Visiting Amish Country in Indiana. What to Do!

[@TheLizardKing1967]

I am half Swiss German and half English. I visited my girlfriend's parents in Grand Rapids and drove south to Shipshe for the day back in the Summer of 1992 when i was 28 years old. I visited the local flea market and bakery. I LOVED it! I love the Amish and Mennonite communities. Great video!!!

[@tracybercegeay4264]

Buggy Lane Tours is our favorite! John is the host, and he takes you on a ride around Shipshewana. He brings you to his brother-in-laws dairy farm for a tour then you have the option of joining him a and his wife for dinner. We’ve been to their home for dinner twice! Amazing food and amazing fellowship

[@bettyh1100]

Don’t miss E&S sales. When I lived near by Shipshe I loved shopping there for bulk foods and a lot more. It’s not so touristy as many places.

[@kimmarkey8076]

Love E and S sales!

[@draigess]

This is a cool video. I now live in Amish country right by there. I’ve been to a few Amish stores and a restaurant so far. I think it’s awesome having carriages going past my place all day. I also think it’s awesome that most of the stores and restaurants around here have a place to tie the horses out. Even Walmart, Aldi, and some fast food places like Culver’s have horse tie outs!

[@joleneyutzy8991]

Another good place for lunch is Millies Garden Cafe on the top floor of the Davis Mercantile. Super good food, good prices. There is a Carasoul that is fun for the kiddos, Aunt Millies Candy Store that is an old fashioned candy store, and you can watch them make some of the candies. There's also a fun kids store...toys, books, costumes.

[@carolyngochenaur6765]

Dutch Creek Farms has all the farm and exotic animals on 1000 W north of SR 120. There’s also Cook’s Bison Ranch close to Adams Lake north of 700 S and 550 E, Wolcottville, IN. They do tours too.

[@dnorris4733]

I live in Indiana, have been to Shipshewana numerous times. Another Amish community is in Grabill Indiana. Love seeing the Amish farms dotted in between the "English" farms.

[@joanhenschel3511]

I had a good chuckle about the Amish chap's quip about the mating season ‐ very quick and sharp chap!

[@tjholmes67]

The common folks refer to Rise & Roll as Amish Crack 😋

[@theamishpotato]

Haha forgot about that. It’s delicious

[@paisley1134]

I live in Niles Michigan. 5 miles from Notre Dame. We always go to Shipshawana .We stop at some Bakeries and stores there. My mom was a nurse for a family in Topeka.

[@rennys_roost2283]

We go to Shipshewana all the time! Definitely check out the parade of lights!

[@joniangelsrreal6262]

Hello Beautiful One🌟 Happy to view your latest video... Blessings to you and yours....🙏🏼

[@cassandraschumacher4899]

A nosy KZbin here! Not sure how I found your channel but I'm hooked! Grown up in WI and now a Nevadan. Many stories of Shipshewana back in the 80s and 90s.....my mom is a quilt addict! Anyways...love the channel. He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!!

[@jonasstoltzfus6973]

I was born Amish, I have never found the love of God like i have after i left, i am doing some ministry and going to bible college now, and i love the lord with all my heart, I love my Amish family but i am not even allowed to go home to them but all i want is to show them the true love of God, I would like to connect with you sometime, I left the old order Amish in Kentucky,I now live in Georgia. Hope to meet you sometime.

[@theamishpotato]

That’s awesome. Bible college sounds like something interesting. You can email me at [e-mail]

[@jonasstoltzfus6973]

Thanks

[@paws057]

I've never been to Shipshewana but I'm going to have to make a trip now. I've been to Holmes County Ohio a lot and love that area. I used to buy feeder pigs at the auction in Mount Hope and always liked the area. Those doughnuts you mentioned sound great and I've never met one I didn't like!:) Also the bulk foods store sounds interesting too. Thanks! PS: My great grandfathers name was Carl Miller or Muller when he came over from Germany in the 20s. He changed it to Miller to be more American I guess? Thought that was interesting too..lol

[@yque4733]

"It's mating season" This had me choking on my coffee. 🤣

[@rickgibson4641]

I love visiting the area , only about an hour away. Love the Amish buffet in Middlebury and the fresh strawberry pies from the bakery there when in season. They are the best strawberry pies I’ve ever had anywhere!

[@conniethingstad1070]

my northern Indiana family talks about Rise and Roll a lot. I haven't had one of their doughnuts yet but will someday.

[@Mr111BigDaddy111]

My best friend lives in Goshen! We travel through Amish country every time we go out there to visit him. Was cool seeing the name Shipshewana pop up on the video! I live in northern Ohio and nearby me is a large Amish community as well in Middlefield. Love the videos! P.S. I do LOVE the Essenhaus!

