For those who are not familiar with the greater Shipshewana, Indiana area, besides being a well known tourist site, it is the center of RV manufacturing. These RV plants hire quite a few area Amish/Mennonite men, 1. because of their carpentry skills, 2. because of their work ethics. These men work there and use these wages to offset their farm incomes or for some of them it is their income.

I'm sure everyone is well familiar with all the big time layoffs happening (auto,airlines, etc.) these last few years do to high gas/oil prices but, not much news is made though of smaller places such as Pilgrim, Keystone, Newmar, Dutchman Mfg., Monaco and Sundowner, all main RV manufacturers. Over 2,000 jobs have been lost and 5 plants shutdown so far since June.

http://www.goshennews.com/breakingnews/local_story_220134034.html

http://www.goshennews.com/breakingnews/local_story_221170850.html

http://www.goshennews.com/multimedia/local_story_199201014.html

As the Amish/Mennonites have had to adjust through the years and more and more have had to move from farming to other 'English' occupations,these layoffs will hurt,especially those who rely on these plant wages for income. It would be interesting to see what happens in the future, but I'm sure these families will survive these rough times in typical Amish/Mennonite fashion, by pulling together as family, community and sharing/helping each other through it all. Thats the part of their culture that is slowly/sadly disappearing from alot of 21st century 'English' famlies,communities...