here but maybe a future vid. At least some Amish make allowances for certain tech to aid people with disabilities

[@luckyduckie2000]

WOW that's an excellent question I would like to know alao.

[@marshalltille7770]

Nice idea. Some sick people need electricity to power a medical device in the home.

[@RedneckHillbilly-ho9md]

Here in Central PA we have alot of the Swartzentruber Old Order Amish, I've never seen any of them not have the orange triangle on their buggies but there are many of them who refuse to use battery powered lights on their buggies and still use the kerosene lanterns which are extremely dangerous. However more and more of them are giving in and getting the battery LED lights. But those lanterns are dangerous you can't hardly see them until it is almost too late especially if its foggy, we just know to drive slow on the back roads around here or you will end up along the road having a very bad night.

[@WastedTalent-]

A friend of mine in Carlisle, PA has Amish neighbors. Her neighbor, Levi, told me that it was law that they had to have the triangle and lights on the buggies. Maybe it was just that county. Levi said he used to have lights that were battery powered, but ended up changing over to wheel powered lights (like you see on bicycles). One thing he said that made me mad was that people constantly drive up to the buggies to scare the horses. They'll speed around them while blaring the horn or up beside them and rev the engine. It happens more with motorcycles. Such assholes out there.

[@AzraelThanatos]

@@WastedTalent- With Ohio, there's the ongoing fight with the Swartzentruber and similar Amish groups over the triangle because it's a safety hazard for all sides there. A black buggy with a black horse when it's dark or foggy out could get both sides killed there. And you have groups saying they'd die before putting the reflectors on. It's one of the few situations where I could see going with the full wrath of the government over it because fines don't work, and the community tends to make anything done beyond long jail stays a slap on the wrist. I've seen quite a few people end up stopped by cops if they're trying to scare the horses or similar, unsafe driving tickets

[@TheLizardKing1967]

Hi Erik! I love your Channel!!!!

[@AmishAmerica]

Thank you!

[@TheLizardKing1967]

You are welcome! I am Swiss German and you are doing a Wonderful Job with your videos. Absolutely Amazing. God Bless you!! 🙏

[@songofruth]

Our state used the tobacco settlement money to pay folks to not grow tobacco for 10 years. The Amish did not participate. However, I think they have all stopped now. When the "English" stopped growing tobacco, the tobacco auction closed. That left the Amish having to go far to sell their tobacco. I suspect that is why they stopped also. The Amish here show up greatly for blood drives. And they pitch in if any farmer has a significant disaster. Such disasters don't happen often but the Amish will help that farmer try to get back on his feet.

[@PatrickBaptist-vv2bg]

" The Amish here show up greatly for blood drives." That is disgusting, worse than just fornicating with an animal and that's horrid enough.

[@autumnmoonfire3944]

I live in Essex County NY, my observation is that my Amish neighbors do not use tractor triangles on the backs of their buggies, I truly wish they would, or that they would find some other way to apply reflective material to them. They’re wicked hard to see at night or in twilight.

[@kentmarsh6442]

Oswego County, N.Y. here. We have the same issue here. I wish they would use the triangle. I lived in Lancaster county Years ago, and they ALL used them.

[@Itried20takennames]

Yeah…would not like to be driving at night to suddenly come upon a slow moving, unlit back carriage. Seems like that could lead to some preventable accidents, and maybe at least they could use some lanterns or brighter lights, for other drivers on the roads.

[@nickwarner8158]

Common sense and religion don't mix well, unfortunately.@@kurtm.7494

[@LawrenceTimme]

@@kurtm.7494 god prevents accidents better than triangle 😇

[@sg39g]

I know this isn't exactly the subject, but in Quebec, farmers had an exemption for lights on their trailers. The only mandatory things were reflectors and a triangle. There were many accidents before the government withdrew their exemption. So when I hear that the Amish don't even have to install a triangle...

