HERLIFE Magazine

crafted furniture built by Amish carpenters. Using techniques passedthrough many generations, furniture sold at Amish marketplaces areheld to a strict standard of design and durability. Many of the nation’sAmish furniture dealers can be found in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania,where they carry styles known for their Amish influences such asShaker, Missionary and Craftsmen. Most of these pieces are made inbarns and workshops of Amish carpenters, and are not mass-producedusing computerized equipment as are most factory-manufacturedfurniture pieces. They use solid wood, not filler, for their furnitureand have the capability and knowhow to custom design pieces to yourpreferences.One little known secret is the Amish “mud sales” held each spring inLancaster County. Began in the 1960s, these sales are typically held inthe springtime (hence the word “mud”) and are used to benefit localvolunteer fire companies, particularly important to Amish communitieswhose livelihoods involve woodworking and the potentiality forfire. According to the PADutch.com website, “Items sold vary fromauction to auction and include a wide variety of donated goods andconsignment merchandise. Auctioned items often include furniture,craft items, quilts, building materials, livestock, buggies and carriages,tools, farming supplies and equipment, garden items—plus, lots ofgood food.” ■Resources used for this article include www.DenverPost.com,www.AmishAmerica.com, www.PADutch.com and www.Issuu.com.HERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM 113