Farm Show on verge of sowing new memories
Pennsylvania farmers, youth and the animals they are raising are preparing to put on a show.
The 109th Pennsylvania Farm Show will kick off Friday at the Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg. The annual event will run Jan. 4 to 11 at the complex, located at 2300 N. Cameron St.
Visitpa.com touts the combined facilities as “the largest indoor agricultural exposition under one roof in the nation,” with more than 1 million square feet of space. That enables organizers to showcase an industry that employs about a half-million people and contributes $185 billion a year to Pennsylvania’s economy.
It is a people event, to be sure, but an animal event as well, providing spectators with close looks at livestock and other creatures: cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, alpacas, chickens, goats, llamas and horses. There are showings, competitions and demonstrations.
This eight-day-long event likewise will be a testament to the Keystone State’s rich agricultural history – to which Southwestern Pennsylvania still contributes.
Jim Lindley, a Scenery Hill crop farmer, will speak about “crop damage in general” in Harrisburg during the farm show. He said Monday that he wasn’t sure whether he would be addressing farmers only or farmers and members of the general public.
Andrew Vore, another Washington County farmer, will accompany him.
Deer and drought, Lindley said, are major contributors to crop damage. “We are like the capital of the deer population, here in Washington and Greene.”
Area farmers have been reaching out to elected officials, seeking remedies to the deer issue. “Some officials have really started helping us, but it’s kind of a difficult process to get change,” he said. “We want hunters to efficiently eliminate part of this problem.”
“So many farms are struggling,” he added. “It’s really taken a toll. We have struggled this year. We have insurance, but that pays a small percentage.”
Crop damage certainly was a problem for Lindley a year ago. Damages to his corn and soybean crops cost him $200,000.
“Things run in cycles,” he said. “We try to be positive and think, we’re going to the Super Bowl next year.'”
Parker Gardner is not a farmer, but he will be commuting to Harrisburg as well. The son of a farming couple from Lone Pine, Jeff and Lisa Gardner, is a Trinity Middle School student who will compete for livestock prizes. He will be showing a hog and goat at the Farm Show.
This will be a quick return to the state capital for the teen. Two weekends ago, Parker showed both animals at the Pennsylvania Youth Livestock Expo, where he, the hog and goat distinguished themselves.
Lisa Gardner was impressed by the Youth Livestock Expo, which she said attracted more than 1,500 livestock entries, and that the competition was limited to children from Pennsylvania.
Parking at the complex is $15. Interested parties, however, do not have to travel to Harrisburg to follow the 109th Pennsylvania Farm Show. As it has since 1994, PCNTV will provide coverage with live broadcasts and special features from the event.