If there's one thing I love, it's a trip to our local Amish Community here in Middle TN. It's where Swartzentruber Amish live with the strictest of all orders, including no photographs and no videos. Many people like to take the guided tours of the community, but we prefer to drive ourselves and stop at pretty much each and every house that has a stand set up, or a sign out front advertising what they are selling.
In the Ethridge, TN area there are more than a dozen one-room Amish school houses. The children start school at age 7 and go through eighth grade or age 14, learning basic math, reading, writing, German and English
Here they use kerosene lamps for lighting and diesel engines to run machinery, as they have no electricity and no indoor plumbing.
This little cutie was tied out front on our way into one of the homes and I just had to snap a pic of him.
This is what the typical Amish home looks like in Ethridge. Electric lines are replaced by clothes lines. Beautiful, well-manicured lawns, replaced by fields for growing food that they can themselves to feed their family year round.
They sell lots of animals as well. My husband always says no to more animals, so when I asked for "A" rabbit I wasn't expecting him to say yes and buy 3.
One of my favorite snacks I always grab is the pickled okra. They have lots of home canned items. One thing we had never tried was Cherry Jelly. It did not disappoint!
Now here is my weakness! Homemade Peanut Brittle, Peanut Butter Fudge, and Peanut Butter Cups. I can't leave the community without these!
The seasoned crackers were new to me this year. They tasted almost like a Chicken N a Biscuit cracker. A quick, easy, yet mouthwatering snack.
Another favorite of mine is their soaps, lotions and car fresheners. All are locally handmade, and they all smell amazing, yet they have their own purpose as well. This Lemon Eucalyptus is used to detour mosquito and deer ticks. It's also used for treating muscle spasms, toenail fungus, osteoarthritis, and other joint pain.
The lavender plant is naturally anti-inflammatory and antiseptic, and it can soothe sunburns and reduce scarring. These properties make lavender soap a way to reduce skin inflammation and treat skin conditions.
One of the cutest things we see each time we go are the little children out running around barefoot, weather permitting, with their little bonnets, the boys with their straw hats and suspenders. Again, this strict order of Amish doesn't allow pictures, so we respect that but it's definitely a site to see. We did take a few images of their buggies, but the picture does not show any of their faces.
This is something we do quite often just to get away from the everyday stresses of "normal life" and to show the little one how others live. They are extremely friendly people. They'll chat with ya' and tell you basic things about their lifestyle. Even the teenagers are friendly and will take time from their daily chores to have a conversation with you.
If you have an Amish community near you, I highly recommend taking a day trip down to visit and purchase their products. Business is a no go on Sundays. They're very religious and their stands are not open.
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