Amish traditions

We visited an Amish farmhouse, which is now open to the public. The Amish family has since moved elsewhere. But it serves to let people know a bit more about the Amish traditions.

If you think life is tough, wait till you hear about the Amish. It is not true that they don't use modern technology. They do. They just cannot be connected to the outside world. So no electrical cables. Although they can own a generator and have it power devices in the barn. This also means no modern water and sewage system, so they have to find some means to get their water and it usually means that the toilet is in a separate building. Of course, they can use propane-powered refrigerators, since it doesn't connect them to the outside world.

So as not to appear like the rest of the world, they dress differently too. Ladies are forbidden to use buttons because they are not supposed to wear ornaments, and buttons were considered ornaments in the past. To keep their clothing together, they use straight pins instead of buttons. Of course, the guys have no such restrictions. And so as not to be like the rest of the world, they cannot drive, though nothing prevents them from sitting in a car driven by someone else. So you can see horse carriages still in use.
And church is held at home. Yes, they don't build churches, instead, service is held at one of their homes, rotated within the community. So every week, they stuff the long benches into a wagon, bring it to someone's house, and set up a room for church. Once church service is over, they pack up the place, and move the benches to another house. And church is good, because it is during service that boys get to see the girls, and from the way the girls dress, the boys know which are the girls that are ready for dating. These girls wear a black prayer cap. Otherwise, ladies and little girls all wear white prayer caps.

Learn more about the Amish at Wikipedia.