Plain Answers About the Amish Life (8 page)

Besides the produce grown in their gardens, the Amish may also:

•
have laying hens for eggs

•
keep cows for milk and other dairy products

•
raise chickens, pigs, and other livestock for slaughter

•
hunt wild game

Additionally, they buy food at supermarkets, discount chains, big
box stores, and other regular grocery outlets, just as the non-Amish do.

Do the Amish ever eat in restaurants?

Yes, at least in the less conservative districts. Though it would be considered wasteful and worldly to dine out often or lavishly, an occasional trip to a moderately priced restaurant has become a common occurrence in many Amish communities.

What are some favorite Amish dishes?

One well-known Amish treat is shoofly pie, a dessert made with molasses, flour, and brown sugar that is a daily staple in many Amish homes. Other Amish favorites include:

•
scrapple—a meat-based product made with pork, corn meal, and flour which is congealed into a loaf and then sliced and pan fried

•
chow chow—a mixture of pickled vegetables

•
snitz/schnitz/shitz pie—a sweet pie made from dried apples

•
fry pie—a pocket of fried pie crust filled with various flavors of pie filling

•
whoopie pie—sweet creme sandwiched between two small chocolate cakes

Can you share a good Amish recipe?

Sure! Here's one of my favorites.

AMISH CHEESY POTATOES

2 lbs. potatoes

½ cup butter

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 pint sour cream

2 cups Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups crushed cornflakes

Peel and slice potatoes and then place them in water in a large pot. Boil until almost done and then drain. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, soup, sour cream, cheese, and seasonings; stir until butter and cheese are melted and all ingredients are combined. Gently fold the cheese mixture into the potatoes. In a casserole dish, layer the cheesy potato mixture with the crushed cereal, starting with a layer of potatoes and ending with a light sprinkling of cereal. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and golden brown, about 45 minutes.

For other delicious Amish recipes, I recommend
The Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook
by Georgia Varozza and
The Amish Family Cookbook
by Jerry and Tina Eicher.

15

HEALTH

Do the Amish go to doctors or use hospitals?

Yes. Though many Amish are likely to treat ailments with natural or traditional approaches first, they generally have no problem with seeking modern medical care when the situation warrants.

Why not go to the doctor right away?

For financial or holistic reasons, the Amish may be less likely to seek out professional help than the non-Amish, especially with minor ailments or injuries. Generally, the more conservative the district, the more likely they are to rely on their own home treatments first, using doctors and hospitals only as a last resort.

Do they believe in getting vaccinated?

Generally speaking, yes, though some abstain for religious reasons or because of safety concerns—particularly from vaccinations associated with autism.

Do they practice family planning?

Most Amish couples want many children, so family planning is not usually necessary. When desired, however, it depends on the district. Some districts discourage or prohibit the use of birth control, while others consider it a private matter left to the discretion of husband and wife.

Do the Amish have their babies at home or in the hospital?

Both, and at birthing centers too. Though a number of Amish women give birth in hospitals, many opt for home births or birthing centers instead. They do so for several reasons:

•
cost—home births are much less expensive than hospital births

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comfort—many women find the home environment far less stressful for labor and delivery

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proximity—most women would rather be surrounded by their own family members than by a staff of paid medical workers

Depending on the region, hospital and home births may be attended by a physician, nurse-midwife, or midwife. Generally, the more conservative the district, the more likely they are to use midwives and home births.

Do the Amish use health insurance?

No. Because of their belief in remaining separate from the world, the Amish generally do not use health insurance. Most medical expenses are simply paid out of pocket by the family involved.

For large expenses a family cannot afford, costs are usually covered by their community. The Amish believe this binds them together and forces them to depend more heavily on one another.

Is it true they prefer to seek treatment outside of the United States?

No, but some Amish will travel to other countries, primarily Mexico, to save money on more exorbitant medical treatments.

Is there such a thing as an Amish doctor or an Amish hospital?

The Amish end their formal educations at the eighth grade and professional degrees are not pursued, so the Amish would not be adequately schooled to become a doctor. There are, however, non-Amish doctors who specialize in treating the Amish.

There are also hospitals and other facilities with a decidedly Amish clientele, such as the Clinic for Special Children in Strasburg, Pennsylvania; the Mount Eaton Care Center in Mount Eaton, Ohio; and the Pomerene Hospital in Millersburg, Ohio.

What about mental health? Do the Amish ever seek treatment from psychiatrists, psychologists, and or family therapists? Do they ever seek professional counseling?

