As the Amish population in Pennsylvania, particularly in Lancaster County, continues to grow, some are finding jobs outside of farming and leaving their traditional homesteads for smaller dwellings, writes Rachel McDevitt for NPR.
However, as they still need horses for transportation, these migrations have forced some townships to allow horses on residential lots, with some restrictions.
That is just one way how local governments and the Amish are adjusting to the challenges this rapid population growth is putting on the Amish community’s traditional way of life.
Also, some Amish are moving away from their homesteads due to farm prices being out of reach.
“We’ve reached the point where the price of farm per acre is well beyond the income-producing ability of it,” said Bill O’Brien, Chief Lending Officer for the Bank of Bird-in-Hand.
Still, even if some of the Amish in Lancaster County are abandoning farming, many still want to preserve a rural lifestyle. This sometimes creates friction between them and their non-Amish neighbors, whom they refer to as “English.”
To deal with this issue, many townships are now ensuring their ordinances are a fair compromise for all parties involved.
Read more about the changes in the Amish community from NPR here.
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