All Articles:

Home

Visiting an Amish Fabric Shop

Real Quality Amish Storage Sheds

Shopping at an Amish Bulk Food Store

The Careers of Amish Men & Women

How to Tour an Amish Area by Car

How to approach and talk to the Amish

Spending a day with the Amish

Five great Amish Recipes

What types of food do the Amish Can

Amish Buggies



Custom Amish Made Quilts from the AmishQuilter


Amish Buggies

custom quiltThe Amish Buggies are the main means of transportation for this misunderstood community. They use the buggy to transport everything from produce to themselves. The reason this form of transportation is preferred is so they can stay simple in their lives and have no reliance on the outside world. Remember there are no heaters in these buggies, so in the winter it gets cold. The Amish may use a throw blanket or small quilt, but not one of their large custom Amish quilts

The Amish buggy itself has been transformed over the years to fit the needs and lifestyle of the Amish people. In the past, these buggies were made of wood and metal. Today fiberglass is used instead in many instances. This makes them more weather resistant and lighter.

There are still several different manufacturers of the Amish buggies across America. Since the Amish are the largest customers of this specialty item, most are made near one of the many Amish communities. This way it is easier to sell their products. On average, an Amish buggy will cost between $4,300 and $7,200 and sometimes more. Some of the business's that sells these buggies includes I&J Manufacturing, Pioneer Equipment Inc, and Shady Lane Wagons.

Because the Amish buggies have to share the road with other vehicles, there is a requirement of some safety equipment they all must be fitted with. There are lights fitted on the buggies so other drivers will more easily see them. There are also turn signals to help indicate the direction of travel for the buggy. At night there must also be a flashing light on at all times so approaching motorist will see them. These lights are run off a small battery that is fitted to the buggies.

Today a person can purchase an Amish buggy that fits their needs and size horse. There are smaller carriages that can be pulled by ponies. There are also large wagons that can carry up to 12 tons of produce to the market if needed. The option of wooden, metal or rubber tires the buggies and wagons will be mounted on is also available. There are even a few with hydraulic brakes fitted on them to help in stopping the large loads.

There are other specialty buggies that are used for specific purposes. The most obvious is the courting buggy. This is a two seater that is open all round. This allows for a young couple to take a ride and talk. It also provides no privacy so no hank panky can occur.

The most common of all the Amish buggies are the family wagon. These look like a large box on top of four wheels. They can generally accommodate up to 8 people comfortable. Because it is all covered, it protects the occupants from road dirt and the weather.

There are still many craftsmen in the Amish community that make Amish buggies, but they are mostly wooden ones. They are slightly higher in cost than their fiberglass competitors, but wood is easier to work with.

Today fancier horse drawn buggies still are made, but they are not preferred by the Amish people. Remember this is a community that shuns personal pride and a fancy buggy would be inappropriate.

Copyright © 2013 by AmishQuilter.com - may not be published without our permission


Custom Made Amish Quilts
In Stock ready to Buy Now! Amish Quilter. Custom Amish Quilts - All of our quilting is done by hand. Visit the Amish Quilter online shop. We also have over 100 Beautiful traditional readymade Amish Quilts for sale.