Shipshewana...

Besides the Black Hills, another spot we wanted to return to is Shipshewana, Indiana. We spent ten days here last time and I found it beautiful and peaceful. This time we're stopping for four days, just to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy a little Amish cooking.

We spent a night in Geneseo, Illinois on the way here, staying at the Geneseo Campground. When we stopped in June 2014 there were so few RVs in the park that we parked our monster truck in the site next to us...this June the campground was near full. It's a quiet campground on the Hennepin Canal with gravel pull-thrus, large shade trees and wide sites. We were glad to see how much their business has increased.

Although we don't usually unhook on an overnight we did this time since we needed a few groceries. The adage is never shop when you're hungry...so we didn't. Before hitting the grocery store we tried Culver's, a mid-western burger and shake chain. It's fast food but more like Steak n' Shake or Five Guys rather than McDonald's. The burgers are fresh cooked and good and your order is delivered to your table when it's ready. They arrived with two samples of their fresh-made custard ice cream.

The next morning we were on our way to Shipshewana and back to the Shipshewana South Campground. Still a nice campground though our site is not near the horses this time. There's lots to see in this area and we saw a good bit on our first visit...here are links to my posts Post 1, Post 2, Post 3 on the campground and some of the things we did in 2014.

Our visit was only a few days this time and we spent more time relaxing and less time sightseeing. We did take the opportunity to visit the Shipshewana Flea Market  (think rain kept us away last time). It's huge, something like 900 vendors. I think we could go every week all summer and still not see it all!

We tried Ben's Bakery which we liked better than the Rise and Shine that we visited last trip. The Peach Fritters are awesome! We also returned to the Blue Gate Restaurant and to 5 and 20 Country Kitchen.The server we like so well on our 2014 visit, Ida, still works there. We also squeezed in a visit to Yoder's Meat and Cheese and bought more steaks and burgers.

This is an area we'll enjoy coming back to again and again.

Amish Country...Indiana

We visited the Amish Country in Pennsylvania last October and I really enjoyed it so, when I learned there was a large Amish population in Indiana, I had to visit.

The Amish and Mennonites are predominantly in Shipshewana and Middlebury, Indiana. I planned for a week there to take advantage of the lower weekly campsite rates but we were enjoying the area so much we added another three days!

The countryside is beautiful and the food is good. The whole feeling of the area was friendlier than in Pennsylvania. Horse and buggies clip clop on the streets and the people waved at us, children smiled at me in stores and workers engaged in conversation.

Quilt Garden in front of Menno-Hof

We visited Menno-Hof and learned much about their history and the differences among the Amish, Beachy Amish, Amish-Mennonite, Conservative Mennonites, and Mennonites. They are all Christians and strive to model their lives after Christ and to bring no harm to others.

The Amish are the most conservative with the others being less conservative up to the Mennonites who are least conservative. I can't begin to write about all I learned...or even remember all the details...but can give some examples. The Amish eschew technology, use no electricity, do not drive cars (but will ride in them), dress in a proscribed way so as not to draw attention to themselves, and do not educate their children beyond eighth grade. The Mennonites have embraced technology, including computers and cell phones, wear modern clothes and can pursue higher education up to and including doctoral degrees. Perhaps I shouldn't be, but I was very surprised to learn of the horrible persecution directed at such gentle people over the centuries. I was even more shocked to learn it still exists today...that some people will try to run their buggies off the road...just because they are different. Modern society could do well to learn from them.

We did some local shopping and found two wonderful stores. Yoder's Meat and Cheese, where we bought steaks and hamburgers that are hormone, steroid, and antibiotic free...at the same prices I usually pay in a grocery store. We also discovered E & S Sales, somewhat jokingly described to us as an Amish Costco. It's not nearly as large and doesn't sell tires, furniture, clothes etc. but the food prices are terrific. Too bad we don't have room in the RV for bulk buying.

Naturally, we enjoyed the food. The two most popular restaurants in the area are The Blue Gate and Das Effenhaus. Blue Gate has a menu or you can order family style, the downside is that one person can't order family style, everyone at the table must order family style. Das Effenhaus has three different sections, one for menu, one for family style and one for buffet so, again, everyone must want the same eating style. We didn't agree on style so we ordered from the menu at both places. They were both good and we ate at each one twice...The Blue Gate is a little more expensive. The pies were awesome. Jack favors any kind of apple pie, I fell in love with Red Raspberry Cream pie and Red Raspberry Chocolate Cream pie...yum!

We also frequented a smaller place called the 5 & 20 Country Kitchen...located at the intersection of highways 5 and 20 of course! The food was similar to the other two and much less expensive, though not as varied. They also have a small buffet for those who prefer. We enjoyed all three places, but the highlight was the waitress at the 5 & 20. Her name is Ida and she is Amish, maybe about forty-ish. We made a point of always asking for a table in her area. Besides being a good waitress, she was pleasant and friendly and nice to talk with. She told us a good bit about the Amish and I also learned that she is single and owns her own home, which is rather progressive for an Amish woman...in my opinion. We will definitely look for her when we are back in the area...and we will go back.

Heading North to the RV Capital of the World...

When we left Indianapolis we drove north. Last year, when we came to Indiana to pick up our new fifth wheel, we stopped in to meet a friend I'd met on an RV forum and spent the night in their driveway. We've stayed in touch through the year and wanted to visit again so we drove ninety miles up US 31 to the tiny hamlet of Twelve Mile, Indiana, pop. just under 1100. We set up our fifth wheel in their driveway only, unlike last year, this year everything worked! We really enjoyed our visit with Butch and Fonda. We went back to the same little Italian place for dinner as last year and probably ordered the same thing! Seemed there was so much to talk about. Butch is converting an MCI bus into an RV bus and trying to sell his Crossley parts business so he and Fonda can go full time. He was in negotiations with a buyer at the time and just recently let me know they closed the deal! So happy for them. We won't be able to stay in their driveway next time, so we'll just have to meet up on the road somewhere...and maybe next time I'll get around to taking a photo of the four of us!

Our site...

Next day we headed further north to the Elkhart, Goshen, Shipshewana area and settled in for a week. Well it was supposed to be a week, but we were enjoying it so much we ended up staying ten days. We stayed in Shipshewana South Campground in the heart of Amish country and about a thirty minute drive to Goshen and Elkhart. We loved it...good sized, level sites with lots of grass and a few trees; not many other amenities, but we don't use them anyway. Our site was right near the laundry and the community room. The first few days of our stay there was a group of people who perform blue grass music camped nearby...and they practiced in the community room every evening! I couldn't hear much with my hearing loss but Jack was entertained daily. We did have some cool neighbors and Jack spent some time getting to know them better.

One of our neighbors!

A few of the neighbors!

One of the things we did during our stay was to visit the Keystone factory in Goshen. We got a tour of the plant and were able to see a Montana built...start to finish. It was a very interesting tour and we liked much of what we saw. Still love our Montana and glad we chose it!

We also visited the RV Museum and Hall of Fame in Elkhart and spent some time seeing Shipshewana and exploring the Amish Country, but I'll save those for another post.