I have always been fascinated with the Amish and so it has been a dream of mine to visit the Amish country in Pennsylvania for a long time. A couple of years ago I finally go to go and it was everything I hoped and thought it would be.
One of my favorite stops was the Bird in Hand Farmers Market. They have a ton of hand crafted goods that are made by local Amish families. There are easily a couple of dozen different vendors there and they have everything from baked goods and preserves to handmade quilts and wooden crafts. There were also a couple of tables set up where you could actually watch them make stuff. I watched a demonstration in wood carving and a few tables over there was one going on for fudge making. For the most part, prices are quite good, especially considering the high quality.
It was really a nice, relaxing vacation. The Amish Village was a real treat to visit. They have informative guides that conduct tours to help you understand all about the Amish way of life. You tour a house and grounds that date all the way back to 1840 and it gives you a really good insight into what I imagine is authentic culture and life. The tour starts out in what is called the meeting room. That’s where they have their Sunday worship services. You also get to see the kitchen and how they have it set up with appliances that are powered by water and propane instead of electricity. The tour also includes the Amish bedrooms and we learned all about their clothing. There is also a blacksmith shop on the grounds as well as a school house.
Our final stop in the area wasn’t so much Amish related but it was a treat none the less, in the real sense of the word-The Hershey’s Chocolate factory. We took a free tour ride and got to see how they make the candy and how they make all the different candies come alive on television. I could easily have blown a wad of cash in the gift shop, being such a chocolate lover. They have everything from the regular candy to unique stuff like candy ornaments. There is also a food court there, if you don’t stuff yourself silly on chocolate before you get there, that is.
