NOT Another Cow Story

Last week, Samantha was visiting some of her friends who live near Lancaster, PA. She was there at the same time as the Pennsyvania State Farm Show, so, of course they went! She described the day as blog-worthy, so I've asked her to share her day here:

Last weekend I spent a few days in Lancaster, PA visiting some friends from college. I’ve been to Lancaster several times before, so I was already aware that central Pennsylvania is very different from the Pittsburgh region. On Friday, 3 of my girl friends and I decided to try out the Pennsylvania Farm Show. I have to admit, I scoffed at the idea at first. I’m not exactly a huge barnyard enthusiast, and honestly had no clue what the farm show was all about. I pictured a typical state fair: a conglomeration of smelly animals, hay barrels, pie baking contests, etc. Boy was I mistaken…

The experience of the farm show was, in a word, surreal. My suburban upbringing and even having grandparents that lived on a farm could not have prepared me for this. When we arrived we had to park and ride a shuttle bus to the large indoor convention center. This 91st annual agricultural event lasted for over a week and hosted some 10,000 animals, 8,000 competitive exhibits and 270 commercial exhibitors. And cows. There were lots and lots of cows. Exhibits featured everything from dairy cattle judging, to circuit rodeos, to cooking demonstrations, to “PA’s greatest Shoo-Fly Cookie Contest,” and countless others. I didn’t need an Aunt Em or Toto to remind me that I wasn’t in Kansas anymore (or was I???). The ever-present scent that some might call “rustic” was overpowering at first, but I got over it eventually….kind of.

We got there around noon and the place was hopping with families, classes of school field trips, and cows. Did I mention there were cows? I like to think that I’m the kind of person who can make her own fun, which is precisely what my friends and I intended to do. While we did take the time to peruse the enormous convention center and its many characters, we pretty much went with the intent of viewing one major event: The Tractor Square Dance. What a peculiar concept, I thought….they couldn’t actually have tractors doing a… oh yes they could.

There were two “teams” of tractors lined up on either side of this huge indoor arena (it reminded me a lot of Pittsburgh’s Mellon Arena). Each team had 4 “couples” consisting of a large tractor accompanied by a smaller, “female” tractor, naturally. The larger tractors were driven by men in farmer plaid, and the smaller tractors were driven by men in farmer plaid….wearing skirts, bonnets, and blond bushy wigs. Are you picturing this?? Once the couples took their places in the center circle their “caller” started the music and began giving them their dancing cues. Allemande left, circle right, promenade, dosado. They did it all. Perfectly synchronized, and perfectly ridiculous. If you still aren’t picturing it in all of its hilarity, click here for a video that one of my friends took on her camera. It’s truly astounding, and I can only applaud their skill!

After this show everything seemed to pale in comparison (that is until we reached the room with free samples of food). As we left that afternoon, I managed to walk away with a load of laughs, a newfound pride in being Pennsylvanian, and a minor case of the sniffles (thank you cows…)

So if you ever decide to make the trip and attend the fair yourself, I promise you will not be disappointed. Just make sure you take along a healthy dose of humor, at least a few other “witnesses,” a video camera, and be sure to have a mother with her own blog awaiting your return.