The Watland Wonderer's are Now In Indiana

On Friday Sept 5 we left the Chicago area after a fortune in tolls and thanks to Jerry's cousin in Chicago he routed south and then east and we hooked back up to I-90 in Indiana. It was a much faster way an we avoided some major construction in the Chicago I-90 area. In Illinois there is signs on the freeways that say "Emergency stops two hour limit" so if you can't get things fixed and off the road in two hours they move you off and ticket you. Also the construction areas say "Speeding Mx $1000.00 fine and Reckless driving 7 years in jail".

The North part of the State of Indiana is some farm land but lots of trees and green grass, the main crops are corn and beans and some evergreen tree farms like they raise their own Christmas trees. Very flat and their toll system is you get a ticket when you enter the state and then when you exit off the main highway you pay the toll for how ever many miles you have driven.
We arrived Indiana state around noon time and in this state the REST STOPS are for truckers only, just a big parking area and out houses for bathrooms. But then they have what they call "Travel Plaza's" lots of parking for big trucks, BP gas station, a Plaza area that had, Dairy Queen, McDonalds, Coffee & Chocolate shop, information center & Restrooms. We ate and just happen to walk into the Info center and found out we were about 1 to 2 hours froma the 3rd largest Amish area in the US. So since we wanted to tour a Amish community decided to find a RV park and do it before we went on to Niagra Falls. So we are at the town of Shipsshewana, Indiana. Jerry found a great RV park right in town.

Friday evening we toured the little town and ate at a traditional Amish Homecooking restaurant.
Found some things to do on Saturday and took a drive out in the Amish country around the town. The farms are emaculate very clean and well kept. Not all Amish living on farms actually farm they work in factories or in town. Only Amish raising livestock farm the land.

Saturday morning: The first touring we did was a farm setting house & Barn made into a vistors center that gave the whole background of the Anabaptist Beginning which consists of the Hutterites, Mennonites & the Amish since the 1500's. Hutterites and Mennonites were in the 1500's and the Amish in the 1600's. It was a 2.5 hour tour and we went through 24 rooms of the historic background to the present.

After lunch we decided to investigate a sight - seeing tour by buggy called "Millers Buggy Line Tours". We choose the longest one "1 Hour Country Tour - Includes a Farm Tour" Barb was sure it was no different than the one she grew up on cows, pigs, horses, chickens, and a lot of work but she agreed to go anyway.

Barb has a problem in arranging her pictures in the blog so of course these are out of order so I will try and explain them.

The first picture is of the buggy and horse that took us to this farm & a picture of one building on the farm. The farms can have two houses or several work shops and if they raise live stock they have a barn. More than one family will live on these farms. This farm we were at was a full blown farm with 150 cows for milking and beef raising.

This second picture is us getting in to the carrage in town at the place they rent them. Ark and Saw was a bit nervous as they wondered if the Amish ate chicken. But we begged them to get out of the Jeep for at least a picture.


This third picture is the farm house at the farm and two Amish women are cutting the little kids hair not sure if it is a boy or girl probably a because girls all have very long hair and then positioned all in a bun in the back with a hat on.

Fourth picture on this farm they had a couple sheep and the black object here is a "fainting goat" our driver Harvey is off to the left and I didn't realize I got him in the picture. Amish will not pose for a picture if you get one from a distance it is ok. Anyway this goat when it gets scared it faints and will either fall on the ground and can't get up or it frezzes in its place and it tries to move its feet but they won't go any where. Harvey was chasing it but it just froze in place and did not fall over. Harvey our buggy driver had 14 Children 74 Grandchildren and 36 Great Grandchildren. He said they have family reunions every year and his children take turns having the reunions at their home. Starting with the oldest to the youngest.

On Friday night we observed this bulk foods store with lots of carriages parked along the side and appeared they had all come to town to get food. Jerry said he saw a IGA store but Barb did not see another grocery store.

This Friday night us trying to get out on the highway but we have to wait for a horse and carrage before we could go. Barb just had to have a picture of this.

This Friday night horse carrages at the banks, a Wells Fargo Bank at that. This was so strange to see.
This is a side view of the bulk store you can see the carriage all loaded with stuff they bought. Another picture of the bulk store and all the carriages and horses tied up. You wonder how you find your horse and carriage when they all look a like. We learned that the carriages have to be licensed now because the horse hoofs do so much damage to the roads. So they started taxing the Amish through this license plate they have to have on thier carriage.

Barb had to have a picture of this carriage & horse parked at a gas station the individuals was in the Sub Way shop that was in this convience store.

This picture is of a watering tank for the horses and this is in the area where we took our carriage ride.
This area is next to the watering tank and a individual goes around this area and picks up the horse manure and I guess dumps it there. We found this very funny to see.


We are well educated now about this area so guess we will move on down the road tomorrow as everything is closed in this area on Sunday.