Touring the rolling hills of Holmes County, Ohio, I had the opportunity to meet OG conservationists—the Amish. Red barns, white houses, green fields, bucolic cattle and horsedrawn buggies projected tranquility in family-centric living apart from modern society. A horsedrawn carriage ride lasted long enough to experience a calming connection to nature not available speeding down a freeway with landscapes a blur.
Living in a tech-dominated world, it’s hard to imagine a day or year without a cellphone or car, yet that is every day, every year, for the Amish.
Fun Facts: Approximately, 380,000 Amish live in 31 states: Pennsylvania has 84,000 and Ohio has 81,000. Holmes County, Ohio, where the pictured farm is located, reportedly has the densest population of Amish. Amish organize themselves into autonomous church districts, or congregations, of 25-35 families.
Church is held every other Sunday on a family property—thus a family hosts approximately 150-200 people one or two times per year. Church is three hours long, mostly singing with no instrumental accompaniment. Congregants bring their own benches in specially designed bench wagons.
Travel is by walking or horse and buggy; Amish don’t have driver’s licenses. Shunning modernity encourages humility and lessens possessive desires and worldly pride. Nonetheless, congregations set their level of conformity; some allow electricity, others logging with chainsaws and skid loaders, others motorized spinning “round hay balers,” a common agricultural tool in these parts.
Each district’s elders decide modern allowances, though all adult members participate and change requires near unanimity. Young adults choose their desired congregation and level of conformity. Families tend to be large with 4-8 children. Presently, populations are increasing.
Congregations thrive on mutual aid. Education is through eighth grade. Adults take turns teaching practical curriculum in a one-room schoolhouse. Some teach for years, others perhaps one year. Fulltime work begins at 14 years of age.
Amish orders began in Switzerland, in the 1690s, wishing stricter tradition than Mennonites. Many Amish orders emigrated to the U.S in the 1700s. Amish speak three languages: English in school and business, High German in church and Pennsylvania Dutch in daily family life. Preserving language traditions strengthens community.
Local autonomy among congregations is respected. Slow decision making and complete acceptance encourages gelassenheit, defined as a “release of self-will creating abiding calm.” Gelassenheit is a central aspect of Amish faith—essentially the opposite of rugged individualism.
