Amish Country News October 2025

HANDMADE is Our Heritage

From Families Who Make the "RIEHL" Difference

Our farm features 100 local family craft businesses offering hand made products. All locally made!

• Quilts to Brighten Your Home

Discover the beauty of Traditional Amish Quilts with wide selections of King, Queen or Single.

• Country Gifts & Crafts

The ultimate gift waits for you including souvenirs, Quillows, hand bags & purses, leather goods, things for the kids, for your baby, and more!

• Body Care

All natural body care made in Lancaster County, PA, including lotions, soaps, lip balm and more.

• For the Home

Decorate your space and bring it new light including kitchen items, home decor, pillows, lap throws, wall hangings, bird houses & feeders, brooms and more.

Mon.–Sat. 8 a.m.–5 p.m., CLOSED SUN Evenings by appointment only. For our catalog or information call

From Rt. 340 take Rt. 772 West. Right on Stumptown Rd. then right on Eby Rd. We’re the First Farm on the Left — LOOK FOR OUR SIGN! Whether local or

Travelers have been traversing Lancaster County along Route 30 for well over two centuries. And for over 70 years, a very special building has signaled their arrival in Amish Country. It has a legitimate claim on being the area’s oldest visitor landmark. Most importantly, it’s the “place that made shoo–fly pie famous.” That iconic structure is the Dutch Haven windmill.

With a history dating back to the beginnings of tourism here, the building is rich in memories. From the time it started as a luncheonette in 1920 right up to the present, it has remained most famous for shoo–fly pie, served warm with whipped cream. The Dutch Haven shoo–fly pie has even been mentioned in a TIME magazine article.

Today, as soon as you walk in, you’ll be offered a free sample of that same delicious, gooey pie. Some 40,000 pies are baked annually, using the original (secret) recipe. Visitors are still encouraged to “Take one for yourself or send one to someone nice.” You can buy and ship pies home at the store or at their “online shop,” where you’ll find other local crafts as well.

Yes, Dutch Haven is much more than pies, with over 10,000 unique gift items, foods, and collectibles. Some of the most popular are jams, jellies, and canned goods, noodles, hex signs, quilted spice mats, Amish straw hats, jewelry and gemstones, Amish dolls, onyx and soapstone animals, trivets, Tiffany lamps, framed prints, plenty of T–shirts and postcards, and a tremendous selection of

Amish–made outdoor furniture. It’s an eclectic mix, to say the least. As you explore, you’ll discover lots of other “surprises” around every corner. Expect the unexpected! And don’t forget the Amish–style root beer in the barrel.

Dutch Haven is now open Monday and Thursday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., and closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Hours are subject to change. Visit our website for information. For more info about this Lancaster County landmark, call 717.687.0111. Look forward to your free sample when you walk in under the welcoming arms of the windmill for this truly is the place that made shoo–fly pie famous.

Lancaster County… Taste

By Clinton Martin

Amish Country is known as a destination for many reasons, clip-clopping buggies, handmade

nationwide for delicious, freshly picked, wholesome edibles. Who can resist scratch-made, down-

you’ve picked a wonderful time to experience the area. October is “harvest” season, with the bounty of the season now mature and ready to pick.

For many visitors to Lancaster County, the trip is about tasting these tempting dishes, but where to go to get a real taste of Amish Country? Head down just about any back road and you are bound to find a roadside stand selling what’s in season. But, for a growing number of ardent fans, the best way to taste the bounty of the PA Dutch region is to tuck into an expertly filled, carefully baked Zook’s Homemade Chicken Pie.

Zook’s specializes in homemade chicken pies, hence the name. But what started out as solely a Chicken Pie bakery has now expanded into sausage pies, beef pies, and even a savory vegetable pie. The bakery also has a line of scrumptious apple dumplings, various jams, jellies, pickles, noodles, preserves, and now include tasty premade sandwiches, soups, and scrumptious baked goods are available at their easy to get to location, with a completely renovated retail section in the

new bakery storefront. There’s a ton of parking spaces now too!

Zook’s is not a restaurant, but rather a bakery that mixes masterfully the pies into a fresh or frozen preparation, ready for you to take home to the campsite, RV, or hotel where you finish them off for a

dinner you’ll not soon forget. If you are concerned about getting your frozen pies home, Zook’s has you covered. They have insulated travel bags with cool packs available for a modest sum that

you can stuff your purchases in to keep them properly chilled till you get home. For the most authentic experience, go directly to the bakery, but if you can’t

get there, Zook’s Homemade Chicken Pies are sold at a number of area farmers markets, independent grocery stores, and unique retailers. Find out where you can get a Zook’s pie by calling the bakery at (717) 768-0239. You’ll have to leave a message, but you can expect a call back. You can visit the bakery in person by pointing your GPS to 3427 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise, PA 17562. Or by visiting their website https://reallancastercounty.com/ zooks-homemade-chicken-pies/.

Zook’s Homemade Chicken Pies is open daily except for Sunday. No matter how you get your hands on a Zook’s Homemade Chicken Pie rest assured this is not your run-of-the-mill, frozen-food-section, mass-produced pie at the local big box grocery chain. These pies are absolutely delicious and will redefine

the pot-pie genre for your palate. Bon Appetite!

…All in One Tidy Package

Antiquing in Amish Country

By Ed Blanchette

Do you enjoy searching for antiques? Perhaps you are looking for that special something, or you just enjoy searching for a surprise to add to your home decor. Maybe you hope to find an item worthy of an “Antique Roadshow.” Whatever you discover, once you find it, it becomes your personal treasure.

What makes Lancaster County such a great place to go antiquing? One obvious answer would be that this area has a rich history going back hundreds of years to the first settlers in the early 1700s. Many of us have stuff in our attics that we have forgotten about, or inherited. Who knows what may be out there either at a yard sale

or an antique shop? Here in Lancaster County we boast thousands of antique shops and dealers. The Adamstown area alone has over 3,000 antiques dealers, and is known as Antiques Capital, U.S.A. The many locations stretch out along Route 272, just off Pennsylvania Turnpike, Exit 286.

Whether you are after a rarity, or just something old that intrigues you, you’ll find everything from sheet music to music boxes, pocket watches to kitchen sinks, nostalgic clothes to beautiful wardrobes to hang them in. Glassware, crafts, toys, clothes, artwork, china, quilts and fabrics, memorabilia...the list is endless!

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Bakeries & Specialty Eats in

& Around Amish Country

By Edward Blanchette

Well, we finally made it! For most people Spring and Summer are usually the go-to season most people reference as their “Favorite”, as seasons go. I’ll concede that they have their place and perks. Spring with its promise and renewal of life after a long winter, shedding the winter garb and the fresh air that rushes in when you open up the house, after many months of being closed up. That and cute baby animals everywhere. Then there’s summer, with its adventures of vacation travel, schools being out, water sports and beaches, ice cream & barbeques, and slowly sipping a cold iced tea on the porch on a long hot summer’s day.

But for me, it’s Fall! There are thousands of reasons I personally love, love this season. Just a few to consider are cooler temps, the foliage changing color across the land, corn mazes & bon-fires, the smell of pumpkin spice and potpourri in the air and so on. But what is the thing I love most about fall? Baked goods! That wonderful smell

that travels through the air, tickles your nose with curiosity, and makes your tummy growl with anticipation of what is to come. Cakes, pies, cookies, breads, and all of those other wonderful, tasty treats that come out of those ovens. It just makes me giddy knowing they’re just a taste away. Ahhh, you can bet with certainty in “Amish Country”, that there’s an oven of a local bakery firing up and producing those wonderful, tasty morsels of fall.

Bread baking began in Ancient Greece around 600 BC, leading to the invention of enclosed ovens. “Ovens and worktables have been discovered in archaeological digs from Turkey (Hacilar) to Palestine (Jericho (Tell Es-Sultan)) and date as far back as 5600 BC”. A little closer to home, the first bakery in Philadelphia was in 1846, Thomas Wattson established a biscuit bakery, housed in a four-story building on North Front Street. Then there is the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, Americas first commercial pretzel bakery

Bird-In-Hand Bake Shop

542 Gibbons Road, Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505

717-656-7947 bihbakeshop.com

(See ad on page 30)

Countryside Road Stand 2966 Stumptown Road, Ronks, PA 17572

717-656-9206

(See ad on page 24)

Dutch Haven

2857-A Lincoln Hwy East, Ronks, PA 17572 717-687-0111 www.dutchhaven.com

(See ad on page 3)

Cake and Cup Bake Shoppe 12 W Newport Road, Lititz, PA 17543 717-639-2510 cakeandcup.co

Dosie Dough

45 S Broad Street, Lititz, PA 17543 717-626-2266 dosiedough.com

Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery

219 East Main Street, Lititz, PA 17543

717-626-4354 www.juliussturgis.com

(See ad on page 18)

established in 1861. From there and over time, the types of baked goods available in the area expanded greatly in the twentieth century.

