My wife and I recently enjoyed a wonderful Amish getaway!
I can't offer you a whole week on an Amish farm like the Heller family experiences in my novella Amish Park, but I have a great suggestion.
We spent a weekend in Shipshewana, Indiana. Let me tell you what to look for and offer ideas about where to stay, shop, and eat.
We stayed just a mile or two north a Shipshewana in one of these little log cabins.
Shipshewana North Park Campground
They were about the same price as an average hotel room and so cute!
The sound of horses pulling buggies can be heard as you sit on the front porch.
After waking up and savoring a cup of coffee on the porch swing, head on into Shipshewana for a family style meal.
We love the Blue Gate Restaurant located at the only stoplight in downtown Shipshewana.
Be sure to try the Amish peanut butter on homemade rolls. I promise you it is authentic and exactly what you would have if you visited an Amish (on the farm) church service. Some of the cooks and servers are actually Amish.
Downtown Shipshewana has several shopping malls and a plethora of gift shops to stroll through.
You will see Amish buggies clip-clopping past as you walk. Not to mention Amish families shopping alongside you.
My favorite thing to do while visiting Shipshewana is driving around the countryside.
You will find scores of Amish owned stores that welcome the public. These businesses are scattered around the area on Amish farms.
Take time to drink in the beauty of Amish farms in the area. (And they are BEAUTIFUL.) Listen to the wonderful melody of horse hooves and the rumbling of buggy wheels. It has to be about my favorite sound in the world. If you are interested in Amish life, I promise, you won't be disappointed.
My mother grew up on a farm north east of Kalona. Just up the hill from an amish store. The store wasn't there when we as a family from Mi would visit my grandparents. One of my fondest memories is the sounds of the horses and buggies as they would be going past grandpa's farm. No matter where we would be you could hear the clip clop of the horses. Iowa would be so hot and muggy you could even hear the corn growing. We didn't have hills in Mi so driving up and down and around in the Kalona area was also very interesting for us. Another thing that wasn't as pleasant was the smell of the pig farms. I have to have morning glories in my garden because they would be hanging on the porches of my mother's amish relatives. Around Kalona, there are so many gravel roads and I honestly can't figure out how the wash can get clean if hanging close to the road where the cars fly by and the dust flies across the clothes lines.
ReplyDeleteHello friend! You didn't leave your name with your comment, but I bet I know your Iowa family. My wife's grandparents lived near that same area and Amish neighbors used to let her ride along in their buggies for a short distance and then she would get out and walk back to her grandma's place. You really need to read my Amish Horses Series. The characters live in a fictitious community but anyone who has been to Kalona will recognize the area. The main story takes place very close to where your grandparents lived. Main character, Lenny, also notices the sound of corn growing! I've wondered about dirt-road dust blowing over the clotheslines myself. LOL Thanks for taking time to leave a comment.
ReplyDeleteI did indeed not include my name in my comment. My grandfather was Mose Mishler. His farm was bought when he passed away by Linus Gingerich. When we would go to Iowa for a visit we would always visit the Ropp family who lived across the road from the country store. My cousin Sheryl Yoder who is married to Bob Miller lives at the NE edge of Kalona. The Mishler cousins are going to have a reunion the weekend of Sept 22. My husband and I and my sister will be staying in Kalona in a B&B for several nites. My husband and I live in the Netherlands and my sister lives in Michigan. I want to do some research in the Mennonite archives while there. I have 19 ancestors buried in various cemeteries in the area. I feel like my roots are in the Kalona area. Maybe we can meet up while we are in the area. My phone nu. is 989 553 9035. We will be in the Kalona area Sept 21-24. I am hoping to get your Amish Horses series this time when we are there. I have been reading your blog and really enjoy it. In a couple days we are going to travel to Mi. Greetings from Mary Keim Maarsen
ReplyDeleteHi Mary, I've been past the Linus Gingerich farm. I know some of the Ropp family you are talking about! We know the Mishler name from our area but I guess we don't know them personally. I hope we can connect while you are in the area. I'm also a mailman, and I have a very nice family on my mailroute that are from the Netherlands. My Amish Horses Books are available at the General Store in Kalona. ;) Thanks for following my blog!
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