[@davidlewis4179]

Canastota NY Amish community. When I started beekeeping in 2019, I met an Amish beekeeper (Abe) as he was driving his wagon by my home. That was the start of my association with the local Amish community. In 2020, at the on set of the COVID lock down, Abe's 5 month old died of SIDS. I attended the funeral 😢. Not long after that, I made the mistake of asking how one becomes a driver. Now, 3 years later, I and my wife drive Amish. In fact, our Amish community has 2 schools. My with shuttles the children to school for one of the schools now. The Canastota community does not have a restriction on hiring a driver. I have a friend who drives for the Poland NY community. She told me that they have an under 10 mile restriction. I could go on about the differences between local communities... phones, wheels, etc... some buggies are lit up like Christmas trees at night!

[@debbimeyersbrant5752]

I never knew about the beard I always thought it was after they got married so thank you for teaching me something new

[@AmishAmerica]

Gladly!

[@landgsmith]

Regarding the alcohol, I used to work at a dairy in Stark County, Ohio and we would have milk brought in on box trucks from surrounding counties, Holmes, Wayne, Ashland, Medina, etc. Well, some of the Amish farms would sell various goods to the box truck drivers such as eggs, meat, furniture....and wine!

[@rjshadow4321]

I learned something new I always thought the beard was a sign they are no longer a child, and I believe you should always ask before taking a video or picture of someone just doing their day to day life out of politeness.

[@therealz360z7]

I seen a child with an awesome hand crocheted Halloween costume of a Moana character and I asked first and still tried not to get the child's face in the picture. I tip the kids that put my produce in my car but I asked first because it's the right thing to do , they shouldn't have to have a sign up saying no photos please . it's one thing if we don't no better like I just found out no picture taking in a lds place of worship .

[@sandybruce9092]

@@therealz360z7Beards are only for married men no matter their age! No beard means single! Always ask before photographing, even if they might be far out in a field, etc. it’s called respect! Some will allow and some won’t.

[@mq5276]

Here in Lancaster county my daughter works with and drives for several Amish families. She also has several friends who have Facebook pages.

[@kerryanddoloris9883]

I live near the Somerset country Amish “church.” It is interesting to drive by it when they are at their service. The men are gather at the one end and the women at the other. It’s actually located in Springs, PA in Somerset county.

[@grahamhayden8969]

Great video. I live near the schwartzentruber Amish in Lodi/homerville/west Salem Ohio. They have the white pvc pipes on their wheels for visibility.

[@AmishAmerica]

Neat to see that change. I remember when they were just "testing" it. Would you say it's been adopted by about all in the community or just partial?

[@grahamhayden8969]

It’s still partial I would say.

[@Dfk429S9fo3]

You ain't seen Amish till you've seen Camp Rd Amish!

[@jimbobjones5972]

I am glad you are back!

[@AmishAmerica]

Me too! And glad you are still here

[@jameshannahs9010]

7:32 Showing the Horse rails our the my hometown Walmart in Millersburg, OH. Just off the Rails to Trails that the buggies sneak onto from time to time. Also, to your later point about Volunteer firefighters. Holmes County Amish have a small number of Volunteer Firefighters and EMTs.

[@karengunia5451]

Glad to see you again!

[@TheMtggrl]

Another wonderful information filled video, I learn something new every time you share. Thank you for sharing.

[@m39fan]

On the alcohol, in our area a lot of the work crews will stop by the gas station after work a pick up a case or two of beer.

[@luckyduckie2000]

The Amish in my community must believe that drinking is ok. I've have seen buggy's at the bars and even arrests for DUI.

[@robertewalt7789]

But won’t the horse avoid traffic if the driver is DUI?

[@Itried20takennames]

@@robertewalt7789Maybe, maybe not….depends on the horse. And even if the horse generally knows the way home, you shouldn’t be on the road and drunk. Its a hazard to other drivers if the horse doesn’t obey traffic laws, or stop signs, or lights, etc. And horses can be good at finding home, but doubt they understand 4-way stop intersection rules. And my mom has a story from her childhood on a farm in the 1930s where she was told NOT to use a particular horse, but one evening a neighbor came asking urgently to go into the small downtown while her parents were out, and they ended up with the horse bolting, refusing to stop and careening thru the streets of town until it tired and was stopped by others. So good to have a sober adult driver in case of that.