With a number of southern and eastern European immigrants who brought their ethnic baking traditions with them. Italian and Jewish bakeries became more common place, joining the German bakeries, which had long been part of the area’s foody landscape. As was then, we now come to what we know now, as our neighborhood bakeries and bake shops where area residents can enjoy a wide range of those baked goods throughout the region. Here in “Amish Country” there are several small businesses that hone their expertise in the baking genre, some simple, some elaborate, but all tasty. Below we put a small spotlight on some of those businesses that dot the Central Pennsylvania landscape. Maybe stop in and see them sometime for a nibble and a bite. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Miller’s Locally Made Food Shop 2811 Lincoln Hwy East, East Ronks, PA 17572 717-687-6621 shoppesatmillers.com

(See ad on page 39)

Mr. Sticky’s Homemade Sticky Buns 501 Greenfield Road, Lancaster, PA 17601

717-413-9229 www.mrstickys.net

(See ad on page 24)

Scratch Bakes Café 3 West Main Street, Ephrata, PA 17522 717-466-6464 www.scratchbakes.com

Twilight Acres Creamery & Bakery 4110 Conrad Weiser Pkwy Womelsdorf, PA 19567 484-930-5908 twilightacrescreamery.com

Zook’s Homemade Chicken Pies (Dutch Town & Country Market) 3427 Lincoln Hwy East, Paradise, PA 17562 717-768-0239 (See ad on pages 1, 4-5, 40)

Shady Maple Farm Market 1324 Main Street, East Earl, PA 17519 800-238-7363 www.shady-maple.com/ farm-market/ (See ad on page 23)

By Edward Blanchette

Amish Wedding Season

Most Amish weddings take place at this time of year, from late October through December, after the autumn harvest. Traditionally, the days for weddings are Tuesdays and Thursdays, so there is time in between to get ready for and clean up after each. Even so, it can get pretty busy during the “wedding season”, with some Amish going to two or three weddings in one day!

A wedding is a particularly joyous occasion, for two baptized members of the church are joining in marriage, continuing the faith, and starting a new family together. While parents do not

several hundred stalks of celery, an important part of any Lancaster Amish wedding feast.

The church service itself, held in the home of the bride’s parents, is similar to the regular Sunday service. But the focus is on the serious step of marriage, for in the Amish church, there is no divorce. The sermons and Bible passages emphasize the relationship between man and wife. When it is time for the vows, the couple comes forward. Each is asked if they will remain together until death, and if they will be loyal and care for each other during adversity, affliction, sickness, and weakness. The minister then takes the couples’ hands in his and, wishing them the blessing and mercy of God, tells them to “Go forth in the Lord’s name. You are now man and wife”.

After the service, the benches used for the service are put together to form tables. During the wedding meal, the couple sits at the corner of two tables called the “eck”, with their attendants on either side, and the unmarried boys sitting opposite the girls. The meal itself is a feast indeed, including “roast,” a mixture of bread filling and chicken, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, apple sauce, and creamed celery. Some leafy celery stalks are also put in jars to decorate the table. Among the desserts are pies, doughnuts, fruit, and pudding. There are usually

several wedding cakes, some made by the women, but often one from a bakery as well. They are usually eaten later in the day. It will take several seatings to feed 200, 300, or more guests.

In the afternoon, the young people have a singing, and soon it is time for the evening meal, for those who have stayed through the day. For the seating of the young people, the bride makes a list of couples who are dating or interested in each other. As their names are called, they take their place at the table. On the bride’s side are the married or “soon-tobe” married couples, while the groom’s side has the other couples. Hymnsinging again follows the meal, with the “faster hymns” predominating this time.

After spending the night at the bride’s home, the newlyweds awake the next day to begin helping with the cleanup from the day before.

The couple will spend upcoming weekends visiting relatives. Sometimes five or six houses are visited between a Friday and Sunday night. Wedding gifts are usually given to them at this time.

By the spring, the couple is usually ready to set up housekeeping in a home of their own. The groom would be growing his beard, a sign of marriage in the community. As in every culture, a wedding is a joyous celebration reflecting commitments, a new position in the community, and a new relationship as man and wife.

The Old Candle Barn Worth the Time

By Clinton Martin

I’ve always enjoyed visiting the Old Candle Barn. As a kid, to watch the ladies dipping candles by hand (which they still do daily – call 717-768-3231 for hours as production times vary) but now as an adult, for the various seasonal home enhancements they display in such an inspirational way. Decorations, accessories, and

other home goods are simply arranged in sublime ways that help me picture in my mind exactly how each piece might fit into my home.

Of course the Old Candle Barn offers an amazing array of candles, not only the ones dipped on site, but also many others from around the Country. But the merchandise is so much more varied than just tapers, votives, wax, and paraffin. You just never know exactly what you’ll see at the Old Candle Barn. On my most recent visit, I was charmed by the note-taking scroll that would be a great addition to anyone’s kitchen. It’s a roll of brown paper, kind of like old fashioned

shopping bag material, but it’s on a long scroll attached to a handsome

looking board, with clips for securing a portion of the roll in place. Markers on

strings offer any note-taker-or-leaver the tool for their muse. Need to leave a note for your spouse? Jot it down. The task is done. Rip off at the top, and pull down a new blank slate for the next day’s thoughts.

This is just one of many wonderful home accents visitors enjoy discovering at the Old Candle Barn. Walk there from Kitchen Kettle Village, or drive there and park in their ample free parking lot. Either way, point yourself to 3551 Old Philadelphia Pike, Intercourse. For more information, OldCandleBarn.com.

Amish Country news

Recipe Favorites—Part 2 REPURPOSED

By Ed Blanchette

Last month’s issue we shared some of our favorite recipes with the purpose of celebrating what is “harvest time” in Lancaster County. So, I thought it would be nice to share a few more samplings of our favorites of the many recipes “Amish Country News” have cultivated and shared over the years to present. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did…

Refreshing Lemon Bars

Ingredients

Crust

¼ Cup Soft Butter

¼ Cup 10x Sugar

1 Cup Flour

Dash of Salt

Filling

2 Eggs

1 Cup Sugar

3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

¼ Cup Flour

Instructions

Mix all of the crust ingredients together and press the dough into a 9x11 sprayed pan. Bake in a 350º oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. Mix all of the ingredients together and pour over the finished crust. Bake again at 350º for an additional 25-30 minutes or until the filling no longer

jiggles. Allow it to cool overnight. If you are looking for a cool summertime treat, cut a 3” square of the lemon bar and top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some fresh raspberries. This will be a hit at your next family dinner.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Ingredients

2/3 Cup Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup Butter, Melted

1 Cup Corn Syrup

½ Teaspoon Salt

4 Whole Eggs

1 Cup Pecans, Pieces or Halves

1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 Frozen 10-inch-deep Dish Pie Shell

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325º. Combine the brown sugar, melted butter, corn syrup, and salt. Mix well. Add the eggs and continue mixing until well combined. Combine the pecans with the chocolate chips and place into a 10-inch pie shell. Add the corn syrup mixture, but do not stir. The pecans will rise to the top and the chocolate chips will combine as they melt. Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake for one hour. Allow the pie to cool or serve slightly warm with fresh whipped cream and a caramel drizzle.

Aunt Barbara’s Gingerbread Cookie

Ingredients

4 Cups Flour, Sifted

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

2 Teaspoons Ginger

1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon Nutmeg

1 Cup Shortening (like Crisco)

1 Cup White Sugar

1 Cup Molasses (I use dark, you can use light if you wish a lighter color)

2 Eggs

Instructions

Sift all the dry ingredients together, set aside. Cream the shortening, add sugar gradually to the shortening and beat until fluffy. Add molasses and eggs. Thoroughly mix in the flour mixture. Chill dough until easily handled, at least 2 hours (she usually made the dough the night before). Roll out small portions of dough about 1/4 inch thick on a floured board. Cut out with any size cutter. Place on an UNGREASED cookie sheet and bake at 350º for about 10 minutes for an 8-inch cookie (6-8 minutes for smaller cookies. I suggest test cookies to get it just right for your oven climate).

Important: Let them cook for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack or wax paper.

Aunt Barbara’s Icing Ingredients

1 Lb Confectioner Sugar

3-4 Tablespoons Shortening

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Small amount of milk (until spreading or light piping consistency)

Mini Chocolate Chips or Raisins

Instructions

Beat well until it is spreadable. Use the chocolate chips for eyes, nose, and buttons. (Note: The icing takes about 2-3 days to dry fully. Depending on time concerns, consider piping icing in a little tube from the grocery store that is made for quick dry and stacking)

Black Bean Chili Ingredients

1 Lb Ground Beef or Ground Turkey

1 Small Onion, Chopped

1 32 Oz Jar ICC Black Bean Salsa

1 28 Oz Can Diced Tomatoes

1 Teaspoon Chili Powder (optional)

Instructions

Brown 1 pound of ground beef or turkey and onion. Add ICC Black Bean

Salsa and diced tomatoes; add chili powder. Simmer on low for 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. Serve with a tossed salad for a complete meal.

Aukamp Chicken Corn Soup Lancaster Style Ingredients

3 Gallon Chicken Stock

¾ Gallon Diced or Picked Chicken

3 Cups Celery, Diced

3 Cups Onion, Diced

2 Cups Carrots, Shredded

6 Cups Corn, Smash a Little

2 Bay Leaves

2 Teaspoons Thyme

8 Hard Cooked Eggs, Diced

Instructions

Sauté celery, onion and carrots along with bay leaves and thyme

in 1/2 cup butter. Then add stock, corn and chicken. Bring to a fairly heavy boil and add rivels. Simmer and when the rivels are done, turn off and add the diced hard cooked eggs.

