HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2024 PENNSYLVANIA FARM SHOW

Farm Show Committee:
Chair: Sheri Hunt-Smith
sheri@alpacasofyork  717-495-8979
Co-Chairs
Marcia Silkroski - [email protected]

Volunteer coordinator:
   
 Fall is coming and for many of us, that means our farms get busier and busier. We ramp up tours, hit the outdoor markets, host events, offer farm store sales, all while we birth fall cria and make creative gifts from our fiber. When the holidays are over, we look forward to The Pennsylvania Farm Show in the beginning of January. I say ‘look forward to’ because it is a great way to kick off the year by giving back to our state affiliate, educating the public, and selling more farm store items. 
 This could be a chance to keep cash flow moving in the first quarter and make profit on items that might not get noticed again until next fall. Your commission on submissions is based on the number of shifts you work. (see schedule below)
      Keep in mind, if you contribute items to Farm Show, they must be at least 50% PA alpaca fiber.
Wearable like shawls, sweaters, gloves, hats, scarves, socks and baby garments, do very well at the show. Gift items like needle/wet felted creatures, nesting balls, dryer balls, rugs, throws, toys, kits, soaps, accessories also do well. 
  Get creative!! 
Participating member farms sold approximately $25,000 in product the past year! We also sell our PAOBA yarn and roving. The Yarn Project alone made approximately $29,000! 
  Sheri Hunt Smith will oversee the farm store operations again this year, but a few of of us will be ‘in charge’ so she is not held captive at the show every single day. That is a heavy burden for one soul.      sign up to volunteer
  Sheri  will contact you if you choose to submit items to help you get organized well before the show. Items need to be categorized and entered into the computer, so things run smoothly when the show opens.
    Visitors make a point of coming to the PAOBA booth. 
Literally thousands of people migrate through our alpaca area during the week to visit with the alpacas, shop the store and observe in our Demo area – learning something about alpacas in each section. 
              We always have a loom set up to create 2 shawls during the week. One is raffled off at the end of the show
​and the other will be put in the Eastern Alpaca Jamboree live auction. 
                The 4H Programs have a big presence at the show as well. 
They support us and compete bringing more awareness to our farms and animals to the public. 
                      Farm Show is HUGE and we need helpers to pull it off well!! 
Whether you have items or animals or demo time to contribute we can use you. We need helpers on the front end to set up a few days before the show. We need folks willing to bring their animals. We need demonstrators in all areas of fiber – knitting, crochet, weaving, drum carding, spinning, etc. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We need people to sell raffle tickets, help customers find the perfect handmade gift, restock merchandise, keep the area neat, open and close the booth, and we ALWAYS need help breaking down when the show is over. Please consider jumping on that quickly so we can have a record number of helpers this year. Invite your spouse, kids, farm helpers or any alpaca enthusiasts you know to get in on the experience. Sometimes people need a personal invitation from you to volunteer. 
IVolunteers that work a minimum of 4 shifts PAOBA has housing available for you
free of charge!
Click here to reserve your space 
We have secured an Air BnB again this year. Is it a deluxe hotel? No. But it has beds, bathrooms, refrigerators, and plenty of space to relax after the show closes for the day. Hang out with other alpaca people and learn from each other! Make new connections. It’s easy to become ‘barn-blind’ when you are so focused on your own operation. PAOBA pays for this accommodation, so take advantage of it. Details about the house will be coming soon.  
Farm Show starts Saturday January 2nd and runs through Saturday January 11th.

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The commission schedule has been adjusted slightly to take into account the longer daily shift time and those that have contributed their time to dyeing/labeling yarn/socks etc (which will be considered shifts).

Farm Members sending product but not volunteering any time: 25%, Associates 35%
Farm Members volunteering 1 shift 20%, Associates 30%
Farm Members volunteering 2 shifts 15%, Associates 25%
Farm Members volunteering 3 shifts 10%, Associates 20%
Farm Members volunteering 4-5 shifts 5%, Associates 15%
Farm Members volunteering 6 or more shifts 0%, Associates 10%

Volunteering for 4 or more shifts entitles you to stay at the house PAOBA rents for volunteers free of charge.

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The Volunteer Schedule is now live!  Without the help of our fantastic Members and Volunteers, we could never manage this huge project.  The Farm Show runs the first week of January each year.

Members in good standing will also be able to submit products to sell.  So get busy creating with PA Alpaca fiber now!  Contact Sheri Hunt - Smith (see above) for more information. 

Congratulations to 
Robin Kuleck 

For winning the 2024 PAOBA
Handmade Alpaca shawl. 
This alpaca shawl was created and made by PAOBA members volunteering at the Farm Show. After the shawl was completed, it was entered into an drawing at the Farm Show.  
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It can be cold. It can be dusty. It can be hard on your feet.  But the take away is bringing a smile to the faces of everyone who encounters an alpaca at Farm Show.  It may be their very first time seeing these creatures and we have the exciting chance to educate them regarding all the wonderful aspects of owning alpacas.

You will spend the day with alpaca owners, breeders, enthusiasts and I guarantee you will walk away with some new nugget of information.  It may be related to fleece, showmanship, herd health, or how to manage your farm business.  No matter what, Farm Show is the mecca of agricultural and creative experience.  The 4H and youth programs will show the animals.  Fleece will be transformed into beautiful shawls.

Every year we have been offered more space and participation at the Show.  It is so exciting to see our booth develop, offering PA Preferred products, hand dyed yarn, an array of alpaca PAOBA member's handmade items, as well as demos of hand-spinning, weaving, knitting/crocheting, needle felting, etc.  Of course selfies with an alpaca are a must!!

When the time rolls around, please consider signing of for a few shifts during the event.  PAOBA Farm Member Volunteers coming from out of the area may have the option to stay in a rented house nearby the Farm Show Complex - a chance for more alpaca conversation and camaraderie at the end of the day.  Parking passes will be granted to Volunteers as well.  Come be part of the excitement!