The Rogers Family in PA: Day 5

We should just refer to this day as "the day we were ripped off by the Amish". We couldn't go to Lancaster County, PA without getting a taste of the Amish experience, so we went to the city of Ronks where Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides is located for a tour which I had seen suggested on a blog while planning our vacation. Our first warning sign should have been the Hispanic gal who was checking people in for the tours. There were several tours offered, the cheapest being called The Cookie Run, on which the ride takes a short stop to enjoy cookies and beverage. Our second warning sign should have been when I overheard the drivers telling other customers you have to actually buy the cookies on "THE COOKIE RUN". We opted for a more expensive tour which was supposed to let us experience an Amish working farm and Clydesdale horses. Much to our disappointment, we quickly realized our pricier tour took the same paved roads to the exact same destination as the cheaper ride. There were no Clydesdales, just a miniature horse or two and some pigs. And plenty of cows and stinky manure. And our driver pulled our horse and buggy out right in front of a speedily approaching car.

Next we headed to the adorably picturesque town of Lititz. Our destination was the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery for a short tour. This was actually well worth the visit. For just a few dollars each, they give a very informative tour, teach you how to twist a pretzel and the symbolism of the shape, and show you the original pretzel ovens. Plus there were plenty of tasty pretzels to buy.

We spent the rest the rest of the day around the farm, which is how we found ourselves wishing we'd spent the whole day. There was lots of work being done in the fields, which we were able to watch. We had plenty of time that afternoon and evening to spend chatting with Mim and Clair, the owners of the farm. They were such kind and welcoming people. Clair, the farmer, was busy bringing bales into the barn. He invited the boys to ride along with him out to the field. What a special treat! That evening, after sweet Clairey had fallen asleep, Mim offered to take them on a Kubota ride around the property. It was such a great afternoon and we found ourselves feeling very sad about leaving the next day.