Rivels

3 Eggs

3 Cups Flour

1 Teaspoon Salt

½ Teaspoon White Pepper

Instructions

Mix eggs, salt and pepper well. Slowly add flour while mixing. It should be a crumbly yet wet mixture. Push through a colander or a sieve into “tiny dumplings” to form the rivels.

Black Bean Soup Ingredients

1 Onion Chopped

1 Clove Garlic, Crushed

1 Jalapeno Pepper, Chopped

¼ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

½ Teaspoon Ground Cumin

Salt to Taste

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

4 Cups Chicken Broth

2 Cans Black Beans

Instructions

Cook onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, black pepper, cumin and salt in a heavy soup pot, over medium heat, stirring until vegetables are softened. Add the chicken broth and the beans and simmer, partially covered for 15 to 20 minutes. Lightly mash some beans to thicken the soup’s texture. If desired serve with chopped onion or a dollop of sour cream.

Crusted Hazelnut Salmon Ingredients

8 Oz Salmon Filet

1 Oz Crushed Hazelnuts

2 Oz Raspberry Cabernet Sauce (see following)

Raspberry Cabernet Sauce

1 Cup Pureed Raspberries

2 Cups Cabernet Wine

1 Oz Shallots, Chopped

1 Tablespoon Garlic, Chopped

½ Cup Sugar

Salt and Pepper to Taste

1 Oz Red Wine Vinegar

(Place all ingredients in the sauté pan and reduce until the sauce will coat the back of a spoon.)

Instructions

Grill or broil salmon until half-way done, remove from heat, lightly butter top and cover with crushed hazelnuts. Bake salmon for 5 minutes (350º) until desired doneness. Place on plate and drizzle raspberry cabernet sauce over the salmon.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll

Ingredients

3 Eggs

1 Cup Sugar

2/3 Cup Canned Pumpkin

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Filling

1 (8 Oz) Package Cream Cheese, Softened

4 Tablespoons Butter, Softened

1 Cup Powdered Sugar

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Instructions

In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar. Beat in remaining cake ingredients. Grease a 10”x15” jelly roll pan. Line the pan with wax paper, then grease and lightly flour the waxed paper. Pour batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake at 350º for 15 minutes. (Cake cooks fast so watch carefully to avoid burning the edges). While cake is baking, sprinkle powdered sugar heavily over the kitchen towel, using a sieve or sifter. Turn hot cake onto towel and remove waxed paper. Trim off burnt or crusty edges. Sprinkle more powdered sugar over the hot cake and quickly roll up with towel inside. Let cake cool completely, approximately 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare filling by beating together all of the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Unroll cooled cake and spread with the filling mixture. Roll up cake with filling on the inside. Wrap in waxed paper and then foil. Refrigerate or freeze. To serve, slice cake about 1/3 inch thick and sprinkle with powdered sugar. (Note: Cake cuts best when still slightly frozen)

Fried Chicken

Ingredients

1 Cup Flour

2 Teaspoon Salt

½ Teaspoon Pepper

3 Lbs Chicken

Legs and Thighs

½ Stick (4 Tablespoons) Butter

Instructions

½ Teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 Cup Flour

Place flour, salt, and pepper in shallow bowl or pan. Mix together well. Dip each piece of chicken in seasoned flour until well coated. In large skillet, melt butter. Carefully place floured chicken in melted butter. Fry chicken in batches rather than crowd the chicken. If the skillet is too full, the chicken will steam and not brown. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Line cake pan, or jellyroll pan with aluminum foil. Transfer browned chicken to baking pan. Bake

uncovered at 350º for 1-1½ hours, or until chicken is tender. (Makes 5-6 servings, Baking Time: 1-1½ hours)

Apple Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients

½ Cup Granny Smith Apple, Diced (cored & peeled)

1½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour

½ Cup Brown Sugar

1¼ Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder

½ Teaspoon baking soda

½ Teaspoon salt

3/4 Cup Pumpkin Puree

½ Cup Apple Sauce (unsweetened)

½ Cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt

2 Eggs

Chopped pecans for topping (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º. In a large bowl, mix whole wheat flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well until combined. Next, add pumpkin puree, unsweetened apple sauce, vanilla Greek yogurt, and eggs. Using a handheld electric mixer (plug-in or battery powered), mix until wet and dry ingredients are combined. Stir in diced granny smith apples. Put cupcake liners in muffin tins and fill each liner all the way to the top with apple pumpkin mixture. Top with chopped pecans (optional). Bake for 22-24 minutes. Until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into muffin. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Chocolate

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

3 Eggs

1 Cup Vegetable Oil (or 1 cup of applesauce)

2 Cups Sugar

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

2 Cups Zucchini, Peeled, Shredded (about 1 medium)

2½ Cups All-Purpose Flour

½ Cup Baking Cocoa

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder

Recipe Favorites cont’d on page 25

Cheryl has been creating and marketing her illustrations and paintings for over 40 years. A self-taught artist who from an early age began drawing portraits and creating holiday greeting card designs, she attended the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to increase her knowledge and improve her skills, in addition to gaining exposure to the broader art community and various artistic mediums.

CherylAnnMcNulty

Her artwork is gracing this month’s cover of Amish Country News as it has many times before. Her passion is painting portraits of the Amish, and the scenery of the Lancaster County. The images she creates arouse the emotion of the viewer, a goal she focuses on with every piece. A recent note she received read, “this print captures the peacefulness and love that we felt in our hearts while there…it will have a place of honor in our home.”

Cheryl’s love for the Amish culture began in 1973 with a family trip to Lancaster County. The peacefulness and beauty of the landscape and the Amish culture left vivid and pleasant memories that made her return again and again. Since 1985 she has made several connections during her annual trips, the most rewarding being with a local Amish family. These trips help her connect with friends and to view the beautiful Lancaster County farms, providing her with ideas for her next project.

Cheryl’s art can be purchased at www.etsy.com/shop/cherylmcnultyart.

Visit Cheryl’s blog at https:// cherylmcnulty.wordpress.com/ and/or follow her on Instagram @cherylannmcnulty to view her recent works and works in progress.

Miller’s Smorgasbord is excited to announce the return of Artisan Days, a unique opportunity to meet some Lancaster County artisans and experience their craftsmanship firsthand.

On Saturday October 4th and October 25th, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., guests can visit The Shoppes at Miller’s

to engage with local artisans, discover one-of-a-kind creations, and enjoy a little fall family fun. The Shoppes at Miller’s includes Anna’s Gifts & Sundries, Locally Made Food Shop, The Quilt Shop at Miller’s, Ruthie’s

Meet Local Artisans and Explore Unique Creations

On the Locally Made Food Shop deck, a select group of local artisans will showcase their work. There will also be food sampling of locally

at Miller’s , there will be hand quilting demonstrations by local quilters. Here are the artisans who are currently planning to be at Artisan Days:

Saturday October 4th:

• Miesse Candies is a beloved Lancaster County confectioner since 1875, Miesse Candies crafts small-batch chocolates and caramels using timehonored recipes and the finest all-natural ingredients.

• Handcrafted by Grace specializes in small-batch infused olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and artisan spice blends, thoughtfully crafted to elevate everyday cooking.

• Lancaster County Shirt Co is a local apparel company that creates unique locally themed shirts.

• By Candle Light specializes in traditional farmhouse-style candles, handcrafted in the USA with 100% soy wax, premium ingredients, and a

dedication to sustainable, smallbatch quality.

• The Color Green creates oneof-a-kind, wire-wrapped jewelry featuring hand-blown glass, blending vibrant artistry with natural elegance in every piece.

Saturday October 24th:

• E&A Candies handcrafts oldfashioned sweets like brittle, caramel corn, and chocolate in small batches, using time-honored

recipes and the finest ingredients for a truly nostalgic treat.

• Pepe Saya uses cream and milk from local Amish farms and batch churns and hand presses it to create butter and cheeses with rich, artisanal flavor in every bite.

• Love, Libby Soaps are handcrafted in small batches using locally sourced goat milk, essential oils, and natural botanicals—each bar uniquely swirled, beautifully scented, and gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin.

• By Candle Light specializes in traditional farmhouse-style candles, handcrafted in the USA with 100% soy wax, premium ingredients, and a dedication to sustainable, small-batch quality.

All artisan items will be available for purchase at Anna’s Gifts & Sundries, Locally Made Food Shop , and The Quilt Shop at Miller’s , making it easy to take home a piece of Lancaster County’s rich craft and food heritage.

Join The Shoppes at Miller’s for Artisan Days October 4th and October 25th from 2-6 p.m.. It’s the perfect way to support local artisans in the heart of Lancaster County. For more information, visit the website, shoppesatmilllers.com.

There really is no place quite like Lititz, and everyone should plan to spend some time there while in Amish Country.

Lititz Springs Park is a popular spot for locals, and the site for many community activities. Indeed, the town’s 4th of July Celebration, begun in 1818, is reputedly the “oldest continuing community-wide observance in the United States.” The Lititz story is tied to that of the Moravian faith in Bohemia. It was in the presentday Czech Republic that John Hus and followers founded the Moravian Church in 1457. Historians note that since this was 60 years before Luther’s Reformation, the Moravians may lay claim to being the oldest organized

Protestant Church. But over the course of the Thirty Years War, its 200,000 members nearly disappeared. In the 18th century, a renewal of the Moravian Church came through the patronage of Count Zinzendorf of Saxony. He invited all those persecuted for their faith to come to his lands in Saxony.

