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cow.jpgI wasn’t able to make it to the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg this year, but my parents went and here is their full report.

There are lots of food booths and concession stands at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg, but we like to head for the official Farm Show food court which features foods that are grown or raised in Pennsylvania. The food isn’t fancy or even necessarily good for you and you may have to eat standing up because there are few tables with chairs in the food court, but it’s a great annual treat.

Our favorite item is the breaded, deep-fried vegetables — broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower and onions — with each piece dipped into a little cup of ranch dressing. I also love the baked trout sandwiches, and the tortilla-crusted tilapia is almost as good, even though they serve it on white bread with plastic packets of tartar sauce. The potato doughnuts were also a hit, as was the chicken corn soup.

Dad loves the thick and creamy milkshakes — vanilla, chocolate or half-and-half. We tried some delicious apple cider — even better than what we get here in Adams County apple country. From a concession stand at the large arena (where we were watching a competition between beautifully groomed and polished six-hitch teams of Clydesdales) we slurped down “frosted lemonade” (like a lemonade slush) enhanced with small brown specks which (as the concessionaire explained) “are pieces of seeds because we use real lemons.” If you want bottled water, we recommend that you take your own — it costs $2.75 per bottle at the Farm Show.

We exited the building at the door near the huge butter sculpture (yep — an old-fashioned milk delivery truck surrounded by children, all made of 900 pounds of real Pennsylvania butter). As we left we passed a Turkey Hill tent where they were giving out free cups of vanilla/cherry ice cream, complete with the little wooden paddles to eat it with — a nice treat for the kids.

The Farm Show only runs for a week each January and it can get very crowded. If you’re going on a weekend, we recommend going early in the day to see exhibits (it opens at 9 am) and visiting the food court before 11 am.

About the Author

Mary Bigham, the creator of wcdish, is a self-admitted sushi and travel addict. She has a crush on just about every food but refuses to eat American cheese.

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2 Comments So Far

  1. Sugendran GanessJan 09, 2008

    Mmmm…. butter…

  2. MaryJan 11, 2008

    The show ends on Saturday the 12th. If you are up for a visit check out the website for more info…

    http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/farmshow/cwp/view.asp?a=429&q=136587&farmshowNav=|

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