The Amish Ways: Book Review

If anyone knows how to live a self-sufficient life, it’s the Amish. When a crisis hits, they barely even notice. And that’s because they’ve built a life that can run itself, even when the world as the rest of us know it begins to falls apart. This made me wonder what they know and the rest of us don’t.

That’s what first drew me to The Amish Ways. I saw someone talk about this book online, saying it was written by a former Amish. What caught my attention was that it didn’t only promise stories about the Amish, but also practical insights into the everyday skills and habits that make them resilient to a crisis.

First Impressions: Ordering and Arrival

After placing my order, I received a confirmation e-mail and a download link for the digital version. I chose to wait until the physical copy arrives, so I just downloaded my free bonuses and browsed through them until I got it.

It took about four days for the book to arrive, and it reached me in perfect condition.

The cover immediately drew me in. It has this warm, rustic feel. Just by looking at it, I got a sense of the calm, self-sufficient lifestyle the book promised to explore. Honestly, it’s the kind of cover that makes the book a perfect coffee table addition. Something you can leave out, have guests notice it, and spark conversations, especially if you already live on a homestead.

The author, Eddie Swartzentruber grew up in one of the strictest Old Order Amish communities. In his world, riding in a car was only allowed for emergencies, electricity and indoor plumbing didn’t exist, and lots of everyday items we take for granted (like bicycles!!) were off-limits for being too “worldly.”

What’s amazing is how Eddie saw his community adapt and invent solutions to make daily life work smoothly without modern conveniences. He learned first-hand the routines, skills, and inventions that keep an Amish household running efficiently, even in tough times. Eventually, Eddie left the community to explore the outside world, but the skills he grew up with never left him. It’s actually the first time an Amish-born person has pulled back the curtain on their way of life, and I don’t know if anything like it will happen again.

What the Book Covers

The book itself is cleverly structured around the way the Amish live their lives, from the ground up.

It starts with gardening, diving into the Amish approach to growing food. You get detailed advice on planting, crop rotation, soil care, and seasonal planning, all explained in a way that makes it easy to apply, even if you’ve never gardened before. The chapter also highlights the philosophy behind how the Amish view their land. By the end, you understand not just how to grow a garden, but how to build a self-sufficient system that produces year after year. I actually got this seed kit a couple of weeks before I came across the book, and Eddie really opened my eyes to all the different ways I could use those plants beyond what I’d originally planned (got some really great ideas even for the winter time!)

From there, it moves into using plants the Amish way, which is really fascinating. This chapter covers foraging, medicinal plants, and homemade remedies, with step-by-step recipes. You learn which herbs can help with everyday ailments, how to prepare tinctures, salves, and teas, and even which plants to keep on hand for emergencies. My favorite parts of this chapter were the ones that teach you how to make Amish amoxicillin, the salve for burns and wounds, and the multi-purpose pain relief elixir.

Next is food preservation the Amish way. This chapter covers canning, fermenting, drying, and many other traditional methods that don’t rely on modern appliances. It explains why these methods were developed, how they help a household stay prepared, and how to adapt them to your own kitchen with minimal investment. It even teaches you how to make your own completely off-grid Amish fridge!

The fourth chapter is a deep dive into the Amish off-grid living. It covers home projects like heating, water systems, and traditional lighting sources, showing how the Amish have built homes that can run smoothly even when modern conveniences aren’t available.

Finally, the book wraps up with using money the way the Amish do. It might seem simple, but it’s surprisingly rich. You get insight into their financial habits, resource management, and prioritizing household needs, all without accumulating debt. There are actionable lessons for anyone who wants to save more, spend less, or just be more intentional with resources.

What I Liked and What I’d Do Differently

Before I received the book, I was a little worried it would feel dry, like a history textbook or a guide full of rules and lists you’d need a dictionary to get through. But Eddie writes in a clear, down-to-earth style that makes every chapter easy to follow, even when it comes to technical DIY projects. The book is also full of clear, colorful pictures that show exactly how things are done. As someone who’s always wanted to try these practices on my homestead, I found it incredibly useful to have both the step-by-step instructions and the visual examples.

If I had to nitpick, I’d say some sections left me wishing for a bit more detail. The gardening tips are great, but a few extra measurements or notes for different seasons would’ve been helpful. Still, it’s easy enough to adapt, and it didn’t really take away from the book. After all, if the author had added every single specific, the book would probably never end!

Final Thoughts

All in all, The Amish Ways is a rare glimpse into a lifestyle built on self-sufficiency, practicality, and resilience. Eddie Swartzentruber does a fantastic job making these methods accessible, whether you want to try gardening, foraging, preserving food, or setting up simple off-grid systems. It leaves you inspired and ready to put these ideas into practice on your own homestead. Even with a few small gaps, it’s a practical guide that’s worth having on your shelf.

If you’re interested in checking it out, I noticed that the 76% off discount I used when I bought the book is available again, so now’s a good time to grab a copy for yourself. I honestly don’t have any idea how much longer it’s going to be available.

Click the button below to get your copy and start learning the Amish ways of self-sufficiency today!

P.S.: I found out that Eddie also created The Amish Ways Academy, which is full of video lessons and practical projects that perfectly complement the book. It’s been fun to see these practices in action and experiment with them on my own. Honestly, it makes me wish I had more time in my day just to try everything! If you’re curious about truly living self-sufficiently, it’s a great way to explore the Amish way of life even further.

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