Amish Country

Western Sauk County, where I live and do most of my bike riding, has seen a tremendous increase in Amish residents in the last couple of decades. Three or four decades ago, there were no Amish in our area but they came and their communities continue to grow and expand.

They have established many businesses out in the country: greenhouses, bakeries, vegetable stands, carpentry and cabinet shops, selling eggs, doing metal work, masonry, building sheds, and more. As I rode a 12 mile route this morning, these are a few of the Amish businesses that I encountered.

Sign in front of the barn below.

The main office...

 At a spot close to the above horseshoeing and horse drawn wagon business and close to at least three other Amish farms, there was an "Amish telephone booth". At least that's what I think it is. The Amish want to keep their families and their lives separate from the outside world even while living and working in 'our' world. Therefore, telephones are not allowed in these Amish homes,  nor even in their businesses yet somewhere close, but separated, you will often find a small building with a telephone in it.

Amish Phone Booth

There was clearly telephone wires connected to this building, and as I passed, I could see papers and notes on the wall inside. Amish businesses, with items for sale or services offered, will often have a phone number listed where you can leave a message and they'll get back to you... when they get around to stopping by the little Amish phone booth!

Sign pointing to an Amish Bakery

I'm leery of some of the Amish businesses. This sign pointing to the Windy Ridge Bakery proclaiming that it's open on Saturday apparently means that it is only open on Saturday during the summer! I stopped by last winter on a Saturday, walked in (to the basement part of the Amish house), only to find that I was standing in someone's house! The bakery was apparently closed for the winter, but they had neglected to change or cover their signs. Embarrassing!

These are only a few of the many Amish enterprises that are within 5 or 6 miles of where I live and where I rode my bike this morning. Here are a couple more photos from my morning bike ride...

Looking down from a hilltop through a valley

I love the pretty blue flowers/weeds along the road.