23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest The American Experience
An Amish Farmer plowing the field

The photo shows an Amish farmer plowing the field with a horse-drawn equipment with a modern town in the background. The photograph reminds and connects us to our history. It also reminds us that American's can have the same lifestyle today as during as our nation's foundation with stark contract to modern society. "Amish farming and culture connect modern Americans to their history by preserving a lifestyle and values that were once common throughout the nation, reflecting aspects of life from 250 years ago. Their way of life offers a tangible link to a pre-industrial American cultural heritage focused on community, hard work, simplicity, and self-reliance. Amish farming provides a direct link to early American agriculture. Their reliance on horse-drawn equipment, crop rotation, and animal manure for fertilizer mirrors standard practices before the widespread adoption of industrial machinery in the 20th century. The Amish commitment to a simple life, free from many modern conveniences like cars and electricity, reflects a time when most Americans lived self-sufficiently, producing their own food and goods." AI

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Strasburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Camera: iPhone 15 Pro
Copyright: © Thomas Gelnett