Moving from Southern Calif to Yikes Middletown DE. please help me decide if this is the town for us. (Wilmington: job)

[home-sweet-home]

Greetings Laural,

I hope all is well. You will love moving to Delaware. I have lived in Philadelphia and Miami and don't get me wrong, I simply loved Miami. To my surprise Delaware has had a lot to offer me and my family. It is going to be an adjustment but certainly one you will not regret. If you have any questions please feel free to forward them.

Good Luck!

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by Laural

Another naive question, I thought they don't associate with outsiders. What are they like? Do they really don't like their pictures taken?

Let me tell you, Laural. When we were having this huge housing boom of new construction (which slowed down in late 2007), many Amish were hired for many years to work on the new houses, either pouring driveways/sidewalks, framing, putting on roofs, etc. The guy who hires them goes and picks them up and takes them home at night. I know plenty of people who make money by picking them up and taking them to WalMart to grocery shop. They will not let you take their picture. They are not sheltered, and they are like us.....not perfect.

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by Laural

You'll have to forgive me being naive I know nothing about them accept what I see on tv. What do they use money for? I always thought they were pretty much self sufficient.

They buy groceries at WalMart, and at local stores, they shop at the Mall, they buy seed to plant, they buy land and grow crops, they make and sell cabinets and furniture ... to us. They buy materials and make their buggys, they buy and breed horses, cows, pigs, chickens. They buy fabric to make their clothes, they buy their shoes. It goes on and on.

[Charley]

Originally Posted by Laural

Another naive question, I thought they don't associate with outsiders. What are they like? Do they really don't like their pictures taken?

My parents told me a story about an experience with an Amish gentleman in Pennsylvania. My parents were driving and were lost. They pulled up next to this gentleman and asked him for directions. He took one deliberate step back, looked away from the car until they drove away, and then in the rear view mirror, my father saw him take one step forward again.

Now this was an Amish sect in Pennsylvania. This is NOT what I've experienced in my limited time in Delaware. I believe that the sect around Dover are Mennonite. They are a bit more integrated into society but do not drive or I'm not sure about allowing pictures taken of them.

I believe that many of the Amish folks who work at Spence's are from the Mennonite sect and they have always appeared friendly, cordial and helpful. I would ABSOLUTELY choose to have Mennonite neighbors as they are quiet, peaceful and good to the land. I can't imagine ever having to see the police called because of a loud beer party at an Amish home at 3AM on a Sunday morning.

Charley

[elizamary]

Originally Posted by CMTAD

I believe that many of the Amish folks who work at Spence's are from the Mennonite sect and they have always appeared friendly, cordial and helpful. I would ABSOLUTELY choose to have Mennonite neighbors as they are quiet, peaceful and good to the land. I can't imagine ever having to see the police called because of a loud beer party at an Amish home at 3AM on a Sunday morning.

Charley

We have Amish working at Southen Meadows. I have noticed the now ride in a car.
These guys mostly do the cementing and they are darn good too.

One of my neighbors came from South Dakota and they had something like an amish that were a menace in SD.........So she says.

[Honeycrisp]

One of the Walmarts in PA even has a designated parking area for horses and buggies. Coming from a busier area, we were surprised to see that as well as women riding bikes in long dresses on the country roads. Later mentioned the designated parking area to a friend who relocated to large retirement area in FL and she said their Walmarts has a designated parking area too - for those driving golf carts <G>. Back to the question, I too would have no qualms about having them as neighbors, they seem quiet and considerate which is important IMO.

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by CMTAD

My parents told me a story about an experience with an Amish gentleman in Pennsylvania. My parents were driving and were lost. They pulled up next to this gentleman and asked him for directions. He took one deliberate step back, looked away from the car until they drove away, and then in the rear view mirror, my father saw him take one step forward again.

Now this was an Amish sect in Pennsylvania. This is NOT what I've experienced in my limited time in Delaware. I believe that the sect around Dover are Mennonite. They are a bit more integrated into society but do not drive or I'm not sure about allowing pictures taken of them.

I believe that many of the Amish folks who work at Spence's are from the Mennonite sect and they have always appeared friendly, cordial and helpful. I would ABSOLUTELY choose to have Mennonite neighbors as they are quiet, peaceful and good to the land. I can't imagine ever having to see the police called because of a loud beer party at an Amish home at 3AM on a Sunday morning.

Charley

Charlie, we have mostly Amish here around Dover, not Mennonites. Mennonites, mostly, are in and around Greenwood, Delaware. Those in Greenwood wear modest "street" clothes, but the women always wear their little white caps. Our Amish wear the full Amish attire, and live a true Amish life. There are some Mennonites at Bylers Country Store, west of Dover, and I think the store is Mennonite owned. Those at Spence's are imports from Pennsylvania, more business like, and they come in a minivan from PA every Tuesday and Friday. On occasion, a local Amish family will rent a table at Spences and sell flowers or baked goods, but those inside the brick building are not from here. Up in Philly, a couple of years ago, I had lunch with my daughter at the train station and the coffee shop was run by Amish. A local lady was sitting next to me and I asked how they managed to commute to the City each day to sell their baked goods, etc. She had a surprised look. "oh, they live on the 4th floor" she said! Everything is not always what it appears. and.....Walmart's in Camden has a designated parking area for Amish buggies, as well as the Wyoming Bank.

[Charley]

Originally Posted by Delly

Charlie, we have mostly Amish here around Dover, not Mennonites. Mennonites, mostly, are in and around Greenwood, Delaware. Those in Greenwood wear modest "street" clothes, but the women always wear their little white caps. Our Amish wear the full Amish attire, and live a true Amish life. There are some Mennonites at Bylers Country Store, west of Dover, and I think the store is Mennonite owned. Those at Spence's are imports from Pennsylvania, more business like, and they come in a minivan from PA every Tuesday and Friday. On occasion, a local Amish family will rent a table at Spences and sell flowers or baked goods, but those inside the brick building are not from here. Up in Philly, a couple of years ago, I had lunch with my daughter at the train station and the coffee shop was run by Amish. A local lady was sitting next to me and I asked how they managed to commute to the City each day to sell their baked goods, etc. She had a surprised look. "oh, they live on the 4th floor" she said! Everything is not always what it appears. and.....Walmart's in Camden has a designated parking area for Amish buggies, as well as the Wyoming Bank.

Thanks for the clarification, Delly. Whoever they are ... I like them!

Charley

[Laural]

Originally Posted by CMTAD

as they are quiet, peaceful and good to the land. I can't imagine ever having to see the police called because of a loud beer party at an Amish home at 3AM on a Sunday morning.

Charley

Oh gawd they would hate living next to us then all our wild parties, bikers and police raids... JUST KIDDING.

[Laural]

You know, I didn't realize they were so integrated into the community. That's cool. I remember seeing them when we vacationed in PA. I was so fascinated by them, I still have my amish dolls from all those years ago. Our
5th wheel was supposedly put together by amish people. I always thought that was a gimmick but maybe it's true after all.