AgCulture 2026

2026

Garden Spot FFA Planning For Another Busy Year

GEARING UP

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Saving the Lancaster we love.

300,000 ACRES OF FARMLAND ARE AT RISK

To visitors, Lancaster County is a place to see life as it used to be. A picturesque land where traditions are strong—and nothing much ever changes.

But if you live here, you know there’s more to the story: · You know we’re not as old-fashioned as the good people of New York would like to believe. In fact, our quaint little farms can be deceptively cutting-edge. When it comes to topics like organic methods, silvopasture, and stream restoration, researchers and conservationists around the world look here for inspiration. · You know good food. Really good food. You know free-range, pasture-raised, and regeneratively grown. You know where to find the biggest rhubarb, the tiniest patty pans, the coldest root beer, and the sweetest sweet corn. · And you know that behind all that incredible food, there’s a farm. And a family who has made it their life’s work to keep it all growing.

Unfortunately, you also know that for every postcard-perfect view, there’s another that’s no longer there. That across the county, farmland is being replaced by warehouses, parking lots, and urban sprawl.

But what you might not realize is how quickly it’s happening. 3,000 acres of Lancaster’s farmland are lost each year— an area twice the size of Lititz Borough.

We’re running out of time to protect what makes this place so special: our open spaces, fresh food, family businesses, and cherished traditions.

Saving Farmland Helps Local Businesses Lancaster is a dining destination, with restaurants offering everything from simple home cooking to upscale farm-totable experiences.

Leean Mason, co-proprietor of LUCA, recalls how she and her husband, Taylor Mason, chose Lancaster as the spot for their restaurant: “We always said if we ever wanted to do something in the food world, it had to be in an area that had farms and that really valued the land.”

LUCA is a gem of the Lancaster dining scene, highlighting the produce of each season direct from local farms.

“While a lot of people have this heritage of growing up with these ingredients, I don’t think enough know them intimately,” says Taylor, LUCA’s chef and co-proprietor. “So it’s really amazing to be able to just share on the plate what a snapshot of late July should taste like.”

The success of LUCA—and many other local restaurants—is deeply rooted in Lancaster’s farmland.

Farmers Are On Board Lancaster Farmland Trust exists to protect Lancaster’s farmland. Founded in 1988, the nonprofit helps farmers take legal steps to ensure their farm stays farmland forever—regardless of who holds the deed.

At first, many farmers were uncertain about the program. These days, there’s a waitlist of farmers who would like to preserve their land, but need more funding to finalize their preservation dreams.

“This farm is actually a part of William Penn’s original personal estate,” says Roman Stoltzfoos, farmer and owner of Spring Wood Farm. “My father farmed it for 38 years, and we’ve been on it for 35. We had some really good years, and we decided we should preserve this farmland. Preservation not only preserves land. It preserves culture, and it preserves families, and it preserves a way of life that you really can’t put a value on.”

If we lose our farmland,

Saving Farmland Saves Everyone’s Quality of Life To date, Lancaster Farmland Trust has preserved more than 35,000 acres of Lancaster County’s farmland. That’s 35,000 acres of fields, woodlands, and pastures that will keep feeding this community, generation after generation. No matter who owns that land in the future.

Now, Lancaster Farmland Trust is working with community members, local businesses, and other like-minded groups to permanently protect another 25,000 acres by 2030.

Because when our community comes together to save farmland, we save more than farmland. We save the Lancaster we love.

we lose more than our farmland.

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For the future of...

your favorite roadside stand.

Wait, why does farmland need saving? Well, the dirt on the situation is that each year, Lancaster County loses 3,000 acres of farmland. Forever. That’s 36,000 acres by 2030. We’re running out of time to protect what makes this place so special—our open spaces, fresh food, family businesses, and cherished traditions.

This ExtraGive, November 20th, you can be a part of saving a whole farm in one night! Join us by scanning the QR Code or visiting LancasterFarmlandTrust.org to learn more. Together, we can save the Lancaster we love.

