Amish/Mennonite Communities (Moberly, St. James, Buffalo: purchasing, price, transportation)

[BarbieB73]

Does anyone know how I could contact someone from an Amish Community? I have a Cub Scout Pack that would like to do a day trip to an Amish farm or whole community, but I can't seem to find anywere how I would go about contacting someone. I know it can be done, because when I was in school we went to a farm in IL. I'm looking to set something up in the Bowling Green, MO area, as that is the closest to St. Louis. Anyone have any info they could give me I would really apreciate it.

TIA,
Barbie

[Chris19]

I have seen Amish people maybe once or twice during my life, but am more familiar with Mennonites. My Dad's side of the family (his father) were Mennonites. They were Mennonites that were well integrated into society. South Dakota's cluster of Mennonites is around the Freeman area with a few places here and there along the James River Valley.

In South Dakota, along with areas in North Dakota, Montana, Canada, and in the northwestern US, Hutterites are a unique group and stem from similar origins of the Mennonites and Amish. The Hutterites have some similarities but some differences to the Mennonites and Amish. The Hutterites often live a communal lifestyle and are ultra-conservative and speak a unique dialect of German. They are agrarian and of the craftsman type similar to the Amish. They often dress very conservatively and do not watch TV nor listen to music along with having very limited amount of personal possessions. The difference that the Hutterites often go from place to place in Chevy Suburbans and the like (if they have to go in groups to a larger city if needed). They often like visiting citywide garage sales. Interesting group of people. Some are friendly and some are distant. The older people in the group seem very distant and younger people seem more talkative and friendly.

My question is if Menonites in Missouri are ones that have settled the US before the 1870s and 1880s and migrated to Missouri as the nation moved westward or settled later. Are there any Mennonites in Missouri that are German-Russian (Also known as Black Sea Germans, Volga Germans-Originially Germans but settled along the Volga River during Catherine the Great's rule in Russia in the 1700s and migrated to the US in the late 1800s)? The German Russians maintained German speech and traditions when living in Russia for about 100 years. My dad's side were the German-Russians who were Mennonites that settled the plains of South Dakota back in the 1880s-1890s era.

[kareybear]

Originally Posted by BarbieB73

Does anyone know how I could contact someone from an Amish Community? I have a Cub Scout Pack that would like to do a day trip to an Amish farm or whole community, but I can't seem to find anywere how I would go about contacting someone. I know it can be done, because when I was in school we went to a farm in IL. I'm looking to set something up in the Bowling Green, MO area, as that is the closest to St. Louis. Anyone have any info they could give me I would really apreciate it.

TIA,
Barbie

Barbie Amish Community are very spread out. It is not like it has it own town. I might be wrong but in Moberly and La Plata; Amish family don't have their own town. You can be living down the street from a Amish family then a couple miles down regular neighbors than amish in the next house. You will see amish riding a buggy and there will be a general store and bakery that are own by amish family. I found a Amish man that does woodwork but doesn't live next to the bakery or the general store. I am trying to give you idea what I mean. You can find them in regular store in Wal Mart maybe you can approach one. I said Hi to a gentleman one day and we started talking. I was pregnant at the time and we talked about kids. Some will be friendly and some may not be. Good luck!!!

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by befigard

Another post........what is so wrong with eating a horse that has gotten to old to work anymore. Thats what wrong with people these days...they have gotten so CALIFORNICATED..........that living a simpler way of life has become wrong.

Not that hurts! Now that I've just retired I'm leaving California because I find it unsatisfying but please correct me if I'm wrong. Didn't the TRUE hippie movement begin here -- the one about natural living and sustainable growing and producing? California may be truly the land of fruits and nuts but a few good ideas, such as organic farming/gardening, have had their genesis here.

By the way, befigard, are you still with us or has all that bile boiled over and done you in?

[Sillypups]

Originally Posted by BarbieB73

Does anyone know how I could contact someone from an Amish Community? I have a Cub Scout Pack that would like to do a day trip to an Amish farm or whole community, but I can't seem to find anywere how I would go about contacting someone. I know it can be done, because when I was in school we went to a farm in IL. I'm looking to set something up in the Bowling Green, MO area, as that is the closest to St. Louis. Anyone have any info they could give me I would really apreciate it.

TIA,
Barbie

AMISH COMMUNITY IN BOWLING GREEN IN MO UP HWY 61 NORTH to HWY 54

[JTSO]

Originally Posted by BarbieB73

Does anyone know how I could contact someone from an Amish Community? I have a Cub Scout Pack that would like to do a day trip to an Amish farm or whole community, but I can't seem to find anywere how I would go about contacting someone. I know it can be done, because when I was in school we went to a farm in IL. I'm looking to set something up in the Bowling Green, MO area, as that is the closest to St. Louis. Anyone have any info they could give me I would really apreciate it.

TIA,
Barbie

If you haven't already, try contacting the public elementary school in Bowling Green. I grew up there and when I was in kindergarten and at least for a while after it was the regular year end field trip to go to an Amish farm when they were making molasses. That was many moons ago though.

[BarbieB73]

Thanks JTSO,

That's info that I was looking for. I'm in the St. Louis area, so without making a day trip to Bowling Green, I can't just approach someone in Wal-Mart. I also know that they don't have their own specific town as such, but they do tend live in the same areas, which is what I mean by Amish community. I found the info I needed to be able to go to the place we visited in IL, but that is further away, and when we went in school, we were staying in that area for the week. That is why I'm trying to find info in Bowling Green, because it is closer than in IL.

Thanks for all your replies. If anyone else has any more info, please let me know. Thanks so much!

Barbie

[lcasal]

Has anyone bought or know where to buy a Mennonite or Amish quilt? Do they sell them in their communities? I appreciate any info.

[Deez Nuttz]

They have Amish down in Windsor, Missouri. I think a bunch of them live on WW road outside of Windsor.

[graytabbie]

There are Amish/Mennonite communities around Seymour, Marshfield, Diggins, and east to Mountain Grove. I don't know anything about flea markets and swap meets that are "Amish/Mennonite".