Want to buy land and live out your farming dreams? Call the Amish. They won't take advantage of you.

Today kicks off my second round of construction and excavation with an Amish company out of Canajoharie, New York. They have changed my life in every way since meeting them in 2023.

I was greeted by a sight that warmed my heart on this very cold Upstate New York morning when the same Amish company that built my barn returned to complete a final round of excavation at my property. They backed down my driveway, the one they built in 2023, driven by one of their non-Amish drivers, John, who’s been part of this whole story since it kicked off with a phone call after I closed on my 6.74 acres of undeveloped land.

I had no idea what I was doing then… and though I have learned a lot since I closed on this farmland, there is still much for me to learn on this journey of opening a pollinator farm to the public.

Along the way, one group of people never mocked me, took advantage of my lack of knowledge, laughed at my inexperience, or told me my dreams for the land were ‘not doable.’ That group of people was the Amish.

Today, I am paying them to install a walking path, fencing, additional parking, and a gravel pad for a future small potting shed. These additions will make it easier for me to welcome the public, outside of the barn (permitting woes continue), so that those near and far to my property can experience all of the native plant and pollinator gardening I plan to do the second they finish this walking path. I can talk all day long on the internet about how I want to save the Monarch butterfly and other endangered pollinators - but nothing will impact the people near and far to me like allowing them to walk through a garden I’ve envisioned since early 2023 when I dreamt I would develop a farm.

At the time, I was a freelance writer and digital nomad. “Who me? Farm? Garden? You’ve got the wrong person,” I said to God in my dream.

Apparently God had other plans in store for me, and here I am today typing away at my laptop while an Amish father and son duo install a wooden fence behind me. And I know, regardless of if I watch the father and son or not, they will do an over-the-top job on everything at this property. There will be no corners cut. There will be no dishonest, rushed work. And there will be no miscommunications. They will do everything with a divine honesty that I have not experienced with any non-Amish company today. I am just being honest myself!

In fact, I tried to hire non-Amish this year. I tried two separate times.

The first time was with a company to install my water filtration system. They nailed the system to parts of the barn I did not approve, while also tying my outside spigot into the chlorination system (I am having the Amish install a new spigot, long story short). When they were done, they couldn’t rush out of here fast enough, leaving improper maintenance instructions that have resulted in me calling them 2+ times for clarification.

I also used a non-Amish shipper to get my chicken coop to my property. That guy was in a rush, too. He loaded the chicken coop sideways. When I asked him if he could level it, he told me it’s too late, took his money, and left. I stood there, staring at the coop, knowing full well I would need the Amish to fix this for me at some point.

Of course the team here this week is going to level it for me… and many times, I don’t even need to ask them to do this stuff. They just do it anyway, and always have, since doing an excellent job is part of their belief system and unwavering faith in God. They believe God is always watching if you’re doing the right thing (I agree), which means I don’t need to run outside to check if they’re actually working with integrity. It runs in their veins. It’s part of who they are.

At this point, I have worked with close to 10 different Amish companies, from having my farm stand built, to the roof on my barn, to the wood-working inside the barn atrium. They are all the same. They are polite, forthright, honest, and above all, hard-working. They work their asses off. It’s hard to look away when they are at my property because I just don’t see that kind of careful dedication to physical craft anymore.

When I point that out, people get mad at me. It triggers them on a subconscious, spiritual level. I suppose that’s what I am intending to do, as our non-Amish society is a deeply sick one today. We’re cracked out on dopamine, buried in Instagram Reels, sedentary for most of the day, hooked on pleasures and quick to denounce any sort of higher power overseeing all this down here. It’s created a lazy, disconnected, dishonest, and greedy collection of people. And it’s unfortunately proven true every single time I hire non-Amish contractors.

If you’re out there wanting to do anything remotely similar to what I have done here, from buying raw land, to getting a driveway put on it, to building a barndominium, to simply growing the food your family needs to survive, I am here to tell you: call the Amish. I have come to this conclusion all on my own. And I know it to my core. If you want to dive into this like I have and you come with very little knowledge… first off, that’s ok. Secondly, the Amish can be trusted to not take advantage of your lack of farming knowledge. They won’t scoff at you, make you feel stupid, or tell you that your dreams are preposterous.

When I first sat down with the Amish in 2023 to tell them about my dreams and sketch them out, they sat there intently, listening to my every word. I waited for them to interrupt me, and they never did. When I was done explaining to them my vision, I handed them some printed out photos from Pinterest. They took them, looked them over, and said “Ok, we can make this happen.”

WHAT?! I couldn’t believe it.

And to leave you with another example that just happened only five-minutes ago while I am writing this… the fencing they installed today extended beyond the parking area. They are removing top soil, laying fabric, and packing in gravel to extend my parking area so that it matches the fence, for free. That’s what they do. They eat the cost on things to make sure their work is impeccable when they are done.

If you think they only do this for me, that’s wrong as well. Just look at their work on Google or visit one of their other project sites. It’s what they do because they are men and women of God, and because they are Amish. We can all learn from them. I try to learn from them every single day. Whatever it is they are doing, they are the happiest people I am ever around.

Which is why they deserve hot coffee and snacks! I gladly run to Stewart’s to provide that for them while they are here working. There is certainly a masculine/feminine energy conclusion that can be drawn, but I can save that for another article.

So, to the Amish men that have honored my visions, done what’s right by my land, gone above and beyond to take care of my property, and patiently taught me the art of excavation, I will never forget it.

And now it’s time to get down to business to get this damn farm open. The Amish share my dislike of small town overreaching governmental powers, so they are onboard with helping me do what I need to do to open to the outside. It’s time for all Americans to start living with that kind of attitude again.

I cover all things land loans, starting a farm from scratch, conservationism, Monarch butterflies, developing raw land, doing this all mainly solo, without a tractor, and working with the Amish here on my Substack.

As this is one of my free articles, here is my ‘buy me some seeds’ profile if you feel inclined.

All funds raised through this link will be 100% used to buy native seeds, plants, and my greater conservation work at the farm.

Thank you all: https://buymeacoffee.com/alexfasulo.

Lots to come, starting today. Get in, we’re saving the Monarch butterfly and native North American pollinators!!