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(From left to right) Rob Meck, Bob Meck (father), Ryan Meck (brother)

HOMEGROWN. LOCAL. FRESH. These words resonate so deeply when we think of Lancaster County. They speak not only to the food grown here, but also to the families who have worked this land for generations—preserving our rich agricultural heritage while finding new ways to carry it forward.

For this multigenerational family, farming is about more than growing and selling fresh produce. It’s about hard work, stewardship and taking pride in knowing exactly where our food comes from and how it was grown. At a time when “buying local” can mean many different things, there is something much more meaningful when buying directly from the people who planted, tended and harvested the food that ends up on your family’s table.

As farming continues to evolve, new technologies and resources can make operations more efficient, productive and sustainable. The challenge is embracing innovation without losing the personal connection and family values that make local agriculture so special.

We invited Rob Meck, a fourthgeneration member of the Meck family, to share his perspective on carrying on the family tradition, navigating a changing agricultural landscape and balancing new technology with the personal connection that has always been at the heart of local farming.

Q

Your family’s farming heritage goes back five generations. What has remained constant about the way your family approaches farming, even as the business and the industry have changed?

A

The main thing that has remained constant is the desire to be good stewards of the land God has blessed us with.

We strive to honor Him in the way we use the land and in all aspects of our family business.

Q

Your hydroponic greenhouse allows you to grow “living lettuce” year-round.

What led you to hydroponics, and what has that technology allowed you to do that traditional field production could not?

A

One of the main reasons we started growing lettuces hydroponically is that we can provide fresh home-grown lettuces and other greens from our farm all year round, even in the “dead of winter”!

Our hydroponic system uses the nutrient film technique (NFT). Simply put, the NFT system is a series of PVC channels through which a small stream of nutrient-enriched water flows, creating a “nutrient film” for the plant roots to rest in and absorb the nutrients they need to grow. The

NFT system is a recirculating system, meaning that the only water lost in the system is that which is absorbed into the plants. This means that it requires only about 10% of the water required when growing in soil.

The result is fresh, clean, chemical-free greens that are nutrient rich, no matter what season the temperature says it is!

Q

Weather has always been one of farming’s biggest uncertainties. With today’s technology, forecasting and growing techniques, are farmers better equipped to respond to unpredictable weather than previous generations were?

A

Farmers have always been and will continue to be at the mercy of the weather, rain, drought, wind, hail, etc. Some “technology” that has improved over the years that we have tried to make use of are more advanced irrigation systems and growing certain crops under cover in a high tunnel. The uncertainty over the weather, though, will always be part of growing crops, and that uncertainty helps us to be able to give God the praise and glory for providing, knowing that we are never entirely in control of the outcome.

AgCulture 2026

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Q

Q

Q

Consumers today want to know more about where their food comes from and how it was grown. How has that increased interest in transparency changed the relationship between farmers and customers?

You’ve expanded from selling produce at Lancaster Central Market to operating a year-round farm market with produce, baked goods, dairy, meats and prepared foods. What drove that evolution of the business?

Sustainability can mean different things to different people. For a working family farm, how do you balance environmental stewardship with the economic realities of producing food and running a successful business?

Yes, this is very true. I think one advantage that we have is that customers know that we are growers, not just marketers, of fresh produce, so they can ask us questions about how their food is grown.

Lancaster Central Market was a huge blessing and main part of our family business for 60-plus years! We had always had a summer roadside stand at our farm as well, but in 2015 we felt the opportunity to do something more with building an on-the-farm market to go along with the increasing desire of the consumer to feel more “connected” to where their food comes from.

Yes, in order for a family farm to be “sustainable,” it must ultimately produce income for a family to live off of, while at the same time being good stewards of the land to sustain it for the future. To us, this means finding the right mix of crops to produce products and marketing directly to the consumer—local families—through our farm market. We need to always be assessing what works well and what doesn’t and pay attention to what are customers are telling us they want and need.

