Amish Parking Garge

You will see these buildings in the parking lots of most grocery store in Lancaster County (even at Walmart).  Its a parking garage for Amish horse and buggies.  The "English" are very courteous and leaves the spaces open (I have never seen a car parked under one - no matter how full the parking lot) so the horses have shade while their owner shop.

September Farms Cheese

September Farm Cheese makes and sells National Award winning cheese.  They are located on RT 23 in Honey Brook PA. If you want to watch them make their cheese you have to visit them in the morning.  Their store has a lot of free samples, a deli style restaurant and some delicious looking homemade ice cream in gourmet flavors.  Try their cheese curds - they are excellent.  Webpage

The New Holland Livestock Auction

Local farmer bringing calves to the New Holland Livestock auction.  This auction is an interesting local place to see many horse and buggy Amish and Mennonites.  The horse auction is on Mondays.  It is also rumored that they used the New Holland Livestock auction in the Season Two reality show THE AMISH MAFIA which begins in August 2013.

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.

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.

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!

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.  

Free Ice Cream!

One thing about Lancaster County is, if you want a crowd, offer free ice-cream!  This is the hitching post outside of Sensenig's Hardware, on 1020 Sensenig Rd in Ephrata.  Sensenig's Hardware is an old hardware store out in the country where you can find everything that "modern" stores used to sell.  Their clientele is mostly Horse and buggy Mennonite.