High on a hill north of the center of Ohio’s Amish country sits a typical Amish home. White, clapboard siding, manicured yard, flower and vegetable gardens, and neatly organized outbuildings, black buggies parked all in a row. A brown mare munches in the lush pasture. Continue reading
I bake a great deal. So when Lehman’s asked me to name 10 Essential Baker’s Items, I jumped at the chance. No matter what you hear about kitchen tools, there’s one thing that holds true: if you pay for quality, it will last ages. These are pieces that will last you for years. You’ll find yourself using many of them for everyday cooking chores, too. Continue reading
Organic spelt dries in an Amish field, soon to be made into crispy, healthy spelt puffs for Lehman’s.
Many people know Lehman’s is located in “the heart of Ohio’s Amish Country,” home to hundreds of Amish and Mennonite families. But as those families grow, their small farms are in danger of being replaced by highly mechanized agriculture. In fact, in the 1980s about 90 percent of Amish families made a living from their farms.Today, less than 10 percent are full-time farmers.
They’re also running out of land, fast. Think about it: Amish families tend to be large, and traditionally a farmer would divide his farmland among a few of his sons when they started their own households. It’s not hard to see why more and more Amish are forced to work “off the farm” or move away with their families in search of their livelihood.
But a local organic Amish co-op sees change on the horizon – great change. Continue reading
Editor’s Note: Generations of lumberjacks have relied on the iconic Snow & Nealley® axes (known for their superior craftsmanship). But when they closed their doors, these axes disappeared. Wanting to bring back this legacy, an Amish man and his sons bought the company. Now all the axes are 100% made in the USA, continuing the tradition that started in 1864.
Since 1864, American-made axes have been made in Maine by Snow and
Originally designed for trappers, hunters and fisherman, the Hudson Bay camping axe is a durable, dependable tool for all around the cabin and campsite. At Lehmans.com and our store in Kidron, Ohio.
Nealley®, a company that built an iconic following over more than 150 years. Nowadays, the company name is the same, but the owners are…Amish.
“That’s right,” confirmed Chris, who calls himself “the chief cook and bottlewasher here”, with a laugh. “The business was purchased by the family, and we’re forging and assembling axes right here, just like it used to be.” (He’s asked us not to publish his last name, and we’ve agreed.)
There are 6 to 7 employees working full time on any given day, he notes. With a staff that small, it’s easy to see how each can have multiple roles. Chris himself is responsible for sales and shipping, including the company’s brochures and outside communications. Continue reading
Blackstrap molasses just might be the new darling of the health-conscious, hipster foodie
Blackstrap molasses gives you more nutrients and flavor than its regular cousin. At Lehmans.com at our store in Kidron, Ohio.
crowd. But the fact is, it’s been around for ages, and generations have used it not only as a cooking ingredient, but also as a health tonic. We’re not claiming any medical miracles, but blackstrap molasses is higher in iron, potassium and calcium than the ordinary stuff. It’s considered the healthiest of the molasses since most of the sugar has been removed during the boiling process, while the nutrients and minerals remain. (While regular molasses is boiled twice, blackstrap molasses goes through three boilings.)
It also has a stronger, more robust flavor – ideal for that tired old baked bean recipe and other dishes that beg for a little “kick.” Taste the difference by using blackstrap molasses in place of regular in your favorite recipe! Or, try one of these:
From all of us at Lehman’s, our very best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2015.
Request our newest catalog – with over 100 great new items for a bright new year!
What’s so great about Amish-made?
These beautiful 100% leather belts are handmade by an Amish family in Pennsylvania. They’ll take you from the board room to the weekend with ease.
Lehman’s, in Kidron, Ohio, is located in the heart of the largest Amish community in the world.
Many people think of Lancaster County in Pennsylvania when they think of large Amish communities, but Lancaster’s community of 30,000-35,000 is actually second in size to the approximately 40,000 Amish that live in southern Wayne and eastern Holmes County, Ohio. These Amish people are our neighbors, our friends, our customers and our vendors. Continue reading
Pete and Toni Hogan, outside the ‘manufacturing center’, autumn 2013.
Locust, North Carolina isn’t the biggest town on the map. You might not think there’s a whole lot going on there. You’d be wrong–because Pete and Toni Hogan’s three-car garage doesn’t hold cars–it holds a thriving business!
Pete ran Country Cottons from the spring of 2008 until the end of 2010, when he retired. “But folks kept after me, kept asking if we had anything left, if we could tell them where to find dishtowels that were 100% American,” he said when interviewed for Country Life last fall.
And so early in 2013, he and his wife picked the business back up, and now they’re busier than ever! Continue reading
Tonn’s Pure Honey is non-pasturized, perfect for infusions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, influenza is everywhere. We’ve had a round of it in our house, and it wasn’t fun. I can’t remember the last time we drank so much hot tea– my poor hubby, who was trying to stay warm, drank it by the gallon, it seemed. I drank it strong and a little sweet, to stay awake if he needed something. It was long week, and we used lots of honey and lemon in the tea.
As he began to feel better, I started wondering how I could do the honey-lemon-tea thing more efficiently. After all, I didn’t want to have to run to the store for more lemons to squeeze every time I turned around twice. So I did a little research, and stumbled on this wonderful tutorial on making infused honeys. Continue reading
