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PROGRAM:AMISH COUNTRY

LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA

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Most Students on Tour Education Programs to Amish Country include:

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  • Amish Countryside Tour

  • The Amish Experience - theater




With extended time or an additional day the program may include:

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  • Amish family-style meal

  • Amish Farm Stop

  • Amish Bake Shop​

  • Sight and Sound Theater

CLIMATE

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Because of the protection afforded by the mountains of central Pennsylvania, Amish Country enjoys a moderate climate. Conditions range from relatively mild in winter to warm and humid in summer with noticeable weather changes every few days throughout the year. Several very cold outbreaks can be expected most winters but moderation usually takes place rather rapidly. Summers are normally quite warm and humid with temperatures averaging 72° F and humidity frequently better than 60% during the June through August period. Heat waves periodically produce uncomfortable conditions for up to several days at a time. Spring and fall are the transition seasons.

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Precipitation is normally plentiful and well distributed throughout the year. Rainfall is greatest during the summer months with close to 50% of the annual total recorded during the May through September growing season.

GEOGRAPHY


Amish Country in located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, which is in the south-central portion of the state in the beautiful Susquehanna Valley. The land is mostly flat, with mild rolling

hills, lending itself to farming. The farmland of Lancaster County is considered to be among the most fertile non-irrigated farmland in the world. Popular crops include tobacco, soybeans, and corn. There are a large number of dairy and chicken farms as well.

ESSENTIALS

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  • Smelling the "fresh" country air.
     

  • Standing alongside the road and seeing and hearing an Amish horse-drawn buggy pass.
     

  • Seeing the valleys filled with Amish farms.
     

  • Visiting an Amish bakeshop or craft house.

Get Prepared

WATCH

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Friendly Persuasion, 1956, Allied Artists - released on DVD 2000, Warner Studios. This movie is a story based on the Quakers during the Civil War. Although the Quakers and Amish are different in beliefs - there are similarities in their style of plain living and pacifistic beliefs. The idea here is that our country allows for different religious groups to practice their religion without persecution.

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READ

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The Riddle of Amish Culture, Donald Kraybill, 1989, ISBN 0-8018-3682-4. It answers many of those difficult questions about why the Amish do what they do.

The Amish in their Own Words, compiled by Brad Igou, 1999, Herald Press. Short readings and stories show the Amish as people; one of the few books actually written by the Amish themselves.

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EAT

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The Amish are wonderful cooks and bakers. If you stop at an Amish bakeshop on your tour, we would recommend the whoopie pies - little chocolate cakes with icing between them.

Pretzels are another Amish Country favorite. They come in many flavors with many types of dipping sauces.

If your tour is eating at one of the Amish family-style restaurants - be adventurous! Try the dried corn or the shoo-fly pie.

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DRINK

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Try an Amish favorite - birch beer (like root beer) or lemonade.

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IN A WORD:

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Simple!

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SURPRISES

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  • The Amish call all non-Amish people - "English".
     

  • There are many different groups of Amish. The Old Order Amish are the group that most Americans think of when they hear "Amish".
     

  • The Amish broke off of the Mennonites in the late 1600s.
     

  • Most Amish get married in October and November.

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