Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Most American Christian Tours Education Programs to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania include:

• Amish Countryside Tour

• Amish Farm Stop

• The Amish Experience - theater
   

With extended time or an additional day the program may include some of the following sites and attractions:

• Sight and Sound Theater Production - world class Christian stage productions.

• Amish family-style meal

• Underground Railroad Experience

• Amish House Tour

• Amish Bake Shop

Because of the protection afforded by the mountains of central Pennsylvania, Lancaster County enjoys a moderate climate. Conditions range from relatively mild in winter to warm and humid in summer with noticeable weather changes every few days throughout the year. Several very cold outbreaks can be expected most winters but moderation usually takes place rather rapidly. Summers are normally quite warm and humid with temperatures averaging 72° and humidity frequently better than 60% during the June through August period. Heat waves periodically produce uncomfortable conditions for up to several days at a time. Spring and fall are the transition seasons.

 

Precipitation is normally plentiful and well-distributed throughout the year. Rainfall is greatest during the summer months with close to 50% of the annual total recorded during the May through September growing season.
 

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is found in the south central portion of the state of Pennsylvania, in the beautiful Susquehanna Valley.  The land is mostly flat, with mild rolling hills, lending itself to farming. The farmland of Lancaster County is considered to be among the most fertile non-irrigated farmland in the world. Popular crops include tobacco, soybeans, and corn. There are a large number of dairy and chicken farms as well. 

• smelling the "fresh" country air.
   

• standing alongside the road and seeing and hearing an Amish horse-drawn buggy pass.
   

• seeing the valleys filled with Amish farms.
   

• visiting an Amish bakeshop or craft house.
   

• Seeing a show at Sight and Sound Theater

 

WATCH

Friendly Persuasion, 1956, Allied Artists - released on DVD 2000, Warner Studios.  

This movie is a story based on the Quakers during the Civil War.   Although the Quakers and Amish are different in beliefs - there are similarities in their style of plain living and pacifistic beliefs.  The idea here is that our country allows for different religious groups to practice their religion without persecution.

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READ

The Riddle of Amish Culture, Donald Kraybill, 1989, ISBN 0-8018-3682-4
It answers many of those difficult questions about why the Amish do what they do.
 

The Amish in their Own Words, compiled by Brad Igou, 1999, Herald Press
Short readings and stories show the Amish as people; one of the few books actually written by the Amish themselves.

LISTEN
Listen to a sample of an Amish hymn (YouTube link) being sung from the Ausbund, the Amish hymnal.

 

 

EAT

The Amish are wonderful cooks and bakers. If you stop at an Amish bakeshop on your tour, we would recommend the whoopie pies - little cakes with icing between them.  Pretzels are another Amish Country favorite. They come in many flavors with many types of dipping sauces.  If your tour is eating at one of the Amish family-style restaurants - be adventurous!   Try the dried corn or the shoo-fly pie.

 

DRINK

The Amish enjoy birch beer (like root beer) and lemonade.

Simple

• The Amish call all non-Amish - "English"

• There are many different groups of Amish.  The Old Order Amish are the group that most Americans think of when they hear Amish.

• The Amish broke off of the Mennonites in the late 1600's.

• That thousands of slaves escaped using the "Underground Railroad" through Lancaster County.

• Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
• Bird-in-Hand
• Intercourse
• Strausburg
• Lancaster