2018 Pennsylvania Farm Show

Pennsylvania Farm Show

I am writing this while watching the live stream of the Calving Corner at the 2018 Pennsylvania Farm Show.  Four dairy farms from Lancaster have shared their cows for the week so that the public has a unique opportunity to witness cows giving birth, seeing the moms and the calves up close and learn more about how hard dairy farmers work to care for their animals and the environment.  The Calving Corner was one of the highlights of my visit this year.  Learn more about calving here.  Watch the livestream here.  The cow that is currently in labor is named Sami.

I love everything about the Farm Show except the crowds.  I decided to do things a little different this year and took a day off work so I could go early.  I went with my dad and this year was the first year we were able to park in the actual Farm Show parking lot instead of across the street at HACC.  Parking is $15 and there are buses to shuttle you to and from HACC if you aren’t lucky to get a closer spot.  Going early is a pro tip I definitely recommend.  The Farm Show is open 8am-9pm the rest of the week and 8am-5pm on Saturday.  We got there sometime around 9:30 and it was relatively quiet until the school field trips started showing up. 

The first stop were the cows and a quick walk by the Calving Corner.  Then we checked out the birds and rabbits.  I would love to have a rabbit.  We then walked around the vendor area.  I bought some culinary lavender and maple sugar.  Of course, we had to see the butter sculpture.  The baby chicks and ducks are in the expo hall this year.  They were doing a presentation when I walked by so I didn’t get to see them up close.  Somehow I missed the goats and sheep, but I did get to see some baby pigs which were also in the expo hall.  Check out a few of the pictures I took:

pennsylvania farm show

If you’re going to the 2018 Pennsylvania Farm Show, go early, take a few hours to walk around and see everything.  Visit the vendors and the Calving Corner and don’t forget your milkshake!

If anyone was wondering, Sami gave birth to a healthy baby boy!    

Have you ever been to the Farm Show?  What’s your favorite thing to see?