Who else can teach us more about living within a world with no electricity than those who have been doing it for hundreds of years?
The Amish are not only known for living in a simple, humble life but also for crafting their own utensils and tools and for preparing everything they might need in any situation.
They have been preserving their powerful ways for years, and there is no doubt that we can adopt some of these powers to get through the hard times ahead.
With the way things are heading right now, it is probably only a matter of weeks or days until the next economic crash.
The Power Of Community
One of the core values of the Amish people, one that has been long forgotten by our modern, self-centered society, is the natural sense of belonging.
Along with it, of course, comes the instinct of helping one another, which is well established among the Amish and helps them stay strong and get over any hurdles.
When SHTF, looters will come together and make looting groups. Therefore, we need to do the same.
If you are not part of a strong community, you will be easier pray.
Related: Are you a Community Member or a Lone Wolf Survivalist?
The Amish can teach us an important lesson: Overcoming any struggle is a matter of teamwork.
When in need, it is essential to know who is there to help you, so make sure to not only prepare yourself with goods but also with a solid community of other like-minded companions.
Mastering The Power Of Plants
If there is one thing the Amish know, it is how to use plants for multiple needs, from making remedies to preparing nutritious meals.
The Amish have learned how to make the most out of any plant in their backyard, even the ones that might seem useless to us.
They learn from an early age how to identify these plants, how to prepare them, and how to use them.
In a crisis, pharmacies can quickly run dry or be looted. The same will happen to the supermarkets. Food and medicine, as we know them, might not be available for long periods of time.
⇒ Click Here To Get The 10 Medicinal Plants You Need To Have In Your Backyard
So knowing the edible and medicinal plants growing in your area is something I would recommend for everyone.
At the very least, keep close a physical book on edible and medicinal plants with large color pictures so you can easily identify them in a crisis.
The Power Of Crafting
Our modern society has deprived us of many fundamental skills, one of them being manual work. It is clear that sewing, carpentry, and plumbing are no longer basics that we have mastered.
These crafts were usually passed down from generation to generation, as they should be.
The problem is that most of these skills have been lost. Young folks are no longer willing to learn them, and unless we do something about it, we will no longer know how to do them when we need them the most.
The Power Of Caring For Simple Things
In a consumerist society like ours, it is hard to appreciate what we already have.
As soon as something breaks, we instantly replace it. Deep inside, we are aware this is not the best thing to do, but it is the easiest.
We should start learning how to look after our goods and keep them in proper condition for a long time, as in a crisis, we might not be able to get new ones.
The Amish know how to keep their tools rust-free. They do not forget them outside in the rain and are constantly cleaning them.
The Power Of Water
Amish communities don’t have running water. They are not connected to the communal water pipes, so they do not depend on them.
If running water stops suddenly for a few months, what are you going to do? In a crisis, you will have to expose yourself to possible danger almost every day to procure the water you need.
This is extremely hard as you need water not only to drink but for bathing, cooking, washing your clothes, and washing your dishes.
You need A LOT of water each day.
The Amish communities have wells. They also collect rainwater in cisterns.
There is an interesting project that you can build to generate drinking water out of thin air.
Safety With The Power Of Guns
The Amish not only believe in guns but also own them! If anyone came to an Amish farm and wanted to steal their food, no one would go for the gun.
They are genuine pacifists; the looters would probably not be deterred physically. They would inform their English friends (what they call non-Amish or Mennonite Americans), who would call the police.
If we’re talking a SHTF, no police scenario, then they could possibly have local English friends on the property who would take little issue with shooting an intruder. Maybe some Amish would shoot to protect their family and pray for forgiveness. Otherwise, they would probably be run off their farm. (Source)
The Power Of Not Needing Power
The Amish live independently from the grid.
As we are too used to our day-to-day commodities, we almost forget about the hopeless situation we might find ourselves in when the grid goes down.
Many of our items we have in our homes need electricity to function, and they will be useless in a crisis: refrigerators, air conditioners, microwaves, laptops, smartphones, radios, washing machines, ovens, stoves, lights…everything. On top of that, in an EMP event, even cars will come to a halt.
The Amish, however, use simple, old-school items to serve the same purpose. They have root cellars, long-lasting foods, carts, buggies with horses, and many non-electrical tools. But what is most important is that they are NOT dependent on the grid!
But you don’t have to be part of an Amish community to start living independently or be self-sufficient. There is a guide designed especially for that purpose, called No-Grid Survival Projects, and I totally recommend it.
The author of the book, Michael Major, has even filmed himself building the 70 projects, which might be of use for all of us who have no DIY experience. So click on the link to discover the 70 ingenious projects that can help you protect your own family in times of economic crisis.
Well at least the author never spent any time with the amish and it shows.
Then, do tell us, since you seem to be an expert on the topic.
Bring some info to the post, not just some crap that would not help no one, not even the Amish.
So please elite us on your knowledge about the Amish.
You have brought nothing to this site to help others with their survival knowledge. Spit it out or just shut up with the nothing that you put in your post.
