Are the Amish rich? What do they do with their money?

Are there millionaires among the Amish? Despite their plain appearance, some Amish have amassed considerable wealth. I share 2 fairly common cases where you might find Amish millionaires and multi-millionaires. I also explain what wealthy Amish do with their money.
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. I run the Amish America website. More: amishamerica.com/
Video credits: Michael Pilkington (amishofethridge.com/) & www.videvo.net/
Image credits: Don Burke (www.flickr.com/photos/ozarkin... Jim Halverson; Don Shenk (www.amazon.com/Seasons-Lancas... Ed C.

[@vallis1469]

Speaking of cabinetry, we purchased Amish-Made cabinetry when we remodeled our kitchen, just over a year ago. They are fabulously beautiful and the construction is beyond reproach. They are worth every penny they cost us. The company is in Holmes County Ohio. I was told they are always busy. Thanks for the video.

[@AmishAmerica]

They do some really nice work overall. Awesome you have some in your kitchen. Quality is one of the things I heard over and over again when I was doing interviews

[@susiecox8413]

Hi Erik, one thing I admire about the Amish, rich or not is how they are totally community minded. Always lending a helping hand whenever and wherever needed. We should all strive to be more like them in this way. Thanks for another great video!

[@AmishAmerica]

Great point and it certainly wouldn't hurt to follow that example. English communities do that too but with the Amish it's almost automatic, little needs to even be said. On a related not I really like hearing stories of when Amish and English help each other in their local communities - even though we are not from the same church culture, we are still neighbors and friends and Amish see it that way too. Of course as with anything Amish there are differences between groups, and some can be more closed, but I think overall that holds true. Here's 2 recent examples that came to mind: amishamerica.com/amish-rescue-car-from-ditch-in-snowy-weather/ amishamerica.com/non-amish-man-puts-up-100-please-slow-down-signs-for-amish-neighbors/

[@susiecox8413]

@@AmishAmerica I agree! I did see the car in the ditch rescue and the guy who made the signs is another great example of kindness regardless of differences, We are all human beings and need to be there to help each other when we can. I look forward to your videos every week! Have a blessed day Erik

[@carlosoruna7174]

Amish walk the talk. It takes a village, read community, to raise a person

[@kellikelli4413]

I want to hear how they're dealing with this SCAMdemic world disOrder issue, I know that they're not complying with the jabs. Also, are they exempt from the NW disOrder plans ... If they're not going to comply, are they ready to be wiped out by the evil cabal.

[@haidengeary8277]

Do this yourself, and do not worry about what others do. Simple solution.

[@ableadelaide5893]

I believe one of the main driving factors to financial comfort amoung the Amish and other fellowships such as the Brethren is that they simply don't spend money on things such as entertainment, expensive technologies and other material expenses that the broader community do.

[@AmishAmerica]

Yes I would say while they do have some "entertainment" expenses, overall it is probably significantly less and generally not the same types of things (less eating out, less gadgets, etc.). At the same time they have some expenses that non-Amish do not (eg horses eat 365 days/year; generally larger properties = larger property tax, etc.).

[@ZombieCSSTutorials]

@@AmishAmerica So I'm guessing you're implying the Amish can't register each house as a church and be property tax-free? That sucks..

[@captainamericaamerica8090]

@@ZombieCSSTutorials He never wants the facts. He just ignores all the shifty deals, scandals secret stuff Amish are great at hiding!!

[@haidengeary8277]

Again, I already mentioned this in a comment I made, but how is this even remotely surprising? What you are saying is, they are better with finances, and you suck with said finances. So, basically, stop being shit with your finances. Its not that difficult, if you actually develop some basic discipline.

[@myragroenewegen5426]

I suspect they may manage more free time, or, at the very least, not become as drained from work as urban dwelling people. Carefully questioning the impact of each purchase on community relationships and the kind of society you want to live in probably leads to more thrift and wisdom in some cases, although the danger is passing up some things that actually would enable productive evolution in culture and that likely has an impact too -- both on quantity of wealth and quality of life.

[@homefrontforge]

I bought my home with a $148k note. When I'm done paying it off it will have cost me in excess of $420k. The reason the Amish accumulate wealth is they aren't busy making the bankers rich.

[@annjuurinen6553]

In Canada they have their own bank. The Mennonite Credit Union.

[@Noneyabuiness]

I can see how they get rich, No phone bill No electric bill No cable bill No internet bill No car payment and insurance

[@youtubesucks898]

Can you also see how they might not get very rich since they still have medical bills, costs to take care of all their animals and feed their huge families. They also help each other alot. Also, did you know that animals eat ALOT and they have to be fed every day?

[@Wacholderwald]

I like to buy vitamins, produce, kitchenware, greeting cards, office supplies, books, batteries, and decorative items. I've recently found Amish and Mennonite hardware stores as well. If I lived closer to the Amish stores I would do all of my shopping there and dispense with big box stores altogether.

[@ladyjade6446]

Same

[@drewfullam8873]

I remember back in the early 1990's there was a land auction in southern York County PA where 2 Amishmen got into a bidding war. The land went for between $400.000 and $500.000 and the gentleman that won the bid pulled the entire amount in cash and paid for the land on the spot for his son to farm. The story was in the York Daily Record.

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

That's a lot of cash to be carrying around!

