The Amish farmers in Villages named Bird-in-Hand, Intercourse,
and Paradise are trying to live a simple farm life free of modern
conveniences. They will have you in love with Pennsylvania's Dutch
Country with their handcrafts and cooking.
Their Traditions are of simplicity, but they have made concessions in
the modern world; they have equipped their horse-drawn buggies
with rear-view-mirrors and directional lights.   
Many Amish and Mennonite traditions include
the horse.
  • Horses
On Sunday the young men of Lancaster
County borrow Dad's top-down buggy for a
horse-drawn cruise around town.  Their
Standardbreds high-step down Route 30.

    The  Amish are expert horse trainers
and each large farm might have as many as
seven draft animals such as the Belgium or
Percheron to pull the plows. They will also use
two draft mules to pull winnowers, and they will
have a trotter to pull the surrey used for the
Sunday drive.
  • Horse-Drawn Coach
The young men will use the open coach in the
Sunday courting ritual and prize the grace and
spirit of their thoroughbred and Morgan
crosses initially bred for harness racing.
Amish Penn Dutch Traditions, Pennsylvania Dutch Country
The Traditions of the Amish of Pennsylvania Dutch Country
Amish of Pennsylvania Dutch Country:
Traditions
Strasburg dinner
train
The Penn Dutch Amish Family uses
the covered coach
Part of the Amish tradition is to be self-sufficient; the families teach the children the skills and crafts of farming,
woodworking, baking, and needlework at an early age.  When their crafts and confections, including an array of
strudels, come directly from the farms to the shops of Lancaster County, roadside shopping in Amish country
becomes a unique event.
Itineraries and connections. shop on the web.
While shopping for air travel on the web will take a little
patience and perseverance, the savings can be significant.  
Adequate connection times will be important to keep in
mind as will Security procedures.  Also important to your
anxiety reduction is getting an assigned seat well before
your flight. Convenient free airport parking with a one night
hotel stay could save you money on an early flight and could
enhance your experience.  You will also save on
transportation to the airport, and save money on less
expensive early flight tickets with a hotel stay near the airport
How to Reach Amish Penn Dutch Country:
By Auto:  From the south take Route 95 to Baltimore, Route 83
to York (Harley Factory). Route 30 to Lancaster,
From the north, Route 95 to Philadelphia and then Routes 76,
202 and 30 to Lancaster. From the west, Harrisburg
By air: Philadelphia airport and rental car
As important as the draft animal is to the Amish, Cooking
and Confections might be of equal importance.  These
are traditions that the Amish brought from Germany over
two hundred years ago.  Their children are taught to cook
at a young age and they share in the farm work that
provides most of the ingredients that they need.  Although
the pastries are  very high in sugar content, an import,
they otherwise supply the butter, eggs, milk, lard and
cream that make up their Amish pastries, ingredients
home grown with a German accent.  

  • Funnel Cake
Funnel Cake is a good example of high fat, high sugar
pastry.
The cook makes an unleavened batter made with flower,
butter, eggs, and milk and pours this through a funnel into
hot cooking oil  (lard)   The cook works the funnel in a
circular motion to form a round cake.   Deep fried until
browned, the cook then dusts the cake  with powdered
sugar.
The funnel cake is similar to fry dough but the unleavened
batter makes the two slightly different

  • Shoo Fly Pie  is a southern sounding molasses pie

  • Whoopee Pie;  Two round bun-sized chocolate
    cakes or pumpkin cakes  with a cream filling
between the two.  
Amish Penn Dutch Cooking Traditions
  • Fasnacht.  
(Fastnatch) these are doughnut like pastries often topped with powdered sugar.  They are prepared and
served on Shrove Tuesday or Fastnacht day, the day before the start of lent.  The cook purges the larder of
all the forbidden Lenten treats like lard, butter,and  sugar and makes this Shrove Tuesday tradition.

  • Apple Dumplings:   
To make the dumplings the cook wraps a pastry dough over a cored apple that is dusted with cinnamon.  
Raisins may be included along with nutmeg,  the pouch is baked and may be served with ice cream.

  • Strudel:  
Strudel is made from flour and butter dough that is rolled out and filled with apples or another sweet filling,  
or dairy cheese/cream cheese.   The pouch is folded and baked.   German Origin for the name strudel
Apfelstrudel
Custom Search
When to Go To Amish Penn Dutch Country:   April is a good month to visit because
you might combine your visit to Amish country with a visit to Longwood Gardens
where on the second or third week in April the tulip gardens are in full bloom.  
Otherwise May until October are good months to visit and enjoy outdoor activities.
Photo, Bucks County Tourism
The Amish Penn Dutch Traditions in Pennsylvania
Dutch Country are that the farmers be
self-sufficient.  The families of Lancaster County
teach the children the skills of farming,
woodworking, baking, and needlework at an early
age.  
Save On Air Travel
When traveling by air tyou can start saving on your air fare by Parking your Car for Two Weeks Free after
one night Lodging in Airport Hotels near your home city.   The early shuttle from the hotel to the airline
terminal will allow you to book an early flight and save money on the airfare.
Two weeks of free parking offsets the cost of the hotel room and you do not need to arrange for a limo from
your home to the airport.   Free, 24 hour shuttles to the airport.
Hotels offer two weeks free parking with one night stay, up to three weeks or a reasonable day rate for
extra days.  Cruise passengers included.     Link below,  detailed information and photos of included hotels
with reviews. Two Week Free Airport Parking  and less expensive early flight tickets with a hotel stay near
the airport