[@rociinolte9473]

Amish donuts are the best,never ate better donuts than those. Big and Fluffy ate them at the state fair in Tampa Florida.

[@joyceyoder9401]

ah Rise and Roll is the best!! And the Essenhaus-yum, I wanna go back!! I've wondered where you came up with the name of Amish Potato?! Love it!!

[@theamishpotato]

My brother in law suggested it kind of as a joke. Probably because I used to be amish and now live in Idaho, the potato state. I couldn't think of anything better so I kept it:)

[@joyceyoder9401]

@@theamishpotato well duh I didn't think about the Idaho connection-that's awesome!!!!

[@janwray547]

Blue Gate Theatre is excellent! Shows, concerts!

[@TracyH007]

Q&A👍 with CJ....Yes! 🔔Another Great Video.!! 🔔Great info. I'm in the corn and bean fields, a hop skip and a jump s.w. of your old stomping ground. I've been to shipshewana flea market. 🐎 Now Im looking forward to stopping at that bakery with the fluffy donuts😆. 📌Side note: Chevy 4x4👍 Noticed a cough again....

[@theamishpotato]

slight stuffy nose with throat tickle.

[@davidgibson9866]

I’m remembering an Amish mans donut shop not far from the RV surplus center near Elkhart.... Absolutely the best donuts (and I would know 😆) wonderful area to visit👍🏻

[@kimmarkey8076]

Love the bent and dent stores like Forks but were closer to Rabers in Wolcottville

[@dixiejones6800]

We like going to the Topeka horse auctions and specialty auctions.

[@tammy5590]

Are you the only sibling who has left the faith or do you have other siblings that have left too.

[@kimmarkey8076]

Rise and Roll donuts are called Amish Crack here in northern Indiana

[@Joseph88keyz]

Great to know, thanks! Shipshewana isn't very far from me

[@veldajean1]

One of the places I like to hit when visiting is the Yoder Meat and Cheese place on the main highway thru town, especially when we drive up there and can haul some of their meet and cheese home with us. We love Essenhaus too. Yoder Popcorn is another place south of town. My hubby loves their microwave popcorn, the tiny tender stuff. We will get it by the case. 🙂

[@theamishpotato]

Ive never been to Yoder popcorn. Will check it out next time for sure. We always just bought their stuff at stores. Yes, Yoder Meat and Cheese is always a stop we make. We also usually by a few cases of the Eckridge Cheese Smokies to take home and freeze because they are not available out here.

[@kellyz8402]

Yoder Popcorn moved. They are on the corner of 5 & 20 (if I remember right). It is a much bigger place than the one south of town.

[@jicsayr5578]

Velda,,, Watched both the videos! I'm not sure where to start and stop..... I know the LaGrange/Ship area as mom was from LaGrange and dad was from Topeka.Moved out of Indiana when I was 5 or 6 to Ohio and lived there for 50 + years and now 6 yrs in Alaska. I've bought pop corn at the corner of 5&20,I know where these are,,,the essenhaus, the cheese house etc!!! My cousin took care of an old lady that lived a few houses west of up-town Ship. SO MANY MEMORIES!!! I left the amish in 1985 at 26 yo and of course got put in the "baun" to this day! We left to live for God, not all the wordly junk. So glad you did the same! I want to relate what was revealed to me,,,,, I wondered for years why some leave and "go wild" and others leave and lead a Godly life. I heard a preachers testimony of his father dying when he was 15 yo and he went way "down hill" from there. (but is now living for God) So when you look at a young amish life being "forced" to be amish and follow the lifestyle, on the outside this person may look amish but on the inside he/she is unregenerated. And with the preacher/church/mom and dad authority over them it holds them to the amish-hood. Then when they run away from under that authority over them, they revert back to what was inside ,,,,,thus the wild life!!! Just like the "rum springa" ,,,, they go party,drink, dope,sex around bc that is fallen mans nature. BTW,, where we lived rum springa was "letts"!!! And yes,, I'm a Yoder,,, mom was Troyer. Are you still in TX?

[@veldajean1]

