Glenn Thompson: “If you were in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, right now, you could be taking part in the annual event that reminds us all of…”

“If you were in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, right now, you could be taking part in the annual event that reminds us all of what is wholesome and fine in this country. A few hours wandering through the Pennsylvania Farm Show, and nostalgia builds. One person remembers the hours it takes to sew the minute stitches on a winning quilt. Another recalls the time and dedication required to raise a tiny calf into a prize-winning dairy cow. A third pictures her mother throwing out recipes until finally one comes together that produces the best angel food cake ever. Some 400,000 people attend, and that is 400,000 memories, from horseshoe pitching contests to a ride on the 60-year-old merry-go-round. There is a culmination of smells from the hay and the livestock, the sticky bun contest, the myriad foods in the food court--including potato doughnuts, which happens to be my favorite--and even the odor of diesel from the tractor-dancing contests. Yes, that is tractor square dancing--two callers and 14 drivers. Somehow the fragrances are all tied up with the memories. Now, I'm talking about the largest indoor agricultural event in America, with 10,000 competitive exhibits and 270 commercial vendors.”