I love how many of these beautiful old Amish barns dot my county's countryside and that most of them are still in great shape because they are still on working farms. We live in the heart of Amish Country: Lancaster County, PA.  I love living here because in less than 10 minutes, we can be in downtown Lancaster City or in the heart of Amish Country.  

     Many people outside of our area are confused by how so many small, family farms continue to thrive around here. The answer is simple: ours is the most fertile non-irrigated farmland in the country (so it's easier for small farms to remain profitable). Many local farmers are Amish or Mennonite, which means they tend to have large families who help on the farm, and their children are more likely to want to keep farming.  The cost of running these farms is lower because old-order farmers don't need to buy hugely expensive farm equipment to be profitable. Our farmers also are less vulnerable to having all their crops devastated by blight or pests than are mono-culture farms because they grow a variety of crops and usually also raise livestock.

    When I saw this barn lit by the late-day sun shining in front of blue-gray storm clouds, I knew I had to paint it. Not only was the scene dramatic, but in that light, it felt symbolic of the resiliency of our local farming community.