New Line of Amish Outdoor Furniture

Back in August of last year, Ron and I had the opportunity to go to Pennsylvania to meet with a friend and some Amish Furniture Craftsmen. Our proposal was to include handcrafted Amish Furniture on the site. Because we knew very little about the Amish people except they live a simple devout life, we researched the subject to find out more about these kind, hospitable people.

I found most of the following information on a web site called padutch.com. This site provides a full history of the Amish, their beliefs and their lifestyle. After hundreds of years of religious persecution in Europe, the Amish or Mennonites came to what is now Pennsylvania after William Penn’s offer of religious freedom as part of his “holy experiment” of religious tolerance in the late 1720’s or 1730’s. Today, the Amish can be found in 23 states here and in one Canadian province. Their settlement in and around Lancaster County is their second largest. Because of their large families, the total Amish population has more than doubled since 1960 to over 85,000. Very few of their children leave the church.

The Amish and Mennonite churches still share the same beliefs concerning baptism, non-resistance, and basic Bible doctrines. They differ in matters of dress, technology, language, form of worship and interpretation of the Bible.

The Mennonites hold many of the same beliefs as the Amish, although they tend to be less conservative than their Amish neighbors. Worship services are held weekly in their meeting houses. Most Mennonites have relaxed dress codes, and have gotten away from farm-related occupations. While Old Order Mennonites still drive their all-black carriages, most Mennonite groups do permit the use of cars and electricity. However, some groups do require that car bodies and trim be painted black.

The Amish families we met in Pennsylvania live on working farms and large workshops where the make handcrafted outdoor furniture. The furniture is made of a material called Poly Wood, a material made from recycled plastic resin that is resistant to corrosive substances, oil and fuels, insects, fungi, salt spray, and other environmental stresses. This material does not absorb moisture and will not rot, splinter, or crack. This material will provide a lifetime of maintenance free service.

We plan to have one of the lines of outdoor furniture on our site soon. Take a look at our site at http://www.yourrjsgiftsetc.com/