Lancaster County

We've just returned from a few days in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. We love it there. The countryside is just beautiful, the agriculture is thriving in this mostly Amish county, and wonderful to watch.

Rob stood at a fence line for over an hour watching an Amish family using several wagons, and a 6 horse hitch to cut corn. I guess you need to be a farmer's son to fully appreciate it, and he does.

We also go there to shop. We always have an extensive (but not expensive) list. I love the Amish and Old Order Mennonite general stores. They sell items that have disappeared from our stores. Things like quality clothes drying racks that are mounted on the wall and pull open when needed.


Stainless steel canning funnels, which I really prefer to the plastic. The smallest things thrill me...lol


Good quality, hand made baskets. So much more convenient for schlepping things to the daughters homes. We bought this from Amish craftsman/ basketmaker and his wife who have a wonderful workshop on the family farm, full of every style and type of basket. This one is a large shopping/picnic basket. They were both working busily away and we could have stood there for an hour chatting and watching the beautiful work they do.



A wooden highchair, which we really needed, that didn't cost the earth, and is solidly made.


Some lovely quilting fabric, which will be used to make Eloise's One Year Old Quilt, which cost $5/yd instead of the $15/meter here.


Yummy homemade Rootbeer, Sausage from the Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market, and Cheese, and Butter from Lapp Family Farm, a beautiful dairy farm which also happens to sell delicious ice cream. We always bring a large cooler to bring the bounty home. From Kauffmann's market we bought the most delicious Apple Cider I've ever tasted. We only bought a gallon, next year we will buy 4 or 5 gallons for the family.

**There was supposed to be a photo of the food here, but..... well, you know the rest of that story!**

Good quality MuckBoots, which we bought at Goods store. These should last Rob a good long while...and just to keep it "real" here they are, already mucky!


We stay in a wonderful B&B. As this is our third visit we have gotten to know our hosts fairly well, and we so enjoy returning there year after year. They are Mennonites and have lived in this area all their lives and know it well. We are always well informed about where to go, what to buy, and what to see.

We also love to just sit on the front porch and watch the buggies drive by and the adorable Amish children walking to school.

We discovered a little shop, in the home of a newly married Amish couple, selling homemade soaps and candles, as well as salves and lotions. We purchased an excellent Poison Ivy Salve, as well as beautifully scented candles and some "bug-away" soap.

Another sold the most beautiful wooden toys of all types, and we also found a very large health food store, offering a huge selection at very good prices.

However, not all of our shopping is Amish. Lancaster has some really good outlets. We were able to purchase, on daughters instructions, Henry's winter jacket at 75% off, leather boots for Rob at a ridiculous clearance price, and some little goodies for the grandchildren.

We returned rested, and refreshed. A wonderful 5 days away.

Now, onto canning Apple sauce, the rest of the tomatoes, and some dried apple rings and apple pies for the freezer.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving weekend!
Niki