[@darylb5564]

I drive a semi and driving around them is a great source of anxiety. I get that the horses are well trained but horses do stupid things and when they do there’s not much anyone can do to stop them. It’s nice that we let the use the highway but I wish there were a better way

[@JinxedJax]

I've got a Quaker living in my pantry. Quaker oats. 😂

[@sandybruce9092]

My husband is from Gloversville, NY - Fulton County - and we were just up there for Thanksgiving (we own the house his Dad built in 1955). I was surprised to see Amish there as I had no idea. And Amish clothing does differ slightly depending on where they live and what Order they belong to.

[@kennybolt8329]

The Swartzentruber that are in the south use taxis to get to the bus station to travel long distance.

[@AmishAmerica]

Sounds like an exception to an exception!:)

[@stuglenn1112]

The head poo-bahs of each community seem to make the rules so each community is a bit different. Best I can tell the only things that seem universal is no electricity in the house and they use Horses and Mules to pull the implements they use to work on the farm. Notice I said pull the implement not necessarily power it if it requires power. I have seen some pretty klugged set-ups like horses pulling a hay bailer but the baler itself is powered by a small engine or even an engine with hydraulics.

[@stantonmagid4126]

Always enjoy your videos thank you Erik for the information and entertainment

[@cindynielson4231]

As always a great and very interesting video. Please keep up the good work. Happy Thanksgiving. TFS 👍

[@AmishAmerica]

Happy Thanksgiving Cindy!

[@ucsncinc]

Up here in the Heuvelton NY region there are a lot of English that make a good living driving for the Amish. Besides the standard people moving, there are heavy haulers, log haulers, etc. I provide transportation for my Amish friends, although I do not charge them anything, although at first they wanted to pay me. I just do a little trading on occasion which they really like. If I'm going somewhere and will be passing by an Amish home, I'll stop in to see if they want to ride along or need me to pick them up anything. We also plan day trips for heading out to all of the local Amish merchants and craftsmen in the area, regular grocery trips, thrift store shopping, etc. It's fun and during the drives, we get to learn a lot about each other as well. I have a frolic at my house tomorrow where we'll have the community here to cut down a bunch of old whit pines they'll use for lumber on some projects and I'll get the trees taken down for free. And for that, if I ever need any lumber, I will get it at just the cost of their labor for the milling. It's actually fun to help and we get to have the whole community here from time to time.

[@michellesunshinestar]

Have you seen the movie "Love Finds You in Sugarcreek (OH)?" So good. I've been there a couple times. There's a good pub there with good Rueben sandwiches. They have the world's largest coocoo clock. It's based on the books by somebody Miller. The Amish help this guy out and his son.

[@nildagivens7320]

Happy Thanksgiving Day, Erik. Thank you for the video. I always enjoy them!! 🤗

[@AmishAmerica]

Glad you liked it Nilda!

[@user-cb7ir6rc1t]

I like your videos Sir. I do know of some Amish in Clark co. Wi,that are on the small town FD.

[@commandereddy]

I went to the Ark Encounter in Kentucky earlier this year. There were alot of Amish there & they were all on private buses.

[@larrylewis3573]

Dear Erik, As always, you have produced another thoughtful video on the Amish. While I knew about most of these exceptions, I always learn more and increase my understanding of the Amish from your videos. Thank you again for all the good work you do do. You are truly a good and honest ambassador for the Amish. Sincerely, Larry C. Lewis London, Ontario, Canada.

[@michellesunshinestar]

The books are published by Guideposts, which I absolutely love.

[@larrycreed5049]

Here in Parke County, Indiana, the Amish are "Old Order " and do use electricity from the power grid. Many of the Amish have solar panels and inverters. I am familiar with an Amish store that powers an electric freezer with a solar panel and inverter instead of a propane freezer.

[@MrMockingbird1313]

Another excellent video.