A

Q

The word “local” is used frequently in food marketing today. What does “local” mean to Meck’s Produce, and why do you think that distinction matters to consumers? Is there a difference in using the terms “homegrown,” “local,” or “fresh”?

A

Increasingly, consumers are wanting to know where and how the food they give their family is grown and raised. We take seriously the terminology we use to label our produce.

When we say it’s “home-grown,” it means we actually grow it here on our own farm!

When we call a product “local,” we have obtained these items from someone we know has produced that product themselves in Lancaster County or the surrounding area.

When we label something as “fresh,” it means we provide only those products to be of the highest quality that are as fresh as they can possibly be from suppliers we know and trust!

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AgCulture 2026

A

Q

As customers increasingly value convenience, how does a traditional farm market compete with supermarkets, online grocery shopping and other modern ways of buying food?

A

When we opened our farm market in 2015, we made it clear to ourselves that we never want to be a full supermarket-type store. We knew we needed to continue to differentiate and maintain our identity as a farm market. That said, we also recognize that today’s families are looking for the convenience of prepared and partially prepared foods in addition to the farm-fresh raw produce and other goods. With that in mind, we have been continually adding to our selection at the farm market items like baked goods, sliced deli meats, and prepared meals and salads.

A

Q

If we came back to Meck’s Produce 10 or 20 years from now, what do you hope would be different—and what do you hope would be exactly the same?

A

If you were to come back in 10 to 20 years, I would say success would mean that people could tell that the desire of the Meck family is to honor and glorify the Lord in all that they do, especially in how we treat our customers and steward the land He has given us!

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SUPPORTING LOCAL FAIRS FOR 31 YEARS!

Garden Spot FFA Planning for

Another

Busy Year

BY GEORGE DEIBEL The Garden Spot FFA leadership team at LampeterStrasburg (L-S) High School met Aug. 3 and 4 to reminisce about the past year while also planning for a bright future.

The officers are president Landon Giberson, vice president Rex Giberson, chaplain Kylie Dyer, and treasurer Ashlynn Frey. They led a delegation of Garden Spot FFA members at the state convention June 9 to 11 in State College.

“All the chapters from state have the opportunity to go up to Penn State,” Landon explained. “You can bring teams, and you compete in CDEs and LDEs, which are our career development events and our leadership development 16

AgCulture 2026

events. You compete against teams from all over the state.

Depending on what competition you're doing, that could be a single day or two days. And in between, they offer leadership workshops, and you get to hang out and build some connections with people in the industry and other FFA members. It's really a great opportunity, because you see familiar faces, but you also meet a lot of new ones.”

L-S’s Brooke Rubincam placed first in ag education. In that CDE, students make a lesson plan and present a lesson plan to a panel of judges and then walk through and show the plan.

Kylie competed in the veterinary science CDE. “That is the biggest CDE that they had this year,” she said. “I think there (were) 160 people in that one. I was able to practice

Garden Spot FFA officers (from left) Rex Giberson, Landon Giberson, Kylie Dyer, and Ashlynn Frey met recently to formulate organizational plans for Photo by George Deibel the school year. in the large animal sections and the small animals and have multiple-choice tests, along with hands-on practicums that we got scored on. I really like doing the CDEs because it allows me to take what I've learned in classes and through practices with the chapter to then show what we know and compete against people from all over, all different grade levels, and different experiences. It's really cool to see how some people will have a school that has multiple vet classes or go to school just for vet stuff at a CTC. But everyone kind of has all the same knowledge, but in different levels, and it's cool just to see how all that comes together in one competition.”

Ashlynn took part in agricultural sales and junior prepared public speaking. “For the public speaking CDE, I think I learned a lot through that,” she said. “It helped me

to become a lot more comfortable talking in front of other people and helped to grow my communication skills and ag sales as well. Both helped me to become just a little bit more comfortable presenting and competing. For ag sales, I learned a lot about our product. We were selling greenhouses, so I got the opportunity to research and learn about a new branch of agriculture that I hadn't really spent much time (on) before that.”