[@tangle70]

The bidding wars between them at auctions is nothing uncommon. I have been to a few auctions where they do not like to loose.

[@Lemonz1989]

Wow, lol. The largest denominated dollar bill is $100, right?

[@adtopkek4826]

@@Lemonz1989 Yup. They want us to be forced to go digital so they won't print higher bills.

[@stynnieuwenhuis9999]

@@tangle70 thats common in a lot of agricultural areas

[@poodlegirl55]

I worked for many years at a hospital built by money left by a Mennonite man. He lived alone on a farm with no heat or electric and two sets of clothes in his closet. He left his land and millions to The Order of St Francis, sisters who ran a chain of charity hospitals so a new one could be built in our county in Illinois. It was named OSF Saint James-John W. Albrecht Medical Center. Of course no one knew he had so much money until after his death.

[@kerrykerry5778]

Erik, I've lived deep in the east side of Lancaster County for a while now. As you note, land here is extremely expensive. Two years ago, a young Amish guy bought a somewhat controversial piece of ground behind my place. The piece was noteworthy as the local township government quietly tried to convert the land from protected farmland to another option, and the local Amish community caught on to what was happening, at the last minute, and went ballistic. The Amish guy purchased the property and built a large house and barn on it. I spoke to an Amish builder about the property. He estimated that the buildings and site development were worth roughly $400K. The land was eight acres of cornfield, and it sold for $650K. No, that is not a typo. Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand for Eight acres. So all in, a local family sent one of their boys off to start a new, very small farm and the total bill was over a million dollars. It's pretty clear that there is a lot of income and wealth in many of these families. They earn every dime, and work hard for it, but for many reasons, this area is about ideal for maximizing the return on everything they do. The display of wealth, particularly in new home construction here, is getting pretty obvious, obnoxious even. In the last decade, there are countless farmhouses being built that look like something out of a magazine. Multiple roof lines, timber framed porches, huge wrap-around porches, and lots of needless "showy" details like multiple colors and patterns of siding, shutters and decorative stonework. Many literally look like they are straight out of a plan book from Chip and Joanna Gaines, titled, "Magnolia dream farmhouse plans" Some Amish are still sticking with more modest choices, but most are straying from what was standard and accepted for the last few centuries. As an "English" local I have simpler taste in new homes than a lot of the new Amish construction I see. I also look at some of these trophy places and think, "Why intentionally create an $8-10K school tax bill, by building a palace, then claiming you lead a simple life?

[@kerrykerry5778]

@Busy Bee Farms The Amish do not pay federal Social Security or Medicare taxes, as they do not partake of these benefits and have been relieved of these taxes by a supreme court decision. Other than that, they pay EVERY other tax imaginable, from state income, to real estate, to sales tax. I can't believe how pervasive the "Amish don't pay taxes" bullshit is. Every time I hear this in my area, where I am in the middle of 40, 000 Amish folks, my reply is the same, "prove it". Find the town, township, county, or state or IRS official who says, "Yes, every other religious person in this area pays all of their taxes, but since you are Amish, you are special, so you do not have to pay anything". The entire concept is laughably asinine.

[@kerrykerry5778]

@Busy Bee Farms So, like all the other BSers, you got nothing, right? Stop running your hole and prove what you claim. Where are all these Amish folks living in some mythical place where only they can escape paying the taxes every other citizen pays?

[@kerrykerry5778]

@Busy Bee Farms Failed farmer, with five followers, on a failed channel. Better to laugh than cry, I guess? Must suck to know that about every Amish person on the planet is better than you, when it comes to farming. LOL!!!!

[@BTCGEEK]

@BusyBeeFarms amish pay the same public school taxes as non-amish, even though their children do not go to public schools

[@mrs.g.9816]

I imagine a wealthier Amish family would use the extra money to help the community, such as helping someone rebuild a house after a fire or tornado, or financing a hospitalization or surgery. Wealthy parents would help their children get started with their own homes, too. The biggest reason why it's nice to be wealthy is that you can help others in need and make sure you can cover house/farm emergencies. No "bling", no luxuries. The "top 1%", with their expensive cars and designer clothes, could learn from the Amish.

[@youtubesucks898]

This is the comment I was waiting for. What most people don't understand is that there are going to be problems in the Amish community if one family became very wealthy without helping others when necessary. The Amish don't believe in hoarding wealth and buying unnecessary things like large yachts, etc, etc. They'd likely kick greedy people out of their community.

[@pattijesinoski1958]

What you are missing. 1. The soil value has much to do with the price of the land. Case in point. Where my family came from, the soil quality is worth more in that area because of the blue earth soil. Not much clay. 2. An 8th grade education decades ago teachings, like Amish teach today, is much higher learning than 12th grade USA public school today.

[@ronaldschuler3529]

I know. I went to a one room schoolhouse in Pa. Three hours on Friday afternoon was our eighth grade. Our teacher gave us paper saying, Graduating from school life, Welcome to life’s school.

[@j887276]

Their simple lifestyle does in fact lead to saving a lot of money no doubt. Just by getting rid of all my credit cards, loans etc. plus buying everything 2nd hand, driving 20yo cars and growing our own vegetables and a small flock of chickens for meat and eggs.... we are living comfortably.

