Could they possibly be German Baptist or another branch...there is some differences, I can't keep them all strait though I'm surrounded by many of them.  There are branches from the traditional Amish that do enjoy more modern living including driving/flying etc.  We have a large Amish population around here, many traditional.  All I can say is their craftsmanship is amazing and the food...WOW.   You don't know what real food is till you've had an Amish cooked meal The men do have regular jobs, a lot of construction crews, but they are chauffeured around to the job sites...a friend of mine works for an Amish group, he picks up the 4 man crew from their community then works with them on the job before taking them back, no one in the community drives. 

Really interesting people to get to know.  They may not have all the luxuries most of us enjoy and take for granted but in some ways they are living a much better life

garryrussell wrote on May 21^st, 2010 at 6:42am:

Mercy flight is the company who bought my childhood and turned it into an office building and helicopter hangar bought the building next to the runway so they have easy access to fly to the hospital since they are our local medical tranport helicopter.

Fozzer wrote on May 21^st, 2010 at 10:01am:

TacitBlue wrote on May 21^st, 2010 at 11:02pm:

I think you missed the point of the thread....

So there is no date assosciated with this photograph. What is its source. That may answer the question.

If it is from after October 2006, the answer is obvious.

The old order Menonites in our area often stop the buggy and watch our construction machinery. In the last couple of years I have seen a few with cell phones. Very odd to see the driver of a horse and buggy on the phone. It all depends on which clan they are from.

The Amish subscribe to a life of dutiful work and contemplation. In recent years they have begun to understand that they live in a highly technical world and that they can no longer exclude themselves from it as they were able to in past years. It was a few years ago that a bunch of Amish kids went somewhere in an automobile-- a van. There was an accident and several were killed. There was great debate before (should we go?) and after the accident (why did we go?). Some saw it as retribution from God for violating the tenets of their faith. Others saw it as what it was-- an unfortunate accident. I'm sure the Amish have heard of airplanes. They are not stupid and they don't live in a bubble. I expect those we see in the picture were at an airport with the blessings of the elders to see and hear more of the world around them. They know that no man can remain an island. Weird Al's song is funny, but I think it's also irreverent. What have the Amish ever done to hurt anyone that they should be impugned or insulted?

Imagine the deep soul-searching it must have taken the elders to decide to let their flock go see an airplane up close, ride on a bus and see people wearing those little white wires in their ears. I'm sure they decided that anyone who wanted to go could go-- the final decision would be taken by he who decided yea or nay.