Rex also participated in the ag sales competition and was grateful for the chance to become more comfortable communicating. “To sell something with a team is a challenge that I don't think any of us expected, but it also went pretty well for us,” he said.

Landon competed in the agronomy CDE and finished second on a team with schoolmates Jackson Allison, Anthony Fantazzi, and Hewitt Planck. “That's soil science, plant science. It's a pretty diverse CDE,” said Landon. “We left Penn State's campus to go to their agronomy farm.

If you go to Penn State for agronomy, there's a farm that you pretty much run, run a lot of equipment, test plots, cover every basis of agronomy. There might have been five or six different practicums and topics that we looked into, and we had to do our best to show the knowledge and the practice that we put into it. We were happy to come out in second place.”

The Garden Spot FFA has now turned its attention toward preparing for the West Lampeter Community Fair, which will be held Wednesday, Sept. 23; Thursday, Sept.

24; and Friday, Sept. 25. The organization annually operates a food stand and will sell items including sausage sandwiches, ham loaf sandwiches, and beverages. “One of the biggest events we have is going to be the fair,” Rex said. “We're blessed to have a fair that's about a month after school starts, so we do have that month to build some good connections with our peers before the fair starts, and we end up working better together at the food stand because of it. It's hectic at times. Some of the later nights get really busy in the evenings, and it's eight or 10 people crammed into a small space, moving really quick to serve people food and get it out the door quickly.”

The fair is just one of the many activities that is being planned. “We're going to be trying to get a lot of events fit into the year,” said Kylie. “We have a lot of different things, whether it's going to the other schools and teaching them more about agriculture or workshops that are through Lancaster County FFA. We try and just fit a lot of different things in for people who have a lot of different interests, because our chapter is very diverse. We have the animal science side, plant science, mechanical side, everything you could think of in the agriculture industry, and we try and make sure that we have events for everyone, and that we don't just single down on one part of that. The fair is really good for everyone. It’s definitely something that everyone looks forward to because everyone can find something they like. The food stand is good for everyone to AgCulture 2026

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kind of get to know each other, especially in the beginning of the year, good to create those connections. Throughout the year, we have a lot of things where we like to share our passions with everyone else and try and teach people (facts) about agriculture that they don't know and just get the word out and try and get as many people involved in the chapter as possible.”

Ashlynn enjoys collaborating with her classmates and with other FFA members from surrounding areas. “I am looking forward to the aspect of connecting with so many people,” she said. “It's such a great opportunity to meet new people and to make new friends through school, at chapter meetings. We're going to be planning all of our events, figuring out when we want chapter meetings, which is when we invite the whole chapter in once a month. We present what's been going on for the month and what we plan to be doing in the next couple weeks. I really look forward to those events, because it invites everyone in the chapter, and we all can just gather together.

We do food, we have games, and we talk about FFA events, but more than that, we just kind of talk amongst ourselves, and you make a lot of connections that way, and you can reach out to new people that you see in the chapter that maybe you haven't really got the chance to connect with yet.”

Garden Spot FFA is expected to have between 30 and 45 active members when the school year starts. “I'm really excited because we do have a pretty broad scope of individuals in FFA, and there's really nothing more rewarding to me than seeing someone that is currently where I was a couple years ago and seeing them get excited about something,” said Landon. “With our planning and our meetings, I'm excited to look at our year, have everyone in mind and make plans that I know I can get excited for this school year because I know I'm going to see kids excited.

We have a lot of hard-working people in the chapter. We’re really blessed to have people that are passionate about what they do and passionate about seeing kids get involved. I can just foresee this year being one that people get excited about. I think our team this year and our members are hard-working and that it'll be a good year.”

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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. ©2026

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If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

The Solanco Fair board ascribes to that theory.