[@sabrinamiller4405]

I went to a Amish hosted family reunion on my Grandfather’s side that had Amish. It was on a large Amish farm. I was told that this was a very wealthy Amish family that was the host. It was held in a very nice pole barn that they held church in.

[@billdogtie9885]

I bet the food was on point.

[@Automedon2]

In a tour of a former Shaker village - now a museum, I commented on how beautifully crafted the workbenches in the workshops were. The tour guide told me that they did everything as though they were doing it for God, which is why the smallest, most humble objects they used and made were of such exquisite quality. I wonder if that is the root of the legendary Amish quality.

[@user-nh4tm6hh4j]

There is an Amish builder near me that does full subdivisions. He buys the ground, divides it into lots, builds homes on the lots and then sell the homes. I drove through while construction was going on. I counted over a dozen homes under construction and at least a hundred Amish men working the day I was there. The Amish guy that ran the operation was a multi millionaire.

[@emmib1388]

while I hat to see the farmland disappear, given the choice, I would pick a home built by an Amish builder over the other builders any day!

[@norabatungbacal6636]

Those homes must be built really well.

[@leidersammlung6955]

Yuppers….I used to work for Joe Weaver, from Holmes county Ohio. He built houses all over the tri-state area, then sold out the house building portion of his business to K Hovnanian homes. Still builds barns etc in a big way,though. Very wealthy man. Not nearly as wealthy as Quill Peachy from Lancaster, though! He was a billionaire back in the 1990’s already, through oil and gas wells, and coal mines. My dad is an Amish bishop who owns many business’s, rich by some standards, but a nobody compared to the whales from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. Those dudes are very, very wealthy.

[@danweaver5787]

@@leidersammlung6955 Joe is my uncle. I used to work for him in the 90s what’s your name?

[@danielyoder3396]

The J & E cabinet shop is own by my uncle .

[@isaweesaw]

Really informative. I think you're right that generational wealth explains a lot of it, especially with farmland. As far as the business success goes, I'm not sure where I heard this, but I remember one Amish being interviewed saying that the Amish brand immediately gets associated with quality. While other companies have to struggle to get a good reputation, a business labelled as "Amish" gets good publicity for free

[@emmib1388]

and that is why you have to be careful because people do take advantage of the Amish name to trick people into buying their product. Sort of like people sell "NY Style bagels/cheesecake, etc..... it is not the same :-(

[@AmishAmerica]

That's definitely part of it. Generally the "Amish" name is well-perceived. Most Amish won't explicitly label their businesses or products as "Amish" however (a probably-growing handful do), but there are other clues and they typically don't mind when a third party promotes that aspect in the marketing.

[@AmishAmerica]

Good point Emmi!

[@youtubesucks898]

Also there are no homeless Amish. Every child is given a helping hand to get their own land. The boys live at home until they can buy their own land. They don't pay their parents rent to live there so all the money is saved to buy their own place. They are hard working and they help each other build homes and buildings. Many of the tremendous costs young people in this culture have, in order to start out keeps them from getting ahead. The Amish community helps their young people get ahead. They don't put their young people into debt like this culture does. You can get ahead much better when you're not constantly in debt to someone else. I don't agree with everything the Amish people do, but I agree with most of their financial stuff.

[@scottowensbyable]

@@youtubesucks898 everything is not icecream and donuts with the Amish. I would be horrified if I knew one of my girls wanted to marry Amish. They have married their cousins so many times their children suffer a lot of birth defects. And adults have many health problems. Some have advertised for men outside the community to have relations with their women, to try and get healthy children. Theres good and sketchy in every group. If you want to hire them, you better check on their work history first.

[@kimfleury]

Well covered, Erik. I'm reminded again of that childhood story I've mentioned so many times. The little girl asked her Grandpa why they tied their clothes while the non-Amish kids at school used buttons. Her Grandpa only told her that buttons were hand-holds for the devil. I wondered about that, and then as an adult I participated in French Colonial reenacting here in Michigan. One of the things I had to learn was that my clothing would reflect the income status of the character I was portraying. If I were poor or less well-off, then my clothing would be tied. You see, buttons in that time period were MONEY!!! Imagine that! They were made of precious metals and jewels. This of course is the period when the first Amish were coming to these shores. It all clicked. Now it soon came to pass that the early industrial revolution began, with technological innovations in glass making and use of cheaper metals making buttons more common for people who weren't wealthy, but had some means. The poorest continued to have to use ties. Over the generations that fact of history was lost in Amish oral knowledge, to where succeeding generations probably just figured it was one of the quirks of their culture that kept them living in the world but not _of_ the world. But there really was a sound biblical principle behind the cultural practice.

[@MrsGiurlani]

Thank you for posting this! What interesting insight. It makes total sense. I appreciate the information and dot connecting you've done.

[@coloradostrong]

Where in the Bible is any negative associated with buttons or being well off?

[@scottowensbyable]

@@coloradostrong no where.