This is (was) a survival site and “it used to be, one of the best sites around”, (until the stupid found it) and now have brought down the quality to a new low. Seems all the good knowable people have left. I think Red is still here…
O’ and your post name is disgusting, perverted and has no thought at all about it. you think it’s funny, but it shows that “you have no couth about yourself”. Stupid
look the author wants you to buy his book and i get that. More power to him for that and his book looks decent enough.
However the Amish rely heavy on buying food from the “local stores” they seem self reliant and are often just living a simpler life which is great. However the idea that they don’t “use power is a joke” instead of hooking up to the grid they will use generators to power the machine shops and wood mills. They pay for the “amish taxis to get to around town and stock up on “walmart and other foods ” that turns into the amish baked goods you assume is all made from whats on the farm.
I do like the Amish and have a lot of the respect for them but to think they are some “crazy team of survliaist that will out live us all ” is far fetched. The “armed mafia that would come after you….. Meh they got g uns and i am sure they know how to hunt and use them. They are not a armed military nor is most people. I have always said a fireteam and even poorly trained one. Which is 3 to 5 guys can and will destroy 95 percent of the “amish , and people like us on this website” why because nobody is going to train or spare the people to keep security going. I mean honestly its hard enough to get 6 people to come together and shoot twice a year. Let alone train on field craft and small team tactics.
You said it best – it was one of the best sites until folks starting bringing it down to a negative level.
Especially since the Amish I know (and are related to) some do have electricity. I was shocked last yr when I went back to Illinois and asked about seeing my sister and nephew and this Amish woman said she knows my nephew’s sister and will call his sister on her cell phone.
I think basically it’s the younger up-coming generation that has more modern convienences, but still, in some ways hold to the old values.
When I was a boy in the 1950’s, 2 Mennonite & eventually a few Amish families moved into the county next door. Now approx. 40 % of the county is Amish and Mennonite combined. They do things right. They think in the long term. They are peaceful and religious. They work very hard, dawn to dusk, and have a lot of kids. In 100 years, it will probably be all Mennonite and Amish there. They use cash and barter. They are usually richer than you would think. They pay their kids to work on the farms. They ignore media and just focus on making their communities better. They have learned how to work as a group. They are successful.
You’re cool Tom.
Just a small correction; the Amish I know don’t pay their children anything but a small allowance of about $10 per week (for adult children). The “children” until 21 or 24 yrs old, I can’t remember which, are not allowed to leave the home and their work is the parent’s retirement plan.
Tom, you have posted probably the best summarized explanation of a functioning community I have seen on this blog, thank you.
Yes, we are great friends with several Amish families in our area and even some in another community in PA. They are honest, religious, great parents, hardworking, thrifty, industrious and all the other good things a person could think of. I am, however, very aware that they use generators and pumps for many of their efforts, so they DO use electricity, even if it does not come from the electric grid. They use batteries, too, for running electric fences to keep farm animals out of certain pastures. The also grown the best produce on the planet and sell if for low prices!
I don’t know much about the Amish life. I understand having
a strong support system of community, having skill to grow and raise their own food. The knowledge to build, repair everything they need in life. But the gun, I can only see it being used decades ago for hunting meat to add to plant proteins, since I would guess goats and cow were not killed until too old to reproduce babies and milk. Same with not killing all their hens that are egg layers, and only killing hens no longer egg laying and having too many roosters. But they article did have good points. I wish I had more than just myself to try and survive what is becoming SHTF world.
I live in Southwest Ohio (Adams County) with Amish neighbors on both sides and across the road. This community does use ‘county’ water.
They utilize propane for lighting and auxiliary heating, generators, solar electric up to 48 volts in the house and barns. This community is not on the electric grid. Several of them have skid-steers to help with the farm work. Bicycles and buggies are the main source of transportation, but if needing to go longer distances will hire a Mennonite (who has a drivers license and auto) or an ‘English’ driver.
I often hear them target shooting, and hunting. They will shoot 4 legged predators that threaten their chickens and other live stock as well. They accumulate money by living within their means, or barter there labor or material items if necessary. They do shop at Amish stores and Walmart both.
Just saying
That’s crazy Paul! I’m from Adams County too, I was born in West Union but have lived in NC for the 13 years. I miss Adams County, well my family that’s there and wish I would’ve listened to my grandma when she was alive about prepping and learning the ways of our grandparents to survive what’s coming. Great to see a fellows Adams Countian on this site.
Hello, neighbor.
Fed agents went to an Amish farm in Penn. recently and demanded that he cease operations. The farmer grows organic foods. He does not want his foods processed in Dept. of Ag. facilities, as the feds insist upon, because he wants a cleaner process. The feds are looking at fining him $300,000. Article in Rebel News.
F. T. FED’s
I would love to live in Adams county! My family roots came from Adams county but I live Circleville and commute when needed to Columbus. I love the information on this sight except for the nay sayers making impolite comments. Thanks for a great site!
What the Amish do really well is process a volume of foods in an efficient manner. They don’t waste time with following the latest food trends.
