Amish Country at Last

 I have really been looking forward to visiting the Amish in Lancaster County and today was the day. We walked to the place to pick up our hire car, enjoying again some of the now familiar buildings of Philadelphia. We picked up our hire car and navigated our way out of the city- Bindi does a great job driving, I am happy to be the navigator! It was only a 1hour 30 minute drive to where we were staying, I did comment to Bindi that I hoped it was going to be as rural as I was expecting it to be. I am pleased to say it was.

Loaded up and walking to pick up our rental car

We arrived at Intercourse- yes that was the name of the town, just up the road from Paradise! We were too early to check into our hotel and our tummies were growling so across the road was a soft pretzel place- so had one of those, it was yummy!

Got to spot my first horse and buggy- most exciting!

We would spot them all the time after that.

Just across the road was the Kettle Kitchen Village with lots of shops, very tourist, but fun to look around and spend our money. Had a yummy fudge shop.

We checked in to our hotel and then went on a horse and buggy ride around the back roads

We stopped off at one of the Amish Farms and brought some pretzels. That was it for Day 1

The next day we headed into the city of Lancaster and checked out the market

Then walked around the city

Past the Fulton Theatre where we are booked in to see Anastasia the next day.

The streets where lovely, most of the shops were shut though.

Had a coupon for a hot chocolate so called into this Candy Shop to get my free drink

Bindi had a Root Beer float, not my thing.

Then it was time to look for some of those covered bridges. The countryside is lovely and green.

Off to walk through our first one

I had lots of fun exploring the covered bridges

They bridges were wooden so covers were built to protect them from the ice and snow

We found 3 bridges on our way to Ronks where we went to the Amish Village. Not run by Amish but it gives you some insight into Amish life. Our tour included a 90 minute small bus ride through the back roads with a commentary about Amish life.

An Amish farm, they are corn silos for their cows over winter. The Mennonites and Amish originally came from Switzerland and Germany to escape persecution. Lancaster was one of the first areas they settled, but Amish communities are found across many of the US States today.

They use a lot of sustainable farming practices. The plastic protects the soil in the cold and helps the seeds come up quicker

No tractors, mules and horses used to plough the fields. No chemicals are used, all manure is saved and turned into fertiliser. Crops are only grown for 2 years in the same spot and then rotated.

Over winter a green crop is grown to protect the soil.

You just see them going about daily life as you drive through the county.

Our mini tour stopped off at an Amish road side stall. I loved all the flowers. Lots of woodwork and furniture

Loved the buggy just parked in the driveway

Amish house with washing hanging on the line- no dryers in use in Amish homes

Another horse and buggy going past

We had dinner that night at Katie's Amish Kitchen. Nice homemade food. The Amish have accepted that Englishmen (that is anyone who is not Amish) don't always carry cash so you can use a card. This restaurant was Amish owned and run, but they didn't own the building, they rented it from an Englishmen which meant the could use the electricity. They don't have electricity in their homes but use gas or generators.

Such and interesting day exploring the area and getting a bit of insight into Amish life.