Farming for the Future Engle Printing & Publishing Co., Inc. | Townlively.com It's FaiR Season ! What’s going on at the Solanco and West Lampeter Fairs 2022
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In addition to ensuring pollination of the pumpkins, the three hives they had last year produced almost 100 pounds of honey, which was bottled and added to their produce products for sale. This year, a new facet was added when Martin Harnish planted a one-acre section with sunflowers to attract birds and provide for the pollinators when the pumpkin flowers are done.
Amanda and her husband, Jay Kneisley, live next door to Middle Willow Farm and use the family property to grow Bees are used to pollinate the pumpkin field.
Pumpkins and Pollinators at Kneisley Family Farm
“My dad has the field beside our house; that’s where the sunflowers are,” Amanda said. “He decided it would be fun to plant them for the bees and for the birds. It’s been really neat just to see the bees and the birds that are all around them.”
The sunflower heads will be left on the stalks and Photos by Mona Steinhauer
“They all need bees to help pollinate them, especially when you are growing a large amount of pumpkins in a certain area. It’s nice to have the bees right there so you know they are getting pollinated the way they should be,” Amanda said.
Kneisley, the daughter of Martin and Sandy Harnish, grew up on her family’s Middle Willow Farm. “We had milk cows and raised produce when I was a kid,” Amanda said. “My dad started raising mums when I was in high school and we had raised pumpkins, but he quit doing that after we moved out.”
BY MARCELLA PEYRE-FERRY
In the beginning, the Kneisleys rented hives from Joe Kreider of Columbia. He offered advice when they decided to start two hives of their own. Amanda admitted she was a bit afraid of the bees at first, but she researched how to safely handle the hives. Now in the third year of their endeavor, the Kneisleys are up to seven hives, and all is going well.
produce. “My husband and I started growing pumpkins a few years ago,” Amanda said. “We’re up to about 12 acres of pumpkins, and I took over the mums last year. I got interested in bees because we had to rent beehives for the bees to help pollinate ourAmandapumpkins.”explained that pumpkins have male and female flowers, so it is important to have enough pollinators to ensure a good crop.
I n the midst of busy Willow Street, the newly bloomed field of sunflowers is not only a beautiful site, but it also supports farming at Kneisley Family Farm. Area residents may be familiar with the location, which offers produce from a farm stand as well as Just BeeLieve Raw Honey.Amanda
“It’s been fun to be able to sell honey at the stand. People enjoy getting honey from their area,” Amanda said. “People enjoy seeing the sunflowers, and our family enjoys seeing the birds and the bees that the sunflowers draw in.”
Amanda is not the only family member entering farm products in the fair. Her children, Jeanette, 16; Delvin 14; and Leanne, 12, participate as well.
“It’s fun to be able to see my kids doing things I did. It’s nice to be able to teach them what hard work is and see the benefits of that,” Amanda said.
The Kneisley children are currently involved in 4-H and FFA, raising goats and dairy beef cattle. Jeanette is on the Manor FFA floraculture team, which will go to the national championships this fall.
“Once I got married and had kids, I didn’t have time to enter things at the fair. Now that the kids are older and we’re raising produce and pumpkins, it’s fun to get things together and enter at the fair and the kids enjoy it,” Amanda said. “Last year the kids entered produce and pumpkins. I entered my honey. I was happy to take it to the fair and was surprised I got first place.”
food for the birds.
remain in the field after their growing season ends provide further
In 2021, the first crop of Just BeeLieve Raw Honey was large enough for Amanda to enter in last year’s West Lampeter Community Fair, where she won first prize.
