DOREEN'S AMISH HANDMADE GOODS

Amish Handmade Goods

 

The Amish in my area live in the south western portion of New York State and I believe are the Swartzentruber Amish. The main towns are Leon, Cherry Creek, Conewango Valley, and Randolph. They have very strict ways such as; they use a horse and buggy, no electricity, no telephones, and no indoor plumbing which obviously means the use of outhouses. Their buggies and homes are also very plain.

 

A lot of the Amish have hand made signs outside of their homes near the road that tell what they make and sell. Sometimes there will be a handmade sign on a street corner with an arrow telling which direction a particular business can be found.  Businesses like the harness maker and woodworker have separate buildings on their property, but most of the “quieter” businesses like a quilt maker, basket maker, or rug maker, have a room attached to their house usually on the side with a separate door  that they display and sell their products. Through the years I bought several of their beautiful hand goods.

 

The oil lamp with an oak wood backing was made by a wood worker that also makes furniture. They had beautiful chairs, tables, and boxes like our English “hope chests” that can have a persons name carved into the wood. I collect oil lamps and bought two of these to hand on my wall.

 

The basket was made right in an Amish home and was displayed and sold on their enclosed front porch. They can see you pull in their driveway and stop what their doing to answer questions and complete the sale. Sometimes women are baking or tending to their children when they come to greet you. My basket is signed and dated by the weaver on the bottom.

 

The iron hook was made in their iron shop, not by a blacksmith. Of course the process is the same but without the horses. They have a coal fire going where the metal is heated, pounded, and turned into this lovely creation. This is all done in a separate building near the house, and gas engines with belts are used to power any machinery that’s required.

 

The main driving route to get to the Amish area is Route 62. As you get close and start to see the horse and buggies on the road, one of the first businesses that you come by is The Cheese Shop. It’s not Amish owned, but they use the Amish milk to make their cheese, so it’s an important business to the community. Along with having delicious cheese in a large variety, they have a little show room that sells some of the Amish handmade goods. They usually have a map available to show where some of the Amish  farms are that have items for sale. It’s wonderful to spend an afternoon driving around the area and finding these unique places and seeing the farms, children, and horse and buggies. If you’re planning to be in this area and would like directions, you can contact me through Marilyn on New York State of Mind and I can send you a map. Mine is quite old, but I’m quite sure the businesses are in the same places.


I THANK DOREEN FOR THIS POST.  IF YOU HAVE ANY AMISH OR OLD ORDER MENNONITE ITEMS, PLEASE TAKE PICTURES AND TELL US A BIT ABOUT THEM.  SEND THEM TO ME AT: LINCOLNLADY1121@YAHOO.COM  I WILL PUT IT ON A POST HERE.

 

 

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