Amish Country Blog

If you’re ever interested in what is going on in Amish Country, click on our events tab.  You’ll find all kinds of events, and hopefully one of them will add to your Amish Country experience.  September is full of festivals.

The Quilt Gardens Tour is viewable for one more month.  Make sure you come and enjoy the tour.  There have been some interesting things happening to the gardens this year.  In Wakarusa, a hail storm took out part of the Quilt Garden.  In Goshen, a critter ate a little of the Quilt Garden at the 4-H fair, although the Meadow  Brook Agriquilt would have been more to his liking.

The Elkhart Civic Theatre announced their 2010-11 season.  It looks another great year for Elkhart Civic.  Premier Arts is finishing out their 2009-10 family series. Sauder Concert Hall at Goshen College has another great lineup for their 2010-11 season, I want to go see the Chieftains, and the African Children’s Choir.  The Round Barn Theatre finishes their season with Cats, which I love!  I would also check out the Blue Gate Theater in Shipshewana.
So while you plan your trip to Amish Country, check out our events page.  I bet there is something on that page you don’t want to miss.

-Mindy, Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor and Visitor Center Travel Specialist

There seems to be a lot more people using coupons, savings cards and discount programs in light of the current economic climate. And I was so happy to see the new program that Amish Acres, Nappanee is offering to their visitors and CVS cardholders.

According to their site, all you have to do is present your CVS/pharmacy Extra Care Card or register receipt or your Plus Shopper’s Card and you will  receive $5 off the Amish Acres House & Farm Tour. You will also receive $50 in valuable shopping coupons! There are additional offers related to this as well and you can find the details on their site Amish Acres.com.

This is a great oppportunity for you to enjoy the Amish Acres House and Farm Tour!
If you’ve taken the tour, let us know your favorite part. Leave Your Comment

- Jessica Miller,  Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor

I’m starting to see people coming back to Amish Country.  The pace is picking up in the Visitor Center and the  Heritage Trail driving tour CD and map are popular.  It’s fun to watch! I have a few things that I need to tell you about Amish Country before you come to help make your trip a little easier.

First is that you need to begin early and stop early.  Amish Country is a farming community at heart, and we get up with the sun, and close down as the sun is starting to set.  If you want to visit shops, or visit businesses, or go to a museum, plan your day for a 9am to 6pm.  You can always start earlier, but just keep that 6pm close time in your mind.  Restaurants do stay open later.

If you want to learn about the Amish, the best place to go is Menno-Hof in Shipshewana.  They are dedicated to telling the Amish and Mennonite story.

Great food is abundant in Amish Country.  Pack a cooler so you can keep all your food purchases fresh. Driving the Heritage Trail is the best way to take in Amish Country, and it takes 3 and a half hours if you follow the audio tour and don’t stop.  It will take most of your day if you want to make stops…and well worth it!  You should plan on making at least a few stops on your way.  And don’t forget to bring your camera.  There are lots of great photo opportunities in Amish Country.

So have fun when you’re out and about in Amish Country, and I hope you enjoy your stay.

Have you driven the Heritage Trail audio tour? Let us know. Leave your comment

Mindy, Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor

In Amish Country, we do a lot of celebrating the holidays.  We like decorations, and trees and lights, and anything festive that warms up the winter weather.  I think people in the south don’t appreciate Christmas decorations as much as northerners do, because they have sunshine – and we – well we have snow, dark and cold.  The darkest day of the year is coming up too.  During the winter solstice, we’ll have exactly 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of nighttime. 

So I’m a little embarrassed to admit this, but I haven’t decorated for Christmas yet.  Well, OK, I’ll admit that we hardly ever decorate for Christmas.  I love other peoples light, and love going over to my friends and families houses to see how great their trees are, but me, I don’t like to put in the effort.  It’s too much work for such a small amount of time.  And now that we have a toddler, it seems everyone wants me to feel bad for not decorating for her. (I don’t feel bad!)

So, it’s a great thing that there are a lot of places to see winter lights and trees in Amish Country of Northern Indiana.  The American Countryside Farmers Market has trees decorated for charity.  Das Dutchman Essenhaus, Amish Acres and the Blue Gate Restaurant and Theatre are all decorated for Christmas.  Linton’s Enchanted Gardens is very festive, and when you visit, puts you in the holiday mood.  Our downtowns are decked out in lights and ornaments.  So while you’re out Christmas shopping, enjoy the effort others have made to make this area festive for the holidays.

It is going to be a beautiful week in Amish Country Northern Indiana! NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmostpheric Administration, pronounced Noah) says we’re supposed to have temps in the 70’s and it will be sunny until Thursday night.  For those of you who come to Amish Country this week, go drive the Heritage Trail, it will be a great time to be out and about. Start early and enjoy a leisurely pace as you go. Everyone on the trail needs to stop at Bonneyville Mill and enjoy being outside for a long period of time. Stretch your legs, fill your lungs with fresh air, and then get on the trail again. 

