On this week's episode of Lancaster Farming's new podcast, FarmHouse, we dive into the history and excitement of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, with a focus on the contributions of women.
No one knows the Farm Show better than Mary Klaus, a historian and journalist dedicated to documenting the show.
Klaus has written two books about the event, "Hold Your Horses: The Pennsylvania Farm Show at 100" and "Blue Ribbon Patriotism: How the Pennsylvania Farm Show Helped the World War II Effort."
"I started writing about (the Farm Show) pretty early in my career here, and I fell in love with it," Klaus said. "As I learned more and more about it, I realized what a wonderful, wonderful thing the Pennsylvania Farm Show is for our state and I wanted to do more writing about it."
Klaus' research has led her to many interesting stories about the huge ag event, and she notes there have been some significant changes over the years.
What began as a farmer-focused event has transformed into the more consumer-oriented showcase of today.
Women have also come a long way at the Farm Show.
"In the early years, women were simply support for the men," Klaus said. "Now, fast forward and you have women in charge of a lot of things. Women are taking a much stronger leadership role."
In addition to delving into the history of the show and the changes Klaus has seen in the evolving ag industry, she shares a few of her favorite quirky stories — from a governor's mishap, to a surprising change to the butter sculpture, to a chicken named Elvis.
