If you are in the market for an authentic Lancaster County experience, you could not choose a better event to attend than an Amish mud sale. Though they were named for the early Spring mud as the snow melts and the ground thaws, these sales have now expanded into the summer and fall as well. If you attend a mud sale, not only can you taste delicious and authentic Amish food and make purchases of a wide variety of Amish goods, but you will also be supporting local fire companies, which are volunteer-run and which work tirelessly to protect Lancaster County residents.
Although mud sales are associated with the Amish, they reflect the whole of Lancaster County in their mix of Amish and English (non-Amish) sellers and attendees. In Lancaster County, Amish and English live alongside each other, often shopping at the same stores, attending the same events, and sharing the same appreciation for the fertile land and thriving community of Lancaster. The fire companies that the mud sales support also display this diversity, with firefighters coming from both Amish communities and English ones. Mud sales are one of the best ways to see the rich cultural medley that is present in Lancaster County on large display, especially if you’re already in town for one of our tours.
Once you decide to attend a mud sale, remember to keep a few important things in mind. These are events that can last all day, or sometimes multiple days. Do your research beforehand to find out what type of goods are being sold and at what time, and what payment types the sale accepts. Most fire departments will have their own Facebook page where you can find all the information you need about that department’s sale. Make sure you are rested and alert, ready to take on a fast-paced auction that can seem chaotic if you do not know what you are doing. Arrive early so that you can find a good parking space. Like Amish church services, mud sales start bright and early: around 8:00 or 8:30 am. Be sure that you dress for the occasion–they are called mud sales for a reason! Check the weather before you go, and make sure you pack your muck boots and umbrellas if rain is in the forecast. Most importantly, make sure you come to a mud sale hungry and ready to eat! Amish food abounds at these sales; there’s no better place to get a taste of Amish cuisine. Chicken barbecue, noodle soup, whoopie pies, and other classic Amish foods will be for sale, and you will not want to miss any of it.
With the knowledge you gain at our farm, you will be able to experience a mud sale with a deeper understanding of what you are witnessing.
Some mud sales will bring in nearly a million dollars, with $100,000 going to benefit the fire department it benefits. These funds allow the fire companies to buy new equipment and train their volunteer staff to protect their community for another year. At a mud sale, you can go home with new farm equipment, beautiful plants, homemade quilts, and more. But you will also go home with a new experience and the knowledge that you have helped to support a volunteer fire company. Learn about a new culture and explore the vibrant community of Lancaster County this year. We hope to see you at a sale! Check out this year’s mud sale schedule:
Spring Mud Sales
March 15 | Bart Township Auction & Mud Sale
Bart Township Fire Company | 11 Furnace Road, Quarryville, PA 17566 | 717-786-3348
March 7 & 8 | Gordonville Spring Mud Sale & Auction
Gordonville Fire Company | Old Leacock Road, Gordonville, PA 17566 | 717-768-3869
March 14 & 15 | Penryn Volunteer Fire Company Sale
Penryn Volunteer Fire Company | 1441 North Penryn Road, Manheim, PA 17545 | 717-664-2825
March 15 | Airville Volunteer Fire Company Sale
Airville Volunteer Fire Company | 3576 Delta Road, Airville, PA 17602 | 717-862-380
March 15 | West Earl Fire Company Quilt & Consignment Auction
West Earl Fire Company | 14 School Lane Avenue, Brownstown, PA 17508 | 717-989-5986
March 28 | Farmersville Mud Sale
Farmersville Volunteer Fire Company | 74 East Farmersville Road, Ephrata, PA 17522 | 717-354-5094
March 21 & 22 | Gap Fire Company Mud Sale & Auction
Gap Fire Company | 802 Pequea Avenue, Gap, PA 17527 | 610-593-2480
April 5 | Robert Fulton Sale
Robert Fulton Volunteer Fire Company | 2271 Robert Fulton Highway (Rts 272 222), Peach Bottom, PA 17563 | 717-548-8995
April 11 & 12 | Rawlinsville Mud Sale
Rawlinsville Volunteer Fire Company | 33 Martic Heights Drive, Holtwood, PA 17532 | 717-284-3023
April 19 | Schoeneck Fire Company Mud Sale
Schoeneck Fire Company | 125 N. King St., Denver, PA 17517 | 717-336-6767
May 3 | Fivepointville Auction
Fivepointville Fire Company | 1087 Dry Tavern Road, Denver, PA 17517 | 717-445-4933
May 10 | Honey Brook Quilt Sale & Consignment Auction
Honey Brook Fire Company Romano 4H Center | 1841 Horseshoe Pike, Honey Brook, PA 19344 | 610-273-2688
May 16 & 17 | Weaverland Valley Mud Sale
Weaverland Valley Fire Company Terre Hill Community Park, 210 Lancaster Avenue, Terre Hill, PA 17528 | 717-445-7066
June 6 & 7 | Kinzer Fire Company Mud Sale
Kinzer Volunteer Fire Company | 3521 Lincoln Highway East (Route 30), Kinzer, PA | 717-442-4121
Summer Mud Sales
June 26 & 27 | Lancaster County Carriage & Antique Auction
Bird-in-Hand Volunteer Fire Company | 313 Enterprise Drive, Bird in Hand, PA 17505 | 717-392-0112
June 27 & 28 | Refton Fire Company Mud Sale
Refton Volunteer Fire Company | 99 Church Street, Refton, PA 17568 | 717-786-9462
August 8 & 9 | Gap Relief Auction
Solanco Fairgrounds | 172 South Lime Street, Quarryville, PA 17566 | 717-687-9470
August 23 | Bareville Fire Company Consignment Auction
Bareville Volunteer Fire Company | 211 East Main Street, Leola, PA 17540 | 717-656-7554
September 20 | Gordonville Fall Mud Sale & Auction
Gordonville Fire Company | Old Leacock Road, Gordonville, PA 17566 | 717-768-386