[@KameraShy]

- What about solar electric panels? - Every time I pass through Union Station in Chicago a few times a month there are always large numbers of Amish. I always wonder where they are travelling to/from. - As for alcohol, there are always stories about some Amish guy getting drunk, passing out in his buggy and the cops then trying to nail him with a DUI, even though the horse knows the way home. But there is one video where the cops couldn't stop the horse and it ran into a cop car. Was a young guy, maybe celebrating Rumspringa.

[@nickwarner8158]

I recall a case years back which I think was in WI in which cops tried to charge a guy with a DUI on horseback. Thing is, his lawyer won the case argueing that you cannot drive nor operate a horse. Its a sentient creature that can choose to accept or ignore inputs from its rider and therefore cannot be operated. So if you want to hit up the bars and tie one on, get a horse.

[@PuzzleTime2]

Loved your video. I love to read books written by authors such as Beverly Lewis. While not true stories most of the Amish facts are.

[@180pottery]

I have met a lot of people over the years that think all Amish people are exactly the same, with the exact same beliefs. It was difficult at best to try to convince them there are differences. People make a lot of assumptions without any facts. That is why I always loved your content. Thanks for sharing Erik!! Great video!!

[@AmishAmerica]

Thank you Alice and good observation, I appreciate when people can come at things with an open mind - but that's not always the case. Sometimes it seems some people know who the Amish are better than the Amish themselves :)

[@180pottery]

@@AmishAmerica LOL, yeah I knew a lawyer like that. When I had my general store I sold a lot of Amish made goods. This lawyer came in and started arguing with me that Amish can't have Mangos because he saw a Mango Chutney or something. He said, that can't be Amish made, where could they have gotten the Mangos? I said, what, Amish are not allowed to buy supplies wholesale like other businesses? He turned beet red he was so mad at my reply, I told him as he was heading for the door to "do your due diligence counselor before you try to push that argument in court". LOL. Honestly, if he slammed the door any harder it would have broke. It was glass. He came back with his head down and said, "OK, you were right" and then left just as abruptly. I was surprised he came back at all, LOL.

[@AmishAmerica]

@@180pottery Nice response :) though I appreciate that he at least came back, albeit (understandably) not with much joy :)

[@kimkrebs451]

Thanks for sharing

[@Istandby666]

Small country towns feel a civil duty to volunteer for the fire department.

[@JoeR203]

I don't get why they won't use a gas powered riding mower instead of a horse drawn wagon with a gasoline (or diesel) powered motor to turn the blades.

[@johnpinckney4979]

Learned something new on this one. I was not previously aware of the Amish participating in volunteer fire departments. In what roles do they usually serve? Any Amish EMT's? What about aerial ladder operators? I'm a bit surprised as it's not called "fire fighting" for nothing. Success requires a certain focused combativeness. An anger, if you will, against the injury (even death) and destruction so often inflicted. This is your best video in a long time. PSE keep it up!

[@user-lv3or5xk3t]

Most Amish I have spoken to and I usede to do busy with many use the safety triangle as "render unto Caesar what is Caesars and unto God what is Gods." As the Bible quotes Jesus sayingf.

[@justinf1634]

The Amish by me in southern Illinois have a church building,use tractors as there most common form of transportation except Sundays,they are on the grid water and electric and also have bag phones in there home.

[@SantaFe19484]

Near where I live, there is a town named Ickesburg which has a lot of Amish fire fighters. It is located in Perry County, two counties northwest of Lancaster County, so I guess it is a spin off of the LancCo Amish. I am guessing that none of them get behind the wheel of a fire truck. Have any Amish ever held a church service in an Amish school?

[@susiewolfgong3496]

I’m glad you are back!! What about cell phones? I have a phone number to order produce from my Amish community.

[@AmishAmerica]

Some use them! Some use smartphones even, others, like some of the Nebraska Amish in central PA, use old style plain push button ones

[@johnpinckney4979]

@@AmishAmerica Not putting the "dial" in..."dial-up"?