As was the case with other persecuted religious groups in Europe, many Moravians sought freedom by taking the perilous journey to the New World, arriving in the early 1700s, with the main settlements becoming established in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

Missionary work was integral to the faith, and preachers were sent from the Moravian community in

October 11 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Located at the Bricker Village, 2 E 28th Division Hwy, Lititz, PA. Come one, come all! We’re rolling out the pumpkin spice carpet for our 20th Annual Fall Fest in Bricker Village! This family-friendly bash is all about soaking up the cozy vibes of fall, family fun, and supporting local businesses. Pencil in on you calendars in the Bricker Village courtyard for a day of autumn awesomeness! For more information visit brickervillage.com/ events/fall-fest/ or call 717-626-0377. Tell them, “Amish Country News sent you”!

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Zinzendorf himself arrived in America in 1742. A local resident, John Klein (Kline), was so moved by hearing Zinzendorf’s preaching that he made arrangements to transfer his lands over to the Moravian community in 1755. It was in the following year that the town actually got the name of Lititz, the German spelling for Lidice, where European Moravian reformers had taken refuge in 15th century. For about a hundred years, Moravian church members were the only people permitted to live in the town. A Brothers’ House and Sisters’ House were erected for the unmarried men and women, although they did not live communally. It was not until 1855 that non-Moravians were allowed to own their own houses.

The Brothers’ House played a role in the American Revolution. George Washington ordered it used as a military hospital between 1777-78. Some 1,000 soldiers were nursed here, about half of whom died and were buried nearby. One name is linked forever with the history of Lititz—Julius Sturgis. It was Sturgis who opened the first commercial pretzel bakery in the New World in Lititz. The year was 1861, and the site at 219 East Main Street is on the National Register of Historic Places.

A tour of the bakery is unlike any other. Inside, you get to try your hand at pretzel twisting. It’s not as easy as it looks. Guests also may see the old brick bake ovens, as well as the more modern facilities. Schedule a tour by calling the bakery at 717-626-4354.

REMINDERS for Visitors to Amish Country

Although thousands of visitors come to Lancaster County to experience a bit of the Amish lifestyle, the Amish are a private people and find the attention somewhat disconcerting. It is important to respect their feelings while you’re visiting. With that in mind, here are a few tips for fostering good relations between the Amish and non–Amish.

NO PICTURES Please! Don’t ask an Amish person to pose for a picture. Most will politely refuse. It is against our Amish neighbors convictions to have their pictures taken, except in very special situations. Please respect this belief and do not take photos without permission, just as you would like to have your beliefs respected.

HOLD YOUR HORSES Driving along area roads, you will no doubt encounter numerous Amish carriages, or “buggies,” as visitors like to call them. Do not honk your horn, because the sound may frighten the horse and cause an accident. Instead, wait until it is safe to pass and then give the buggy plenty of room. Be sure not to cut back in the lane too sharply in front of the horse. The county’s roads are generally wide enough that you should be able to pass most buggies without much of a problem.

NO TRESPASSING Do not trespass onto private Amish property for a closer look. Amish homes are not museums, and Amish people are not exhibits. Respect their property and privacy as you would like others to respect your own. You can get a good sense of Amish life at many area visitor attractions and on guided tours.

WAVING Do not be offended if the Amish do not wave back to your friendly gesture. With all the people who wave to them throughout a day, they would be waving back all day if they did!

A FINAL WORD Remember the Amish are not on vacation and are not costumed actors. They are real people going about their daily lives. They are not here to serve as tour guides or attractions for visitors. This, after all, is their home, so please respect their beliefs and lifestyle.

Setting the Standard in Amish Furniture.

To Hershey

To Harrisburg

To York and Gettysburg

TOWN KEY

Bird–in–Hand Pg 30

Intercourse Pg 24

Paradise Pg 38

Strasburg Pg 27

New–Holland | Blue Ball Pg 23

Lititz Pg 18

Ephrata Pg 22

Bakeries & Specialty Eats Pg 8

SusquehannaRiver

Ephrata

Ephrata, a small yet influential town, derives its name from Genesis, meaning “fruitfulness.”

With a population of 13,800, it’s strategically positioned between Lancaster and Reading, serving as the gateway to Northern

Lancaster County’s lucrative manufacturing sector.

Its history dates back to the 18th century Ephrata Cloister, founded by Conrad Beissel, which evolved into a thriving village. By 1871, Ephrata was described as “a well-built country town of

Fundraiser Crop

October 24 & 25

The Crop will have 50-60 scrapbooking “croppers” and vendors for a weekend of crafting, visiting and laughter. The event raises funds in support of the Twin Valley Food Pantry through registration fees and raffles. All proceeds are used by the TVFP to purchase food and supplies in support of our neighbors in the local community. For more info visit twinvalleyfoodpantry. com/events/ or call 610-286-9124. Tell them, “Amish Country News sent you”!

about one hundred and twenty families, and very beautifully and healthily located.”

In 1848, Senator Joseph Konigmacher established the Ephrata Mountain Springs Hotel, a luxurious resort frequented by notable figures like Presidents Lincoln, Buchanan, and Grant.

A trolley system was built to connect the hotel with the town of Ephrata down the hill. At its peak, the hotel could accommodate up to 500 visitors who would stay throughout the summer.

The Reading & Columbia Railroad was completed in 1883, and the town experienced economic booms through industries like cigar manufacturing, horse trade, silk, textiles, and shoes. Downtown Ephrata once catered to all needs, from groceries to hardware.

Today, Ephrata retains its historical charm with landmarks standing as important reminders of the borough’s history. The community’s first bank, Ephrata National Bank, still serves customers today behind its Georgian style structure designed by renowned architect, C. Emlen Urban.

Located near the town’s square sits the circa 1880’s railroad station, owned by the Ephrata Borough and serving as home to Mainspring of Ephrata, economic development corporation for the borough. The area surrounding the station has been beautifully landscaped and is known as the Whistle Stop Plaza. Many events, services and even weddings are held at this popular gathering place. The community’s Welcome Center is also located in this building. From here, visitors and residents alike can download

Ephrata cont’d on page 28

New Holland & Blue Ball

New Holland, settled in 1728 by John Diffenderfer of Heidelberg, Germany, is located in the fertile farmlands of Lancaster County. It is a charming small town similar to many towns in rural America, but its story goes back to well before the founding of our nation.

The unstable situation in Europe in the late 1600s spawned and nurtured the pioneer interest in the deep forest lands of Pennsylvania—60 miles inland from Philadelphia. In 1681 William Penn received his 40,000 square-mile land grant to settle King Charles’ debt to his father. The area now called New Holland was practically covered by virgin forests—sturdy timber of oak, ash, chestnut, and walnut.

By 1728, William Penn, had been dead for 10 years and his American colony, called Pennsylvania and was being administered by a proprietary governor while the sale of land was formalized by patent deeds. In the case of one of the town’s early settlers, John Diffenderfer, the record shows that he applied for land to live on in 1728. It was surveyed and placed on the county map in 1735. The deed was finally issued to him on March 22, 1758 after 30 years!

The village founders were German, not Dutch. They were surrounded by English and Welsh Quakers, Episcopalians, a few Swiss-German Mennonites and some Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. The Amish arrived later.

The town was once known as New Design, a name given by Michael Diffendefer for his real estate development in 1750. But in 1802,

New Holland

Blue Ball Leola

New Holland Fair

October 1–4

The New Holland Fair (100 blocks of East & West Main Street) is filled with food, games, and rides along with exhibits, livestock shows, parades, contests, and kid’s events! For more information visit newhollandfair. org/#gsc.tab=0 or call 717-354-5880. Tell them, “Amish Country News sent you”!

when a post office was established and an official name was necessary, there was no dissension to naming the town New Holland. These grateful people remembered how extremely kind the inhabitants of Holland were to them when they fled persecution and sought religious freedom in the New World.

New Holland was laid out as a “street town” in the typical European style of having the villagers live in a central

location along both sides of the street, but each having an outlying plot of land to cultivate as an adjunct to his trade as a craftsman. Even today, the main street of New Holland has major “kinks” or bends in it. Unsympathetic visitors claim it looks as if the town were built along a “cow path.” But if one looks with a discerning eye, the street also follows the high ground. The land on the ridge was the

New Holland cont’d on page 32

Intercourse

Amish Style Wedding Dinner

October 4 4 p.m.–7 p.m. Intercourse Fire Company, 10 N Hollander Rd, Intercourse

We hope you can join us! For more information visit intercoursefire.com/fundraisers or call 717-768-3402. Tell them, “Amish Country News sent you”!

Probably no other town in Amish Country can claim its fame is owed largely to one simple thing—its name. For years people have sent letters home with the name stamped boldly on the envelope… Intercourse, PA. There are several explanations for the name, and they are woven into the brief history that follows.

In the beginning, of course, there was very little here, just settlers arriving in the New World from Europe. Back around 1730, the Old Provincial Highway (or Old Philadelphia Pike, Route 340) was laid out to connect Philadelphia with the inland town of Lancaster. Conestoga wagons, pulled by six to eight horses, hauled supplies and freight back and forth between the two cities. Providing rest for

travelers and horses, taverns sprouted along the way, becoming centers for news, gossip, and business transactions.

