Amana Iowa

We are now in the state of Iowa, I have never seen so much corn being grown. We have driven all across the state and there are corn fields and soy bean fields all over the place. We are presently in the Amana Colonies. There are seven villages that make up the colonies which were started in  1855 by German immigrants, they left Germany because of religious prosecution. The system of early Amana was a pure communal system motivated by deep religious convictions. They established themselves as completely self-sufficient society requiring little contact with the "outside" world. What a nice town. Yes they did start the Amana appliances (and Whirlpool)and still make them in one of the villages. 

In the Colonies they have their own, bakeries, make cheese, butter, smoke meats, have a butcher shop,several blacksmith shops, and artists of all kinds, make great German BEER!! Several good German restaurants.They spin their own wool and cotton and knit, crochet and loom rugs, blankets and such.  They have winemakers and furniture builders...but no where to get your hair cut, I guess they do that themselves.