Amish Country Blog

Linton’s Enchanted Garden is one of my most favorite places in Amish Country. There is so much to look at, and many things to do there. The garden center is packed full of items for the house. There are always unique and lovely things to help make the inside of your house beautiful, especially during this time of the year. They have lots of fall and Christmas decorations. The Garden Center also holds the floral shop, so you can pick up your fresh flowers too.

Outside, are all the plants, trees, shrubs and flowers you could want. At this time of the year, there are also pumpkins, and you can get whole or half bales of hay. I bought 3 small pumpkins, one medium, and a half of bale of hay. I don’t know if we’re going to decorate the pumpkins, but it’s as festive as I’ve gotten in five years.

October 24 and 25 is Spooktacular. You can save on plants and flowers, and the kids get treats too.

So when you need that plant or flower, go to Linton’s. You’ll find the perfect plant, and a few other things to go along with it.

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

You can always find something to do in Amish Country.   September is full of Festivals.  So here is just a listing. For details, please go to our event page at amishcountry.org/events.

Bristol Storytelling Festival September 11-12
Nappanee Apple Festival September 17-20
Borkholder Dutch Village Fall Furniture Festival September 18-19
Middlebury Fall Festival September 18-19
Mennonite Relief Sale September 26
Pumpkin Chase Race September 27

If you’ve been here for one of these festivals, let us know what you enjoyed about it.  I love the Mennonite Relief Sale.  Although I can’t afford any of the auction items, I love the feel of having all those people in one place helping a great cause.  I know many people love the Nappanee Apple Festival’s 7 foot pie.  Whatever your looking for, I’m sure one of our September festivals has something to enhance your trip.

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

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

Last weekend was beautiful. The weather was perfect, low 60’s, with lots of sun.  Mina, Michael and I went to a pumpkin farm on Saturday with some friends. The kids had a great time. We had three toddlers, who liked running around the farm and patting pumpkins. At the farm, they had a box of mini pumpkins, and Mina picked up one, said “ooh” and the put it back, and repeated the process about 20 times. We went through the farms pumpkin fantasy land, which dressed pumpkins up as nursery rhymes.  The kids had fun looking at the dressed up pumpkins. We laughed at all the ways pumpkins could be dressed. They even had jailed pumpkins.

Then we went to the Essenhaus.  I didn’t make a reservation, because I thought we wouldn’t need it on a Saturday afternoon, however, it was packed. Thank goodness we only had a 10 minute wait for 6 adults and 3 toddlers. The waitress was very quick.  Even with the kids keeping us busy because they were sleepy, we really enjoyed the food and the time there. I had the chicken and noodles and it was wonderful . I love their chicken and noodles because it tastes so yummy.  Mina loved her noodles, and although the Essenhaus isn’t known for it, she ate a lot of ketchup. The other two toddlers loved the bread, and the apple butter and peanut butter for the bread.  Our meal and service was wonderful. 

By the time we made it home, Mina was asleep, and she slept for 3 hours. It was a great way to spend our day.

Mindy – Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor

Fall is my favorite time of year.  The leaves start turning, and going home, I get to drive down east Jackson St., and enjoy the beautiful color. It’s that time when we need sweaters at night or early in the morning, and I get to start dressing my baby in ‘jammies’ that need footies. (They are my one of my favorite things.) 

The morning air is crisp, but doesn’t assault your mucus membranes when you inhale, like January and February air.  You can keep your windows open in at night, put on an extra blanket, snuggle up to your favorite bedtime buddy, and just enjoy the fact you’re not spending money on cooling the house down, or heating it yet.   

There is The Best of Autumn Outing driving tour on the Amish Country website.  Download it from the Special Tours tab, and go to all the places that celebrate fall. Take a walk down E. Jackson St. and sit for awhile at Martin’s Landing. The ducks are use to people feeding them, so when you go, expect to surround by a group or two. Go to Bonneyville Mill, take your last picnic of the year, and enjoy being outside before you have to stay in for the winter. 

Go to Middlebury and find Dutch County Market, Miller’s Apple Cider Mill and Pumpkin Patch Market– buy some pumpkins.  Then head to Goshen and walk the Mill Race, and then go to Kercher’s Sunrise Orchard. Or go to Amish Acers and see all the great things they do for fall and end your day by watching Kiss Me Kate at the Round Barn Theatre. Whatever you do, it will be fun.

If you live here, take all season and discover autumn in our area.  If you’re visiting, take a couple of days to explore the Best of Autumn Outing - it will be worth your time.

Mindy – Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor