JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM SHIPSHEWANA IS A HIDDEN GEM
If you’ve never attended the Clearspring Auction, it is something amazing to see. Located just down the road a bit from Shipshewana, Indiana, the only indication that you’ve found the auction is a small sign, a gravel parking lot full of cars, buggies, horses, and wagons, as well as a large white warehouse with closed loading dock doors. It’s a nondescript building that hides a shocking amount of colorful inventory inside its walls, as well as a 2-3 dozen shoppers on any given auction day.
GET OUT AND EXPLORE
Auctions are held twice a week from spring though the fall, on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. The auction starts at 10am, but you should get there earlier to see what’s for sale if you’re interested in buying. The Amish auctioneer is fast-talking and good at what he does, so listening to the auction is entertaining in itself. There is a table of items inside the door, near the checkout full of items that you may purchase without bidding, but most items are auctioned off, mainly in lots. Make sure you check the tags to see how many of an item is in the lot that you want to bid on, and ask questions at the checkout counter if you’re confused about anything. The people there are happy to help.
KNOW WHEN TO GO
From the opening of the auction season, most of the inventory consists of flowers and plants, but after Memorial day the number of fruits and vegetables increases, while the number of plants and flowers starts to decrease, so if you’re interested in flowers, plan to visit soon. There is also a small cabin in the rear with food and drinks for sale, and even if you don’t find anything you want to bid on, the people-watching is always fun. It’s a mixture of Amish and non-Amish and everyone is very friendly and happy to chat.
The auction is located just 2 miles south of US 20 in the heart of LaGrange County, in Northeastern Indiana, in the Heart of Amish Country. Produce and flower auctions are every Tuesday and Thursday beginning in April. All auctions start at 10:00 am and are located at 2050 S 300 W, LaGrange, Indiana.