[@MrsGiurlani]

@@coloradostrong Many Amish are well off and it's encouraged to be wise and have full stock houses and be able to help others. My understanding is that this in particular is referring to vanity and holding ourselves as important because we have nicer clothes than others. It isn't what the Amish or the first Christians ever would have spent their money on. To get a good sense of how the people who knew Jesus personally before his crucifixtion and how they advised new Christians after Jesus Ascended, I would refer you to the book of Acts. Being wealthy can be a blessing or a curse, it relies entirely on how it is used and how others are treated who don't have it. We are commanded to have a heart for the poor and not to decorate ourselves while we neglect those in need, from my understanding. I hope this helps! We are all students of Christ and learning and growing together. What helps ones walk, may stumble another. God bless you and yours, Angie

[@randzopyr1038]

No different than the idea the mustaches are a sign of the military/elite (which they were, in Germany, when the Amish were first coming over here).

[@lendir1]

Many young Amish from Lancaster purchase farm land in more depressed areas of Pennsylvania, because it's cheaper.

[@hildamclawhorm6305]

A wonderful group of Americans🙏🏼

[@haidengeary8277]

group of human* Has nothing to do with being "American". Considering most "Americans" do not give a shit about one another.

[@peghead]

I live in a neighboring county of Lancaster, Pa, and anytime my wife and I travel the farming districts, everything seems much cleaner and manicured compared to the farming districts of our home county. Rural Lancaster County is a very beautiful place.

[@annjuurinen6553]

All of this is easy to do when you don't have to pay your workers. Your children, your wife, all pull together and work for free. Patriarchy.

[@svamandolin3546]

The landscape of Amish country is beautiful The lawns, gardens, barns freshly painted. Such dignity in the landscape, tells of a healthy life.

[@Mia13jml]

A family friend is friends with an Amish family in Lancaster. Their property alone is worth millions. These people do very well for themselves and even better collectively

[@laurahoward7126]

Love your videos because you make the information so easy and I love to learn about different cultures and the way they do things

[@AmishAmerica]

Thanks Laura - glad to hear that.

[@mbatchelor]

There has been a split among the Amish in Pike County, MO just recently, and many of them have moved to Middletown, MO to start a community that is more progressive, and about 1/2 the families moved to Middletown. A lot of the split was over some of the people becoming to "worldly." by owning some fairly successful businesses, some of which have moved or are moving lock stock and barrel to Middletown which is about 20 miles south of the Pike County settlement just to the west of Bowling Green, MO.

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

Pike County--is that where Mark Twain came from?

[@AmishAmerica]

That's a good point - some churches feel that the businesses can get too large (really, probably every church does to some degree, but define "too large" differently). The business success and influence of successful individuals can create tensions at times. On the other hand some can get quite large and it not be a problem. One of my Amish business-owning friends has the largest Amish business I've ever heard of by a scale of at least 3-5-fold. But he very much emphasises working with the community and other smaller business owners and everyone working together. That fits the Amish ethos versus if he were haughty and proud about his great business success.

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

@@AmishAmerica As Amish communities get larger (what with their high birth rate), splits between the more worldly and the more inward-looking become more likely.

[@VictoryInYeshuaMinistry]

Very interesting. So many people like to buy Amish made things because many view them as higher quality I think. I am not surprised that they do well. How wonderful that some use their abundance to help others and show the love of God. God bless!

[@haidengeary8277]

God has nothing to do with it, this is all human ingenuity. Stop giving credit to a "god", when 75% of the world suffers needlessly.

[@gianmariavolonte4315]

I've live in the Northern Indiana Amish community (LaGrange/Elkhart) area my whole life and have worked with the Amish for decades in the RV industry. You would never know by looking at their appearance that it would be synonymous with wealth. However, most are very wealthy with either their own business and/or working in the RV factories in this area. Shipshewana is a very popular tourist area for those interested in the Amish lifestyle and their hand-crafted products. Most of the "Amish made" products sold in the stores command an outrageous price and tourists are far more than willing to pay for their goods. Most Amish that work in the RV industry generally take home $1500-2200/wk. For the Amish in this area, most of their money is invested in their property and family and ,if the need arises, for the community. Working with the Amish vs. what tourists see, can change one's perception of how they really are.

[@julieludwig8927]

Edwardsburg , MI here. Just North of Elkhart.

[@Bobby-hn3cu]

Hello, what do you mean by your last sentence?

[@gianmariavolonte4315]

@@Bobby-hn3cu Many tourists perceive the Amish as friendly, passive, non-confrontational people. While they may be true, the Amish really show their true colours in the workplace. They can be rude, belligerent and downright nasty to others (especially to female co-workers). The younger Amish guys in the teens and 20s are the worst for rude behaviour.

[@heatherwhite2788]

I have seen some very large Mennonite homes! I grew up in Grand Rapids, and this is a bit similar to Dutch culture. If you didn’t see someone’s house, you might not realize they were wealthy.

[@ladyjade6446]

They own rental properties here in BC. I mom rents a very cute apartment from them.

[@tiportangeles2696]

Great video! I learned alot!

[@AmishAmerica]

Thanks, I'm glad!

[@johnhugon8305]

I'm passing through Murphysboro Illinois and finding a large Amish community. What mystifies me is the tax structure of Illinois and the Amish being so frugal. Illinois is the leading state of people leaving and going to another state to live because of taxes. I know the Amish pay taxes just like anyone else.... I can't understand why they stay in a state that penalizes them at what they do best... working hard and doing good!!

[@lindaedwards9756]

Very interesting, I’ve always thought that it was what you do with what you have that matters the most.

