July 2, Shipshewana, IN, Flea Market and Amish country

At the Shipshewana Wells Fargo Bank we see this scene. All businesses have provided places in the parking areas for tying up the horse while the owners are shopping or doing business.

Today we are checking out the Shipshewane Flea Market. This is a big weekly event, every Tues. & Wed. However, this week the Flea Market is open Tues. through Fri. since Friday is the 4th of July. People come from all over to shop here. We think Saugus Swap Meet at it's height, but even bigger! The large buildings are for the Antique and Live Stock Auctions. There are permanent building, but the majority of the vendors are under the pop-up canopies. The parking is $3.00, but there is no entrance fee for the Flea Market. Finally, found something of interest that is open for business.

Shipshewana, as well as most of this general area, has a large population of Amish families. The Livestock Auction is a big draw for them - selling or buying.

As we enter the parking lot we pass this parking area reserved for horse & buggy use.

The buggies are all alike, with a few exceptions, and are well cared for.

We spot one of the unusual wagons.

Different breeds of horses are used for different purposes. Here we see a pony with a small buggy. Larger draft type horses are used to pull large wagons for hauling or pulling farming equipment.

Scene inside the Antique Auction Barn. There are groups like this throughout the building with several auctions going at the same time. It is quite noisy in here and at first seems confusing.

After leaving this building we find the Bar-B-Q stand so we can get some lunch. We are standing behind an Amish family and strike up a conversation with them. We ask them about their way of life and education. When we get our food and head for the tables, the mom of the family invites us to visit their home. This would be great, except they live in Fort Wayne, where we have already been, and we will be heading the opposite direction when we leave Middlebury on Friday. This family comes to this Flea Market every year during the 4th of July week.

Here we see ice cream being made with the use of an International Harvester motorized piece of equipment. This piece of equipment can be used for many farming chores requiring the use of mechanical power and a drive belt.

Here is another ice cream maker in action. This one we see by the Yoder General Store which is one of the regular stores near the Flea Market. (By the way, Yoder is one of the most common surnames amoung the Amish.)

We walk along the main road near the Flea Market and find shops selling fabrics, hand made quilts, clothing, furniture & home wares, decorator items, storage sheds, porch swings, wind mills, weather vanes, wind chimes, propane powered appliances, and lanterns, and even an "out house".

"Hey! how about some privacy!" I guess this answers the age old question often asked about a bear.

We are really glad to find the porch swings since we have been on our feet most of the day exploring the Flea Market and village shops. These are very comfortable, too bad we don't have room to take one home.

We find a local market where food is sold in bulk. This store is run by and caters to the Amish people. We find some items we need to stock our trailer at great prices. Can't wait to try the farm fresh eggs. Add this thrifty purchase to the free tomatoes and zucchini that our camping neighbors from Texas gave us. Their garden was just peaking in production when they left for their camping trip. When it comes to tomatoes we have hit the jackpot in the last week or so. Nothing is better than home grown though.

The day started out sunny and warm, but the clouds have rolled in and look threatening this evening. We hear thunder in the distance, it moves closer and the lightning is flashing on the horizon. By the time we go to bed there is a fantastic light show and rolling thunder. The rain is pouring down, but stops for a while, then the hail starts, but quickly turns to rain. This weather activity keeps up awake 'till midnight then subsides. Hope tomorrow isn't a repeat of this.