Long before green energy became a modern global movement, Amish farmers relied on natural kinetic power from wind and flowing water to pump water, grind grain, and turn machinery.
Mechanical Windmills for Water Pumping
Steel lattice windmills with multi-blade wheels remain common sights across Amish farmsteads. Instead of generating electricity, the wind wheel turns a mechanical gearbox connected to a long sucker rod that pumps well water directly into elevated storage tanks or livestock troughs.
Water RAM Pumps and Waterwheels
In hilly regions with flowing streams, Amish farms utilize hydraulic RAM pumps. Using only the kinetic energy of falling water, a RAM pump uses water hammer pressure to force a portion of the stream water uphill to farmhouses without fuel or electricity.