Living Around The Amish

Hello there! I am a lover on Amish books. Always have been since I was a teen. I never thought in my life that I would be involved with them! I knew that Amish were completely different from what I believe; but lots of people would think I am Amish! Only because I wear skirts and have long hair. Our beliefs are similar but very different. I am going to tell you about true facts about the Amish I live around.

First: How do I know these facts are true?

My husband has been involved with the Amish for most his life. My In-laws have 5 children so they decided to get a twelve passenger van. Later they found out there were Amish stands to buy fresh produce. They went there one day and the Amish got interested in the twelve passenger van. The Amish like to travel in large groups to go to weddings in other states. The Amish asked my father-in-law if he would be interested in taking them places. He agreed and they got more and more involved with the Amish from there. Some Amish take their produce and sell it at farmer’s markets, or even flea markets. Once my husband got old enough to drive, he began to be a driver for an Amish fellow. He took them to one of their places to sell produce. After my husband and I met, I was completely amazed on how much they worked for the Amish. It was very interesting to take a look from the books and compare to real life. After I married my husband, I took on a full time job in the summer pulling a trailer and the Amish’s produce. My husband went through four factory jobs and a trash company until he finally got the job he has now. He now works with an Amish guy. They work together as loggers (Timber /Lumber Jacks.) We have learned a lot about the Amish!

(This is facts about Amish I live around. I'm not close to many Mennonites but The Mennonites I live by are older Mennonites they drive horse buggy. I do mention Mennonites in this article only to compare the differences in the Amish and Mennonites Around me. There are very many different types of Amish and Mennonites so all facts I mention may not be true for other Amish groups.)

Fact number 1: Do they accept government help?

Amish will not accept government help. In 2020 and even 2021 we all know we have gotten two stimulus checks. We all accepted it as quickly as if someone handed you your favorite candy bar. The Amish on the other hand had rejected both. They are not allowed to accept it as a community. They must send it back. They also don’t have anything like Medicare, or anything to cover their medical bills. They help each other when something major happens. They don’t agree with food stamps either. Anything that is government help they will not accept or be involved in it. If someone would happen to accept anything, in the Amish community, they would more than likely be shamed and have to make it right.

Fact number 2: I learnt how to tell the difference between an Amish and Mennonites near me.

Amish Women:

When Amish go anywhere they, of course, wear a thin, white prayer cap, and for special outings (or older woman) they wear a thicker black bonnet over the white cap. When the Amish are home, they wear a thin sheared scarf over their hair. Winter time, they wear a thick scarf to keep their head and ears warm. They are always wearing a head covering. Why? You may ask… Because of what the bible states...

Most of their clothing is hand-made, even their winter coats! Their dresses are 100% plain. No design in them at all. They have a black, sometimes gray, apron on top their dresses, with again no pattern. For special occasions like weddings and church, the single girls will wear a white apron. They do not have buttons on their dress they only use straight pins. When they go somewhere, they wear black stockings, at home they are mostly bare foot. Shoes are mostly only black, nothing fancy.

Mennonite Woman:

Like the Amish the Mennonite wears a head covering. They wear a white one similar to the picture above just a little different. The Mennonite women also wear a bonnet, but their heavy bonnets have a flower pattern on them. As the Amish their bonnets only come in black with no pattern. I notice that the Mennonite I’m around, don’t always have to wear a bonnet. I do sometimes see them without a bonnet on.

The Mennonite dresses are quite different! The color is all the same but they always have a flowery pattern. Their aprons are made out the same material as their dress. Sometimes they would have a matching bonnet. They do use buttons on their clothing. I must admit I’m not so sure about their stockings. I know that their shoes aren’t always black. I also know most their clothes are home made.

Amish men:

I have noticed they are very particular about their hats! They have one for almost anything. They have a hat that’s practically falling apart for working. Then they have a very nice hat for going out in public. They are always are wearing a hat. They may take it off while in the vehicle but once they get out they put their hat on immediately. There is a picture of an example of their hat above. If it’s raining outside they have a black hat cover to keep it dry. I’m not really sure why they always wear a hat it’s just the way they are.