And that is how the town got started when the first building, a log tavern, was constructed in 1754. The Newport Road, a former Indian trail, came from Newport, Delaware to the south, and it is believed that because of these intersecting roads the tavern took “Cross Keys” as its name. That was true at least until 1814, when it was named Intercourse in a real estate scheme to establish a more sizable town. George Brungard had acquired 48 acres of land north of the roads in 1813. He attempted to lay out a town site and divide it into sections for sale by a lottery, advertising “151 handsome building lots of $250 each to be drawn for by number.”

The newspaper advertisement stressed “the great importance of so many turnpikes and great leading roads intersecting at and near this place.” As one writer has noted, in those days “intercourse had a common usage referring to the pleasant mutual fellowship and frequent intermingling which was so much more common in the informal atmosphere of the quiet country village of that day.” There was no hesitancy on the part of the United States Post office Department to accept the name ‘Intercourse’ since it meant a commercial or trading site.

But back to our story and Brungard’s scheme. Although lotteries had been used for many years to sell various things, his real estate lottery failed, and most of

the land was combined into one tract. More recently, in 1971, another person tried to take advantage of the town’s name and sell one-inch square plots of property to visitors. This plan proved to be a flop as well.

In the old days, there were only five houses, counting the inn, and the town grew slowly. But by 1880, Intercourse had 54 homes and a population of 280. Communications improved with the arrival of the post office, and later the telephone.

Getting the first post office up and running was a difficult matter. The main problem was finding a building and someone willing to perform the duties of a postmaster. The first, Benjamin Fraim,

performed his duties from the Cross Keys Tavern, and may have had a job working there, since “his income, based on a percentage of the postal transactions for the year ending 1829 was only $8.21.”

Over the years the post office moved among stores or restaurants whose owners hoped visits by residents would increase their business.

The local stagecoach service apparently started around 1898. It was “a single horse conveyance similar to a market wagon, with a roll-up curtain and double set of seats.” The stagecoach brought items from Lancaster City for local Intercourse businesses, and even picked up milk, butter, and eggs for delivery to Lancaster restaurants

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and industries, including an ice cream plant. One history of Intercourse notes that when it snowed, a bobsled was used instead. “When the driver knew of passengers beforehand, their comfort was added to by many a hot brick heated the night before in the oven, and wrapped in newspaper to preserve its warmth.”

As the days of the dirt road drew to a close, so too did the stagecoach days with the Rowe Motor Truck service started by Coleman Diller in 1910. In 1923 the Penn Highway Transit Company was organized and initiated bus service to Lancaster. It is noted that “many of the Amish residents of the area were anxious to see the line started, but did not care to subscribe to stock. Instead they liberally bought books of tickets which were really prepaid bus fares.” By 1924 enough money was raised to buy a Mack Auto Bus for $6,800. It held 25 passengers and even had solid rubber tires!

Since the town never really got to be “too large,” it has retained much of its sense of community, from the little public library in a former one-room school to the volunteer fire company. Surrounded by farms, the town has grown little and retains much of its former charm, even when thousands of visitors descend upon it during the tourist season.

Many residents and visitors enjoy the atmosphere of this small town, a place where family, community, religion, and hard work are still important values. The village of Intercourse has certainly changed over the years, but it has changed slowly, and “sometimes the things that grow the slowest are the ones that endure the longest.”

Recipe Favorites cont’d from page 14

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, applesauce, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in zucchini. Combine dry ingredients; add to zucchini mixture and mix well. Pour into two greased 8x4x3-inch loaf pans, sprinkle the top of the loaves with chocolate chips. Bake at 350º for 1 hour or until bread test shows are done. Makes two loaves. (Serving 10, 2 loaves, 1.5 hours, 25 min prep)

Recipe Favorites cont’d on page 28

Small Business Spotlight

CHORUS LINE A

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre kicks Fall into high gear with its upcoming production of the iconic Broadway musical A Chorus Line, running September 26 through November 1, 2025. This exciting revival is not only a celebration of the show’s groundbreaking

50th anniversary on Broadway, but also a meaningful milestone in Dutch Apple’s history — A Chorus Line was the very first production ever staged at the theatre when it opened its doors in 1987.

“As we reflect on nearly four decades of theatre in our community,

it feels incredibly special to return to the show that started it all,” said Lauren Sobon, Artistic Director at Dutch Apple. “A Chorus Line is timeless — a poignant, passionate tribute to the dreams, struggles, and humanity of performers. To bring it back during its 50th anniversary makes this production even more powerful.”

A

CHORUS LINE

SEPTEMBER

26 - NOVEMBER 1

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of this Prize-winning Broadway Musical! Timeless. Poignant. Passionate. Explore the dreams, the struggles, and the triumphs of dancers vying for a spot on a Broadway chorus line. PG13

NOVEMBER 7 - DECEMBER 28

The original musical is a Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece that revolutionized musical theatre. The show features one powerhouse number after another and is a brilliant fusion of song, dance, and authentic drama. The memorable score includes One, I Can Do That, At the Ballet, The Music and the Mirror, I Hope I Get It, and more!

Each holiday is celebrated with dance numbers, comedy, and a parade of Irving Berlin hits in this tap dance extravaganza. Hear your favorites including Blue Skies, Easter Parade, Heat Wave, Cheek to Cheek and White Christmas. Free Onsite Parking!

A Chorus Line is being directed and choreographed by Amy Marie McCleary. This is an extra special show for McCleary and Sobon who appeared in the cast of past productions – McCleary at Broadway Palm in Florida, Sobon at Dutch Apple, here in Lancaster.

Dutch Apple’s revival promises an electrifying new production with dazzling choreography, heartfelt performances, and a deep respect for the show’s legacy. Whether you’re a longtime fan or experiencing it for the first time, this is a Chorus Line you won’t want to miss.

All tickets are on sale – get tickets now for the best seats in the house! DutchApple.com 717-898-1900; in person 510 Centerville Road Lancaster, PA 17601.

Strasburg

The area we know today as Strasburg was first settled by Germanspeaking Swiss Mennonites. After bargaining with William Penn in London, they came directly to Philadelphia from the Rhineland, arriving in September of 1710, on board the ship Maria Hope with a combined passenger and crew list of 94 persons. Thirty-six of the leaders were granted patent deeds from Penn’s property commissioners for 14,000 acres of land surrounding Strasburg. Some of the family names are familiar to locals today, including John (Hans) Herr, whose house in Lancaster County is open to visitors and remains as the county’s oldest surviving dwelling (1719).

French fur traders opened up the first path through this area from Philadelphia to the Susquehanna River—known as “Minqua’s Path.” As early as 1716, when the first Conestoga wagon was used for hauling goods between Philadelphia and Lancaster County, it became known as the Conestoga Road.

During the next half century, traffic on this road increased considerably—and Main Street Strasburg was developed. The first buildings appeared in the village about 1733. Strasburg flourished in the 18th century primarily because of its location along the major wagon routes between Philadelphia, Lancaster and the Susquehanna River. Strasburg was one of the principal stopping stations and, with the heavy wagon traffic, there were as many as ten taverns here.

No doubt the religious nature of the first settlers was responsible for the village becoming a center for worship and education. In 1816, when the

village was incorporated into a Borough, the name Strasburg was selected, undoubtedly named for the Cathedral City from which the Swiss Mennonites came, the Alsatian city of Strasbourg.

Wealthy doctors and clergy, and an interest in worship and education, made Strasburg a cultural and educational center for the region. The first formal school opened in 1790, a classical academy where Greek and Latin were taught.

These academic enterprises were followed during the 19th century by a flood of schools. In 1823, by an act of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, an Academy was established in which “the languages, arts, and sciences will be taught.”

The year 1839 marked the founding of the Strasburg Academy at 37 East

Harvest Days

October 11 & 12

Celebrate PA German heritage during Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum’s Harvest Days! Landis Valley’s 2-day festival brings 19th-century rural life to the present with artisan demonstrations, wagon rides, seasonal foods, and hands-on activities for all ages. Kids can enjoy pumpkin painting, harvest games, and meeting farm animals, while adults explore traditional crafts. For more information visit landisvalley museum.org/events or call 717-569-0401. Tell them, “Amish Country News sent you”!

Main (the present day Limestone Inn Bed & Breakfast was the headmaster’s home and housed boarding students). The Academy gained the reputation of being one of the best academies in the country for both boarding and day students, and its students came from all over the East Coast and as far away as Cuba and Puerto Rico.

In 1841, a classical school for girls, the “Strasburg Female Seminary,” opened at 17 East Main. Such a school for girls was quite unusual at that time.

As Strasburg flourished, so did its neighbor to the east, Philadelphia. The commercial interests of Philadelphia pressured the State Legislature to improve the transportation network into their city. As a result, an internal improvements bill

Amish Paradise Trail - 3.2 mile ride through Lancaster county’s scenic back roads, past Strasburg Railroad, Amish farms and businesses.

Amish Roads - 5 mile ride through Lancaster county’s breathtaking landscapes, Amish farms, one room schoolhouses and Amish businesses.

Amish Grocery Run - 75 minute tour, includes 20 minute stop at a traditional Amish grocery store powered by propane lights and generators.