[@maryjoymath3545]

Very informative, done with comfort and respect! Thank u! 🐂🐑🐖🐓👧🦋

[@donc2446]

I enjoyed this video. You described most millionaires, not just the Amish. I recommend the book Millionaire Next Door by Stanley and Denko.

[@loisfromohio3109]

Thanks for your videos

[@meatballmagoo6134]

Assisted living buildings are Amish framed. Huge jobs 1000' 3 floors, in Ashland, Copley, Peninsula . Amish are rich with family.... Holmes County is paradise.

[@janieg8287]

I live in Michigan and saw that the Amish were framing a nursing home being built next to where I lived.

[@mq5276]

Our landlord is one of the Amish millionaires. He owns multiple properties around our county and sold a huge farm to (unfortunately) industry. Other Amish were not happy about that deal.

[@AmishAmerica]

I bet. That kind of deal can really affect people's quality of life to the point that they end up moving away. Lancaster County for one has the farmland preservation program.

[@haidengeary8277]

Which goes to show you, no matter how much people prop these people up, they are still people. The same thing happens with native Americans, and casinos.

[@Ujuani68]

Some of them factory-farm poultry and... dogs...

[@LynnGoddard]

The Amish community near us certainly know how to budget their money. Th ere are a lot of family businesses and they do very well. They bring in a lot of tourist during the summer as well as the winter. They rent out rides, so they don't have the added expense of car payments or car insurance, which can be pretty pricey. I think we "English" can learn a lot from the Amish, especially where finances are involved.

[@spikefivefivefive]

The Amish have a lot more money in the budget because they largely pay no income taxes.

[@youtubesucks898]

@@spikefivefivefive , where did you get that information from? They don't pay social security because they never use social security, but they pay federal income tax and they certainly pay a lot in property taxes!

[@spikefivefivefive]

@@youtubesucks898 - What federal income taxes do Amish pay if they are paying no social security tax? How much more money would the average US citizen have "in the budget" if he or she could "opt out" of paying social security tax? The Amish also use the roads that are paid for by vehicle drivers who have to pay for it through their vehicle registrations. All those drivers sure pay a lot in taxes!

[@youtubesucks898]

@@spikefivefivefive , Amish people pay both federal and property taxes, which cover the road taxes. Amish people might not pay social security, but they also don't receive social security for retirement. Once we get a certain age, we all receive social security. I'm not sure what your complaint is exactly since the Amish people do help pay for roads and even our schools which many of them don't even use.

[@sunset6010]

Interesting topic ✔

[@Me2Lancer]

Thanks for sharing. I think the Amish lifestyle is a good example for us to live up to.

[@martincart2775]

Lots of the wealth of the Amish is due to their avoidance debt. If you are able to live within your means and put aside savings to buy things with cash you can save literal thousands in large purchases. Amish aren't all millionaires but they are all financially independent in most cases and get help from the community if a need does arrive.

[@romequiamm851]

got me wondering if the whole planet somehow adopted to the amish way of living where they focus on basic needs rather showing off with a porsche,bentley,merc and bmw.. but i think its too late for that..im just happy to see such a community immune from too much greed..i hope they last for long..

[@tangle70]

As a whole, they are the wisest group of people them it comes to business. Their shops rival any english shops. They seem to know upcoming trends in the markets they are in. If you want to know what is making money, look what they are getting into. Also they success is the work ethic and quality of work (for the most art). I have worked with lazy Amish, but they are far and few between.

[@xnetpc]

I know it's more complicated than just saying "The Amish don't use modern technology", but I still do a doubletake when I see things like plastic water bottles, cordless power drills or a sign in front of an Amish business offering vinyl siding.

[@bebeveritas7306]

My opinion is that the Amish work hard and don’t waste resources. I have friends who buy, buy, buy without regard to need versus want. I even have one friend who will not wear the same item of clothing to church in a two month period. As if anyone would notice or care. I look at the Amish as more preserving their resources and sharing than the more selfish view of mine, mine, mine.

[@JG-kv4oi]

The Amish buggy at 3:00 has chromed mirrors. That's worldly 😮

[@lovethatbluegrassmusic9899]

And they do not spend money on gym memberships. Instead they get exercise from their work such as riding bicycles to nearby Amish neighbors. The Amish I see get exercise inadvertently by traipsing around hunting, trapping, fishing, etc. Caring for their horses and other animals, provides additional exercise. Amish businesses require much lifting, stretching, and flexing. An 8th grade education is enough. I was quite surprised to see the sophisticated manufacturing setup in an Amish shop. The younger boys in the Amish family near my father's home learned skills such as tying flies which they sell for income. They don't waste money on cable TV memberships. They do not have TVs nor play games on electronic gadgets.. We enjoy their Christmas caroling every year. Have a blessed day.

[@ladyjade6446]

We buy eggs and chicken from an Amish community. My dad loved getting gardening tips from them. Very welcoming people.

[@jacobward7507]

Not mentioned in this is that in some amish or mennonite communities all money made that is extra (after your living/food expenses) goes to the church. The church then doles out money among the community. There is a name for this but I forget what it is called, and the amount you get likely depends on your standing within the church and community and your needs (for example medical or if you are building a new barn, starting a business, or recently married and buying property).

[@wilmaliles5932]

When i lived in lancaster pa the amish would go to florida to help with cleanup or rebuilding after the huricanes. I needed a coating put on my trailerhouse when i lived there and a amish man helped me do it for free.

