Going Amish in Lancaster, PA

On our recent trip to Pennsylvania Dean, Bradley and I spent a day in Lancaster, PA learning about the Amish. It was quite the educational experience. I highly recommend a visit if you ever get anywhere near there.

This is us at the visitor's center.

Bradley and Dean with a Buggy. Yes, they really do drive them, and yes, they are everywhere. The cost of a brand new buggy (tricked out) is about $5,000-7,000.


Amish School. The children are "complete" with school when they are done with the 8th Grade. All of the Amish schools in the county are one room school houses.

This is Bradley in a replica of an Amish school...we didn't bust in on a class and demand to take pictures. In fact, our tour driver was very respectful of the children and didn't stop at the school if children were present outside.

This is a "typical" Amish farmhouse. The propane tank (because they don't use electricity), the clothes on the line (because they don't use propane dryers, apparently), and the houses which have add-ons (additions to accommodate multiple generations in the same household) are all indicative of a typical farmhouse.

The farmers were out in force plowing their fields the day we were there. In my whole life, I've never seen a horse-drawn plow (except on TV). This seems like such a hard way to do it. Get a John Deere for the love....

One thing which we don't have a picture of is our lunch. We ate at a true "family style diner" called Good and Plenty. The name says it all. Family style means that you are seated at a table made for 12 with whomever else comes into the restaurant and needs a seat. We had a lovely time and met some great people from New York and York, PA. I'm still dreaming (and paying for) those buttered noodles and that fried chicken! YUM!