[@meganstewart3595]

I think what makes cell phones allowable is that they aren't landlines and therefore don't require literal physical connection to the English (ie wires)

[@dasy2k1]

Some communities are similar to electric power in that regard... They can have a phone in their workshop/barn/business but not in their home

[@sandybruce9092]

@@meganstewart3595But cell phones es still need to be charged. I have seen yiu ver Amish in Lancaster, PA with cell phones.

[@derekelliott6098]

I'm in NE, Ohio. Plenty of Amish south of Canton and around Ashtabula and a few in the Chardon area.. Always see Amish in thrift stores.

[@mo-rfd]

We live very near two different Amish communities. Most Amish stores we go to only sell caffeine-free soft drinks. However, there is one store we shop at on a paved highway that sells Coca-Cola and other mainstream soft drinks. So is selling caffeinated drinks an exception to the rule?

[@pcmiller0324]

I grew up Amish and never heard of any restrictions on drinking coffee , soda, or other caffinated drinks.

[@sandybruce9092]

The Amish make the most wonderful root beer - it’s not carbonated and is served room temp (at least the one I tried was).

[@fransak2723]

I was always curious as to why the Amish don’t use their existing school houses for services, and why the school districts don’t correlate with the church districts.

[@gaius_enceladus]

"Most Amish believe that church structures are unnecessary". I really like that approach! The belief that you can worship in any building - it doesn't need to be a purpose-built one. That's wonderful! The effort to build a structure should be reserved for things that are *essential* and I'm with the Amish on that - I don't think a church building qualifies on that score.

[@patrickporter6536]

You can worship in your heart

[@DavidsfarmlivesFAN]

A good number of the Amish near me have landline telephones, but not in the house, has to be in a shed or outbuilding

[@ohiosbestpeach770]

How do the Amish communicate seasonal sales? I live in Akron Ohio and I want to buy my food from the Amish. A couple of times, I’ve heard about a product at a Amish store that is quite a ways from me and sometimes in a nearby state. I google them and I usually find a Facebook page that isn’t being maintained or a website link that isn’t linked to a website.

[@m39fan]

The best way to stay up to date is to check local news as even the "English" news will often report on events and sales in the area. For example, checking the Berlin or Millersburg news will let you know what is going on in Holmes County. The other way is to find some Amish business people and make friends. They usually don't mind giving updates to their English friends if they know what you're interested in.

[@brianritchie8920]

In Akron you’re so close to Holmes county. The locals there will lead you in the right direction. The best deals are just a couple of miles outside of the towns.

[@jackalanillar3530]

I live in Somerset county Pennsylvania. Would you happen to know exactly where that church house is at 1:10? I have a fascination for old buildings like that and I would like to go and see that up close.

[@debbimeyersbrant5752]

Go past the Somerset County Fairgrounds go past Summit discount heading towards Mount Davis Road

[@jackalanillar3530]

@@debbimeyersbrant5752 Thank you. I will definitely go and check that out.

[@debbimeyersbrant5752]

@@jackalanillar3530 you're welcome

[@robertcromwell9736]

NO electricity in the home but electricity in their barn and workshops Telephones often in barns and such too. Around here they love cordless power tools and they DO charge them.

[@centredoorplugsthornton4112]

How big an Amish community in California? Because the train shown at 7:58 is in California. Amish folk do make use of Amtrak service in the Midwest and Pennsylvania. When Amtrak closes a station ticket office assuming its passengers will book online, show a qr code on their mobile phone in lieu of a paper ticket, and Amish travelers use that station, it affects those travelers who may not have online or mobile access.

[@AmishAmerica]

No Old Order Amish in California, the train is just a picture of a train for illustration purposes. There was once a community in CA though long ago: amishamerica.com/california-amish-community/

[@humbleevidenceaccepter7712]

There is a large Mennonite grocery store by us. It also serves some Amish. The entire building is powered by solar panels.

[@unknownhours]

I forgot the Amish get baptized as adults and had a very strange image in my head for a moment. What are they putting in that water? 🤣

[@sandybruce9092]

My friend is Baptist and they also baptize as adults - it’s not unusual in many religions. And they can also be baptized more than once - this I do not understand. But I’m not Baptist.

