Trudging back out through the snowy evening, I headed for the wagon shed. Turning the light into the familiar nesting corner brought a sigh of relief.
Dwight Mickey's family have been exhibiting at the Farm Show, dating back to when the event was called the Pennsylvania Corn, Fruit, Vegetable, Dairy Products and Wool Show. Read more
Time Warp made it back into the winners’ circle at the 2020 Sheep-to-Shawl Competition that has been part of the Pennsylvania Farm Show for 41 years. Read more
Four years ago, Bernie Okuniewski of Larksville, Luzerne County, began making syrup using the extract brewed from the bark of hickory trees. Read more
Ben Svonavec won the top prize in the 2020 bid-calling contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania Auctioneers Association. Read more
Standing in the spotlight with the supreme champion dairy cow is nothing new for Jill and Andrew Dice. But this year’s win at the Pennsylvania Farm Show — the third for the Lebanon couple — was special because they won with a Jersey, their breed of choice. Read more
Pennsylvania plans to emphasize the most effective pollution reductions as it embarks on the last stage of the Chesapeake Bay cleanup. Read more
Hunter Jay, of Artemas, near the Bedford County line, took reserve grand champion market steer honors at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Read more
Consistency is the most important part of baking an apple pie to win at the Pennsylvania Farm Show according to chef and pie judge Tim Twiford, of Redner’s Fresh Market, at the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show’s Blue Ribbon Pie Contest. Read more
The Mid-Winter Convention, held Monday, Jan. 6, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, is a gathering for both new members and those with more achievements under their belts — alumni, state stars and recipients of the Keystone degree, the highest award given at the state level. Read more
Two dozen students received a Pennsylvania Farm Show Scholarship on at the Farm Show Complex. The recipients were selected for academic success and participation in the Farm Show. Read more
Chloe Plesic has always liked rabbits, and this year at the Pennsylvania Farm Show the Adams County 4-H’er won best in show for the Californian breed, and she took best in breed for both the Californian and Mini Lop breeds. Read more
Pennsylvania cidermakers were allowed to sell their products for the first time at the 2020 Pennsylvania Farm Show, a change very much welcomed by the Pennsylvania Cider Guild, Ben Wenk who wants people to give cider more consideration as an adult beverage. Read more
A pair of middle schoolers from the 4-H club at Fox Chase Farm in northeast Philadelphia tramped the tanbark at the Pennsylvania Farm Show’s most famous livestock event. Read more
Reducing the regulatory burden on agritourism will be a top lobbying priority for Pennsylvania’s agriculture organizations this year. Leaders from five ag groups spoke at a House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee hearing on Wednesday at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Read more
There was something new under the sun this year in Pennsylvania Farm Show’s Family Living baking competitions. After sponsoring the annual thumbprint-cookie open baking competition for the past seven years, Gretchen Maser, owner of Christina Maser Pantry in Lancaster, decided it was time for contestants to trade in their cookie sheets for baking pans. Read more
Beautifully decorated angel food cakes spread out across five tabletops for the annual Incredible Angel Food Cake Contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania Egg Farmers and the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs. Read more
In an unusual twist, a top-five winner at the Pennsylvania Farm Show’s annual Chocolate Cake Contest, Becky Morrison, baked two pies into her cake. Read more
Here are the video submissions from various Pennsylvania FFA chapters in partial completion of the requirements of the the Tractor Restoration project that will culminate at the 2020 Pennsylvania Farm Show. Read more
This video show the last steps of reassembly as well as the advisors who assisted Littlestown FFA members in the JD B restoration. Read more
This video show the Littlestown FFA making the final touch ups and setting up at the 2020 PA Farm Show. Read more
This Episode documents the restoration journey of the 1948 JD B tractor. Read more
Perhaps mincemeat is an acquired taste. I just think it’s “one of those regional things” that some folks grow up with and others are adventurous enough to try. Read more
No matter where you work, away from home or at home, you can add the following tips into your day for a healthier workday and better productivity this year. Read more