[@jerriscollins-ruth9019]

Good video

[@AmishAmerica]

Thanks!

[@rondias6625]

I personally know a local Amish builder that have 2 pillow cases full of cash to a Amish family who's one daughter had cancer to use for her medical bills..at least here in the Amish community where I live the richer Amish are expected to help others out in their community who don't have as much money.. another Amish man I know owns a lumber yard just over the OH line from me and he quit the Amish because he got so rich and he refused to share his money when others were in need..Jacob and his wife Jemimah..basically they really got booted out of their community and now love the English high life..he only buys Cadillac cars and he's gotten 2 DUI's..drunk driving and got divorced..he's still very rich but so sad that money and the English ways have pretty much destroyed them..

[@AmishAmerica]

That can happen since we are all human but thankfully seems pretty rare, at least to the degree you describe. Sounds like a sad story though. On the other hand I think there are a lot of "pillow case" examples like that. One of my favorite stories I shared in another video but it was about the Clinic for special children auction in Leola, PA. and the generosity that event sees

[@samjones8952]

Living nearby a amish community and even going to amish farms with my work some Amish are well off while others mainly the younger married couples are just getting by but some amish own like two houses in different parts of the amish community. Lots of people come from places about 2 hours away to buy amish produce and amish made furniture ect

[@maddscientist3170]

my friends used the local Amish to put up the new addition on her home under the direction of 2 architects!....whole thing raised with the roof.....ONE DAY There also is another family mainly furniture makers that make quite a living in this area.

[@emmib1388]

they are hard workers and know for their quality of work!

[@charliepalmer3244]

I sold hardwood flooring for a bit. We had real Amish, hand-made floors available, made by a man named "Chester Miller". Excellent, expensive stuff.

[@Corgis175]

I visited a furniture/wood working business in Lancaster/Intercourse.

[@veulmet]

Love the video as usual. But for a moment I thought you were going to break out in weird Al's amish paradise lol. But seriously I would guess you'd see fancier bicycles clocks and horses/other farm animals at a wealthier amish family and with the higher quality animals that would trickle down to the rest of the community by virtue of better blood lines in every ones livestock.

[@AmishAmerica]

You can definitely tell those differences when you look for them - and I'd say it's more stark and obvious when you compare different communities. There can be a pretty vast difference between the plainest people that de-emphasize material goods and the "higher" Amish groups whose homes are in some ways closer to our English ones than they are to those of the "lowest" Amish (just btw "low-high" = terms for conservative or progressive ). P.S. maybe I need to sample weird Al for a sequel video 😄

[@Reziac]

@@AmishAmerica And now I'm remembering "Amish Rake Fight" ... nothing to do with Amish!

[@jimdellavecchia4594]

Erik has a great Phila/Baltimore accent!!

[@johnw2026]

2:54-3:04 showed the most modern Amish horse n' buggy I've ever seen. 20 bucks says there's a tv with a DVD player in it! 😂

[@livinginthepines]

A lot of the Amish homes I've seen in northern Minnesota only have felt paper up & no siding. I wonder why? Maybe they are really poor around here but Amish furniture is popular in my area with the cabin owners. And I've personally shopped at some of the big Amish greenhouses. So they should be doing pretty well.

[@sadiestoltzfus9798]

I live in Lancaster county and believe me Amish are worth millions. Farm land is desirable and the good thing is they don't sell the land to developers. It's passed down to generations.

[@Diddley-js6lf]

I believe your from Pennsylvania, the way you pronounce the Word Home or Home’s. ?

[@anncarroll2204]

Very interesting. It’s a pity that everyone doesn’t have the same philosophy.

[@TheMtggrl]

I'm thinking as well that some of the Amish landowners can be very wealthy based just on the land values, such as in Lancaster, PA. Property there sells at a very high price, so the Amish who have owned land and passed it down to children etc. have a ton of value in that land that they work and live on, but unless they sell it the money is pretty much the "soil". I do think that is why many of the older more established Amish farmers pass down or parcel out their land to their children. They're hard workers and a more frugal people by nature, so having money for them is not as exciting as it is for most English. Thanks for sharing another tidbit of great information, I love learning more and more.

[@AmishAmerica]

That's a good point on the excitement of money - there are Amish that are more consumerist than others and they do enjoy certain purchases, but in general the emphasis is not on deriving pleasure from buying stuff. Glad you liked this one 👍

[@youtubesucks898]

I'm glad that someone actually understands this concept. Their primary goal is to live of the land, so they're unlikely to sell it unless it's absolutely necessary.

[@edherwick6995]

Good, accurate video. One of the lesser known routes to wealth among the Amish is the family gender mix. While certainly a sensitive subject in our gender equity society, the number of healthy males born to a husband and wife can effect household income greatly. males from 12 to 21 can generate significant revenue. Boys work income generating tasks at home and others are hired out to other Amish businesses needing help. If you add in the ideas of your video, land, business acumen, good health and opportunity...wealth is quickly gained. One Ethridge family that I know had 11 boys and 8 of them between 12 and 21........they did well.

