The Tioga County Amish; Nineteen families provide a variety of services to the community

By Wendy Post —

Did you know that New York State has the fifth largest Amish population? This, according to amishamerica.com, is good news for the local area as the Amish provide a variety of services and produce meats, vegetables, and other products to share in and around their communities. Many see the roadside stands around the county, including a favorite outside of Price Chopper on West Main Street each week, offering freshly baked goods.

Digging further, we learned that the Amish first arrived in Tioga County, New York, in the late 2010s, with a settlement in Candor founded in 2017, a settlement in Berkshire founded in 2018, and a settlement that began, according to records, in South Owego in 2019.

The Amish are relatively new arrivals in New York compared to other states, with their population growing rapidly since 2000. 

Now, according to Myron Troyer, owner of Black & White Leasing, LLC, and Seamless Gutters, these communities are growing.

The pandemic’s lockdowns and unemployment have also prompted an interest in the sustainability of these communities, as more Americans move toward raising their own vegetables and meat, with a focus on local food being emphasized as well. The Owego Pennysaver has been running a series of articles on these farms, including a story on Golden Bee Acres Farm Market, which is included in this week’s publication.

For this story, we caught up with Myron Troyer, who is a member of Candor’s Amish community. Operating as Affordable Gutters, Troyer saw a need in the community to provide quality seamless gutters at a reasonable price. With a reputation for being efficient, Troyer stated that they also provide removal of all debris and cleanup when the job is done.

“People have reacted well to our service,” said Troyer from inside a barn located on his Elmer Hill Road property in Newark Valley. 

Outside, a cow and several horses were nearby in the field, a black carriage and harnesses for the horses sat prominently inside the barn doors. 

Troyer moved to Tioga County with his family in 2022 and saw a need for the seamless gutters and wanted to ensure that the quality was of the utmost.

“We offer quality work for a fair price,” said Troyer, as several members of his community passed by during the interview. The Amish, from this observation, are hardworking individuals who take pride in their work, their families, and their community.

Troyer explained that there is an Amish community that is established in Candor, as well as in Berkshire. Each community and each member offers a variety of services, he explained, and The Owego Pennysaver decided to communicate these services, so stay tuned for more.

There are plenty of Millers, with the Allison Hill Road family producing maple syrup and sheep farming; the Millers on Blodgett Road have storage barns, planters, a siding installation business, and a bicycle shop. Steven and Abigail Miller, from Candor, are in the construction business.

And there are many others with services ranging from concrete services and roofing to fence installation, dairy farming, and sawmill services.

These skills are needed, as the pandemic and its upheaval have upset the labor market. According to the Department of Labor, New York’s labor force decreased by 1% between 2011 and 2021, while the rest of the nation increased by 5.1%. In New York, the paid leave for COVID-19 ended on July 31, 2025, forcing many to return to the workforce, with those numbers yet to be revealed.

COVID caused a restructuring of where people work, affected how much workers are paid, and accelerated the development of machines and technology that could replace humans in the workplace. All three of these elements emerged from something that was unique in our modern economy: a massive labor shortage.

But this did not affect the Amish, whose lifestyle consists of hard work and taking care of their communities. In Tioga County, we are lucky to have them as a resource.

The Amish are also very committed to their religion. With 102 people in the community, they have youth meetings every three weeks, and a weekly church service where members are invited to come and witness each week.

“We take care of ourselves, and we take care of each other,” said Troyer, adding, “If we want to improve the quality of life, it takes everything, and we are here to help.”

As the proprietor of Black & White Leasing LLC, Troyer also coordinates employee leasing for what he describes as Plain Communities. 

To learn more, you can contact Myron Troyer by calling (607) 642-4084.