Amish
Driving the back roads of the North Country, one is likely to encounter the horse-drawn black buggies of the Amish residents.
The Old Order Amish, descendants of the radical Anabaptist Reformation, first came to the area in 1974 in search of available farmland. St. Lawrence County is now home to three Amish communities. In the Norfolk area one finds, for the most part, descendants of the Swiss Amish who settled the Allen County area of Indiana. In the Heuvelton-Depeyester areas are Amish whose ancestors were among the early settlers of Ohio.
These communities illustrate how diverse the Amish are in the 21st century, for they differ in a variety of ways, including the German dialect they speak at home, the style of clothing they wear, the approved haircut for boys, and the type of buggy they drive.
The church is central to all Amish communities. For the Amish, strength of the community, guided by the wisdom of the church, is the key to a life worthy of salvation.
Amish life is rooted in agriculture, but one finds a variety of cottage manufacturing and retail industries helping to supplement the income from the family farm. A drive through the County's back roads will likely lead one to the Amish farm stands offering for sale maple syrup, fresh produce, baked goods, hand-made quilts, baskets, and aprons. The Amish welcome you to stop but ask that you refrain from taking their pictures, as that violates their religious beliefs. Also be aware the Amish do no business on Sundays.
Today's modern dairy industry no longer supports small dairy farms. Milk processors are no longer interested or willing to pick up small volumes of milk. For the "English" (non-Amish) this meant expand the farm or quit. For the Amish, there is no quitting, their lifestyle is centered on agriculture and another means of marketing their milk had to be created.
The Heritage Cheese House in Heuvelton buys Amish milk to create award-winning cheese and cheese curd. They also carry a wide variety of products produced and purchased by the Amish community. Pickens General Store, also in Heuvelton, offers a huge variety of Amish made products including furniture and baskets.
