Way back in 1957, Ford Berg, pastor of Zion Mennonite Church near Morgantown, Pennsylvania, organized a relief sale on Ralph Hertzler’s farm. Over $4000 was raised. That Tri-Country Relief Sale (Berks, Chester, and Lancaster) evolved into today’s Pennsylvania Relief Sale, which last year raised $478,000 for the Mennonite Central Committee, which does relief work around the world. The centerpiece of the two-day sale is the auction of over 350 gorgeous, handcrafted quilts. See all the quilts available in this year’s auction in this gallery.
Everyone looks forward to the homemade strawberry pies.
We love handcrafted quilts, and the proceeds of the sale do good work, but this is a website devoted to regional food, and we want to point out that the edible portion of this event is spectacular. There’s a tempting selection of locally made specialties, from chicken barbecue and apple dumplings to homemade doughnuts and homemade ice cream. Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated of the local fare are the fresh, homemade strawberry pies for sale.
Fresh, homemade donuts are one of the many treats to be found at the sale.
The sale will also feature quilting demonstrations, kids activities (and a children’s auction!), live bluegrass and illusionist performances, and a pre-priced sale of crafts and goods as well as a country auction (miniature replicas, quilt racks, hand painted items, glass, furniture, and collectibles) and a silent auction (artisan jewelry, themed gift baskets, event tickets, original artwork including paintings and pottery, antiques, vintage linens, collectibles, and children’s items).
Fresh donuts, made by hand
The quilt auctions take place at 6:30 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday at the Weis Expo Hall in the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. See the Pennsylvania Relief Sale website for all the details. Hope you return home with a handcrafted quilt!
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