[@johnunsicker7440]

Not anymore. And actually, the money that the kids earn till they are 21 or so 90% of it goes to the parents for them to save for when they get married and are starting out in life. I know several Amish girls and unmarried woman that are making over $70k a year most are making $90k a year. Also, the Amish does have health insurance in most area along with personal property insurance to cover house building and equipment. More on the self-insurance kind of thing where everyone pays into it and then helps that way. They get to say how much they place is worth and pay on that number but only can get that number if somethings happen. Their realizing that they can't afford to replace a business that cost $1million they need help. as well.

[@edherwick6995]

@@johnunsicker7440 Interesting, but your contentions seem far different from my experience.

[@youtubesucks898]

@@edherwick6995 , it's because he's spewing bullshit. The Amish don't have insurance and they don't decide how to rebuild a home based on how much it was previously worth. They will rebuild the home based on what's salvageable and whether the original structure is still good and they'll likely build a house based on that. Also a single Amish woman will either stay with her parents for the rest of her life or live in a small home. Nothing outrageous.

[@kristieshanahan3746]

We frequent Holmes county often n locals say it is the Mennonites w all the cash but we see Amish w huge wads of cash in summer at local river town. Amish get hired to do multi million dollar homes because of skills n get rides. It is such a stress free existence on this earth plane.

[@denisegaylord382]

We could all learn lessons from our Amish & Mennonite friends. They have a deep seated bible based culture. They do not flaunt wealth openly. Nor do they allow themselves as a general rule to allow any of the 7 deadly sins near them. They are thrifty, hard working, modest (to outsiders, it possibly is much different with in they homes/families/communities). They prove to us all time and time again that being resistant to the novel and new, that it is possible to live an excellent life, plan well for the future, and still be comfortable without the trappings of "modern" society.

[@scottowensbyable]

I live next to an Amish/Mennonite community. They have their own kind of materlism. They love money and fight and push for land. I do not hate them, we do engage with them in business and as neighbors. There are issues you had better be aware of. They are always thinking of themselves and how can you benefit them. We are in an economic war with them over land. Its like trying to play nice with an enemy tribe.

[@ad220588]

no wonder prices have gone up in Lancaster county. The Amish also care for the landscape and it shows. sustainability, environmental protection

[@kachiri]

I'd love to go with the horse & buggy. Going somewhere in a car makes me sick, I am sensitive to the air pressure in a car while moving against gravity at that speed. And if it gets hot in the car, that makes it much worse with my effects from the air pressure. Let me back up... I have heightened senses (hearing, smell, taste, touch). I have extra "sensors" in my body, so I know better what's happening inside, then other people, who go to doctors with tech to find out what's happening in them. I also have health issues which makes things worse with environmental changes, like air pressure, heat/cold, plus a small amount of pressure applied to my chest, stomach or throat is bad, which means no seat belt in the car.

[@silent1967]

Can you handle horse farts in your face, manure and no air conditioning or heat. I figure probably not.

[@mwj5368]

If community is the most important, wouldn't if one makes a million that they put a percentage into a common community fund? Also, how can one Amish make millions and another not? Is it because anyone can play the stock market? Your furniture is top quality. I met a lady who wasn't Amish and it appeared she was doing very well and all she sold in her store was Amish made furniture. Aren't the very high quality Amanda refrigerators made by you? Thanks for your very interesting videos!

[@jwiereng]

1:57 coyote in wood shop ?

[@jonathanwilliams6442]

The big box grocery stores that have the ag. Dept in there pockets are also putting the Amish out of farming

[@FrogeniusW.G.]

I love woodworking.

[@jeffreybodean7300]

I miss old school farming.

[@sminthian]

Where do they put this money? Do they use normal banks? Or have internal Amish banks? Or just stash loads of cash somewhere? Normal banks don't seem like something they'd use...

[@justinmiller3754]

I say this with a grain of salt but what about characters like "Lebanon Levi" that were shown on Discovery channel. It is my understanding that most of what was portrayed on that show to some degree, is real within the Amish community. Yes of course with great dramatic affect for the tv show but was wondering if you have any insight to such a program?

[@BTCGEEK]

being an insider i know that lebanon Levi is prejudiced against the amish.

[@CommanderKeen3.5Disk]

Did you ever look into the (Amish Bank)?

[@haidengeary8277]

If you do not spend money on things you could do without, you tend to build-up wealth. How is this even remotely shocking? Wow, this video is amazing, never did I see this coming. /s

[@elliefoust]

Erik, I believe I know where you’re from by your “accent” I could be wrong but IYKYK

[@Paleface324]

I live about 45 minutes from an Amish community and I enjoy visiting their community and learning about their ways. However, I think many peoples have romanticized them. They're not all wonderful, hard working people. They're human just like the rest of us.

[@suzanneoshannessy7666]

Beautiful lifestyle

[@mike.p.1400]

That’s a good thing to admire about them. I admire them because they are frugal. (Cheap).

[@AmishWebmaster]

They don't have to worry about police pulling them over. Keeping a low profile helps to avoid lots of trouble.

[@EllonMuskrat]

I saw a amish lady driving a van yesterday in Indiana

[@michaelwasiljov8633]

My mother worked at a hospital in Baltimore and Amish would come down from Lancaster and pay their bills in cash.

[@jmwilinski]

If a non Amish was showing off their wealth, I question that as well. Non Amish may be lying about their supposed wealth. Why I like Amish, money is not the end goal.

[@franklsuarez]

If you are interested in minimalistic living, I would recommend *Walden* by Henry David Thoreau. Some days I wish I could away from the distraction of modern technology.

