Pennsylvania Farm Show 2019

Abi and I were excited to be home for the Farm Show this year. Since we started college in 2011, our work or school schedules have not been conducive for enjoying this family tradition. The Farm Show is an annual celebration of what makes agriculture in Pennsylvania special.

Yes, one of the highlights of this event is the food. There is classic Amish cooking, homemade milkshakes, and traditional Dutch recipes like potato donuts for sale. As you can see, a lot of people had the same idea we did because the food court was full.

Part of the competitive nature of the Farm Show is a chance for farmers and their kids to show their prize animals. There is a lot of hard work and patience that goes into caring for animals - we don’t always see this part of farming. It was enjoyable to talk with a few of the people there and hear about their chickens, bunnies, sheep, and cows.

Once feeding time is over, a few of the caretakers will bring their animals out for curious individuals to pet them. As you can see, a few birds came around to pet this cute bunny.

A major part of the Farm Show is education. There were various signs hanging that said, “know your farmer, know your food.” We do ourselves a disservice if we do not know the process of growing food and the individuals behind all the good meals we enjoy.

On a lighter note, a few people had the idea of creating butter sculptures each year to display. The sculptures cover a wide variety of farming activities such as working with maple trees, caring for the cows, and tending to the pigs. This year the sculptures were focused on the community side of sharing in nature’s bounty. There is always plenty to go around when we care for the land and rest in God’s good provision.

Since this post started to become a little long, I’ll save the pigs, cows, and rodeo pictures for tomorrow. Watching young horse riders do barrel races and show their skill with their favorite horse was a sight.

---