The 77th Solanco Fair will stay true to tradition when it takes place Wednesday, Sept. 16; Thursday, Sept. 17; and Friday, Sept. 18, at the fairgrounds, Park Avenue, Quarryville. “(The fair is) a great way to reconnect with friends and neighbors,” first-year fair board president Tammy Wood said. “It's also a great way to connect with not just people, but local businesses, local nonprofit organizations that support our community. It's a great way to get out and reconnect with them. See all the exhibits and livestock projects that everyone works so hard on, the parade, the tractor pulls. Come and enjoy the good food from our local nonprofit organizations, especially the milkshakes, (as well as) the entertainment.

Relax, get away from the everyday hustle and bustle of work and enjoy and appreciate the agricultural community that we do live in - be reminded of how lucky we are to be living in this community. I think it's something everyone just really looks forward to every year.”

Entries will be accepted and reviewed from noon to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15. Go to solancofair.org/fair-activity-schedule for information about each category. The fair book is dedicated to Loren “Corky” Bucher.

Judging of exhibits will begin at 9 a.m. on Sept. 16, followed by dairy cattle judging in Building 3 and the market lamb show in Building 4 at 10 a.m. The market goats show in Building 4 will begin at 1 p.m. The parade, led by grand marshal Ken Dearolf with the theme “Celebrating 250 Years of America’s History,” will start at 6 p.m. and take the traditional route - Park Avenue to Hess Street and then Fourth Street, turn onto State Street, east to Lime Street, then south back to the entrance of the fairgrounds on Park Avenue.

Fair Relies on Tradition On Sept. 17, swine judging will take place in Building 5 at 10 a.m. The antique tractor pulls will start at 11 a.m. The Holstein feeder calf show will be held in Building 5 at 3 p.m. At 5 p.m. on the lower ballfield, the Olivia Reynolds band will perform, sponsored by Stuart Enterprises and Pop’s Brewery & Restaurant. The antique and classic tractor pulls will start at 6 p.m. The baby parade will be held on the upper ballfield at 7 p.m.

On Sept. 18, the tractor driving contest will be held on the upper ballfield at 10 a.m. The Solanco Fair Queen will be crowned at 4:30 p.m. in Building 5. The celebrity milking contest will start at 5 p.m. in Building 5. The Youth Participation Awards will begin at 5:45 p.m. in Building 5, with the market livestock show to follow. The pedal tractor pull competition will be held on the upper ballfield at 6 p.m., followed by the candy scramble for kids age 6 and under. The iron man contest will be held on the lower ballfield at 7:30 p.m. Exhibits will be removed starting at 9:30 p.m.

Food will be for sale in the Hoffman Building each day of the fair beginning at 11 a.m., featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue, chicken salad sandwiches, ham salad sandwiches, fresh fruit cups, assorted pies, and beverages.

Many other organizations will also sell food during the entirety of the fair, including Farm Women No. 15 selling funnel cakes, elephant ears, cider, coffee and soda; Hess’s Barbecue selling barbecue chicken, ham, beef, pork, and Texas ribs; the Quarryville Lions Club selling french fries, water, soda, and tea; the Solanco Fair Dairy Bar selling barbecue, hot dogs, milkshakes, handdipped ice cream, and ice cream novelties; the Chestnut Level Presbyterian Youth selling hot dogs,

First-year fair president Tammy Wood will be balancing two jobs during this year's event.

Photo by George Deibel

barbecue, chips, brownies, and soda; Rawlinsville Camp Meeting selling cotton candy, snow cones, and soft pretzels; Eastern Star of Quarryville selling subs, drinks, and coffee; the Wakefield Lions Club selling hamburgers, chicken nuggets, and drinks; and Kettle Express selling kettle corn and cheese curds.

Go to solancofair.org for additional information.

Wood, who served on the board for four years before becoming president, the last two as vice president, will be multitasking. She is also the chair of the milkshake stand.