Yes. If necessary, most Amish will seek mental health care, though the counseling process can be hindered if the medical professional involved is not familiar with a Plain lifestyle—or, worse, if he sees it as part of the problem. Thus, many Amish who need mental health services seek out Mennonite-based facilities such as at Philhaven in Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania. There they can receive services from professionals who are experienced with—and respectful of—the Plain lifestyle.

Why do the Amish seem to deal with more than their fair share of genetic disorders?

Unfortunately, the Amish suffer from what is known as the “founder effect,” which means they can trace their genetic roots back to a small set of common ancestors. (This can also be found in other culturally isolated religious groups, such as the Ashkenazi Jews, as well as in communities that are geographically isolated, such as the island-based populations of Iceland and Easter Island.)

Through many generations of genetic intermixing, mutations of DNA have caused the proliferation of rare disorders among the Amish—for example, dwarfism and maple syrup urine disease—that tend to be much more common for them than in the wider population. They also have a greater incidence of rare blood types.

The flip side of this problematic situation is that DNA researchers have been able to study the Amish to glean information from their genes, information that can help to identify and treat a host of rare and common genetically influenced disorders (such as diabetes) that affect both the Amish and the population at large.

Are the Amish willing to participate in medical research?

Yes. For the most part, the Amish have been extremely cooperative with researchers, allowing blood draws for scientific study. In turn, researchers at places like the Clinic for Special Children in Lancaster County work closely with the Amish to help treat and prevent the rare disorders that occur with such a high frequency among them.

16

CLOTHING AND GROOMING

Why do the Amish dress the way they do?

The Amish way of dressing and grooming is highly regulated, primarily for two reasons: as a demonstration of submission to authority and to provide a visible public symbol of group identity. Outsiders who know nothing about the ways and values of the Amish can easily recognize them because of how they dress.

Why is it so important to them to conform to a set of rules regarding clothes?

Clothing is just one more area in which the Amish desire to be more Christlike. They believe the practice of regulated dressing emphasizes the following virtues:

•
Humility
: Dressing alike provides less opportunity for vanity.

•
Submission
: Following the clothing rules of the district demonstrates obedience to God, to the group, and to history.

•
Denial of self
: Dressing alike prevents individuality and pride.

•
Simplicity
: Limiting clothing choices saves time and effort.

•
Modesty
: Prescribed styles guarantee propriety.

•
Thrift
: Making clothes, especially from limited fabric and pattern choices, saves money, as does the lack of jewelry and accessories.

What sorts of clothing regulations are there?

In general, the district's
Ordnung
addresses matters of head coverings, hairstyles, facial hair for men, clothing choices for males and females, and footwear. There are also clothing and grooming differences between those who are married and unmarried.

Are all Amish under the exact same clothing rules?

Specific rules vary between districts and affiliations, but members of the same district will dress and groom themselves by the same set of rules. Thus, to someone in the know, just a simple difference in hat brim width can clearly identify the specific district to which the hat's owner belongs.

What clothing elements do various Amish districts have in common?

Though specifics can vary from district to district, all Amish clothing is modest, loose fitting, and of a predetermined style and choice of colors. Clothing worn to church differs somewhat from that worn during the week. In some districts, buttons, collars, and lapels are taboo because they are too closely associated with military uniforms.

Head coverings are worn every day by men, women, and teens. Children wear head coverings in church and at school, though not always in more casual settings, depending on district rules.

What kinds of shoes do the Amish wear?

Many Amish, both young and old, enjoy going barefoot much of the time. Shoes, when worn, may be lace-ups, slip-ons, or sneakers, depending on district rules, and are almost always dark.

Amish women often go barefoot at home. When shoes are worn, they are usually paired with dark stockings.

What does a typical Amish man's outfit consist of?

For everyday wear, Amish men usually sport dark broadfall trousers held up by suspenders. In the interest of modesty, suspenders allow
for a looser fit, and in the interest of humility, they supplant belt buckles, which are considered fancy.

Shirts are in prescribed colors only, and though Old Order Amish and other conservative groups do not allow plaids or stripes, some less conservative sects may.

Men usually wear banded straw hats for work and chores, with the width of the brim and the height of the crown determined by district rules. In settings other than work, such as going into town or gathering for church, they sport black felt hats of a specified height and brim width.

What are these felt hats like?

They are exceptionally well crafted and expensive, which is why most boys instead wear lower-quality, less costly versions. When a young man joins the church, usually in his late teens or early twenties, he is often given a “real” hat, one he will tend carefully and use for many years.

What colors do the Amish wear?

Approved colors vary from district to district, but they are most often ones found in nature, such as blue, green, brown, and maroon.