Have you noticed the adorable ducklings on the January issue of TheBurg? That can only mean one thing: Farm Show!
On Saturday, the 104th PA Farm Show kicks off at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, with PennAg’s food court opening a day early.
The theme of the eight-day event is “Imagine the Opportunities,” which, according to the state Department of Agriculture, is meant to “celebrate how Pennsylvania agriculture affects our lives now, and how it will in the future, as well as how you can be a part of agriculture, no matter who you are.”
“Farm Show-goers will have a chance to explore the breadth of Pennsylvania agriculture, our heritage and the innovation driving our future,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “Each and every one of more than half-a-million attendees will have the power to imagine how they can support, or be a part of, Pennsylvania agriculture’s bright future.”
The 2020 PA Farm Show will feature nearly 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits and 300 commercial exhibits. The event is designed to showcase the quality and breadth of Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry and the people who make it thrive.
As always, the Farm Show has a few new items this year. Among them is Chiques Creek hemp tea, which is made with hemp seed oil, not CBD. And the Mushroom Farmers of PA will serve up a new “Philly Port Sandwich,” made from Portabella mushrooms. On the meaty side, the PA Livestock Association is adding gluten-free meatballs and a new “sausage of the day.” For dessert, fried berry Oreos will be added to the extensive selection of sweets.
The craft beer competition, which debuted last year, returns in 2020, and attendees can sample some of the contest winners.
On the live animal front, the annual rabbit competition will expand to include Siamese Sable Britannia Petites, a very small breed that tips the scales at just 2½ pounds. The youth competition is also multiplying, with new poultry, dairy cattle, breeding sheep, goat and alpaca categories.
The 2020 PA Farm Show takes place at the PA Farm Show Complex, Cameron and Maclay streets, Harrisburg. It runs Jan. 4 to 11 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, except Sunday, Jan. 5, when it runs 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 11, when it opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. Admission is free. Parking in Farm Show Complex lots is $15. The PA Preferred Food Court in the GIANT Expo Hall opens for a public preview from noon to 9 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 3.
For all the details of the 2020 Farm Show, visit www.farmshow.pa.gov.
