[AT] OT Barn floor question

[Rob Gray]

I think that a lot of tourists remember seeing something on PBS about 
some sect of people who live in an old-time way and make good furniture. 
I think they confuse the Shakers who were well known furnituremakers 
with the Amish. The Amish are known as good carpenters and barn builders 
but are not famous as furniture makers. That is not to say that there 
are not good ones amongst them but they are not the same as the 
Shakers.... ;)

Rob
NE PA

Steve W. wrote:

>George,
> Can't talk about firewood but Amish cheese and butter are sold
>locally --- By the Amish who make them.
>They also sell bread, cookies and some other goodies. They also sell off
>extra vegetables and such.
>Not all of them are woodworkers, very true. Just like in every other
>group, not everyone is good at everything.
>
>
>Steve Williams
>Near Cooperstown NY
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "George Willer" <gwill at toast.net>
>To: "Antique tractor email discussion group"
><at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 6:29 PM
>Subject: Re: [AT] OT Barn floor question
>
>
>  
>
>>Carl,
>>
>>I understand the reasonably part well, and agree that the well part
>>    
>>
>usually
>  
>
>>applies.  The unfortunate part is that in spite of their German
>>    
>>
>heritage
>  
>
>>(like mine), that alone is not enough to assure a workman's skill.
>>    
>>
>I've
>  
>
>>been a woodworker and contractor all my working life and as a sideline
>>    
>>
>have
>  
>
>>built museum quality antique reproductions.  I've been called upon to
>>re-construct poorly designed and poorly executed furniture that people
>>    
>>
>can't
>  
>
>>understand why it failed.  Their idea is that since it's Amish it must
>>    
>>
>be
>  
>
>>the best???  It *can be*, but taint necessarily so!
>>
>>Maybe you can explain to me why something would be marketed as "Amish
>>firewood", or "Amish cheese"?
>>
>>George Willer
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- 
>>From: "Carl Tatlock" <carllary at surfglobal.net>
>>To: "Antique tractor email discussion group"
>>    
>>
><at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>  
>
>>Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 5:58 PM
>>Subject: Re: [AT] OT Barn floor question
>>
>>
>>    
>>
>>>Cecil E Monson wrote:
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>>At the risk of offending many... Why Amish?  I know they are hard
>>>>>workers, but there are others with better skills who can and will
>>>>>          
>>>>>
>build
>  
>
>>>>>exactly what you want.  There are even some that aren't of the
>>>>>          
>>>>>
>WASP
>  
>
>>>>>persuasion.
>>>>>
>>>>>Why choose a workman based on his religion?  Or why not?
>>>>>
>>>>>George Willer
>>>>>          
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>    I think it is a good question, George, and shouldn't offend
>>>>anyone. In our area, most people consider contacting Amish or
>>>>        
>>>>
>Mennonites
>  
>
>>>>to build farm buildings (or do repairs, such as re-nailing roofs,
>>>>        
>>>>
>etc)
>  
>
>>>>as they are known to charge less than most local contractors.
>>>>
>>>>    My oldest daughter and my SIL, who live in the Finger Lakes
>>>>        
>>>>
>area
>  
>
>>>>in western New York, hired Amish to build a pole type construction
>>>>        
>>>>
>garage
>  
>
>>>>several years ago. They came as a family, a father and two or three
>>>>        
>>>>
>of
>  
>
>>>>his
>>>>sons, and built a very nice 2 1/2 car garage in week's time. They
>>>>        
>>>>
>were
>  
>
>>>>not
>>>>unknown in the area and were known for excellent work and low
>>>>        
>>>>
>prices.
>  
>
>>>>They
>>>>started work in mid morning after their chores were done and left
>>>>        
>>>>
>in mid
>  
>
>>>>afternoon to do the evening chores. My daughter and SIL were not
>>>>disappointed
>>>>and feel they saved several thousand dollars.
>>>>
>>>>    My father and a friend of his, both retired farmers, did this
>>>>        
>>>>
>type
>  
>
>>>>work for years after he quit farming and moved to town. He loved
>>>>        
>>>>
>being
>  
>
>>>>out
>>>>and around and doing this type work. They charged a lot less and
>>>>        
>>>>
>worked
>  
>
>>>>at
>>>>their own pace. Sort of like the Amish and Mennonites do today. The
>>>>        
>>>>
>money
>  
>
>>>>wasn't as important as leaving something behind for when he was
>>>>        
>>>>
>gone - so
>  
>
>>>>to speak. Sadly, an accident while doing soffits and fascia on a
>>>>        
>>>>
>new
>  
>
>>>>house
>>>>resulted in his death in the late 1960s. People still say to us
>>>>sometimes,
>>>>"You know, your father built my machine shed." or something
>>>>        
>>>>
>similar. So
>  
>
>>>>he
>>>>did leave something behind.
>>>>
>>>>Cecil
>>>>
>>>>Cecil
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>To Cecil and George:  One of my daughters lives in Amish country is
>>>Catteraugus County NY a few miles from PA.   If you want something
>>>      
>>>
>done
>  
>
>>>reasonably, and well, crafted in wood such as furniture or
>>>      
>>>
>buildings-- 
>  
>
>>>or if you want repairs to furniture or quilts or  carpentry
>>>      
>>>
>done--"Go to
>  
>
>>>the Amish."   It is not about religion-- it is about attitude:
>>>      
>>>
>Some of
>  
>
>>>the American  principles of the 1850's are still alive and well in
>>>      
>>>
>the
>  
>
>>>Amish communities.   They treat "the English" (non Amish) very
>>>      
>>>
>honestly
>  
>
>>>and well.    They do good work for their pay.   There are enough
>>>      
>>>
>Amish in
>  
>
>>>her community that there is a shed for horses as the local
>>>      
>>>
>small-town
>  
>
>>>"supermarket".
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>>>      
>>>
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