You can work your magic at the table with maple syrup, honey, confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon sugar, fresh fruit and/or softened butter. Or you can cook your artistry right into the pancakes by adding chocolate chips, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, sliced bananas, or raspberries instead of the blueberries. Read more
The Pennsylvania Farm Show that opens this weekend might not look much different to visitors, but the state’s top agricultural showcase is in a much better financial situation than it was a year ago. Read more
Thanks to the Farm Show Foundation that early youth initiative now awards tens of thousands in scholarships to a couple times that original number of recipients. Read more
Brightly colored quilt blocks have been appearing on Grange halls, barns and homes across Pennsylvania. The designs, often reminiscent of Grandma’s quilts, bring smiles to passersby. Read more
Over the past year, Cathlene Moatz has been preparing for the biggest moment of the gilts’ lives — the 2020 Pennsylvania Farm Show’s breeding swine competition. Read more
HONEY GROVE, Pa. — Morgan Imes, 11, and 9-year-old brother Banks love their “critters,” as they call them. Read more
Since farming doesn't stop in the winter, here are some reminders for farmers who are working out in the cold, adapted from a winter hiking tip sheet. Read more
CATAWISSA, Pa. — Katie Dingle began showing livestock at the Pennsylvania Farm Show at age 9 — as soon as she was old enough to join 4-H. Read more
This year’s butter sculpture features the Philadelphia Flyers’ Gritty, Philadelphia Eagles’ Swoop, and Pittsburgh Steelers’ Steely McBeam with a spread of dairy products. Read more
A United Nations “World Happiness Report,” released back in March, notes that the level of happiness experienced by folks in our country is less than it was a couple of decades ago. Read more
Sometimes I will have a Rural Ramblings reader ask me if it’s difficult to come up with a topic to write about every week. My usual response is that, when you live on a farm, there is typically no shortage of materials to write about. Read more
The Christmas feast is over and New Year’s is almost here. After a holiday meal, do you ever feel overwhelmed by the large number of leftovers and the limited space in your fridge? Read more
A 2012 policy exempted farm trucks and equipment from routine police safety inspections. Read more
Madison Shiner always kept a few rabbits as pets, but when she learned about showing them in competitions, Shiner was intrigued. Read more
Cody Lehman, a senior at Central Columbia High School in Columbia County, serves as president of the school’s FFA chapter and has participated in numerous FFA events, including public speaking, livestock judging, agriculture sales and tractor driving. Read more
NEWPORT, Pa. — When Jacob Cummins was 12 years old, he had zero desire to show pigs. Read more
It’s not that any of us needs a reminder of the year’s winter solstice. It’s been creeping up on us since the first late-summer evening when we began noticing a slight shortening in our hours of daylight. Read more
You don’t need to invest in fancy workout equipment to be able to get in a workout at home. Consider a bodyweight circuit to get your heart pumping. Bodyweight exercises utilize multiple muscle groups and can burn more calories than you think. Read more
“The Friendly Beasts” is the perfect carol for farmers with livestock. Thanks to English lyrics authored by Robert Davis in the 1920s, it tells the Christmas story from a different perspective that has a pleasant familiarity for those of us who raise animals. Read more
For Melissa Keller of Corfu, 4-H was more than an organization for her to be involved in as a young person — it was a family affair. Read more
While pounding out a turkey breast, chunking up ciabatta rolls and zapping cranberries in a blender, chef Deb Bixler kept up a constant stream of cooking tips recently as she demonstrated creative “twists” to traditional holiday foods during a program at the Stewartstown Senior Center. Read more
It’s the Wagner Christmas Tree Farm’s third year selling tinted trees, and the trend has attracted a growing number of color-seeking customers. Read more
The Eshelmans, of Plow Farms, invited the New-Pen-Del Newfoundland Club to participate in the event. Dogs that are certified in cart-pulling were allowed to pull Christmas trees in from the field. Read more
The candy pigs come in several sizes, each with its own name, accompanied by a small nickel-plated hammer. As the pig is passed around the dinner table, each person breaks off a small piece with hopes of a prosperous and healthy year ahead. Read more
Mushroom contests have special meaning in Pennsylvania, where mushrooms are an important cash crop, accounting for some 8% of the state’s agricultural output. Mushrooms produce $612 million annually, which is close to the value of the state’s corn crop. Read more
Jeff Pontius admits it takes a lot of work to maintain machinery used to farm his 1,800 acres of corn, wheat and soybeans in Sunbury, Northumberland County. Read more
