Discover Eastern New York’s Newest Amish Community
A New Amish Community Brings Tradition to Eastern New York State
Eastern New York State is welcoming a new Amish community, bringing a touch of simplicity and tradition to the region. Nestled in the rural outskirts of the Hudson Valley, near the small town of Whitehall, this growing settlement has quickly become a point of interest for locals and visitors alike. With its picturesque farms, handmade goods, and old-world charm, the community is adding cultural and economic value to the area while fostering meaningful connections with its neighbors.
The Arrival of the Amish in Eastern New York
The Amish families who have settled near Whitehall hail from Pennsylvania and Ohio, drawn by the region’s affordable farmland and quiet countryside. The settlement began with just a few families but has grown steadily over the past few years. Today, it features working farms, small businesses, and a burgeoning sense of community.
Jacob Mast, one of the community leaders, shared: “We came here looking for a place where we could farm and raise our families peacefully. The land here is good, and the people have been welcoming.”
The Amish presence has sparked curiosity among locals. Linda Lemnotis, owner of Green Mountain Food Services in Whitehall, remarked: “They’re some of my best customers. They buy supplies for baking and cooking, and I love how polite and kind they are.”
Local Businesses Embrace Amish Partnerships
The Amish community’s arrival has created opportunities for collaboration with local businesses:
- Green Mountain Food Services (📍 12 Main Street, Whitehall): This store supplies baking essentials like flour and spices to Amish families who produce baked goods for sale. Lemnotis often offers discounts on ripe bananas for their banana bread recipes.
- Hollow Creek Groceries (📍 45 County Road 17): A small Amish-owned grocery store featuring bulk goods, fresh produce, and baked treats like shoofly pie.
- Foote’s Amish Sheds (📍 Hudson Valley | 🌐 shedsbarnsgazebosamishbuiltbyfoote.com): This family-run business sells high-quality sheds, barns, and gazebos handcrafted by Amish artisans. Harry Foote noted: “Their craftsmanship is unmatched—it’s what keeps customers coming back.”
What Tourists Can Experience
Visitors to this new Amish settlement can enjoy a variety of activities that showcase traditional Amish life:
1. Farm Tours
Several Amish farms offer guided tours where visitors can learn about sustainable farming practices such as crop rotation and manual harvesting techniques. One standout is Toby’s Chicken Farm, home to 5,000 free-range hens producing fresh eggs daily.
2. Handmade Goods
Quilts, furniture, and crafts are available at local shops like Hollow Creek Groceries. Each item reflects the skill and dedication of Amish artisans who prioritize quality over mass production.
3. Baked Goods & Produce Markets
Seasonal roadside stands sell fresh fruits, vegetables, jams, and baked goods like whoopie pies and sourdough bread. Tourists rave about the fresh taste and authenticity of these homemade products.
4. Community Events
The settlement hosts seasonal events such as harvest festivals and auctions known as “mud sales,” where visitors can bid on handmade quilts, tools, and antiques while supporting local fire departments.
Voices from Locals and Visitors
Ellen Carter, a historian from Whitehall, sees the Amish as a valuable addition to the area: “Their way of life reminds us of our own agricultural roots here in upstate New York.”
Tourists have also embraced the community’s charm. Mark Johnson from Albany shared: “I visited one of their farms last summer—it was incredible to see how much they accomplish without modern machinery.”
Challenges Faced by the Community
While the Amish have been warmly received overall, they’ve encountered some challenges in adapting to local regulations:
- Building Codes: New York’s strict building codes have required adjustments to traditional barn designs.
- Road Safety: Horse-drawn buggies sharing roads with cars have raised safety concerns among residents.
Samuel Yoder, an elder in the community, explained: “We’re working with local officials to address these issues while staying true to our beliefs.”
Looking Ahead
As the settlement grows, plans are underway to expand its offerings for both locals and tourists:
- A new schoolhouse will open later this year to accommodate growing families.
- Seasonal workshops on quilting and woodworking will begin in 2026.
- Collaborations with nearby attractions like Fort Ticonderoga could draw more visitors to the area.
Mayor Bruce Caza summed up the sentiment of many locals: “The Amish bring something special to our town—a sense of tradition that enriches our community.”
