Supporting the Amish Way of Life
I’m a creative person. I love to draw, paint, build, garden…you name it, I love to create! I started woodworking which allowed me to meet many of the local Amish. They are simple people who believe in God, family, hard work, and a simple life. They live without electricity, rubber wheels, and other modern ‘worldy’ goods like cell phones & the internet. Stepping onto one of their farms is like stepping back in time. Doing business requires face-to-face visits with time spent on getting to know one another and handshake agreements. Your word is your honor. They are not a rich people and often struggle to put food on the table, but they work together as a community to ensure the success and prosperity of everyone.
Meeting the Amish…
They invite me in and feed me the best pies and cakes while we sit at the kitchen table getting to know one another. I get to meet their entire families (which are very large!) and get to know everyone individually. Each person has a craft that he or she excels at and enjoys doing to help support the family - regardless of how old or young they are. They understand that their contributions are very important to the success of the family unit and community at large.
Living in Modern Society…
One of their mainstays of income is milk production, but in our ever-changing technological society it is getting harder and harder for them to make a living doing it anymore. The recent tariffs have driven the price of milk so low that several have had to sell the entire herd and look elsewhere for work. Some have turned to wood and handcrafting items for sale.
Challenges of Selling Enough to Live…
Without access to the internet or vehicles to transport them and their goods to nearby cities, they are limited to whoever happens to drive by. And unless you are driving through the backroads, off the beaten path of the highway on a scenic drive, it's not likely you'll come upon their farms. Not an ideal storefront.
Trying Something New…
I’ve made an arrangement to buy some items from a few families in the area and open an Etsy shop to see if there's any demand for their beautiful craftsmanship and lovely items that support good people. Your purchases directly support their ability to continue to live simply in the modern world. They also afford me an opportunity to make a living through helping others, a philosophy that sings deeply in my soul.
Welcome! I hope you like the store and spread the word...the more I can sell, the more families I can help, the happier I am!
