Thousands attend local farm show
Number of entries, visitors up after several down years
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WILLIAMSBURG -- Livestock entries into the Williamsburg Community Farm Show are on the upswing after several years of declining numbers, according to Farm Show Board Treasurer Arianne Waddington.
"Our barns are completely full to the max," Waddington said. "It's the most we've seen in about nine years. We even had to do some makeshift pens."
There have been about 3,700 entries across all categories, including baked goods, produce, crafts and 114 market animals, Waddington said. Some entries are counted twice as those in the youth division can also enter the open division.
While entry numbers are increasing, Waddington said that they "usually have about 400 more."
"But we aren't done for the week," Waddington said. "There are still some major contests that will get entries."
Plenty of youth involvement
This is Tyrone resident Austin Beamer's third year showing at the farm show, joining a few of his local family members who also have livestock entries.
"I've been doing this since I was a little kid on the farm," Beamer, 15, said. "I wanted to find a way to get closer to the animals, and this is a good learning experience."
Sitting in a camping chair by his dairy cows, Beamer explained the amount of work that goes into caring for an animal. He said that you have to keep them clean, feed them, clip their fur, trim their hooves and make sure they're healthy.
In addition to his dairy cows, Beamer helps out with his family's dairy goats and is heavily involved with his local FFA chapter. He plans on pursuing a career in agriculture.
"You meet a lot of different people doing this," Beamer said. "I wanted a lot more experience."
It is also Huntingdon resident Alyssia Coffman's third year at the farm show. Involved in 4-H, Coffman, 12, said she wants to work on her family's dairy farm.
"I'm used to the Huntingdon fair," Coffman said. "This one is a little different, a little smaller."
Williamsburg native Katie Ross, 13, got her start at the farm show by attending with her mom.
"We used to come and see the animals, and my mom asked me if I wanted to do 4-H, and I said yes," Ross said.
She now shows beef, sheep and goats. Her dad has heifers so Ross said she's not planning on raising beef again.
"All of the beef I've had in the past year have hated me," Ross said, laughing.
While she doesn't plan on a career in agriculture, she said she would like to keep raising animals as a hobby.
"This year has been a little crazy," Ross said. "There are a lot more people here than they were expecting."
Isaac Miller and Torri Maclay, both 13, were working side-by-side to care for their sheep.
From Mount Union, Miller said he entered into the farm show for extra money to save and that his dad wanted him to participate. Involved in 4-H and FFA, he and Maclay have two market sheep and one for breeding, all of them a crossbreed of Suffolk and Hampshire sheep.
"We have to clean and shear the sheep and fluff their legs so they look bigger," Maclay said of getting the sheep show ready.
While Miller would like to continue working with animals as a hobby, Maclay, of Mcveytown, said she wants to become a large animal veterinarian.
"I really enjoy working with them," Maclay said.
A range in experience
It was Huntingdon resident Elyssa Herrington's first year showing an animal. Tending to a 2-year-old market steer that weighs 1,185 pounds, Herrington, 16, said she tried to enter him into the Huntingdon County Fair but was turned away.
"He's a crossbreed, half Holstein and half Angus," Herrington said.
Herrington's dad, Phil Jr., said that the tag for Huntingdon's entries asked what breed the animals are and that his daughter "was honest."
"They're more strict over there," he said.
Herrington said that she had always wanted to raise and show animals but her family didn't have the room.
"At my job, my boss kinda looked at me and said, 'I have two steers out there in the pasture' and I said 'what do you want me to do with them' and my boss said 'show them,'" Herrington said.
A member of the Southern Huntingdon FFA, Herrington said she was glad to finally be able to show and that she was planning on becoming a large animal veterinarian technician.
Her experience at her first farm show has been "pretty good" so far, she said.
"Everyone's been very nice," Herrington said. "We've all been helping each other out."
As for Haylee Riley, 21, this will be her last year showing animals at the farm show.
"I'm pretty sad about it," Riley said. "It's just been a lot of overwhelming emotions."
Riley said she entered pigs, lambs, goats, dairy cows and beef cows.
"It's hard, but I make it work," Riley said about juggling all of her animals. "It's definitely a lot, I tried to bring a lot."
A Jamesburg resident, Riley said that she's been showing animals for nine years and that she has older siblings who have also participated in the farm show.
"I have a 5-year-old nephew, and he'll be showing for the first time," Riley said. "It's nice, he really enjoys being at the house. It's cool to be able to teach someone."
Riley isn't done with the farm show, or agriculture in general. She's already the 4-H Leader for Southern Huntingdon, is a member of the Standing Stone FFA and has been asked to be on the Farm Show Board, her mom DeeDee said.
For Autumn Young, 17, her three younger sisters and mom Janelle, the Farm Show has always been a family affair. Oftentimes, the siblings end up competing against each other.
The Tyrone family typically enters the crafts, baked goods, canning and photography competitions, Young said.
"It's a neat way to earn money," Young said. "We've all been doing this since we were young. We actually learned so we could do this."
Janelle said that they usually participated in the Sinking Valley Fair but that it had been canceled due to a lack of help for its preparation.
Participating in fairs for about 17 years, Janelle said that she was disappointed that more people didn't come out and participate in the competitions.
"I think it's fun," Janelle said. "I've tried to teach them how to bake, can stuff and sew. It's a neat opportunity for the kids to get to show off what they've made. I try to make it practical, things we were already going to do."
This year, each of her daughters won a best of show award in a different category.
"Other years it's just been one that's won," Janelle said.
Not just for Williamsburg
This year's farm show not only has a lot of new events, but also things that have returned after several years, Waddington said.
They had micro-wrestling, a parade competition in which floats will be judged and a timed horse show event. Carnival rides, which it hasn't had since before the pandemic, made a return along with the rabbit show.
"There were so many entries, I was surprised," Waddington said about the rabbits. "It came back in a strong force from before the pandemic."
A different horse show on Sunday had 51 riders and 256 entries. It was also the second year for the show's homemade wine competition, which had its entries nearly triple over last year, Waddington said.
"The judge said that they were very pleasantly surprised with the quality of the entries," Waddington said.
The show had the most antique cars in at least 10 years for the Blair County Antique Auto Show, which was held on Saturday, with 155 antique cars lining the fairgrounds.
"We had an outhouse race, where people build outhouses on wheels and then race them down the street," Waddington said. "The Parks and Rec Department built one for people to practice with, to get a feel for it. We hope to have more entries next year."
Waddington stressed that participating at the farm show wasn't restricted to Williamsburg residents.
"It's for the community, for the area, for Blair County," Waddington said. "Anyone is welcome to join."
The farm show is always looking for volunteers to help with its operation. To sign up, there is a 'contact us' form on its website williamsburgfarmshowpa.com. A full schedule of events can also be found on its website.
Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor is at 814-946-7458.