Carriage Rides Coming to Shady Maple

 

Shady Maple Smorgasbord has joined forces with Lanzelot Promenades to offer specialty carriage rides  through the countryside on magnificent parade horses.  The horses are Percheron's which are a very large draft horse that was originally bred to carry knights into battle.   The rides begin on Saturday, August 26th and will run daily though Christmas. 

Lancaster County's Best Kept Secret Tour

This year I have decided to take this unusual shopping, food and fun adventure.  The tour features 35 unique business that are off-the-beaten path, ones that you would probably never find.  The tour runs October 5th through October 20, 2012.  

If you are interested in going, the tour is a self tour, costing $7.00 each person.  Each business will provide refreshments, games, gifts, demos, tours, make and take projects and many other surprises.  Contact melissa@bestkeptsecretstour.com for more information.

Stay tuned in, I will keep you updated on the highlights and share some of the better kept secrets with you.

Growing Tobacco - A Cash Crop

Cash Crop or Devils Cabbage?

This has been a wonderful year for tobacco in Lancaster County.  Due to the abundance of rain it has grown larger that I have ever seen it.  Harvest has come early and the first sign is seeing the farmers out working with their tobacco. 

The tobacco leaves are picked and then speared onto lathes and left in the field for a few days to dry

It is then picked up and put in a tobacco shed or any warm dry area.  After a few months of drying (In November or so) the tobacco dealers will come around, examine the quality and buy it from the farmer.

Brought to the area in 1825 to combat the financial distress of  the 1820's, tobacco is called a cash crop because it is used for profit rather than consumption.  Since 1917 it has been a great controversy by Amish and Mennonite  to grow it or not.  Many believe that is wrong to "raise tobacco, or grow an article that destroys human character" and have stopped growing it calling it  the "devils cabbage".   Finally to stop the controversy some church groups made the decision that if your farm was not paid off you could grow tobacco, if it was paid off you didn't need the extra cash and were asked to refrain from growing it.

Ox Roasts - Firehouse Speciality

The Witmer Fire Company has a delicious OX Roast three times a year.  Many of their firemen are Amish and their wives sure know how to cook.  The seating is family style and passed around twice so you definitely get your fill.  Included on the menu is Lancaster county corn that was frozen by the Witmer Fire Company volunteers.  In one day they froze 4,350 lbs of corn that they will use for these meals.  The next Ox Roast is October 20, 2012.  Prices are $12.50 which is extremely reasonable for all that you get.  This OX Roast is not only for us locals, people come every year from as far away as CT, VA, NY, NJ, DE, MD and even FL!  It starts around 12:00 and runs until they run out of tickets, one year that was at 2:00!  Come early and enjoy!

Fresh, Slow Cooked Beef
Homemade Filling
Home Cooked Potatoes
Lancaster County Sweet Corn
Homemade Gravy
Locally Made Rolls & Butter
Cole Slaw
Peaches
Homemade Pies, Cakes and Ice Cream

The address is 455 Mount Sidney Road, Lancaster, PA 17602.

What a wonderful world it would be...

Driving down the road one day I came across this field.  All different types of animals, all peacefully grazing, each doing its own thing, all getting along.  What a wonderful world it would be...

Shirktown Threshing Day

Shirktown Threshing Day was held at Big Spring Farm on 739 Spruce Rd, New Holland PA on Sat Aug 4th, 2012

A day bringing you back to the past and the "Good old days"

The Martin homestead was open for tours, bread was baking 
in the outside oven, soup was bubbling over an open fire 
and a group was demonstrating how pork scrapple is made.

This was the parking lot - as many horse buggy's as cars

Excellent food!

tractor parade

This machine turns the crank on the ice cream machine!

I wondered why so many kids wanted to ride the tractor and wagon,
 then I realized that they never have this chance - they ride in a horse
 and buggy everyday.

Sand Box for the kids filled with dried corn

Hooking the horses up to the threshing machine

 3 teams of horses were used as shuttles going to & from the parking lot

Chair Caning demonstration

It was really a fun day!  They have it every year, the first weekend in August- If you are in the area it is well worth your time.   Everything is free except for the food!

Steel Wheels on Tractors

When visiting the Amish Country you may notice some tractors have steel wheels.  Tractors with steel wheels are used by the Wenger Mennonites for farming.  The use of steel wheels ensures that the tractors are not used as a substitute for automobiles to run errands or to make more extensive trips than are convenient with horse-drawn carriages.   The Wenger Mennonites drive black horse-drawn carriages for transportation and are allowed to have electricity.

Emma's Gourmet Popcorn

I came across this little business last week located on 261 Hill Road  New Holland, PA.  Emma's Gourmet Popcorn is set up in the basement of their home. The driveway is fairly long and winding, about the time you think you are at the wrong place you will see the house.

These pictures don't show half of the flavors they have, its amazing what all they make.  They have samples of everything so bring your appetite!  A really fun place to visit.

Weaverland Auction

If you want to get a feel for the local produce farming community ... from spring until late fall two produce auctions run almost everyday, 9:00am until 11:30 am. The Leola produce auction is located on 135 Brethren Church Road, Leola, PA, and the Weaverland Produce Auction is  located on 1030 Precast Road, New Holland PA.