Citations:
[1] https://roadslesstraveled.us/amish-farms-of-the-ny-finger-lakes/
[2] https://amishamerica.com/a-3-part-look-at-a-new-york-amish-settlement/
[3] https://shedsbarnsgazebosamishbuiltbyfoote.com/about-amish-sheds-gazebos-barns-orange-county-ny/
[4] https://amishamerica.com/new-york-amish/
[5] https://shedsbarnsgazebosamishbuiltbyfoote.com/footes-amish-sheds/
[6] https://amishamerica.com/12-amish-mennonite-food-outlets-in-upstate-ny/
[7] https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctt7zfqr
[8] https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501707605/new-york-amish/
[9] https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/18086/20110727/amish-in-northern-new-york-changing-the-face-of-farming
[10] https://portal.nifa.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/1028697-overcoming-food-safety-educational-barriers-within-ny-plain-communities.html
[11] https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g48465-d3596332-Reviews-New_York_Amish_Trail-Randolph_Cattaraugus_County_New_York.html
[12] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s1FQyIriV0
[13] https://www.jstor.org/stable/29763762
[14] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S.states_by_Amish_population [15] https://oxfordjournals.org/cornell-scholarship-online/book/21657/chapter/181555618 [16] https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g60763-d11464624-Private_New_York_Day_Trip_to_Amish_Country_with_Amish_Mennonite_Guides-New_York_Cit.html [17] https://gameo.org/index.php?title=New_York%28USA%29
[18] https://nypost.com/2025/03/15/opinion/nys-amish-vaccinations-and-the-battle-for-the-greater-good/
[19] https://www.discoverlancaster.com/blog/amish-facts/
[20] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avpiTlsDTCk
[21] https://www.pinterest.com/lifeangel2/amish-quotes/
[22] https://www.reddit.com/r/newburgh/comments/1jund2a/new_amish_community_takes_root_in_newburgh_ny/
[23] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osfDwb9Uc0I
[24] https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/amish
[25] https://www.the-independent.com/topic/amish
[26] https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/amish-shunned-biography-katie-troyer/
[27] https://www.newtondailynews.com/2020/05/03/at-95-bob-norman-is-still-not-dull/atte7mh/
[28] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6SlJZk5guI
[29] https://www.yahoo.com/news/heres-much-rain-fell-evansville-153558735.html
[30] https://www.mapministry.org/news/2023/01/25/are-the-amish-planning-a-mass-exodus-from-new-york
[31] https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/11645898-amish-proverbs-words-of-wisdom-from-the-simple-life?page=4
[32] https://newburghhistoryblog.com/the-rise-and-fall-of-a-mercantile-town-family-land-and-capital-in-newburgh-new-york-1790-1844-by-mark-c-carnes/
[33] https://www.edlewi.com/dunkin-and-baskin-robbins-bring-next-generation-store-to-orange-county/
[34] https://www.bradsbarns.com
[35] https://www.ebroadsheet.com/the-broadsheetdaily-9-24-20-make-believe-mennonite-market-denouement-amish-market-to-close-in-tribeca/
[36] https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Amish+Restaurant&find_loc=Newburgh%2C+NY
[37] https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Amish+Market&find_loc=Poughkeepsie%2C+NY
[38] https://www.timeshudsonvalley.com/mid-hudson-times/mid-hudson-times/stories/newburgh-hospitality,22207
[39] https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Local+Businesses&find_loc=Newburgh%2C+NY
[40] https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Amish+Farms&find_loc=New+York%2C+NY
[41] https://www.townofnewburgh.org/uppages/04122021%20Town%20Board%20Meeting2.doc
[42] https://www.localharvest.org/viola-ny/farmers-markets
[43] https://www.newburghny.org/renovating-mixed-use-buildings-in-newburgh/
[44] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish
[45] https://stories.woosterhistory.org/exhibits/society-social-movements/not-a-yesterdays-people-the-transformation-of-amish-agriculture-in-the-wayne-holmes-settlement/
[46] https://ediblewesternny.ediblecommunities.com/food-thought/my-amish-neighbors
[47] https://981thehawk.com/how-amish-live/
[48] https://amishamerica.com/new-york-still-drawing-amish-and-mennonites/
[49] https://www.timeshudsonvalley.com/stories/rally-draws-hundreds-in-newburgh,156494
[50] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rCR3YpBcEM
[51] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FtOsDzTlNU
[52] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-GWAFKL6IU
[53] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex4d9LwmpvM
[54] https://www.shopnbny.com
[55] http://fieldguide.capitalinstitute.org/newburgh-tries-a-new-approach-to-poverty.html
[56] https://hvwinemag.com/land-locals-and-culture-connect-craft-beverage-makers-to-orange-county/
[57] https://www.foodtown.com/stores/freshtown-of-newburgh