Can You Buy Amish Products?

[moosmom]

Absolutely not!!!! I refuse to support Puppy and Kitten Mills or any Amish products. They're supposed to be God loving people yet they do that to animals?? Nope.

[kokopup]

I put "other" because Just like in the general public you have people that mistreat animals and have puppy mills. I do not believe all Amish should suffer
because of the sins of a few.

[pomtzu]

I agree with kokopup. We live in an area where there are many Amish, and none of them "raise" dogs. They are in construction and farming - have a wonderful, huge, general store when you can purchase all their wares, from baked goods, fresh meats, candies, quilts, furniture, etc, and all are home made or home raised.

The only Amish puppy mills that I know of in reasonable proximity to here, would be in the Lancaster and surroundings areas in PA.

I don't have a problem with purchasing from any of the Amish in this area.

[Vette]

I put "other" because Just like in the general public you have people that mistreat animals and have puppy mills. I do not believe all Amish should suffer
because of the sins of a few.

Ditto. an i voted other

[sparks19]

wow I just read my post... me fail english? that's unpossible LOL

They grow delicious crops and make extraordinary crafts is what I meant to say.

yes there are bad apples but for the most part they are a good and hardworking people.

Some of the things said in this thread are ... wow. To me all the generalizations and accusations are akin to saying you wouldn't by from an african american because they are gang members. it's ridiculous.

[lvpets2002]

I so agree.. No will not support them.. I have seen Bio on Amish & they treat their kids pretty rough too..

Absolutely not!!!! I refuse to support Puppy and Kitten Mills or any Amish products. They're supposed to be God loving people yet they do that to animals?? Nope.

[pomtzu]

And in the Far East, people eat dogs and cats.

How much do you think is in your home right now that was "Made in China", and you bought it without so much as the blink of an eye?

I'm not directing this post to anyone - just hoping it might open eyes.

[kokopup]

by happylabs

Unfortuntately, most Amish do not think of their animals as pets. They use them for farming, as a tool, and I feel they treat their horses terribly. I have a lot of Amish around me. They work their horses to death. I have seen them foaming from heat exhaustion. I have also seen them use whips on them. I guess they are exempt a lot of times from the laws and rules we are required to abide by.

It is a fact that all dogs are not pets. Down through history dogs and Horses have been used for work. With dogs there is a working class that a great number of dogs fall into. There are many farmers that would be lost without their herders. These dogs thrive on work. They are happiest when working. Maybe you are the abuser,if you have a working class dog laying around the house doing nothing. Most dogs and horses were breed to do work for men. The fact that we now call them pets, does not make those still using them for work abusers.

[columbine]

It's a slippery slope. Unless you're going to go 100% vegan and not swat mosquitoes or take drugs to kill flu germs, you're making judgments every day as to how to deal with animals.

I think the important thing is to be conscious about your choices, to gather plenty of information and think clearly about what you're deciding. Humans must kill to live, even if it's just a carrot or a cauliflower; and many of us simply don't have the resources to live 100% cruelty-free. But you can take small steps when you find something that you can stick with, or even just indulge when you're feeling flush - avoiding buying from a specific Amish community that's known to run a puppy mill, buying free-range eggs, cutting down on meat - rather than bogging down in absolutes. Mahatma Gandhi said, "Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."

Love, Columbine (who will be bringing steaks to two cookouts this weekend, but considers them a "special treat")

[Asiel]

I don't support them because we have only one community of them here and I've watched how they treat their horses and dogs. If we had the genuine farms where you could buy real canned goods and leather wear I would buy from them. But the puppy mills here and the way those animals are treated just fon't make me want to go near the place. Their kids aren't treated that well either, probably my main reason for not supporting them.

I didn't realize they didn't make the heater but only the cabinet, does anyone know how well they work?

[cassiesmom]

I voted "other" and here is why.

My family had a kitchen and bathroom remodeling business until the beginning of '09. One of the cabinet lines we were a dealer for was Dutch Made, which is produced in eastern Indiana. Some of the craftsmen are Mennonite and Amish. When I was in high school, we toured the plant. I have to say those cabinet makers truly are craftsmen - it was amazing to watch them work. Ironically, when the business closed, the building was sold to a young man who is a descendant of an Amish family, although he is not Amish.

I know there have been sad stories of young people who left Amish families, as well as how their animals are treated. I don't know enough about either of those issues to comment. And I suppose that by eating in a café that employed Mennonite women, I supported a household that might be engaging in these behaviors. But the same could be said of eating in any café. I enjoy going to central Illinois and (especially) lovely Indiana Amish country because I find it very peaceful - my life can move just a little more slowly while I'm there.

[Cataholic]

It's a slippery slope. Unless you're going to go 100% vegan and not swat mosquitoes or take drugs to kill flu germs, you're making judgments every day as to how to deal with animals.

I think the important thing is to be conscious about your choices, to gather plenty of information and think clearly about what you're deciding. Humans must kill to live, even if it's just a carrot or a cauliflower; and many of us simply don't have the resources to live 100% cruelty-free. But you can take small steps when you find something that you can stick with, or even just indulge when you're feeling flush - avoiding buying from a specific Amish community that's known to run a puppy mill, buying free-range eggs, cutting down on meat - rather than bogging down in absolutes. Mahatma Gandhi said, "Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."

I like this post. I am not sure I agree 100% that people must kill to live, as I don't see 'killing' a vegetable the same way I see killing an animal. I do like to live as cruelty free as I can.

I have heard that the Amish treat their animals horribly. I know that doesn't mean all Amish do this. OT- I find much to be unhappy with when understanding how many religious people feel about animals. The Amish are just part of that group. To me, the more religiously exacting one claims to be the further from holiness I find them.

[Pinot's Mom]

I voted "other" - I have Amish products in my home; our whole set of deck furniture was hand crafted to my specs by an Amish man in Southern Maryland. He was a very nice man with beautiful children, a seemingly well run organization and farm where no abuse of animal or human appeared to me. The reason I said "other" is because I don't want to give an absolute that I can't back up. I might do more investigation into the Amish I might buy from in the future, and I can't say whether that will happen or not. I wouldn't, however, have a problem dealing with that specific man again.

If there was ever any indication of any abuse with the Amish I considered dealing with, of course I'd walk away. But a really good point was made before: Originally Posted by pomtzu
"And in the Far East, people eat dogs and cats.

How much do you think is in your home right now that was "Made in China", and you bought it without so much as the blink of an eye?

I'm not directing this post to anyone - just hoping it might open eyes."
How much do we really know about many of the producers of the products we purchase?

[sana]

I don't even know what Amish is... hehe....sorry, hey, I'm just 13...Where I get my puppies is from my dad's friends, their dogs give birth to babies and we get a few from them for free! And kitties, from the alley nest to our house. We don't buy kitties, we just bring them home if they snuggle on our feet. Like one did on my bro's foot and he brought him home.