17552 Cover photo: Goldfinch on sunflowers at Kneisley Family Farm by Mona Steinhauer Publication and distribution of AgCulture does not equate to an endorsement of information, products or services. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement or editorial that is in conflict with the publication’s standards. All rights reserved. ©2022 R085841Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs., 7am-5:30pm; Fri. 7am-8pm; Sat. 8am-5pm Rt. 896, Strasburg • (717) 687-8695 Store • (717) 687-8699 Rental Zimmerman’s Hardwar e SALES • SERVICE
“They do taste different. The first honey I had was a very light color. As you get toward the fall, it gets very dark. I can taste the difference,” Amanda said.
to
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Amanda does not know if that will have an impact on the honey that she will harvest later this year. Many times, the corps the bees pollinate influence the honey’s flavor.
The bees are enjoying the sunflowers, but at this point
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Amanda Kneisley, with her daughter Jeanette, look for the queen bee. PA
“I was very involved in the fairs growing up. I showed dairy cows from the age of 9 on up through high school. We always entered produce, too, because they had the youth encouragement award,” Amanda said.
BY MARCELLA PEYRE-FERRY
On Sept. 15, special attractions during the fair will include the antique tractor pulls along with a perfor mance by the Uptown Band from 5 to 8 p.m. Special events on Sept. 16 will include a tractor driving contest, a celebrity invitational milking contest, the crowning of the fair queen, a pedal tractor pull, a peanut and candy scramble for children age 6 and under and the popular ironman contest.
As an agricultural fair, the Solanco Fair shows its heart in the exhibits of livestock and handmade prod ucts entered by area residents.
The annual Solanco Fair has been a fixture in the community since the first fair in 1950. Designed as an agricultural fair, the Solanco Fair has remained true to its roots, keeping the focus on farm, family and Local organizations, businesses, groups and individuals will enter the parade along with bands, vin tage vehicles, tractors and more.
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T he Solanco Fair will run from Wednesday, Sept. 14, through Friday, Sept. 16, at the Solanco Fairgrounds, located at the intersection of Park Avenue and South Lime Street in Quarryville.
Livestock shows on Sept. 14 will feature dairy cattle, market goats and sheep. Sept. 15 will feature market 306 South Hess St., 717-786-2600Quarryville
The route will begin and end at the fairgrounds, fol lowing Lime Street, State Street and Fourth Street in Quarryville. Traffic will be detoured for the event, while residents line the streets to get a good view of the parade.OnThursday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m., the annual baby parade will offer the youngest fair participants an opportunity to get into the spirit of the event.
R087353
animals will also be
The complete the competition Small entered and judged, addition to livestock, there will be divisions for entries of all kinds of agricultural products from hay and honey to home preserves and baked goods. There will also be competitions for art, photography and handcrafts of all kinds.
including rabbits and other farm animals. In
After walking through the displays, visi tors can stop and enjoy a meal at the Hoffman Building, featuring chicken potpie on Sept. 14, chicken corn soup on Sept. 15 and roast beef sandwiches on Sept. 16. There will also be many booths offering fair food favorites for a sweet snack or a hearty meal.
A full schedule of events is available at www.solanco fair.org and www.facebook.com/SolancoFair.
livestock sale will
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on Friday.
Other special events throughout the week will include an antique tractor pull and tug-of-war on Sept. 28; the baby parade and tractor games on Thursday, Sept. 29; and a pedal tractor pull, a calf roping contest and an all-Western horse show on Sept. 30. Youngsters will enjoy the petting zoo each day, as well as multiple performances daily by Hot Dog Pig Racing. There will also be music by Barley & Steele on Sept. 28 at 5 p.m. and the Lampeter-Strasburg High School marching band on Sept. 29 at 6 p.m.
Lambs, hogs, cattle and goats shown by FFA and 4-H entrants will be offered at auction on Friday evening. For those not interested in taking home a prize-winning animal, a special donation bidder number will be available. All livestock purchased by donation bidders will be processed and the meat given to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank for distribution to community members in need of assistance.
West Lampeter Community Fair To Continue Its Focus On Agriculture
Locally grown farm products, including livestock, produce, flowers and home-baked goods and preserves will be entered into competition, judged and displayed. Exhibits will also include needlecrafts and art of all kinds. There will also be exhibits of antique farm equipment and vintage paraphernalia from house and barn.
