We recently hosted a Facebook Live Q and A session about the Amish. All staff gathered in the DutchCrafters showroom for the event. CEO Jim Miller fielded questions from staff and viewers. *Answers have been edited for clarity. Jim Miller grew up in a Mennonite community and lived near Amish people for many years. For the last 15 years, he’s been leading DutchCrafters in connecting customers with beautiful Amish made furniture, and he’s developed relationships… Amish Q & A with DutchCrafters CEO Jim Miller
If you had 48 hours to spend in Sarasota, Florida, where should you go? What should you do? Located on the southwestern coast of Florida, Sarasota is home to dreamy beaches, fine cuisine, plenty of culture, and the DutchCrafters office. The team at DutchCrafters shares some of their favorite must-see spots in this handy Guide to Sarasota. SIESTA KEY BEACH (Voted #1 USA beach and #5 worldwide) My favorite place to visit in Sarasota is… Guide to Visiting Sarasota, Florida
Alan Barkman is always one step ahead. On a recent visit to his woodshop in Ohio, our DutchCrafters team found it bustling with activity. At Barkman Furniture, Alan and his craftsmen use a blend of traditional woodworking techniques and state-of-the-art woodworking equipment. They remain devoted to their top two priorities when it comes to building Amish furniture: #1 is producing furniture of the highest quality. #2 is making sure it’s worthy of being handed down… What’s New at Barkman Furniture
The Amish woodshop that crafts solid wood dining chairs for the Prairie Collection is nestled in the heart of Amish country, Ohio. There, the talented Amish artisans, both men and women, take to their work producing solid wood chairs with care and precision, with each chair part handled by the craftsmen. The Prairie Collection features high quality dining chairs, bar stools and benches in a variety of styles ranging from classic to contemporary. From the… Amish Made Chairs from the Prairie Collection: The Habits of Handcrafting
Amish women are wives, mothers, homemakers and active members of their churches. They contribute to running households and making decisions for the home and family. Many Amish women branch out and work outside the home, creating their own businesses. It’s not unheard of for them to make and sell handcrafted items like quilts or to run restaurants, bakeries, or produce stands. Amish girls usually work until they get married. Many work in factories or furniture… Where the Women are in Amish Woodshops
In early January, I flew to Ohio with a team from DutchCrafters to take my first walk through an Amish woodshop. Why? Because to convey the quality and features that make DutchCrafters Amish Furniture stand out from all the other furniture out there requires a first-hand account. Amish woodworkers visit both our corporate offices and the DutchCrafters store regularly to share their new furniture designs, school us on their features and answer questions. But visiting… My First Walk Through an Amish Woodshop
In early January, five of us flew to Ohio to visit some of our woodworkers in Amish country. Our group included product team manager Scott, sales team interim manager Alex, sales team assistant manager Kari-Jo, furniture specialist Reagan, and me. We went to further build on our commitment to offer only authentic products, as well as to learn and bring back our new knowledge and observations to our work and the rest of the team… Woodworking and Whoopie Pies: Highlights from Ohio Amish Country
If the power went out and stayed out everywhere, but you knew how to sustain yourself and your family by living off the land, then you’d be ahead of the game, wouldn’t you? The Setting An Amish community in Pennsylvania. Photo from workman.com The Situation In David William’s debut novel When the English Fall, we meet Jacob, an Amish farmer who keeps a journal. Troubled by his daughter Sadie’s seizures and “funny ways” but relying on his… When the English Fall: A Book Review
We’ve spent years finding talented woodworkers, and getting to know them and their work. Trips to Amish Country take us to Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Ohio where the day usually starts before the sun rises. There are no warehouses with rows of pre-made chairs and tables waiting to be selected and shipped. Solid wood furniture of this magnitude begins with the ideas of Amish woodworkers who have been perfecting their skills since they were children. Take a… Traveling Amish Country: Scenes Behind the Furniture
Handcrafting and perfecting fine solid wood office furniture since 2000, Lavern Beechy and his wife Mary recently visited our headquarters to share their story. __ Back in 2000, Lavern was working for a trailer company when a friend invited him to take over his business that specialized in solid wood desks. The timing was just right as Lavern had been thinking about starting a woodworking business but wasn’t sure what to make. He and Mary set up shop… Meet the Woodworker: Elkhart Office Furniture Collection
June 2 is National Doughnut Day and with the Amish’s reputation for making the most delicious desserts, we want to introduce you to Amish doughnuts. Sadie Peachey and her brother Nate started The Amish Baking Company in 2007, but the bread and butter, or in the case of Sadie and Nate — the dough — that makes the business has a history that goes back generations. “Before I was born, my grandmother in Pennsylvania would… National Doughnut Day with the Amish Baking Company
“One of the first projects Dad ever did was build heavy duty quilting frames for my mom,” Marvin Martin, co-owner of Keystone Collections, says with a grin. “Mom jokingly said it looked like it was built to hold an elephant.” Seated in a chair on a late afternoon in one of the sprawling fields surrounding the Keystone Collections woodshop, Marvin continues with a hearty laugh, “But Dad was like, ‘if a job is worth doing,… Meet the Woodworker: Keystone Collections
Martin Yoder of our Middlebury Furniture Collection makes beautiful Amish furniture with the wants and needs of every customer in mind. His workshop, located in Middlebury, Indiana, holds a team of 15 who contribute to his solid wood masterpieces. Martin recently visited our DutchCrafters Furniture Store to explain some features of his solid wood furniture and to share a little history as well as what motivates him in the furniture business. Having recently doubled the size of… Meet the Woodworker: Middlebury Furniture Collection
In 2008 Herman Miller was building tables for the RV industry when two things happened that changed the course of his life: His wife Emma suffered kidney failure, and the RV industry began to struggle due to the economy. After Emma received a kidney transplant, the Millers sold their farm in Topeka, IN and moved to town. Herman had not been working as much to help take care of his wife, but once she was doing… Meet the Woodworker: Innovative Designs Collection
It’s attention to detail that keeps Noah and Margaret Bontrager producing some of the finest solid wood dining tables Amish furniture has to offer. Along with 52 employees, the Bontragers devote their time to the design and careful construction of dining tables, solid wood benches, and storage cabinets. Noah’s favorite part of handcrafting Amish furniture? Coming up with new designs. On a recent visit to the DutchCrafters store, Noah and Margaret shared with us that they… Meet the Woodworker: The Bontrager Dining Collection