[@sandybruce9092]

I would like to know which is the oldest Amish community - you said Somerset Co. was the second oldest - could the oldest be those in Lancaster Co., PA?

[@sunnyday4589]

Do the Amish have much interaction with the Mennonites, such as in Lancaster Co where there are a lot of both?

[@AmishAmerica]

Yes they do interact in different ways - at auctions, as neighbors and there are even some shared schools in Lancaster County with Old Order Mennonite & Amish children

[@TheGhostOfLuciasClay]

In regards to the SMV sign. Isnt there a shape and color they would be accepting of? Even if its just a square and black and white can be made reflective. There should be some sort of acceptable compromise but then again our government continues to want to control everyone and everything.

[@m39fan]

We have helped some of our Amish neighbors by helping them purchase a reflective tape from 3M that is black during the day but turns reflective silver went illuminated by headlights at night. They said close calls have dropped significantly.

[@greggbaker7120]

My Great Grandfather took his family out... of the Amish. ( at the time, it would have been, unheard of, for my grandma,as a young woman, to, ask, her father Why? So....I have No Idea.

[@sandybruce9092]

I think that would be a most interesting family story - I’m our family genealogist and would love to know such stories. Unfortunately most of not all the people who would know the truth are no ,inter with us. Example - my family has been Lutheran since i don’t know when (maybe back to Martin Luther?) but my great grandmother was from a Catholic family - so as I’ve been told - boys went to one church and girls to another - I just don’t know yet which went where😮😊. We are still Lutheran (mostly)!

[@kennybolt8329]

I was appalled at the property of the swartzentruber in N.C. how overgrown their yards are and quite cluttered. I was told by a Minnonite lady that they're not allowed to mow their yards because it is a show of pride !

[@sandybruce9092]

I live in Mooresville, NC and was told we have two Amish communities right up off I77 - in Harmony and Union Grove. I e is Swartzentruber and I e is not - can’t remember which ,I’ve in which town, but the Swartzentruber Order doesn’t want outsiders and the other Order welcomes visitors and has places to purchase many things. I just keep forgetting which is which as maybe I can find some of the foods I really miss from Lancaster Co., PA!

[@sandybruce9092]

And I don’t believe what the Mennonite person said about yards. I’ve never seen any Amish yard that was t perfect, just like their farms!

[@jrr6947]

I have a question about Amish and technology. What is allowed and isn't allowed...and do the Amish ever invent something that catches on by the rest of the community? Just as an example, I saw an Amish ceiling fan powered by a small wind turbine on the roof and thought that was banned? And with such a technique without electricity is quite smart.

[@meganstewart3595]

My understanding is that the church bishop(s) make decisions on what is and isn't allowed for their community.

[@sandybruce9092]

A small wind turbine is not a machine powered by electricity so there shouldn’t be any problem. But as someone said earlier, it does depend on the Order and the Bishops. - I’ve heard some can be very, very strict on some simple things. But I can always tell an Amish girl/woman from Lancaster by the shape of their head covering -

[@jrr6947]

@@sandybruce9092 Yeah I know it's not a problem. It's the ingenuity behind it that made me think. What other technologies have they made that is allowed within their church. They could come up with entire parralel technologies or new things entirely not thought of before by the rest of us since we couldn't fathom it without electricity.

[@sandybruce9092]

@@jrr6947 Excellent thought!

[@annasolovyeva1013]

Are you sure it's a turbine, not a completely mechanical windmill mechanism?

[@JohnSmith-zw8vp]

You know when I first visited an Amish place (1994) I was most surprised by how far apart the houses are...I was picturing it'd be like one of them westerns! Obviously they're not gonna have any saloons!!

[@joefreeman1547]

What do you know about Amish retire people going to Fl. for the winter on what is called the Amish Bus.

[@kristinorman4119]

There's an Amish community near me (I'm in Iowa, it's in Wisconsin) that allows it's members to own vehicles, but they must be black. They also have a very nice meeting house as well. I attended a wedding there and it was quite a sight to see a parking lot full of only black vehicles!

