Amish Farm and House

Post Sponsored by Amish Farm and House.  All opinions are my own. 

Lancaster is one of the top destinations to visit in Pennsylvania and the Amish Farm and House is one of the top attractions there. It’s not to be missed.

Lancaster, PA had always been a destination for my family since it’s so beautiful and only 2 hours away. But we haven’t been there in many years, so a visit was definitely due. The area is known for the Amish experiences, like the Amish Farm and House, and is often called Amish country PA.

Planning this trip was me starting from scratch since the last time I was in Amish country, I was 11 years old and I went with my aunt. I wanted to make sure that my family and I were maximizing our time at Lancaster, so the first thing I did was extensive research.

This is what led me to the Amish Farm and House.

Amish Farm and House is on land donated by William Penn himself in 1715. The Amish Farm and House attraction was opened in 1955 as the FIRST authentic Amish attraction. Adolph Neuber felt that there should be a place where people could learn the correct information about the Amish lifestyle.

You can visit the Amish Farm and House 7 days a week from 9am to 6pm and all you have to is purchase tour tickets.

What’s Included in the Tour

Bus Tour

My first to-do at the Amish Farm and House was the bus tour. We boarded the 14 passenger bus around 10am. It’s a multi-stop 90-minute bus tour through Amish Country Lancaster, PA.

Our bus guide was very knowledgeable, the stuff we were taught on that bus ride I couldn’t have found online. This was information specific to the Amish in Lancaster. She told us about the Amish culture, history, and customs.

Authentic Amish Store

One of the stops on the bus ride was to an Amish shop on a farm that was authentic. Meaning it was owned and operated by Amish and the items in there were mostly made by Amish.

I’m talking delicious jam, butter, candles, etc. Quilts that we all should have, toys, and so much more.

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House Tour

Our second stop was the house tour. This is a guided tour with another knowledgeable tour guide through a home set up in the way of the Amish. We started in the main living area that was set up for church service. The Amish hold church services at someone’s home. They clear the area and place wooden benches in the room

The farmhouse itself is historic, it is from 1805 and was once occupied by an Amish family. As we went through the upstairs, the bedrooms specifically, we learned about why they wear certain attire, the difference in lifestyles between genders and age groups.

Farm

The Farm was an awesome time. I was lucky enough to visit when both the pig and goat had just given birth so I got to see the babies. They were so cute! It’s 15 acres full of fun and activities that need to be seen.

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They do have many areas with farm animals like pigs, goats, roosters, and more. You can get pellets to feed them from the quarter machines. Reminded me of my childhood.

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One-Room Schoolhouse

One of the best places on the farm is the one-room schoolhouse. Still, the type of schoolhouse used today in the Amish culture, this is an exact replica built by the Amish for the Amish Farm and House tour.

Local Artisans

Chris Lubkemann, a nationally-known woodcarver whose childhood in South America made wood an important part of his life. His home is now at the Amish Farm and House. He specializes in mini roosters and other carvings.

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What to bring to the Amish Farm and House

Because I travel and adventure often, I have a list of survival items I usually bring with me. The Amish Farm and House doesn’t differ too much from the list but there are some add-ons.

• Water – I like to keep a cooler in my trunk with drinks. Water is a must
• Wipes
• Napkins
• Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
• Bring snacks or lunch (in the cooler) to save money
• Cash
• Quarters – to feed the animals.

Amish Farm and House is also pet-friendly, which means I bought my one and only child with me (who also is furry). In the long scheme of things, this means you don’t have to spend money on dog sitting or pet boarding.

What we learned at the Amish Farm and House
aka About the Amish

The Amish left Europe for America because of persecution due to their cultural difference. William Penn, a Quaker himself, welcomed them to Pennsylvania. Today, America is home to the Amish. Amish Country in Lancaster PA was their first home, there are currently almost 37,000 in Lancaster, but they now exist in 31 states.

Amish families are large, the average number of kids is 6. They are divided into districts of about 20 to 40 families. Each district is autonomous and interprets rules and regulation in their own way.

The Amish are not allowed to use automobiles, they travel by horse and buggy. They live an off the grid lifestyle, meaning there is no electricity at home so no electronics. They do however sometimes have cell phones that are used for business purposes but never in the house.

Their language is Pennsylvania Dutch which is a dialect of German. They also learn English as a second language. In fact, the Amish go to school in a one-room school house until eighth grade, the Amish feel like any schooling taught after that is unnecessary and can most likely be corrupt. When they start school is when they start learning English as a second language.

Agriculture was up until recently, the top business model for the Amish. Today less than 30% of the Amish in Lancaster county make their income from farming. There is over 2,000 Amish owned business and of those, about 20% are female owned.

Most of the farms in Lancaster are dairy farms. The county claims to have over 250,000 cows throughout the numerous farms.

Amish have a rite of passage for adolescence called rumspringa. During this time Amish youth are able to experience life outside the Amish setting. This is so that they can make an educated choice about whether they want to stay within the Amish faith and culture or not. This is also the time for them to date and find a marriage partner.

The average age for a decision is 18-22 years of age. Over 80% decide to remain Amish and are baptized to become members of the church. Marriage is usually soon to follow.

Strawberry Festival

For the first time ever, Amish Farm and House hosted a strawberry festival. This took place June 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. This means that the first stop on our bus tour was an authentic strawberry farm. How many of you have seen a strawberry farm? And we could pick them and take them home too.

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The festival consisted of various strawberry-related activities such as jam tasting and learning how to make your own Strawberry jam.

There were so many treats like chocolate covered strawberries and I had homemade strawberry shortcake for the first time ever. It was delicious.

If you’re heading to Lancaster, PA and are looking for the number one Amish experience then the Amish House and Farm is not to be missed. This should be your first stop in what could be a full day or weekend of things to do in Lancaster, PA. In fact, I like the Amish Farm and House so much that I know it will be a very short period of time before I head back.

What’s next?

Head over to their official website to plan a visit and buy tickets. Duh!