I believe some shirts they may buy some as well as some are homemade. They do use buttons on the men shirts and pants. I’m not sure why the women don’t use buttons? The Men’s pants are homemade and either a dark blue or black nothing else. Amish men only wear one suspender strap, yes only one. Their shoes are plain and simple nothing fancy in men’s fashion. I’m pretty sure they only stick with black shoes. They may have some tennis shoes with some white, though their shoes are mostly black. So the Amish style is mostly black, plain, and only bold/plain colors.

Mennonite men:

Mennonite men are into more style. As the Amish they too wear a hat. About the same style as the Amish just maybe a little bit different. They wear jeans and store bought pants. They also wear store bought shirts. They wear a more variety of shoes as well. Mennonite men also wear suspenders but they have both straps.

Fact number 2: Differences from Amish to Mennonite, other than clothing.

Amish and Mennonite that I am around don’t wear rings if they are married.

Amish men who are married have to grow a beard. It’s pretty much a symbol like our “English rings.” If they’re married and don’t grow out their beard, in Amish terms, pretty much states they don’t take their marriage seriously. All Amish men who are married take their marriage seriously so it would be rare. They do not grow a mustache because in 1860 to 1916 it was a British army law to include a mustache in their dress code. Amish do not believe in fighting, so they will not associate with anything that would risible anything to a war from any era.

Amish women don’t do anything to show if they are married. I do notice though, most married Amish women will wear their black bonnet more frequently than a non-married. But you couldn’t know for sure if they are married or not. Only way you could know is if you knew them personally.

Mennonite men are allowed to have facial hair or not have facial hair, whether they are married or not. So no ring, no facial hair, you couldn’t know if a Mennonite man was married or not. Again, only way you would know is if you knew them personally. The same goes for the Mennonite women. You couldn’t tell if they were married or not unless you knew them personally.

The Amish I live around don’t own a bicycle, but the Mennonite do.

The Mennonite I live around don’t own any vehicles; they drive horse and buggy as the Amish.

Fact Number 3: Amish buggies.

The Amish I live around have black buggies. I always thought they were always black. I was wrong. In Pennsylvania There are different colors. I only saw white, and yellow and black, not sure if there is more. The guy my husband works with said, Amish buggies use to be originally white. Then they changed it. He’s not really sure exactly why they changed it then. Now different color buggies resemble different Amish communities. So if you live somewhere and there are different colored buggies, that means there are more than one Amish community near you. Meaning some Amish communities could believe a bit different than other Amish communities.

Fact number 4: The Amish Language. Pennsylvania Dutch.

Most languages have written words to go with their language right? You know how in Amish books they have Amish words in them, but it’s not really the Amish language. The Amish language isn’t a written language. Most people just guess how to write it from the way it sounds. Amish language is very close to German language that’s how most people can guess on how to write it. Amish made up their own language. Different Amish communities or even Mennonites are always a little different but close enough to understand each other. Only way to learn their language is repeat after them, or try to… You will find that most Amish won’t understand somethings us English know and say. Some phrases you may have to explain.

So how do they write, you may ask?

When they are children they learn the Pennsylvania Dutch, they just pick it up because that’s their main language. So children under the age of 5 or 6, will not understand you if you talk to them. When they are old enough for school they learn English and how to write in English. They only write in English, not in their own speaking language.

Why do they not teach their little ones English when they are born?

That is a simple answer. They like to keep their children’s minds clean. They don’t want people they don’t know to influence them, and teach them bad things. I could understand that, a child’s mind should always be innocent and not corrupted.

Fact number 5: What Amish do not discuss to anyone but immediate family.

They do not announce to everyone that they’re expecting. It’s expected to be hushed. They will only tell the grandparents of the expected child. Even if it is noticeable they will not say a word. It’s a sacred thing to them. They do not tell their young children anything about child bearing. They don’t take it so kindly if you tell their child you are with child. Why? Because they will ask questions and they believe they don’t need to know that information till they are much older. All the children know, is one day mommy’s gone, then in a few hours mommy comes back with a brother or sister. Most the time the children will be sent to their grandparent’s house until the mom and dad are ready to have them back. After the child is born that’s when they will have a baby shower.

I could honestly go on and on with so many things, not sure what would be the most interesting. I tried to pick out the most interesting facts most people don’t know. I hope you have learned different things you didn’t know about the Amish!

Thank you for reading, have a nice day!