@@jicsayr5578 yes, I’m still in Texas, 20 yrs this year. I’ve grown quite fond of the south and enjoy the warm, and friendly southerners. I think you have good insight about the young kids. That issue itself is so multi faceted. Like you said, you have what you described as unregenerate youth, being held under the thumb of illegitimate authority. The authority they are under is largely, not in all cases, but for many, a form of authoritarianism, ruling them with an iron fist and it’s why so many wanna run away from it the first chance they get, it’s stifling to their person, (whether they can recognize that or not)and who God created them to be. True authority is not stifling to a person but actually serves to protect, love, serve, train and empower the individual to help them learn how to govern and put to death their carnal appetites and become who God created them to be. The way out from under that authoritarian rule is usually “Rumspringa” Yet, it’s not true freedom to finally get to do whatever you want. So they swing from the crazy and stifling religious legalism to a complete abandonment of all that, to licentiousness (living to please self). When they tire of that they go back to what they have always known and are familiar with, unless they defy all odds and break away into the unknown. Its easier to go back to what is familiar vs. treading into the unknown. Your so right both of these are rooted in their fallen or carnal nature. They are not being introduced to the gospel that sets them free from both of these. True freedom is to be liberated from both and to choose to live a spirit-led life, and to follow Christ and His ways, and be transformed to talk, act and embody the characteristics of Christ. I actually have a lot of compassion for the Amish youth, it’s so sad to me, to see them sort of flounder around so much and not have the education (not just academically, but relational skills and spiritual life) and foundation that would empower and equip them for the challenges life brings, in general. When I got married I left behind my maiden name : “Bontrager”to become a “Johnson” 👍

[@jicsayr5578]

@@veldajean1 Thanks so much for your reply!!! Its so sad that they are where they are and most "don't" want to "see" the truth.Even though I've been gone so long I don't reject "my" people, they have a soul just like anyone else that needs to be saved. But I guess you understand how it goes if you or I would go back and try to share the gospel with them,,,,,you get the cold shoulder treatment! Way back when the bishop X'ed me out, latter that year I wrote him a letter and told him I don't except the baun and if they don't erase it, it will come back on them, and that I look at it as a curse. At the time there were 67 families in the district. In some years after this almost 1/2 of them moved out and to this day there are 3 different groups that will not fellowship together in this district. Out of that 2 new areas were started and one of those went to nothing. On top of that at least 3 of his boys left the amish.This bishop has passed a few years ago and I have to wonder what he would have to say if he could come back and have a conversation with me. About a year and a half ago I was visiting with his wife and she was so kind to me. The neighbor lady was there and Lydia invited me in and we sat at the same table and had tea and cookies and talked!!!! That was so nice of her!! All my siblings (11 of us) left the OOA, one brother is new order, mom ( shes 88) is in new order and dad is gone. Here is my e-mail if you want to write to me there,,,,, [e-mail] Velda,, you and your hubby do the best you can bc I believe we don't have a lot of years left,,, Things will get very hard for God's kids. God bless and keep you for His kingdom!!! I have a cousin that is married to Ervin Bontrager (Alva and Katie Ann) from LaGrange area. Don't know if that would be in your line of relatives or not. Hope to hear from you again!!🙂

[@joleneyutzy8991]

6mile soooo much better than Country Corral. Also there is no comparison between JoJos and Ben's. Jojos is ALWAYS better!😁 Plus at JoJos the Kitchen Cupboard is right next to it. Their coffee and coffee specialty drinks are amazing 👏.

[@SomewhereInIndiana1816]

I love to visit Shipshewana!

[@pamfink4052]

I go up to Goshen once a year to see my oncology specialist and always make time to drive over to Shipshe for a couple of hours. There's a little place called Southern Charm Ladies Boutique and I always go in there to buy modest denim skirts, etc. As a conservative Apostolic Pentecostal lady it's hard to find modest clothes and I can always find them there. Also love going to the cheese shop lol.

[@mrpopicockismyfriendJLBmyenem]

What’s the cheese shop called?

[@rositarumble4880]

THANK YOU TO TAKE US TO DEEPER UNDERSTANDING THE AMISH LIVING. THERE ARE SO MANY ADMIRALBLE WAYS OF THE AMISH, BUT I DO HAVE A DEEP TROUBLE TO UNDERSTAND AND THAT IS THE SEXUAL ABUSE IN THE FAMILIES. OLDER BROTHERS AND EVEN FATHERS SEXUALLY ABUSING THEIR INNOCENT YOUNG CHILDREN. IT SEEMS IT IS A CURSE. IT IS SO SAD AND ABHORRING. I PRAY SOMEONE WITH AUTHORITY WILL CONFRONT THIS HORRIFIC CRIME..

[@craftyjacki5046]

Hey there! I love your channel. I live in Valparaiso and they put a small Rise and Roll here. Try to get to Shipshe in October every year to celebrate my birthday. There’s a fall festival around that time. One of my favorite stores is E & S. There’s also a nice resale shop there. Do you know if Amish ladies have yard sales? Or are they more apt to give unwanted items away?

[@theamishpotato]

They do have garage sales sometimes. Usually when every one else does as well.

[@allisonjanik7302]

I live in Topeka and avoid Shipshewana like the plague because of all the tourists, but the Essenhaus tastes better than Blue Gate in my opinion. Also the Amish zoo was shut down, but I went to school with the eldest daughter. Great family. Sad that the zoo closed

[@allisonjanik7302]

Topeka Pizza is pretty good. There are new ice cream places, Mom's ice cream is really good. Also Tiffany's in Topeka is another good hangout for the Amish

[@theamishpotato]

No really? It was great. Do you know why?

