Amish Country

Hunter wrote a beautiful description of our trip to Berlin Ohio for Porter's state championship baseball tournament. In his own words:

"We stayed in a hotel near this flower "quilt," (made from 1,040 Marigolds, 1870 Begonias, and 1150 Ageratums).

 

Berlin is in Holmes County, aka Amish country, where 80% of residents are either Amish or Mennonite. The town had lots of small artisan shops with very cool objects to buy.

Coblentz Chocolate Company, a great shop with huge samples!

The famous Amish furniture lived up to its billing and I would recommend it to everyone. Inexpensive but well made. 

(Our free coaster!)

It was very enlightening to learn about the Amish, their lifestyle and religion. There are eight generally recognized sects , but each community, or district (about 50-75 people) can have slightly different rules. 

(Hitching posts for buggies are everywhere, banks, Walmart, the court house...)

Some used mowers, or tractors, but most Amish did not and could be seen all over town driving in their horse and buggy. We shared the roads, and as most shoulders were wide we could pass easily. However, on the way to church, we used some smaller roads and get stuck behind on some buggies going up a hill. We ended up late, but it was very cool slowing down and following them.

Later in the week, we took a buggy ride, and it was interesting to experience it, but would be hard to travel that way every day. Also, the ride was much bumpier than I expected. Even the buggies illustrated differences in how the communities were different. While all buggies used reflectant signs per law on the back, some had electric heaters for winter, and others a windshield, with some even using windshield wipers.

The Amish and Mennonite split hundreds of years ago over the practice of shunning. If someone leaves the Amish faith, they are gone forever from their family and community. 

The Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center, a great place to learn!

If a Mennonite leaves, not much changes. Over time, the Mennonites have adapted and changed with society. They drive cars, use electricity, and generally meld with others. They dress much more conservatively, but not like the Amish who look like pioneers.

A trip to that area could not be complete without a visit to the cheese and wine makers. We visited Guggisberg, whose specialty is Swiss cheese, world champion Swiss cheese (the Amish are from Switzerland) along with countless similar variations, also cheddar, and pepperjack, etc., but NO parmesan! anywhere. Being my favorite, it was very disappointing. The others types were okay, but I don't like them nearly as much. 

Learning the history of cheese was interesting and seeing it made was swell as well. Cheese, rather the curds, was discovered accidentally when travelers crossing the Sahara desert on camels stored milk in goatskin found out that the milk reacted with goat skin bacteria, or cultures, and food forever was changed. Thank the goats that be! We also visited Heini's Cheese Chalet, and their tour was much more extensive.

Our Amish tour guide remembers milk being delivered by horse and buggy when he was a little boy!

This size cheese vat takes twenty five gallons of salt!

Cheese canisters being "pressed," or "squeezed" overnight.

(One of six rows of samples!)

We missed the wine making tour, therefore the wine cellar, and passed on the tasting part. Disappointing. But there were these little gems that we discovered in our travels:

Sammy Sue's BBQ, a great place to stop for lunch!

 

The Sugarfuse Cupcakery and Cake Studio, a great place to get dessert!

The Bread Head, a yummy place for breakfast or lunch!

"Little Switzerland" of Ohio, the Village of Sugarcreek...where all the buildings are chalets!

 Beautiful farm land...on every corner!

We will definitely be back!"