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
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
Finish either makes a product or breaks a product. –Alan, Amish woodworker at the Mt. Eaton Woodshop in Dundee, Ohio The last steps to completing a piece of solid wood Amish furniture are applying the stain and finish. Finishing solid wood furniture is a combination of sanding, staining, and sealing that must be done with a careful eye, steady hand, and a good deal of patience. Stain and finish will enhance the color, protect the… Adding Color and Finishing to Solid Wood 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 Amish dining chairs, bar stools and benches in a variety of styles ranging from classic to contemporary. Here’s what… 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 solid wood furniture designs, school us on their features and answer questions.… 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
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
It’s Monday after a long holiday weekend, and the last thing you may want to think about is your January schedule. But how about thinking of kindness? Related Posts Everything You Want to Know About: Amish Church We’re welcoming Erik Wesner, author of Success Made Simple: An Inside Look at Why Amish Businesses Thrive, back to the Read more Everything You Want to Know About Amish Beliefs We’re so pleased to welcome Erik Wesner back… Inspirational Calendar Wallpaper: January 2016
We’re welcoming Erik Wesner, author of Success Made Simple: An Inside Look at Why Amish Businesses Thrive, back to the blog to discuss another interesting facet of Amish life: the Amish Church. “The Amish are widely recognized as a devout people. God—and by extension the church—is the center of Amish life. Not just something they do on Sunday, the church is very much a part of everyday life.” Read more of Erik’s explanation: Related Posts 10… Everything You Want to Know About: Amish Church
We’re so pleased to welcome Erik Wesner back to the blog! Today, he tells you a bit about the rather intriguing and sometimes confusing realm of Amish beliefs. Take it away, Erik! While Amish society is more diverse than you might think—with some Amish being more progressive and others more conservative—there are a number of core beliefs which all share in common. Here are five key beliefs of the Amish: Related Posts Father’s Day Gift Picks We’d like… Everything You Want to Know About Amish Beliefs
Furniture-making is a craft, and we respect our Amish woodworkers for elevating that craft with every hand-rubbed, hand-stitched, hand-carved, and heartfelt piece of furniture they build for the DutchCrafters brand. Each season, you’ll find us visiting their Amish Country woodshops to see new designs, to hear about new processes, and — in Spring 2015 — to discover some brand new rustic hickory furniture. Related Posts All About Hickory Wood Furniture Perhaps you’ve spotted hickory wood furniture in a log… Stories from Amish Country: Spring 2015
Amish of Pinecraft This blog post was updated on June 6, 2019. Pinecraft is a neighborhood of about 3000 Amish and Mennonites in Sarasota, Florida. It’s a tourist destination for Amish and Mennonites from all over North America, in addition to being a point of curiosity for other visitors to Sarasota who might do a double-take when they see an Amish boy roller-blading down Bahia Vista Street or several Amish teenagers walking back from the… The Amish of Pinecraft
This post was updated on Nov. 7, 2018 to include a link to more information about the Pennsylvania Dutch language. One of the important ways in which the culture of Amish communities is defined and maintained is through the Amish language. The Amish speak a German dialect known as Pennsylvania German, and is often referred to as Pennsylvania Dutch (Deutsche). Amish children learn Pennsylvania Dutch at home and are fluent in it before they learn English.… Pennsylvania Dutch – the Amish Language
