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The Amish themselves can be generally categorized into several groups broadly defined as New Order, Old Order and a few groups more conservative than the Old Order.
Within these groups, there are numerous differences. The Old Order has the most members and is probably the most familiar to Americans. The Old Order uses few modern conveniences, avoiding such things as motor driven equipment. They do use steel wheeled tractors for stationary power sources to power thrashing equipment or to pull equipment on the highway. They do not use tractors to work in the fields except in hot climates where horses cannot withstand the heat.
Amish are primarily farmers. However, there are also carpenters, buggy makers, harness makers and blacksmiths. All these professions help the Amish to be able to stay within the community for all their needs. Because farmland is expensive and becoming scarce, some people have started working in factories and restaurants in neighboring towns and cities to bring in money. They have also started general stores that proved the Amish with all the material things they might need to purchase.
The Amish house is usually quite large, as families tend to be larger than the average American family. They do not have telephones or televisions. Very few modern conveniences found past the 19th century reside in their homes. There are wood or coal stoves, propane cooking stoves, and kerosene or gas lanterns provide light. Many families use windmills or hand pumps to provide water to the house, while hot water is typically heated over a stove.
Woods and Stains for your Amish Furniture
Many people find the Amish lifestyle intriguing because of its difference from the normal life of an average American. If they visit Amish country, however, they soon fall in love with the lifestyle. Although they might not choose to adapt to it, some take pieces of that life home with them. One easy way of doing that is through Amish furniture.
When you decide that you want to purchase Amish furniture, you are faced with numerous other decisions. The first two, and most important, are What type of wood do you wish to use? and What stain would be best? If you have never even looked at hardw ..
The Amish, because they do not have most modern conveniences, drive horse-drawn buggies. They have made a few modifications, however, due to changing times. Most put reflector triangles on the back of the buggy, for oncoming cars to see. Some have even installed headlights or rear lights, so cars will see them more clearly.
At the age of six, children attend either a parochial school or a public school. They learn English at these schools. Before that, they speak Pennsylvania Dutch. Before and after school, they are required to do chores, such as milking cows, weeding gardens, feeding chickens, etc. The men in the families do the hard farming labor, while the women work in the house cleaning, canning, cooking and sewing clothes. While most of the clothes the Amish wear seem to be dull and drab black white and gray, they also wear blues, greens, yellows and browns. They just usually tend to be muted shades of these colors.
When the grandparents in a family grow too old or weak to do the majority of the work, they move to a grandparents house, which is connected to the main house. While they continue to help out on the farm and at the house, they are not required to do the majority of the work.
Caring for your handcrafted hardwood Amish furniture
With proper care your solid hardwood furniture can provide years of pleasure for your family. You can make it looks pristine, as if it were brand new, for years and years. Here are some tips to be sure you get the most from your table. Some of these tips can also be applied to other furniture.
* Maintain a humidity-controlled environment. Your home should be kept in the 35-45%
humidity range to prevent warping and cracking.
* Keep table out of reach of direct continued sunlight and away from heat sources such as
furnace ducts, radiators and fireplaces.
* Use coasters and tr ..
Ray La FoyWho are the Amish?
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