Amish in Rutherford and Cleveland Counties of Western North Carolina belong to the Swartzentruber subgroup of Old Order Amish. Being the most conservative of Old Order subgroups, the Swartzentruber Amish do not use electronic devices, electricity, or marketing beyond plain roadside signs or simple printed classifieds. They do not take photos or intentionally appear in them.
As of February 2025, all the Cleveland County Amish and a few of the remaining Rutherford County Amish have left the Amish church but are still maintaining an Amish identity. Only a few families near the city limits of Ellenboro are members of the Amish congregation.
Many of our local Swartzentruber Amish neighbors are very talented leather and wood craftsmen. They are our friends, and as such, we partner with them to make their high-quality handcrafted products available to a wider audience by promoting them online. Without phones, they can be difficult to reach. Our website makes locating and purchasing their products more predictable.
Right now, we are focusing on four areas of Amish products:
- Promoting handcrafted Western Trail Saddles made of all American materials. See or order Amish-made western trail saddles on westerntrailsaddles.com
- Promoting locally grown Amish produce and an Amish bakery through the “Horse Drawn Produce Farm” Amish store.
- Promoting an Amish saw mill and woodworking shop also affiliated with Horse Drawn Produce Farm.
- Promoting an Amish leather shop specializing in saddle repair, custom harnesses, and tack called “Ellenboro Tack & Repair. Ellenboro Amish Businesses