Amish in the News: Pinecraft, Florida - Heading into the Quiet Zone

CAPTION: An Amish woman pedals down the street in Pinecraft. Three-wheeled adult cycles are the main mode of transport for visiting Amish.

I have written plenty about Pinecraft over the years in both non-fiction and fiction.  My first fiction novella, Rebecca at the Beach, takes place in Pinecraft.  I am, by the way, working on the third installment of the series and expect it to be out in June. Stay tuned:).  Pinecraft is a "winter haven" for Amish snowbirds wishing to escape the harsh climate up north.  Here's one of the pieces I wrote about this unique destination a few years ago.

A neat article appeared in the Bradenton Times (I never knew there was such a newspaper, I am familiar with the Bradenton Herald, which runs the Amish Cook, but the Bradenton Times? I digress..) over the weekend about Pinecraft.  What makes this article shine is that it delves into the history of the community more than most I have seen.  So if you want a good, quick, thorough read about one of the most interesting Amish settlements, check this article out.

With Easter weekend upon us Pinecraft is slipping into its spring and summer slumber.  Peak times for Amish visitors begin in November and carries through March and early April.  After Easter the place really clears out and you have that sort of "empty college town feel."  Parking spaces are plentiful and kapps and beards are sparse. But rest assured the Amish will begin arriving again in the autumn....