Private Covered Bridge - Enjoy a 9-10 mile tour through the heart of Lancaster county, this tour travels through an authentic covered bridge.

passed in 1826 to construct a series of canals. The Philadelphia and Columbia Rail Road was also incorporated with financing provided by the state.

With these undertakings, Strasburg residents became alarmed at the possibility of losing their commercial position and from this concern

Recipe Favorites cont’d from page 25

Mom’s Best Cranberry Relish Ingredients

2 Bags Cranberries

8 Oranges

½ Cup to 3/4 Cup

Sugar (Do you like it sweet or tart?)

2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice

Instructions

Crush cranberries & oranges separately. Shred an orange peel (no more than one). Mix everything together. Add sugar to taste and refrigerate overnight. Check taste again in morning, add sugar if needed.

emerged the Strasburg Rail Road. In 1832 a charter was secured from the Pennsylvania Legislature to construct a rail line connecting Strasburg with the Philadelphia and Columbia Rail Road main line near Paradise. Due to financial difficulties, the project was delayed until finally put in running

Ephrata cont’d from page 22

a historic walking tour through the Uniquely Ephrata app.

Recreation thrives with facilities like the Ephrata Rec Center, community pool, and the newly opened Ephrata Unleashed Dog Park. The WarwickEphrata Rail Trail and Heatherwood Bike Park offer outdoor activities, while quality education and healthcare are ensured through the Ephrata Area School District and award-winning Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital.

Municipal services include police, code enforcement, and utility management, with the borough’s own electric company providing power.

Ephrata is experiencing some significant revitalization that will secure a vibrant, healthy town for future generations. The borough, under the auspices of Mainspring of Ephrata, completed a walkability project in

order in 1852. But this shortline between Strasburg and Paradise was not financially successful for many reasons, until it was revived to provide rides to visitors on authentic steam locomotives, thus becoming the focal point for all of the town’s train attractions.

the downtown area that enhanced pedestrian safety, and launched a Façade Improvement Grant Program and Revolving Loan Fund Program to improve aesthetics and help businesses to expand. The borough continues to strengthen the economy by promoting available leased space within commercial properties, attracting specialty retailers, and preserving historic buildings.

The borough’s commitment extends to preserving natural assets like the Ephrata Mountain, exploring plans for hiking trails and conservation easements to enhance community living. It is from this 200 acres of public wooded land that the healing waters flowed all those years ago to the Mountain Springs Hotel.

Ephrata continues to thrive as a fruitful community, blending its rich history with modern amenities for residents and visitors alike.

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Bird–in–Hand

Visit Bird-In-Hand, PA

Bird-in-Hand has been a haven for travelers since Colonial times, when they built the road between Philadelphia and Lancaster. The Smucker family has carried on that tradition for generations. Today we extend our personal welcome and invite you to get to know the village we call “home” in the heart of Lancaster County, PA’s Amish Country. Tell them, “Amish Country News sent you”!

Of the many unique village names that dot the Amish Country map, one of the more interesting is Bird-in-Hand.

The story of the town of Bird-in-Hand is as colorful as the name itself. To be correct, the town is really a village since it has no governing body. When Bird-inHand celebrated its 250th Anniversary (1734 – 1984), a commemorative booklet was put together. It outlined a brief history of the town…

William Penn, an English Quaker, had founded the colony of Penn’s Woods (Pennsylvania), and settlers began arriving from Europe in the early 1700s, moving westward from the port city of Philadelphia. English Quakers and Swiss Mennonites were the early settlers. The

Quakers built a meetinghouse and twostory academy, which stands today, next to the fire company. But over the years, the Germans “made the greatest lasting impact.”

A friendly relationship existed between the early settlers and the Shawnee and Conestoga Indians, who were the area’s first inhabitants. They taught settlers how to deaden trees, use deerskin, prepare corn as food, and use medicinal herbs.

“When the Old Philadelphia Pike became a well-established route of transportation for those traveling west to the Alleghenies, Lancaster became known as the gateway to the west.” The trip by stagecoach for passengers, or Conestoga wagon with freight and

FLORY’S FLORY’S

merchandise, lasted several days. Inns were built every few miles, identified with signs held by an iron pole or attached to the side of the building.

The reason for these signs was twofold. First, they could be understood by all nationalities. Secondly, many teamsters or waggoneers were poorly educated and could not read. If they were given orders to stop at a certain inn, they could do so by recognizing the artwork on the signboard.

The old legend of the naming of Birdin-Hand concerns the time when this pike was being laid out. Legend says that two road surveyors were discussing whether they should stay at their present location or go to the town of Lancaster to spend

Bird–in–Hand cont’d on page 32

A Generation of Amish Quality Lantz Homestead

By Edward Blanchette

As most of you know, the quality and craftmanship of Amish goods and products has always been, in my opinion, a step above most other goods available out there on the market today. Not only regarding the past but continues to earn that A1 reputation continually now and for the future. The work ethic and commitment to the

quality of the Amish Communities has always stood out to me as a positive goto for the products they create for their community and patrons. As you drive through some of the winding roads of the Amish Country, Central Pennsylvania, you can see that quality everywhere you look, as you pass by the Homes, Farms, and Businesses that dot the countryside. Somewhere in between Bird-In-Hand and Gordonville Pennsylvania, on one of those winding roads, you will come across Lantz Homestead Quilt Barn. A pristine Amish farm and shop, just off of Musser School Road. The quilt shop is one of the newer additions to the Lantz Homestead, but quilt making on this century-old farm has been an important staple for over thirty-plus years. John & Rachel and their

family have handcrafted heirloom quilts for other shops for many years. R-S-L quilts have become a well sought-after emblem of fine quality craftmanship and artistry.

In 2020 the Lantz family decided to build their own quilt shop on the farm. Right where their corn crib that housed the food for their cows used to stand. This seemed like the best course of action, as the Lantz family were experiencing how difficult it was to compete with the commercial craft world. The Lantz family wanted to create a store where they could sell local and handmade items directly to their local community and those visitors that traveled in for a visit.

Quilts, gifts, and home decor items are what you will find nestled into this quaint little shop. In addition, they also have a great selection of floor and table lamps that have been converted to be powered by cordless tool batteries (DeWalt, Milwaukee, and Makita). And since 2021, they have been carrying the Sonrise Poly Rockers, Gliders, Gliding Ottomans, and Accent Tables, another quality product that is also proudly manufactured in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Finally, as you prepare for the beginning of fall to arrive, check out

the night. One of them said, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” and so they remained. The sign in front of the inn is known to have once “portrayed a man with a bird in his hand and a bush nearby, in which two birds were perched,” and soon was known as the Bird-in-Hand Inn.

The original hotel was destroyed by fire about 1851. By the following year, a three-story hotel was built to replace it. More recently, it was known as Bitzer’s Hotel before becoming the present Village Inn of Bird-in-Hand, now on the National Register of Historic Places. The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County noted that it “may be one of the few 19th century inns in the context of a small town in Lancaster County, which survives with a high degree of architectural integrity.”

The town post office was established in 1836 as the Enterprise Post Office. “Enterprise” was then the official name of the town, until the final change back to Bird-in-Hand in 1873.

After a large fire in 1896, people discussed the need for a fire company.

New Holland cont’d from page 23

driest, and in winter it would be blown clear of much of the snow. These settlers made the obvious facts of nature work for them rather than against them, offering a lesson for us all even today.

In the early days, hitting a circular saw alerted the men of a fire. The year 1916 saw the change from horse-drawn to motorized fire equipment. Today the Hand-in-Hand Fire Company remains a volunteer organization, famous for its delicious fund-raiser dinners.

The town of Bird-in-Hand remained relatively unknown until a musical called PLAIN & FANCY opened in New York. The show Playbill noted that “The action takes place in and around Birdin-Hand, a town in the Amish country of Pennsylvania.” The cast was brought to Bird-in-Hand on January 17, 1955, prior to the official opening.

Today, the town of Bird-in-Hand is still small, said to have a population of only about 300 people. On any given day, there may be more visitors than inhabitants. Many are city folks who have come to enjoy the country atmosphere, history, and shopping. It is said that visitors “can still expect friendly shopkeepers, homegrown Lancaster County foods, and restful lodging for weary travelers.”

Lantz Homestead cont’d from page 31

the large assortment of the pumpkins, gourds, and mums Lantz’s has to offer, for a limited time. So, as you pack up the family to make a visit to Amish Country, in Central Pennsylvania, remember to add this location, Lantz Homestead Quilt Barn, 870

2025 Photo Contest >> Now Accepting Entries! << Got great photos? Send them to us and see your photo in the pages of Amish Country News and win prizes! Visit AmishCountryNews.com for Photo Contest prizes and more info. Email your HIGH RESOLUTION ONLY photos in JPG format to clinton@amishexperience.com (minimum size 8”x10” at 300 DPI). Put 2025 Photo Contest in the subject line. File names should contain your name. Include your name, address and phone number with brief details of location and subject matter in the email. No more than five photos can be submitted. LOW RESOLUTION PIXELATED IMAGES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Photos

WE LOVE FALL

Most of All at Cackleberry

Farm!

We Are Open Regular Hours ALL YEAR LONG!

