A popular attraction in Lancaster County is an Amish Buggy Ride and that’s one thing Nancy and were committed to doing. We found a Buggy operation (there are many along the rural highways) in a town called Intercourse, so named because of the confusing criss-crossing traffic in the middle of town. A young Amish lady hitched our team, gave the reins a tug and we were off, quickly taking a turn from the main highway onto the backroads of Amish Country. The sprawling fields and farms greeted us as we pranced along.
Our host described her life as an Amish woman saying that they really preferred the simpler style of living. Their schools extend to the 8th grade and not beyond. Not much English Lit is required when you plow your own fields, pick you own vegetables and read the Bible beside oil lamps.
The Amish do not drive automobiles, but occasionally call their version of an Uber driver if a horse and buggy is not available. They don’t have electricity, so there are no TVs and CNN to deal with. They pay zero for gasoline, no matter the oil prices. They don’t need automobile insurance. They grow most of their own foods, so they require little from grocery stores. They raise and breed their own horses and livestock. They gather their own eggs and sew their own clothing. It’s a simple life and one they relish.
Our buggy ride took us through an old, covered bridge atop a beautiful trout stream that I would have dearly loved to fish. In my younger days, I made numerous trips to fish the hallowed waters of Pennsylvania.
We went through mostly farmland, but also a few small villages but throughout our tour and stay in Lancaster, we didn’t see a single piece of trash along the roads. There were no trailer parks or run-down houses. Many of the homes were modest, but all were clean, neat, and well kept.
It is the German tradition.
The Amish sect began in Switzerland in 1693 led by Jakob Ammann, Thus the name “Amish”. In the early 18th century, many Amish immigrated to Pennsylvania and became well established. In 2024, the Amish population had passed 400,000 and many now live in this area.
They are hard-working folks that eschew the “wordly” life, but boy can they cook, and they are quite adept in offering their food, furniture, specialized goods, and services to others.
Our buggy ride took about an hour through scenery out of out of a travel magazine. We enjoyed every minute.