Stop at the Essenhaus for that handmade and homemade gift. This is one of my favorite places to shop for someone who already has a lot of stuff, and would like something with more thought put into the gift. Also you can head on over to Honeyville and take pictures of some beautiful farms and landscape. In Goshen, stop at the Old Bag Factory and find that perfect item for that hard to buy person on your Christmas list.  I love coming here and looking a dreaming about all the things that I would love to buy. Then head on to Nappanee. By this time, you’re going to want a snack, so stop at the Dairy Queen.  This restaurant was destroyed by the tornado, and was finally rebuilt earlier this year. They bring your food out to your table.  How great is that! Then, as you just think that you can’t be that car any longer (because it going to be so nice), get out and about in Wakarusa. Enjoy the small town atmosphere. Eat at Cook’s Pizza, and find some take along candy at the Wakarusa Dime Store.  When you head back to Elkhart, go walk the Riverwalk and exercise off all the food you ate. It will be a great day.

If you like, go to the web site at Amish Country.org, and take the virtual Heritage Trail.  You can find it by following this link amishcountry.org/heritage.trail.

Have a great time being out and about in Amish Country this week.

Mindy – Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor

If you love bidding on antiques and collectibles or hunting for that perfect treasure you need to head over to Borkholder Dutch Village in Nappanee! Don’t miss the weekly auction and flea market every Tuesday at 8am and the monthly Grocery Auction the first Friday of each month at 5pm. Other fun sales and swap meets including a Mega Garage Sale/Flea Market and Dutch Market Days take place on special date throughout the year!

While you’re there be sure to enjoy an Amish cooked breakfast and lunch at the world famous Dutch Kitchen. Its really fun to order one of their “old-fashioned” fountain drinks and get a scrumptious ice cream treat for dessert! More

Grab your camera and pack up the kids! If you’re looking for the perfect way to enjoy the great outdoors this season we have fabulous fall activities everyone will enjoy!  

Kercher’s Sunrise Orchard Goshen, IN
Fall Harvest Fest October 6-7, 2007, Goshen’s Best Kept Secret
Apple picking of many varieties, wagon ride to the u-pick pumpkins, cider pressing, and a farm market with yummy treats all season long. Make memories to last a lifetime with a visit to Kercher’s.

Knollbrook Farm Goshen, IN
Enjoy a day on the farm! Step into a family friendly corn maze with over 10 miles of pathways, Rosie’s Farm Maze covers 7 acres and has 3 different trivia scavenger hunts to choose from. Take a spin around the trike track, have a wing at the pumpkin sling shot, and pick out the perfect jack-o-lantern pumpkin in the u-pick patch. Hearty Mums and other fall goodies for sale in the farm market.

Amish Acres Fall Harvest Days Nappanee, IN
Experience the fall fun of yesteryear with a visit to Amish Acres Fall Harvest Days. Old fashioned cider pressing demonstrations, apple butter boiling, wagon rides, pumpkin picking and marshmallow roasting are all activities you can enjoy. Stop by the Old Fashion Soda Shop for some Pumpkin flavored ice cream and fudge.

The Great Pumpkin Tree Wakarusa, IN
Come to Wakarusa and see the Great Pumpkin Tree! A 17 foot tree made with over 200 pumpkins will be on display from October 10-27, 2007. Join in the fun at the Wakarusa Harvest Halloween Party October 27. There will be games for everyone to enjoy including a cake walk, hayride, and costume contest. During the time the tree is on display stores throughout town will hold special fall sales including the Wakarusa Dime Store featuring a fall spice mix of Jumbo Jelly Beans.

Octoberfest Elkhart, IN
October 6, 2007, 5-9pm, Live German music by Lloyd’s Wienerschnitzel Band, free polka lessons, food court with fall favorites, beer and wine garden featuring German and domestic beer and wine — fun for the whole family! Free Admission.

First Fridays Octoberfest Goshen, IN
Downtown Goshen’s First Fridays event on October 5, 2007 will feature an Octoberfest theme.
Jay Fox and the Bavarian Showtime Band will perform along with The Goshen High School band and many others. A bike parade, Porsche car show and Ice cream festival will add to the excitement offering an evening of fun for everyone. Stop by local restaurants and shops for specials features and sales.

This is a special recipe comes from the Nappanee Apple Festival Cookbook. Give it a try, a Homemade Apple Pie is the perfect way to top off a fun filled day of apple picking in Amish Country! Visit the Nappanee Apple Festival to try a slice of the 7 foot Apple Pie! Then make your own version at home! Try this simple recipe below for a delicious fall treat.

Mom’s Apple Pie
5 to 7 Macintosh Apples, 3/4 C Sugar, 2 T. Flour
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Nutmeg, 1/4 tsp salt
1 Pre-made pie crust , 5 pats Butter, 1 T. milk

Cut up Apples and lay in crust first. Combine dry ingredients and pour over apples. Put 5 pats of butter on top of that; apply top crust. Rub on milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. Approx 30-50 minutes.