The Amish have a brilliant entrepreneurial opportunity ahead of them.

[SoCalDem]

As oil goes away, or becomes too expensive to buy and use, and as more and more people need jobs & housing, the Amish could start opening Sufficiency Schools..

They are probably the only community on earth now who are NOT feeling the pinch of the "meltdown/crunch/bubble-pop"..

They could franchise their schools or offer boarding school accomodations..

Amish Acres Academy

specialty classes include...


weaving
animal husbandry
stall-mucking 101
candle-making
buggy maintenance
gardening for beginners

:)

[spag68]

1. Please add

Lots of good food 101.

[aquart]

4. Oh, not necessarily.

[rox63]

16. And well-made furniture

I have a friend who grew up near Amish country, and she swears by their furniture. Says it will last you forever.

[Duke Newcombe]

2. You're more serious than you may realize.

They could do very well for themselves--unfortunately, their skills are going to become more necessary to learn in the near future.

Duke

[Brigid]

3. Yes indeed.

These are skills that most everyone had not so long ago. And we are going to need them again.

[provis99]

5. Too bad there aren't enough horses in America any more

I guess well have to backslide even further than horse buggys to human-propelled rickshaws.

[Demeter]

6. Not To Mention "Heritage Farming Techniques"

To re-educate farmers in pre=oil agriculture.

[LynneSin]

7. Don't fool yourself on that one - I know the Amish well

Sure, they may not need gas or electricity but they do have needs that require them to shop in our world (I grew up outside of Amish country). These people live the life of farmers although many have stories where they sell their homemade goods like food, baskets or furniture.

Their income is limited to what they earn from their small business which still require seeds to grow, food to feed both their animals & themselves along with cost of everyday needs. These are not people who live a life totally based without contact from the modern world. For a furniture maker, he's probably getting less business for his product, for a farmer he's probably finding the cost of running the farm skyrocketing. They are getting pinched by this too.

BTW, I thought it was funny that Bush made like 3-4 stops in Amish country campaigning with the Amish during 2004. Thing is, you're lucky if even 10% of the Amish will vote and these are people who do not support wars. Talk about a waste of time!

[SoCalDem]

13. That's true, BUT, they still have the knowledge of HOW to actually feed and clothe oneself

Many people have NO idea how to actually make things..they only know where to BUY things..

[Ghost in the Machine]

8. I've been telling people for over a month now that the Amish & Mennonite kids will be

... the new 'cool kids' because they'll have their horses & buggies. The girls are gonna be wanting to date the Amish boys because they'll have a way to go out somewhere. Of course, there isn't going to be many places to go...

Just to add one to your specialty classes list: Carpentry without power tools.

I worked with some Mennonites down in Montezuma, Ga after the flood in 1994. I had gone down there as a volunteer to help clean up & rebuild. They were one of the greatest bunches of folks I'd ever had the pleasure of working with.

[reformedrethug]

11. Dont be so sure about that

carpentry without power tools thought. I live near a fairly big Amish community and even though they dont own cars they depend on the "English" to drive them to jobs that would take too long in their traditional methods of transportation. Also many of the Amish that do construction DO use power tools when they know that other Amish will not see them.

Also there is a coming of age ritual that they practice when the kids turn 16. I forget the name but basically they are allowed to have cell phones, cars, etc... The reason for this is because under the age of 16 they are considered children and not able to make decisions considering joining the Church, but when they reach the age of 16 they are allowed to act and dress as the "English" and to make their own decision as to if they want to join the Church.

Just a little FYI.

[SoCalDem]

14. It's the "rumspringa", if I recall..

they get to "run wild" for a while, and then commit to the faith as an "adult"..when they come back..


added: link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumspringa

[reformedrethug]

20. thats it

I forgot what they called it.

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. Even the Amish upgraded to modern stoves and washing machines

[ForrestGump]

10. Coming soon:

the Toyota Equus.

[SoCalDem]

15. Don't forget Amish-Airlines

[China_cat]

12. Does that animal husbandry include

opening more puppy mills?

[My Good Babushka]

17. I find the Amish to get somewhat rowdy on the bus.

Really. I was taking my kids on the bus and I heard all this ruckus. I thought "what sort of ruffians are back there?". It was a gaggle of boisterous Amish. They also shop at Walmart. They do a lot of the construction/roofing in our area and they use the same power tools as anyone else. It's only in their homes that they are technology-free. Their barns and workshops are wired up. And they have cell phones, for work.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

18. Add quilting and pie making to the curriculum.

[SoCalDem]

19. Mmmmmmm, Pie

and cobblers & biscuits & ice cream :)

[ThePowerofWill]

21. I have been cleaning up doing this already !!!

I started last year offering a service teaching home based organic gardening, soil building, composting, along with patio/container gardening. I have simply been cleaning up!!! i can't keep up with demand. I have thought of quiting my day job as i make more doing this. However i have really good insurance at work, it's hard to leave that behind.

[rucky]

22. Check this out...

http://www.lehmans.com/index.jsp