[@patrickporter6536]

The owner or the vehicle?

[@farpointgamingdirect]

I grew up in PA Dutch Country in Shady Grove PA

[@michellecrocker2485]

I heard on a talk show that amish are growing and processing marijuana. Is there a rule exception that would permit this?

[@grumpymunchkin2959]

As a truck driver I dreaded driving in Amish country. Nothings more dangerous than a horse and buggy drifting around the road.

[@capnjimmy7357]

6:45 Yoder Toder.

[@AmishAmerica]

😁

[@sandydaniels2668]

I know Amish use outhouses but do they have water in the house for showers and dishwashing?

[@kimfleury]

I'm not answering for Eric, but just weighing in to say that there's never been a prohibition against plumbing in Amish houses. Where they originated, there was already indoor plumbing of a rudimentary kind, usually at least a hand pump in the kitchen, if not a free-running fountain that was plugged when not needed. The source of the water was from a well, as there wasn't yet a public waterworks in most places outside of the growing cities. I saw examples of these in paintings from the time period. Also, Eric has shown photo images of inside Amish homes, and he talked about the bathrooms. I think he mentioned a shower in one of them, but don't hold me to that. The images of the kitchen sinks show ordinary faucets, not the old hand pump faucets. My Grandpa had a hand pump faucet in his kitchen sink when I was quite small in the 1960s, though he wasn't Amish. He was just older fashioned to the max, having lived that way all his life and not seeing reason to change what wasn't broken. When the hand pump did break, though, and he couldn't get parts, or a new one, he installed a modern kitchen faucet. The thing with the pump, of course, was that it couldn't be plumbed for hot water, so water was heated on the kitchen stove for washing dishes or doing laundry in an old style wringer washer. For bathing, he had a large aluminum tub with a drain hole that was plumbed to drain into the ditch alongside the road. They didn't have city water available at the time, everyone was on well water. To fill it required lots of trips between the kitchen sink and bathtub, with lots of room for water boiled on the stove so the bath would be in warm water. He continued to use an outhouse as long as he could still walk down the stairs outside the kitchen door. After that he used jugs that caregivers had to empty into the outhouse. He died in 2005 at the age of 92. His lifestyle in regards to indoor plumbing was similar to the Amish in that it was driven by what was available, necessary, and not luxurious.

[@angeliquelivezey2216]

I'm in York County, PA and my neighbors are Amish. Their houses look like normal houses just off grid. They have complete indoor plumbing.

[@user-xf6ej7qm4k]

The Amish I know have a regular bathrooms, showers included.

[@sandybruce9092]

@@angeliquelivezey2216I was born in York County!!! If you are familiar with Rutter’s Dairy then you know my family - or at least that part! I visit York, etc. just for food - Epex/Smitty’s soft pretzels are the best anywhere - personally I think it’s the York water!!!😊😊😊. I just want to find a decent restaurant with really good corn fritters like my Mom made - no luck yet!!!

[@user-up6ug2ek2q]

I live near an Amish settlement and I can tell you from personal experience there is alcohol abuse and sexual abuse and its a lot more prevalent then you realize. There not all are bad, just like any sub culture. Some Amish families are usually very nice. But it is a growing problem. Eli Yoder has a youtube channel. He became a christian and left the Amish at around 18 years old. A like the work ethic, and sense of community.

[@AmishAmerica]

Yes. Sounds like you live near one of the communities I mentioned where alcohol is an issue. (I didn't discuss sexual abuse in this video). You will get a perspective from a former Amish person that I can never give. When former Amish discuss their past lives, it is often compelling, though can be hyperfocused on one experience. It's similar to when individual observers base impressions of what "the Amish" do on one community. But there are over 600 separate and often quite different Amish settlements. So this is more about the broad view.

[@willemvanstaden3292]

I feel that the "no resistance" thing is strange.

