Amish Mud Sales 2013

I went to my first Mud Sale last weekend. It was fascinating. Not just because one could bid on just about anything imaginable - from plants to new or used furniture to household goods, but because of the masses of people there and the way it was organized.

Each item to be auctioned was meticulously tagged. There were several auctions taking simultaneously in separate tents. I love to listen to the auctioneers! I must admit, however, that I'm way too intimidated by the process of the auction to register to bid. I get absolutely no enjoyment from having to out-bid others and spending my hard-earned money while I'm doing it. No thanks.

Then there was the parking. We had to park a considerable distance away because there were so many people. There were Amish boys with wagons who would help people cart their treasures to their vehicles (for a tip, I'm sure).

I was certain that if you really wanted an item that you'd have to be willing to spend a good deal of time waiting around for it to come up for bid. Then, of course, there was no guarantee that you'd even get the item. It seemed to me like an exercise in patience and potential failure. Unfortunately I don't have that kind of time.

Of course, this is Lancaster County, so it wouldn't be a gathering of any sort if there wasn't food to be had. There were several food vendors offering everything from sausage sandwiches to crab cakes and apple pie. I enjoyed watching this guy make French Fries. He could cut through a 20 lb.pound bag of potatoes in nothing flat! And people were gobbling them up just as fast.

Here's a list of the mud sales in and around Lancaster throughout the spring, summer and into the fall of this year. Most are just minutes from the Walkabout Inn.