Amish country east of Clare

The Clare area is home to one of Michigan’s larger Amish communities. Families have been settled here since about 1980, and the community now numbers more than a thousand people. Most live and farm in the countryside east and southeast of the city, around Colonville. If you buy a rural home in this part of the county, expect to share the roads with horse-drawn buggies. Slow down and pass with care. You’ll likely have Amish neighbors and family farms nearby.

The community is also a draw. Amish-owned bakeries, bulk-food markets, and furniture and quilt shops dot the back roads. Twice a year — a weekend in May and over Labor Day weekend — the Yoder family hosts a big Quilt Auction, craft show, and flea market. It’s one of the largest in the state.

This is a genuine, working part of the local fabric, not a tourist setup. It’s worth understanding if you’re settling in the rural areas here.