CACKLEBERRY FARM ANTIQUE MALL IS CELEBRATING THEIR 28TH YEAR! Located at 3371 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise, Pennsylvania, on Route 30. Four miles west of Route 41 and only six miles east of Rockvale Square Outlet Mall. They are only minutes away from everywhere and everything Lancaster County has to offer. It's Not Just an Antique Mall –It’s Your Destination!

WITH OVER FIVE MILLION DOLLARS OF INVENTORY, their huge 26,000 square foot facility houses a wide variety of antiques and collectibles, displayed by over 125 dealers featuring ne items such as: furniture, glassware, Railroad, Mining and Fire Fighting Memorabilia, coins, sterling silver, clocks, advertising, jewelry, ne china, toys, books, postcards, trains, Christmas, pottery, linens, primitives, kitchenware & much, much more! It is impossible to tell you everything they have to o er. You will be amazed at the quality selection.

HOUSED INSIDE THE ANTIQUE MALL, IS AN OLD TIME GENERAL STORE, which will take you back in time to the Mom & Pop stores of years ago. With a wide variety of antique and collectibles including Pharmacy, Tool Supply, Barber Shop, Hardware Store, Haberdashery and more!! ey o er convenient parking for over 100 vehicles, with a spacious area for campers, trailers, and tour buses. You will nd it such a pleasure to shop in their clean, climate-controlled, brightly lit and carpeted mall. Absolutely one of The Best shopping experiences in Lancaster County!

OPEN ALL YEAR: MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM, SUNDAY 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, closed on Tuesday. Visa / MasterCard / Discover / Debit Cards accepted. Gi Certi cates, Layaway and Shipping Available. For more information call: (717) 442-8805 during business hours or visit us on at CackleberryFarmAntiqueMall.com.

Not Just An Antique Mall It’s Your Destination

We have everything Lancaster County has to o er Come explore our huge 26,000 square foot antique mall— lled with the nest selection of antiques and collectibles in Lancaster County Pennsylvania! It houses a huge assortment of merchandise by over 125 dealers. ere’s so much to choose from it’s impossible to list it all. And don’t miss our old time general store that’s full of vintage merchandise for sale.

CackleberryFarmAntiqueMall.com 3371 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise

Antiques & Collectibles Including Railroad, Ice Cream Parlor, Barber Shop & Drug Store Memorabilia and So Much More!

WITNESS the emotional story of an Amish teenager's struggle in Jacob's Choice, where he must choose between his faith and the modern world. 3–D sets, special effects, unique "ghost–like" characters, all on five screens.

EXPLORE the Amish Country Homestead, the region’s only Officially Designated Heritage Site Amish home then sit at a desk in the Fisher Amish Schoolroom furnished authentically with desks and more from an actual Amish classroom.

TOUR the magnificent back roads through Amish Farmlands with a certified tour guide in complete comfort onboard one of our 14 passenger busses.

SATISFY yourself that you’re making the most from your Amish Experience. Since 1959, the area’s first, and still foremost, interpretative source of Amish Culture.

Amish Farmlands Tour

Book Your Tickets Online

Journey along back country roads, deep into the Amish Farmlands to discover sights rarely seen. Under the watchful eye of your certified guide, you’ll gain insights into the “how” and “why”of an ever–changing culture, and see at–the–moment activities of the Amish. If you’ve seen the Amish portrayed on the various “Reality” TV shows, and you wonder what really is true and not true about the Amish, this is the tour you won’t want to miss! We’ll debunk myths about the Amish and provide accurate, respectful, and authentic information, just like we have done for over 60 years.

Duration: 1 1/2 hours

Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m. Sun. 12 p.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m

Rare is the opportunity to meet with Amish families willing to share their traditions and beliefs with you. In a group whose size is never more than 14, this is the only Amish Tour to be designated an official “Heritage Tour” by the County of Lancaster. Visit an Amish farm at milking time, stop at a Cottage Industry, and finally enjoy a visit and chat with one of our Amish friends in their home.

Monday through Saturday departing at 5 p.m.

The SuperSaver Package includes the Amish Farmlands Tour, the acclaimed “Jacob’s Choice” at the Amish Experience F/X Theater, and a tour of the Amish House & One–Room School.

PLAIN & FANCY

The Only Place Where You Can Do

It All...

Drive along the area’s only AAA Scenic Cultural Byway, and when you’re mid–way between Bird–in–Hand and Intercourse, you’ll discover the ten pristine acres known as Plain & Fancy Farm, and home of the Amish Experience Theater, Country Homestead, farmlands & VIP tours, buggy rides, shopping, restaurant and hotel.

Jacob’s Choice at the Amish Experience Theater

Discover what it means to be Amish through an immersive film as you become part of the emotional struggle of the Fisher family to preserve more than 400 years of Amish traditions. Five viewing screens, a unique barnyard setting and special effects create a one–of–a–kind experience.

Amish Farmlands Tour

Journey down rarely traveled back country roads, deep into the farmlands, to discover the sights sought after by visitors. Gain insights into the hows and whys of an ever–changing culture from certified guides in mini–shuttles. Stops may include a roadside stand, quilt shop, country store or craft shop on an Amish farm.

Amish Country

Homestead & Schoolroom

Visit the only officially designated “Heritage Site” Amish house. As you walk through the nine rooms with your guide, unravel the riddle of Amish clothing, life without electricity, and eight–grades–in–a–room education as you sit at authentic Amish school desks.

Visit–in–Person Tour

This officially designated “Heritage Tour” is a rare opportunity to meet and talk to the Amish personally. On this exclusive tour you will go right into the barn on an Amish farm at milking time, visit with an Amish artisan at his workplace, and then enjoy a personal visit and conversation right in an Amish home.

AMISHVIEW INN & SUITES

SMOKEHOUSE BBQ & BREWS THE BARN & HEARTH SHOP RESTROOMS & ATM

AMISH COUNTRY HOMESTEAD

AARON & JESSICA’S BUGGY RIDES

Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides

Aaron & Jessica’s drivers are happy to share life stories and answer questions.

Smokehouse BBQ and Brews

Please see right hand page.

The Barn & Hearth Shop

Find home décor, home goods, and kitchenware. Plus, locally made foods and baked goods. You’ll also find Amish mementos from straw hats to Amish dolls.

AmishView Inn & Suites

A Top Hotel in Lancaster County

The place for the perfect adult-only getaway or family vacation with indoor pool and hot tub, fitness center, and hot hearty breakfast. Our rooms and suites all feature kitchenettes, and many rooms feature clawfoot soaking tubs, and farmland views.

Adult-Only AND Kid-Friendly Buildings

The family-friendly East Building includes a wide array of beautiful, award-winning rooms, suites that are newly renovated as well as a pool and arcade that will satisfy the requirements of any family. The adultsonly West Building features elegant Grand King rooms with clawfoot soaking tubs and guaranteed farmland views - fulfilling the needs of adults seeking a tranquil escape.

Complimentary Hot Hearty Breakfast Buffet Lancaster’s best complimentary hot breakfast buffet includes made-to-order omelets, eggs, and waffles along with endless helpings of bacon, sausage, country potatoes and much more. Plus, don’t forget tasty bakery items from our own Miller’s Bakery. Menu items subject to change.

Other Amenities

Every room or suite includes a kitchenette with refrigerator, microwave, sink, and coffee maker. Bathrooms feature lighted make-up mirrors, hair dryers, and the Tarocco line of shampoos and soaps. Plus, complimentary Wi-Fi. Book today as there are so many things to do on Plain & Fancy Farm.

Get the Whole Story at: AmishViewInn.com • 1-866-735-1600

GiftCardsAvailable

BBQ & Brews

A fun and relaxed dining experience in the heart of Lancaster County at Plain & Fancy Farm, offering entrées with smoked meats, grilled fish and steak; sandwiches; house made sauces; and more. Local favorites and meats smoked low n’ slow pair perfectly with our selection of wine, local beer, and hand-crafted cocktails. Locally owned.

Any Sandwich, Entrée, or Platter

Valid for up to 4 adult sandwiches, entrées, or platters for dine-in only. Not valid on daily or other specials, Family Feast, Prime Rib, takeout, holidays, or with any other offer, special or group rate. Expires 12/15/25. PLU ACNA25

or

Paradise

For over 250 years, visitors coming into Lancaster County from the east on Route 30 have traveled through a small town known as Paradise, just one of the many intriguing town names in the area. Officially, Paradise Township adopted the name during its organization in 1843.

Different sources credit different people with naming the area. Some say that the name Paradise was given by Joshua Scott, who later became

known for his map of Lancaster County. Standing in the middle of a road admiring his surroundings one day in 1804, he remarked that the town should be called Paradise, because its beauty made it seem like one.

The story of Paradise and its first settlers goes all the way back to Europe, to the area of the Palatinate in Germany. Here many Protestants had settled following the declaration of King Louis XIV that all Protestants in France would

Fall Makers Market

October 19 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Creatively Lancaster is thrilled to return for another Fall Makers Market at The Barn at Paradise Station! Get ready to explore this stunning location—Join us as we celebrate creativity, craftsmanship, and community. Food trucks on site, as well as Casey Jones’ Restaurant. Get ready to shop and support local! For more information email contact@ creativelylancaster.com. Tell them, “Amish Country News sent you”!

be persecuted. With fears of invasion by the army of France looming, many of these people decided to accept the invitation to settle in William Penn’s colony of Penn’s Woods in the New World. In 1708, Daniel Fierre (Ferree), along with his family and mother Mary, went to England to obtain citizenship papers before proceeding to New York. By 1712, these French Huguenot settlers had secured land in Pennsylvania,

Paradise cont’d on page 40

Real. Good. Food.