“It's going to be a little challenging doing both roles, but we have a great board, a great group of volunteers, and I know my board will help me out,” she said. “They're just wonderful, so I'm not real worried on that end. It'll be a busy year for me, but it'll be fun. I'm looking forward to it.”

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A Fair With More Than a Century of History

BY LOGAN MOYER The West Lampeter Community Fair is rooted in 102 years of agricultural tradition and local pride.

The majority of events for this year’s edition of the century-old fair will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 23; Thursday, Sept. 24; and Friday, Sept. 25. The fairgrounds are located at 851 Village Road, Lancaster, behind the fire hall.

On Sunday, Sept. 20, there will be a community hymn sing at 5:30 p.m. and line dancing at 7:30 p.m. The tractor pulls will also be held outside of the fair proper on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

The pulls will start at 10 a.m., while antique tractor pull registration will begin two hours prior at 8 a.m.

Also on Tuesday, exhibits will be received by the fair committee from 1 to 9 p.m. Go to westlampeterfair.com for more information about exhibits and the fair in general.

The exhibits will be judged on Wednesday, the first formal day of the fair. Judging will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at which time the buildings and tents will be closed off to the public. The market swine show will start at 9 a.m., and the fair’s official opening will be at 1 p.m.

“I would say the food is the top of the list,” said Jared Miller, who has been co-chair of the programs committee with Galen Mull for over 30

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two decades. “The tractor pull on Tuesday does get a lot of exhibitors. I don’t think a whole lot of people show up to watch the tractor pull, but it draws a lot of tractors in, and people are there to pull, for sure.”

Other highlights for Wednesday include the market lamb show at 3 p.m., the kids’ candy drop at 5 p.m., the market goat show at 5:30 p.m. and the tractor parade at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday will close with the parade from (LS) High School to the fairgrounds with the Fair Queen candidates at 7 p.m.; the contest will follow. Brooke Rubincam of Strasburg was last year’s Fair Queen. The auction for cakes and pies will also start at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night.

New for this year, Bucks County-based magician Mike Miller will be performing on all three days of the fair, starting with 4, 6 and 8 p.m. on Wednesday. He will also perform at the same times on Thursday and Friday.

A petting zoo will also be open from 1 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

On Thursday and Friday, exhibit areas and tents will open to the public at 9 a.m. The schedule for Thursday includes the market beef cattle show at 3:30 p.m.; the children’s sunflower contest at 5 p.m.; a performance by the L-S High School marching band, the market dairy beef show and the baby parade at 6 p.m.; the barnyard chase at 7 p.m.; and the tractor games at 8:30 p.m.

Friday’s highlights include the Western Gymkhana Horse Show at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., as well as the Youth Encouragement Awards at 5:30 p.m. and the pedal tractor pull competitions at 6 p.m. The youth market hog, beef cattle, dairy beef, goat and lamb sale will begin at 6 p.m. Winning exhibitors can collect cash awards and prizes at the fair office from 5 to 10 p.m. Exhibits can be removed Friday at 9:30 p.m.

On Saturday, after the fair has concluded, there will be a public auction of remaining vegetables, fruits and leftover goods at 6 p.m.; the auction usually lasts for about two hours.

“We sell pounds and pounds of hamburger patties and packs of hot dogs, gallons of milk and all kinds of stuff that we have left over,” Miller said.

“It’s fun; I like to get to that.”

Along with the agricultural aspects of the fair, there are plenty of food stands, milkshakes and vendors to make the outing to the fair a fun event for the whole family.

“I like the interaction with people,” Miller said.

“You only see them once a year sometimes, and it’s always at the fair. It’s just a good time to come out and see people again and socialize. I enjoy that part of it.”

WestLampeterFair.com

COVER PHOTO CONTEST Email us your favorite southern end agriculture, farmscape and farm show photos for a chance to be on next year's cover of AgCulture!

Photos should high-resolution jpegs Email your photo(s) to news@engleonline.com.

Photo submissions may be used in print and online.

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