[@colorbugoriginals4457]

these are reasonable exceptions. on cameras and kids, it's important to keep up-to-date photos of your kids in case they go missing. kids' appearances change constantly. i wonder if the psychological benefits of keeping such memories to look back on are also recognized 😊

[@MrSTOUT73]

I've followed many Amish videos over time and their "rules" seem to be all over the spectrum. Some do, some don't, some do, some don't. Some use motor vehicles, some don't. Some use electricity, some don't. Some have telephones, some don't.

[@norml.hugh-mann]

Christianity is the cult with like 30,000 sects

[@Istandby666]

8:35 what do you mean by "plain people"?

[@AmishAmerica]

It's a term which is used to describe Amish, some Mennonites and some related groups, who live a "plain" lifestyle (eg clothing, etc.)

[@JackDiederich]

Volunteer fire departments are the norm in PA. It isn't an Amish thing. I'm an Electrical Engineer (so very much not Amish) and was a member of the King of Prussia fire company. Paid, full time, fire companies are rare and only happen in big cities.

[@sandybruce9092]

Many small communities only have Volunteer Fire departments. My husband hometown in way upstate NY still has a volunteer fire dept. - my FIL helped to start it a long time ago.

[@nunyabiznis3595]

I just don't get why the line in the sand was drawn at the level of technology they use. I mean why not live a stone age life and eschew all metal tech, no spinning thread and weaving cloth, just hide. No farming but being hunter gatherer. Why, specifically late per-industrial age? Could they use a steam engine?

[@philbateman1989]

I'm pretty sure most Amish communities have a phone and computer (like, 1 for the community) for emergencies. They don't use them as a matter of course, but if there's an accident and someone needs emergency help they'll phone 911. Or if they need to communicate with the wider world for some important reason they'll use a computer. They choose a simple life without modern amenities wherever possible, but they're not idiots XD If there's a great need to communicate quickly or get help in an emergency, they'll seek it out using modern technology, and that's not taboo to their values if the situation demands it.

[@johncameron4194]

Interesting

[@cassanthemum4158]

I admire and greatly respect the Amish. I envy their lifestyle. Now, if I could be pagan Amish...

[@Maurice-Navel]

What I would love to know is how the folks who practice these exceptions are seen by the majority. You say that they are still Amish, and I am certain they see themselves that way, but do the conservative majority still regard them as belonging?

[@ashleyprice5132]

I live in mifflintown pa and the amish are everywhere. they are very nice. they just tie their horses up to the dumpster at dollar general

[@adairjanney7109]

Why did they conform to the Pope in Rome with SUnday instead of Saturday?

[@sharan4700]

How about the Mennonites and Hutterites ?

[@tomgunn8004]

The Amish I've talked to are remarkably ignorant about the Bible. This surprised me.

[@sadiehunt3970]

The things that we use every day most Amish call the stuff we use worldly like the orange triangle the old order Amish don't use them but the new order Amish use them as well as a lot of the stuff we use just not the old order

[@captainamerica9028]

I don't understand why they think an orange colored triangle is a sin. I lived near some Amish in Oklahoma years ago, and they caught a teenage girl sneaking off to watch a movie in town. They threw her completely out of the cult and she was never allowed to see her parents or siblings again. They treated her like a total stranger. I don't see how these people could be Christians and treat people like this.

[@Lando_P1]

With all 10 exceptions, I think I would do well in the Amish community.

[@mrfancypants29]

We have a few Amish settlements in the southern end of Illinois. I’ve seen them hiring out drivers to go to town. There is a general store owned by a family. This store uses electricity and the family uses a forklift and probably generators. I’m not certain about how the fuel for these are acquired. They also have horses that appear to be used for farm work. I don’t know if this is the case or not but I’ve heard that a small percentage of Amish live that lifestyle to avoid paying taxes.

[@PatrickBaptist-vv2bg]

I could never yoke up with a group of people that teach each other not the study the word of God at home on their own in English, from those I know amish can't even read the word of God in their own homes.

[@stevea2909]

The Amish homebuilders near me in northern NY, would hire Menonites with their power tools to help, then connect their tools( electric/ air). I'm "english" I was hired to do countertops & other specialty work, they found ways to get around "obstacles".