Part Eatery. Part History Lesson.

Since 1929, Miller‘s has cooked from scratch and created dishes that you’ll go home and tell your friends about. From Lancaster County PA Dutch favorites to fresh baked desserts.

in Lancaster’s Pequea Valley. They were the first white people in the area and lived peaceably with chief Tanawa and the local Indians. Mary Fierre died four years later at the age of 63. Hers became the first grave in the family’s cemetery. If you ride the Strasburg Rail Road, you will pass her gravesite at Carpenter’s Cemetery, one of Lancaster’s oldest.

The origins of Route 30, also known as the “Lincoln Highway,” go back to Lancaster’s colonial days when this frontier county needed a communication route between it and the provincial capital of Philadelphia. At that time, the first “planned” road between Philadelphia and Lancaster was what is now Route 340. It was called the “King’s Highway,” and today we still call it the “Old Philadelphia Pike.”

As time went on, it became evident that the road could not accommodate the increasing traffic between Lancaster and Philadelphia. Since the cost of such a road was too much for the state to undertake, the company charged

with building it was given the power to demand “reasonable” tolls from users. Investors received dividends earned from the tolls collected along the gates of the turnpike.

The 1792 Act went on to describe the construction of the highway, which was to be a bed of small crushed stones on top with larger stones underneath, rather than dirt, so as to prevent carriage wheels from cutting into the soil. Such a revolutionary system of road construction combined the ideas recently developed by a Frenchman and two Englishmen, one of whom was named John McAdam. We now take the term for paved roads or “macadam” from his last name. The turnpike officially opened in 1795 and was the first long-distance, hard-surfaced road in the country.

The backroads around Paradise remain beautiful to this day, as the lush greens of the summer give way to the fall colors of the harvest season. So, during your visit to Lancaster, be sure to spend a little time in Paradise.

A

A is for Amish Buggy Rides 717-875-8304 | AmishBuggyRidesLancaster.com

Amish VIP (Visit–in–Person) Tour 717–768–8400 | AmishExperience.com

Anna’s Gifts & Sundries 800-669-3568 | MillersSmorgasbord.com

Country Lane Furniture (Tues & Thurs till 8pm) 717–867-5701 | CountryLaneFurniture.com

Countryside Road-Stand 717-656-4474 | Store open until 6pm / Pretzel-Ice Cream shop only until 5pm

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre 717–898–1900 | DutchApple.com

Dutch Haven 717–687–0111 | DutchHaven.com

Gish’s Furniture

717–392–6080 | 717–354–2329 | Gishs.com

Ghost Tour Lancaster & Strasburg 717-687-6687 | GhostTour.com

Good’s Store “Weekdays Only” | GoodsStores.com

Hershey’s Chocolate World 717–534–4900 | Hersheys.com

Jake’s Country Trading Post 717–687–8980 | JakesHomeAccents.com

Locally Made Food Shop 717–687–6621 | LocallyMadeFoodShop.com

Miller’s Smorgasbord 800–669–3568 | MillersSmorgasbord.com

Shady Maple Farm Market 717–354-4981 | Shady-Maple.com/farm-market/ Smokehouse BBQ & Brews at Plain & Fancy Farm 717–768–4400 | SmokehouseBBQandBrews.com

Enjoy Chicken, Beef & Sausage Pies!

OPEN SUNDAY in Amish Country

For Plain People, Sunday is a day of rest, but there are many things to do in Amish Country on Sundays. Save some of these for your Sunday sight–seeing.

Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides

717–768–8828 | AmishBuggyRides.com

A is for Amish Buggy Rides

717-875-8304 | AmishBuggyRidesLancaster.com

Amish Experience

717–768–8400 | AmishExperience.com

Anna’s Gifts & Sundries

800–669–3568 | MillersSmorgasbord.com

Cackleberry Farm Antique Mall

717–442–2600 | CackleberryFarmAntiqueMall.com

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre

717–898–1900 | DutchApple.com

Dutch Haven 717–687–0111 | DutchHaven.com

Ghost Tour Lancaster & Strasburg 717-687-6687 | GhostTour.com

Hershey’s Chocolate World 717–534–4900 | Hersheys.com

Jake’s Country Trading Post 717–687–8980 | JakesHomeAccents.com

Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery 717–626–4354 | JuliusSturgis.com

Locally Made Food Shop 717-687-6621 | LocallyMadeFoodShop.com

Miller’s Smorgasbord 800–669–3568 | MillersSmorgasbord.com

The Quilt Shop at Miller’s 717-687-8439 | QuiltShopAtMillers.com

Renninger’s Antique Market 717–336–2177 | Renningers.net

Shady Maple Farm Market 717–354-4981 | Shady-Maple.com/farm-market/ Smokehouse BBQ & Brews at Plain & Fancy Farm 717–768–4400 | SmokehouseBBQandBrews.com

Turkey Hill Experience 844–847–4884 | TurkeyHillExperience.com

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Smile, for the Community Sake

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Published by Dutchland Tours Inc.

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For advertising information contact Edward Blanchette Director of ACN & Business Development ed@amishnews.com • 717.344.0871

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ADVERTISE WITH US. Inside the pages of ACN and on our website at AmishCountryNews.com

Visit our website or call Ed Blanchette, Director of Amish Country News and Business Development at: ed@amishnews.com or 717.344.0871

By Edward Blanchette

As I was growing up, I was educated from my Grand Parents, Parents, and Pastor to the ways of the “Golden Rule”. The Golden Rule is the principle of treating others as one would want to be treated by them. Meaning that you should reciprocate with others on how you would like them to treat you (not necessarily how they actually treat you). Then coupling together with a strong foundation of manners and family values, made for a good combination. Then came “Being PC”. Or being politically correct, which means that people should be careful not to offend any person or group of people in society who have a disadvantage, or who have been treated differently because of their sex, race, religion, disability, or political affiliation.

This was and is exceptionally true in my experience, as I turned into an adult and entered the work force. Between business development, the hospitality industry, and working with youth in multiple communities, I found that those early teachings and gaining experience using those tools and positive habits assisted me being successful in navigating the pitfalls of those character-building days that tend to pop up along the way.

It has only been in recent years, probably the last decade, that I’ve noticed a change in people. Please know, I’m

not attempting to be judgmental, only point out my observations. As you too, may have also noticed over time as well. People in general have been more impatient or distracted. Not just when driving, in the grocery store, or basically anywhere. A trait known as the “Me First Mentality”. Not all the time, but definitely more than yesterday. It is my opinion; we are slowly forgetting those “Golden Rules” of yesterday and the importance of being patient and kinder with each other.

In my opinion, and in general people are genuinely good at heart. But differences in environment, attitude, and the “stories we tell ourselves” has possibly changed more perceptions in some, and possibly overwhelmed others along the way. I get it. With information, technology, and quite frankly life itself, everything is moving faster every day. Just remember when you’re feeling that way, just take a breath and remember those lessons of yester year. Then take a moment to smile with those you are with at any given time. A smile and acknowledgment of one another or a positive word, go a long way in brightening an individual’s day. And if enough of us continue to do that every day, then we can brighten up the whole community! It can be infectious and make all the difference. Be well, be safe, stay positive!

Amish VISIT-IN-PERSON Tour

EXCLUSIVE

Amish Visit-In-Person Tour (3 Hrs.)

$55.95 adult, $45.95 child (age 6-12*)

* Children under age 6 not permitted on VIP Tour

Stop 1: The Amish Farm Observe the milking process and discover “Amish electricity” as you learn that the Amish do not milk cows by hand.

Stop 2: Amish Cottage Industry As the Amish population grows, more Amish turn to home businesses rather than farming. Visit an Amish workshop to see what they make and how they make it.

Stop 3: The Amish Home We’ll go to the home of one of our Amish neighbors for friendly conversation…a chance to sit, chat, and visit the Amish way.

Enjoy a 2.5–HOUR Experience featuring a traditional Amish Family-Style Meal, served in an Amish home.

$65.95 per person regardless of age*

* Small children must be in a car seat you provide.

Summer Hours

Monday–Saturday 9am–5pm Sunday 10am–4pm

Standard Rides

Country & Cookie Tour

Adults: $18.00 Child: $12.00 (age 3-12) 2 & under: Free

A 30-35 minute tour passing a cluster of Amish homes and businesses in an all Amish area. Travel our country roads, the way we travel! Cookies, snacks and drinks are USUALLY available for purchase, depending on our Amish neighbors availability.

Amish Farm Tour

Adults: $35.00 Child: $16.00 (age 3-12) 2 & under: Free

A 50-60 minute tour that stops at a local farm! Experience our way of life on a real working Amish farm. Tour the barn, and see the cows, chickens, goats, and horses. Discover life without electricity and how the Amish remain separate from traditional American society!

The Sunday Ride

Adults: $20.00 Child: $12.00 (age 3-12) 2 & under: Free

A 30-35 minute tour passing numerous Amish farms. Our local drivers can answer your questions and talk to you about points of interest.

Private Journey Tours

For a truly unique experience, book your own private tour, with your own driver, horse, and buggy. Our guests call it “ unforgettable”!