Amish Rocking Chairs, Footstools and Tables

Roy Yoder (Ovid, Michigan)
Businesses based at home are common among the Amish; there they can more readily adhere to the practices dictated by their religious beliefs. Many earn or supplement their living by making and selling directly out of their homes or from their horse-drawn buggies or stands along the roadside. Especially popular items are quilts, lawn ornaments, jams, baked goods, and furniture. A number of Amish craftsmen in the Midwest specialize in rocking chairs made of hickory and hardwoods such as cherry, walnut, or oak. Roy Yoder got his patterns for rocking chairs, footstools and tables from his father-in-law, who also taught him the art of steaming and bending the hickory. Roy, in turn, has taught these skills to his son Merle.