The farmlands of Lancaster County are among some of the most productive lands in the United States. This well groomed farm portrays some of the top priorities of the Amish way of life; the quality of self reliance and strong family ties are all centered around a farm. The "old order" of Amish makes it a point to avoid modern distractions that come with electricity, telephones, television and automobiles. Although modern farm equipment is used, it is pulled by a team of horses or mules.
   Raber's Almanac estimates 200,000 old order Amish live in the United States, and a quarter of the population reside in Pennsylvania. Spoiled with modern conveniences, 21st century Americans are surprised to find that the Amish society can survive when bound to their old simplistic ways, let alone thrive. Unexpected statistics indicate their numbers have tripled over the last 40 years. Most of the "plain people" are descendants of the Swiss Anabaptist and speak a German dialect known as Pennsylvania Dutch (German).
   Usually attending a local one-room schoolhouse, grades one through eight, Amish children are educated on the values of hard work, ethical living and how to be a valuable member of the Amish community. Avoiding "lofty goals" as in a typical American education, schooling covers the basics of the English language, reading, writing, arithmetic and history. These Amish conservatives manage to observe strict rules on behavior included in the Ordnung. Containing both religious and civil rules, the Ordnung is both written and oral, and is best translated as a code of conduct. Most noticeable are buggies when traveling and typical Amish clothing, very simple in style, avoiding any ornamentation. Lancaster County, the oldest of all Amish settlements, comprises about half of all the Amish living in the state of Pennsylvania. One of the most popular tourist destinations in Pennsylvania, Lancaster County attracts nearly 10 million visitors every year.

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