[@allisonjanik7302]

@@theamishpotato I believe they could not afford to feed the animals anymore and the enclosures were getting too small

[@JMijares]

@@allisonjanik7302 are you talking about the Dutch Creek Animal Park? Because they opened for the season earlier this month.

[@janegrant4396]

I am from Northwest Indiana, and do occasionally go to Shipshewana, or nappannee. A while back,in Elkhart,at the tourist bureau,they had a self-guided Amish tour with a CD. It seems the Amish, most naturally want their privacy respected.Have you heard of what I’m talking about, and if so what is your opinion or idea about this? P.s.- I like your website, and that God has really showed you more about Him, and to bring others to Christ.

[@theamishpotato]

I haven’t heard about it. Can you send more info to [e-mail]

[@jimcox6687]

Check out the MEC Center.

[@theamishpotato]

I have never been there since its kinda new. What do they have there?

[@jimcox6687]

It is called Michiana Event Cente They host rodeo, tractor pulls, auctions,tool shows, horse shows, ect. It is a mastive building.

[@jimcox6687]

Has your dad ever bought hay from Lambrights auction sale in Shipshee?

[@theamishpotato]

@@jimcox6687 not that I’m aware of but I’m not sure where he gets it lately

[@jmsauctionbarn2492]

really enjoyed eating at Das Essen Haus

[@janwray547]

You HAVE to see the flea market!!!!

[@johndunn678]

My wife would enjoy a bed & breakfast in Amish country. Any suggestions

[@theamishpotato]

Probably have to do a google search as I don’t know where they’re at. I’m sorry I can’t help

[@christinalaska]

It’s mating season! 🤣🤣☠️

[@susiepoe3240]

Kinda funny how people perceive Amish as being so 'different'. I mean really they're just people.

[@billii4L]

Do they abide by federal laws or do they do their own thing?

[@theamishpotato]

The ones here in northern Indiana bide by the law as whole. Smaller stricter communities might disobey them in some areas.

[@neilramseyer5348]

In Ohio. Everyone thinks Lehman's Hardware in Kidron is where the Amish shop, very far from truth

[@theamishpotato]

I have wondered about that. I, however, want to visit it someday.

[@suzannemazzola2093]

Where to buy quilts?

[@theamishpotato]

They are everywhere I think. There is an Amish store on the corner of US 20 an C.R. 1000 between shipshewana and middlebury that has them I believe

[@carolyngochenaur6765]

Topeka Pizza is good!!!

[@mclamb2011]

Thank you fo r a very interesting video. I would love to visit but I don’t want to intrude on their lifestyle. But, after saying that if I could go I wold specifically interested in quilt stores. Stores where they sell fabric and I would want these to be Amish owned. I have spent enough money in the chain stores. Also, a harder question is how are the addressing Covid? Thank you and take care.

[@veldajean1]

There is a great quilt store in the Davis Mercantile. It’s called Lolly’s Fabrics. They hire Amish ladies to quilt and piece together all their quilts. They are expensive but the time and detail that goes into the making of one them is worth the price that is pd, IMHO. Very quality and detailed work. I used to work there years ago, a great place.

[@susiepoe3240]

They have a few shops.

[@theamishpotato]

I can't really answer the covid question, since I live in Idaho. But from what I'm gathering from my friends on Facebook they are mostly back to normal, going about business as normal without masks I believe.

[@Drakemiser]

I live and grew up in Louisville KY. I remember as a kid, in the 90's, Amish people in horse and buggy in downtown Louisville, but I do not see them any more. Was there a farm in northern KY or southern Indiana that you knew of? Did they leave? Just thought you might know being from Indiana. And thanks, this channel is very enlightening.

[@theamishpotato]

Thanks for watching. There are a few in southern Indiana but not close enough to drive to Louisville. Not sure about Kentucky.

[@Drakemiser]

@@theamishpotato Thanks for the reply. I know the Amish made electric heaters for the poor; uhh... I had one. That is to say they, they were for locals around this area. They looked like stoves with fake fire. I loved it. Anyhow, thanks. I'll keep watching. Glad you found the Lord the way you did. I too tried denominations on like coats before realizing that it doesn't matter if you call me a toaster, so long as I know God through Jesus. Thanks again.

[@susiecox8413]

Are you from Shipshe? Where do you live?

[@theamishpotato]

Raised in shipshe, but living in Idaho

[@susiecox8413]

@@theamishpotato Love Shipshe but have not been to Idaho, maybe one of these days tho

[@susiepoe3240]

Go to the Mecca!! Lol

[@wreynnwood4097]

Haaahahaa mating season

[@joleneyutzy8991]

Amish made RVs😆😆