According to the Fair Book, published annually, the West Lampeter Community Fair prides itself on being a “strictly educational fair.” Rooted deeply in the past, the fair focuses on the agricultural community and traditions.One of the highlights of opening day will be the annual parade from testfairparadeticipatequeendidatesatthetrictburgLampeter-Stras-theSchoolDis-campustofairgrounds7p.m.Can-forfairwillpar-intheandthequeencon-thatfollows.
Visitors may want to bring their cameras along to enter the annual photo contest. Last year’s winning photo can be seen on the front cover of the 2022 Fair Book, with second- and third-place photos printed inside the book. While at the fair, visitors may enjoy a wide selection of food from stands sponsored and staffed by local organizations. A full schedule of events and other information is available at www.westlampeterfair.com fair.www.facebook.com/westlampeterand
BY MARCELLA PEYRE-FERRY
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A griculture has played a major role in Pennsyl vania’s fo undation and the growth of the U.S. as a whole, with farming practices passed down and perfected over generations. While heritage plays an important role when it comes to agriculture, in recent times, sustainability has often been viewed as equally essential. Multigenerational farmer and Lancaster County native Steve Groff draws from the past with the goal of creating a more viable future.
Families that have stewarded the same property over many years have a unique perspective. A re lationship with the land is cultivated alongside the crop, and it can take farmers years to learn each nuance of their fields. “Being a multigenerational farmer brings a sense of trust and integrity,” said Groff. “It shows people that you’re responsible and you’ve been able to maintain a successful operation over several decades.” Groff said that his favorite aspect of being a multigenerational farmer is the sense of pride that comes with it. “I’ve been through thick and thin, and the journey hasn’t been easy,” he said. “There’s been hardship over the years, but we’re still here today and the farm is viable. I want the farm to be here for my grandson, so I need to be a good Groff’ssteward.”sustainable approach to maintaining his land reaches beyond his passion for family farming; he practices what he calls “regenerative agriculture”, which includes no-till farming, or not plowing the soil in his fields. Instead, living roots are left in the soil year-round. This method yields more nutrient-dense food, addresses environmental issues like erosion and reduces the need for fertilizer and pesticides.
In 1935, Groff’s grandfather purchased the piece of land in Holtwood that he now works and lives on, called Cedar Meadow farm. His father, who worked the farm before him, purchased the neighboring farm that is now included in the property. Groff’s son, David, and David’s wife have begun the transi tion of farming responsibilities and are committed to accepting the mantle once the time comes. “David grew up in the tractor cab with me. He would sleep under my feet while I drove,” said Groff. “That gave him an early start. He has a son of his own now, so you could say the fifth generation is already here.”
Groff noted that his grandmother used a no-till ap proach years ago in her garden. “I remember (when I was) a little boy, she would tell us not to plow her vegetable garden next to the house,” he said. “We laughed at her then.” Groff’s father was still opposed to no-tillage farming when Groff first suggested that they use it in the fields, but in 1982 they made the switch. Groff said that the quality of his soil has greatly increased since then. He added, “(My grandmother) was on the cutting edge and ahead of her time; over 70% of farmland in Lancast er is now Althoughno-till.”Groff and his family have deep roots on their land, his perspective is global. Over the last 25 years, he has traveled to 13 countries to teach farmers about the principles of regenerative agri culture; two years ago, he released a book on the subject, titled “The Future-Proof Farm.” Although he
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AgCulture 2022 11 R087355 NOW Off ering Retail Sales & Installation on AlltypesofFencing, Railings,Decks &Pergolas! Residential • Agricultu ral • Commercial PA # 143903 MHIC # 144089 R086184 has never desired to live anywhere other than his farm, he stated that he wishes to be an ambassador of regenerative agriculture and nutrient-dense food to the public in his next season of life. “My goal is to be able to help people understand how important the food we eat is and how it’s grown,” Groff said.
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