[@klauskarbaumer6302]

I noticed even the Amish have started spending humungous sums on horses during those last few years.

[@victorjohnson7512]

No car payments or electric bills.

[@protofmaster]

Erik, I don't feel that their non-liquid land assets are necessarily a "wealth" benefit to Amish who own much farm land, (unless they are actually investing in land). It can actually be a financial liability, when they go to pass their land along to their offspring, which can be very expensive in some parts of the country, due to inheritance tax laws. So even though on paper they may look like a millionaire, in reality they may be struggling to help the family keep the farm.

[@youtubesucks898]

This is exactly what I've been trying to explain to people on here who think they'll sell the land to become wealthy. The fact is that land means more than anything else to the Amish people because they believe in self sufficiently and living off the land. If they do sell it, they may actually sell it to another Amish family first and possibly even charge them less than the land value.

[@cynthiajohnston424]

To protofmaster : True . Many Amish in central & southern Illinois are " land poor " . Also , many younger generations are leaving the Amish community for more education then jobs w/ benefits or work in various trades , as farming can no longer support generation after generation of large families . This seems to mirror the changes that took place w/ the non-Amish of our farming communities many decades ago - from rural to city & farming to " factory " .

[@calebe9060]

Wish the best for the amish people. If their fertility do not change they will be like 100 million people till 2120, and I can't complain about it But I'm quite interested in how they will manage their culture and society in a context of high demographic density

[@ladypilliwick8179]

when I was young the old farmers told me to buy stock. not metal so I bought cows. never bought a tractor.... if I planted grass. I hired it done. I'm a multi millionaire now we're about to see a great financial crash because. people invested their money in very expensive houses. very expensive cars. very expensive degree papers. sad if they had just leased some land and bought a cow. they would have a cash flow.

[@KutWrite]

I assume you're not Amish due to your use of computers and the internet. How are you connected to them?

[@emmib1388]

if you go back to his earlier vlogs I believe there is one that explains it :-)

[@truthseekerKJV]

The Amish are working before the sun comes up, and they work long hours. They don't have car payments, or utility bills. They grow their own produce and raise their own meat so their food costs are far below wholesale prices. Their money goes into buying land and supplies needed to keep their farm and livestock going. They are smart people who obviously spend their money wisely, so you can bet they have a good supply of cash.

[@61loneviking]

Do the Amish use banks? If they invest in stocks they must have access to the internet somewhere. Or do they keep much of their cash at home in a safe?

[@AmishAmerica]

They do - there is a video on it here. Checking accounts are standard for Amish households. Some use credit cards

[@AmishAmerica]

Safes also are fairly common

[@annjuurinen6553]

I have known one Mennonite woman who had to leave her husband because he beat her so badly that her doctor warned her that if she stayed with him she would be dead shortly. Her entire family shunned her because she left her husband. She gave birth to 10 children, but only 5 of them survived. She was brave but heartbroken. There are other stories like this I am sure. Most Mennonites are not like this, however, I wonder how many other women and children suffer under a patriarchy that focusses on the acquisition of wealth. Physical abuse is part of this system.

[@rickrandom6734]

Hello. Are Amish migrating to new areas in USA and possibly to other countries? I have heard Mennonites have migrated quite recently to some South American countries. Amish are not great fans of contraceptives I guess, so their population must be increasing. I am European. We don´t have any similar communities here. At least to my knowledge.

[@emmib1388]

Mennonites have been in South America for some time now. and the Amish are in quite a few states around the country -- don't know of any in Alaska or in the West Coast states but many states east of that .

[@halkizerian9604]

I live hear the Clark Missouri Amish knew several millionare s of course I am guessing likely a couple of food stores furniture manufactures one of them I knew used to sneak off to Montana to go hunting there are a few that were likely in the half a million status

[@lindaSee89]

Sure they are. They don’t pay taxes. Their businesses pay cash to employees.

[@kimfleury]

Proof?

[@kimfleury]

P.S. the Commandment says, "Thou shalt not bear false witness."

[@emilygarman6640]

Where did you hear that?🤔 The Amish I know, pay taxes... I worked for an Amish and I Never got payed with cash.

[@vmorning3506]

When everyone wears the same clothes and eats the same things...it is so much cheaper to supply them.

[@Pixiesantics]

Did you do a video about the Amish industry covid. How did they take the pandemic?

[@sweetsuccesstrading5097]

Previous Video. They were the Smart ones, along with Others in Red States. Completely ignored the Ignorant Government and Lived as they Always did, and Made a Fortune through the Plandemic, while Governments were Killing Small Businesses on a Global Scale.

[@oceanlover1663]

They pretty much went back to normal. Yes, the virus spread like wild fire. Drove one state health officer nuts because they wouldn't take the test or anything. The last I know, nobody from my dad's community died from it.

[@1_800_realestate]

Amish be like: What pandemic?

[@AmishAmerica]

No video about that specifically (just a general one on vaccination). But last 2 years I've written a ton of posts about it and also a paper. I'm not planning any video because I'm pretty tired of the topic right now. But there's a lot here: amishamerica.com/category/covid-19-coronavirus/ plainanabaptistjournal.org/article/view/8022/5926

[@laken1804]

Yes, I'd like to know.