The Amish

The Amish are an ethnic group of Swiss-German ancestry.The Amish movement was founded in Europe by Jacob Amman, from whom their name is derived. During the late 17th century, they separated themselves because of what they perceived as a lack of discipline among the Mennonites. Some Amish began to migrate to Pennsylvania in the 18th century. Other groups settled in or spread to New York, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri Ohio, and other states. The beliefs and practices of the Amish were based on the writings of the founder of the Mennonite faith, Menno Simons, and on the 1632 Mennonite Dordrecht Confession of Faith.

At the heart of Amish, farming is a commitment to family. By choosing to farm the Amish are making a commitment to a way of life which fosters family unity. On the farm the family works together to maintain the stewardship and tradition which is created from a rich past and the promise of a strong future. Amish people brought with them the farming skills passed down by their ancestors who founded their Swiss Anabaptist heritage in Switzerland and Germany. Therefore, they have traditionally maintained a scale of farming that enabled each farm to be worked by a family. Main crops raised by Amish are corn, hay, wheat, tobacco, soybeans, barley, potatoes, and other vegetables. Farmers also grow various grasses for grazing. Corn, grain, and hay crops usually stay on the farm for feeding livestock. Tobacco, potatoes, some grain and hay plus vegetables are raised for marketing.

The Amish have chosen to farm without some of the technology in order to keep their religion, family and community values. But the Amish do not view them as evil; in fact, technologies can be accepted into the Amish community. They often adopt technologies which may seem strange to outsiders. For example, they will push or use horse to pull gas powered tillers or mowers. Amish farmers accept the use of chemical pesticides and General Motors crops, though they try to