I was talking to one of my Amish neighbors the other day and because of inflation, he said that his community was going to have to start growing more of their own animal feed. (They had been buying it from the feed store in town). I think the biggest power that Amish have is that THEY HAVE OPTIONS because of the skills that they have developed to provide for themselves.
All the Amish men I know will shoot an intruder as fast as ‘einer englisher’. They’re tired of being targeted by outsiders. While they may put up with jerks, they do not allow a wife or children to be threatened with bodily harm. As my grandparents knew too well in the Roaring Twenties, what’s the use of having an outhouse or herd of pigs and not use it? niio
Was looking at some houses out by the Amish – I would see car batteries in the house hooked to fans positioned over the bed. They would pack in multiple people into a small room like they were from Mexico. They hung gas fueled lamps around the house for night. They have AR15’s – I’ve even seen a liquor bottle in the house (big no no).
But out in the barns and shops, they have electricity. Where my wife is from is mixed with Brethren and Amish and the Amish kids were having an electric glow light rave going down the back county road at 10pm once in a great moon. The store down the street run by them is run by solar panels (everywhere) and electricity. They use credit card processors etc.
I was taught that the simplicity just helps to focus more on family and closeness to God with family inside the home.
I definitely would want them as neighbors. Either them or their variants, German Baptists, Old Order Mennonite etc.
I’m in Canada. A large percentage of the Amish and Menonites here use everything that’s going on. They even have a great restaurant near me. Fully electric and with regular heat. No alcohol. That’s the only difference. Most I have encountered their farms are run with electricity. With the degree of factory farming I think that is really hard to avoid. They have a poor reputation with regards to the care of their animals and are known to not respect their lives very well. It has made me sad to hear this but have been told a number of times. The quality of vegetables off their farms is very good. But most are quite modern with Biblical values,.
I lived in Dayton Ohio for three & 1/2 yrs, and come to know several Amish folks. It was my first experience in the northern belt line, and being exposed to this culture. I’m from Florida, originally from the military, born and raised. So, I’ve seen many communities around the globe, lived in various cultures, from Germany, Austria, Netherland, Spain, Italy, Britain, Scotts, Irish, Japanese, Koreans, Mexicans, Navaho, Poarch Creek, Seminos, Cherokee, Danish, and Hungarians, and a number of ethnicities in and around former Yugoslavia; oh man I could go on and on.
Of all the cultures I’ve been around, the Amish stands out th most positive for me. Why? Because they maintain commitment and integrity of thier way of life, be it as best that they can. Our society, the progressions it goes through, does not make life easy for any culture; it beats people down and those who are able to stand fast, they are the ones who will maintain their standing before our Creator. No one is perfect, as we are all humans. But, it is the cultures who are able to stand together who will be the strongest and ones who will be able to survive better the challenges we will all face one day.
I say, my hats off to the Amish, for all they try and preserve and maintain, be it daily life living, freedom from surpression, or the clutches of evil. Your folks are setting an example that most people are envious of. Good for you!
The Amish lifestyles may vary from community to community, but they all retain a lot of knowledge about self-reliance and are a good source of knowledge.
As far as this author calling them “powers”, that sounds like a play on Sci-Fi Jedi mind-powers, which does not apply. A better phrasing for the title of this article would have been “7 Amish techniques for maintaining a prosperous community”
Click Bank will not let me purchase
I had the opportunity to visit the Amish for a whole summer in Pennsylvania, eating meals, visiting their barns, and pastures. Animals are considered to not have purpose other than to provide food or income. Their horses that provide transportation are severely mistreated and under fed. Cats serve the purpose of ridding rodents, dogs to protect chickens and livestock. Many Amish families run “puppy mills” with deplorable conditions for the animals- under fed, no veterinary care, and poor living conditions. Females or males that can’t produce are slaughtered and rendered to animal feed.
@Michael Durr: You know, humans are not infallible. The Amish, Mennonites all have a variety of people with good and bad in them. Some more than others. No one is perfect and that goes for them as well.
I have never known any personally, as I live in Oregon and most of those groups are in the midwest I guess…but my point is, just because you saw some individuals in a group doing something that isn’t right, doesn’t mean they all do. That goes for both good and bad behavior.
Also, it is logical that most Amish/Mennonites would realize that their animals are their livelihood and treat them well, as to not do so would mean they would not have food, income or a way to get around…..
The common Good :
Respect for self , others , and your labor
This is absolute to a good quality family
Love Your neighbor , Give out of a chearfull heart
To the needy , NOT the Greedy
and have a consequence for evil , wrong, sinful acts against one another ( the bible ten commandments )
They Teach, Train, take care of thier children
NOT like the system of today which ,, converts to evil , with propaganda to the agenda s
not for the best of all , but the agenda of the elites
Read up , Look up , speak up , keep your eyes open to see how coniving they are ,
Tatics , traits , evil acts
Visited Lancaster OH last year and while there had the opportunity to visit an Amish farm store. Bought some items to take home to central Fl and found the prices somewhat higher than I would have expected. Was surprised to see some of the Amish females riding electric bicycles!