Amish Country Blog

Ahh, Halloween is on Saturday.  I have 500 pieces of candy, and I’m still not sure that it’s going to be enough.  Saturday is the big day, and it makes me nervous that there will be twice as many kids out as usual. This year,  I have out a half bale of hay and 4 pumpkins, and that’s the most festive I’ve been for Halloween in years.

Here are a few events that are going on in Amish Country to help get you in the Halloween mood.

Thursday, October 29
The Elkhart Environmental Center annual Monster Hike.  Bring your children out to trick or treat for Halloween with nature’s monsters. They will see live creepy crawlers. Costumes are encouraged. A $3 donation is appreciated. Please call 293-5070 to register.  It starts at 11am.

Friday, October 30
Hall of Heroes, the largest Superhero Museum in the world has been taken over by Doctor Doom and his fellow nefarious colleagues.  Experience this Halloween Extravaganza as seen from the villain’s point of view.  From 7pm to 10pm, admission is $5.

Trick or Treat on Main Street in Goshen.  Starting at Noon, you can visit participating Main Street businesses and do your trick or treating, and shopping all at once.  It’s a good way to get your little ones ready for the big day.

Saturday, October 31
American Countryside Farmers Market will give treats to all kids who dress in costume.  There will be games, clown, balloons, and entertainment.  It will be a fun time for all those who want to celebrate a little earlier in the day.

For more events, check out our events page at AmishCountry.org/events

Mindy, Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor and Visitor Center Specialist

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

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

This summer, the Elkhart County Visitor Center is teaming up with area Parks Departments to show 6 free movies – Friday Night Flicks! Shanklin Park in Goshen is the site for 3 of the movies; June 19– Babe the Gallant Pig, June 26 – Charlotte’s Web (2006) and August 14 – An American Tail.

Kardzhali Park in Elkhart (adjacent to NICBO Water and Ice Park along the Riverwalk) is the other site for the 3 movies; July 17 – Chicken Run, July 31 – The Wizard of Oz (1939), August 7 – The Adventures of Milo and Otis. The movies start around 9:30pm.

Both parks are accessible to their downtowns. Shanklin by way of the Mill Race; Kardzhali by way of the Riverwalk. You could easily walk from the parks to downtown, eat, and then exercise off dinner by walking back and playing in the parks.

Bring a cooler with your own snacks and soda, bring your blankets or chairs and don’t forget the bug spray. You’ll have a great time at the movies. What a great way to have a family fun night—free!

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

It won’t break your pocketbook to enjoy the best of cool jazz and city flair at the Elkhart Jazz Festival, June 26 – 28. Soak it all in at the free public stage to enjoy an impressive line-up musicians playing jazz ranging from big band to bebop to straight-ahead.

You can also buy a ticket that admits you to five additional stages- with one ticket you can hit them all. Plus everything is within easy walking distance in downtown Elkhart.

Take time to stroll Elkhart’s RiverWalk, a paved path along the Elkhart and St. Joseph Rivers. The two rivers merge downtown. Cross the footbridge onto Island Park and the cool shade of towering trees or just sit and enjoy the public art and waterfall along the path. Downtown eateries and cafes are just steps away.

Feed your artistic spirit at the Midwest Museum of American Art. No admission charge on Sundays and just  a few dollars other days. This gem in downtown Elkhart displays great American art from the early 19th thru the 20th centuries and boasts the largest Norman Rockwell lithograph collection in the state.

Do you attend the Elkhart Jazz Festival every year? Will you be going for the first time this year? Let us know!

I’ve been told that Hoosier use the word “enjoy” more than anyone other Midwest state I thought that was a strange observation, until I realized how much I use the word enjoy when I’m talking. So here are some things that I enjoy.

I enjoy all the good homemade baked items that we can buy in this area from the rosemary garlic cabatta bread at Artisan’s Bread in the American Countryside Farmers Market, to the doughnuts and pies from the Essenhaus Bakery. I also know too many people who enjoy all of our homemade baked-goods and now enjoy a trip to the gym five times a week to keep with their habit.

I enjoy all the festivals that come up in the spring through fall. The first one of the Spring is the Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival, April 17 and 18th. and I hope you all go and have fun.

I enjoy this area. I enjoy living by the St. Joe River and being able to walk beside it every day. I enjoy how the ducks see a human, automatically recognize the human as a source of food, and come quacking. I enjoy living in a city that has three parks within walking distance of where I live. I enjoy having county parks within minutes of where I live.
This is just some of things that I enjoy about this area. Can you let me know what you enjoy when you visit this area? I can’t wait to hear from you – and if I receive enough responses, I’ll put them in a future blog.

-Mindy
Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor and Visitor Center Travel 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

Mike and I were talking about what we wanted to do when the temperature warms up.  We want to be outside, and we want to know that the rest of Amish Country is out and about.  He is getting tired of the walls of our house.  I said that we needed to get winter gear for this year, but no, he didn’t think we could go outside with Mina that much, so why spend the money.  Well, I can tell you it’s been a long winter, and we should have spent the money.

So our first time out with Mina this year will be Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival on April 17 and 18. We have to go, because Mike loves all you can eat sausage and pancake breakfast, wherever it may be served and at this year it will be Northwood Middle School.  And Mina loves sausage, but she’s not big on pancakes yet.  She will pick up a pancake and take a bite out of it. When we’re done with breakfast, we’ll go into downtown and look at the craft vendors. There are always a lot of interesting items on sale from local crafters.

We always enjoy watching people who come, and it’s fun to see all the kids who wander up and down the street with calls of “mom and dad, look…” This year Mina will be walking up and down the street, and wanting to touch and look at everything.  Of course, we finish our day by eating at Nelson’s. What would a trip to an Amish Country festival be without Nelson’s chicken?  I would suggest that if you want to eat at the restaurant, you go at off normal eating times.  So, put the date on your calendar, and enter Wakarusa into your GPS. I know you’ll have a fun.

Click here for more information on the Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival.

- Mindy, Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor

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