Big Valley auction at Belleville

big valley auction amishSummer is prime time for auctions.  The town of Belleville smack dab in the middle of Big Valley in Mifflin County, PA is home to a long-running auction and flea market, which attracts a large contingent of Amish and English alike.

The auction is held each Wednesday year-round.  Livestock, farm equipment and many other items go up on the block each week.

The flea market features booths run by both Amish and English as well, selling foodstuffs, Amish-made quilts, produce and other items.  I had a good lunch while I was here at a good old down-home cooking restaurant, but I can’t remember the name.  A few photos from the auction grounds:

big valley auction peachey foods

Buggy parking.

big valley auction amish carriage seat

One comfy ride.  And a snack for later.

big valley auction amish buggiesThe parking lot is filled with buggies of the three different Amish groups of Big Valley.

big valley auction barnInside the auction barn.

big valley auction livestockWaiting to be sold.

big valley amish barn

An Amish barn in the Valley.

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    33 Comments

    1. OldKat

      In the picture with the brown wagon with a crate in it, that type of wagon is known in various parts of the country as a spring wagon, platform wagon or mountain wagon. They probably have other names that I am not familiar with, too. I have one that is built nearly identical except that the rear springs on mine are transverse platform style whereas the wagon in the photo has elliptical springs. Mine is a little over 100 years old and was made in Racine, Wisconsin by a company that was called Racine-Satterly or something like that.

      The wagon with the, ahhh, “custom” seat cover is a spring wagon, too. I’ve never seen wagons built so similar to mine, but there are a couple of them shown in these photos. In fact the hardware on one of them is identical to that on mine. May not mean anything though, because there were literally hundreds, if not thousands of buggy and wagon makers a hundred years ago. I suspect that these are later day copies of wagons that were built by companies that went under generations ago.

    2. Alice Aber

      Greetings!!

      I loved looking at the pictures, awesome job Erik! OldKat thanks for your added information!!

      Blessings, Alice

    3. Beth Shriver

      Always enjoy the pictures, Erik!

    4. Richard

      I’ve always liked the different varieties of colors that some of the buggies have in the western part of the state, especially the yellow ones. Richard from Amish Stories

    5. Near the Sale Barn

      We’re so lucky to live so near the sale barn, and it makes for a great trip for my guests. This week I had guests from Michigan. They loved the Belleville Auction! Found good gospel music cds from a local singer who was singing live, besides playing his sound tracks too. Made for a country fair atmosphere! The restaurant on the top floor of the sale barn is called the “Holstein Calf’e”. Yes, good home cooking. Also in the produce barn, a single story building where they auction off produce and eggs, is another small restaurant called simply “Marge’s”. There’s also in this building some stands of homemade moon pies and whoopie pies plus other baked goods, a little deli that will make you up a delicious sub as you watch, plus produce at set prices. Throughout the market are other food stands, like the one that sells hot sausage sandwiches, the best french fries, or hamburgers, etc. Other with hot dog specialties, and so forth. It’s like a country fair every Wednesday. On down the road is the Dairyland Flea Market that is all old stuff that fills a large field. The vendors must be selling antiques or collectables, no new stuff. I don’t think there are any food stands at this one, but they do allow some of the white topper Amish to have a produce stand. Anyone that wants to come stay at our Bnb, just say you found us on Amish American and I’ll give you a discounted rate for Tuesday and Wednesday nights!! claudia

      1. TOM

        OLD TIMES

        I AM FROM LEWISTOWN AND USED TO GO TO THE AUCTION EVERY WEEK AND I MISS IT SO VERY MUCH. WOULD GET THERE AROUND DAY LIGHT. IF NOT YOU COULDN’T FIND A PLACE TO PARK. GREW UP ON AMISH FOOR AND I MISS IT SO VERY MUCH.

    6. Ed

      Is there anywhere that lists all regularly occuring Amish auctions by sorted by date and place?

      1. Nationwide guide to Amish auctions?

        Ed, if you mean nationwide, I haven’t seen anywhere that lists all of them in one place. There are a number of sites that has auctions listed by region or state, for example the PA Mud Sales. If anyone knows of a resource like that I’d be interested in hearing about it too.

    7. Alice Mary

      Claustrophobic

      Ooooo! Pictures! I loved them! Keep ’em comin’!

      Now, THAT is MY kind of “shopping experience”! It sure beats walking around like a zombie, pushing a cart in a “big box” store!

      I just hope that those poor sheep were sold quickly, ’cause they caused me to feel claustrophobic seeing them in their crowded pen.

      …sure wish I could take you up on your offer, Claudia, but it may be a few years before I make it out there!

      Alice Mary

      1. Debra Knapp

        I was thinking the same thing about the sheep. Hope they got to stretch their legs before too late in the day.

    8. Shawn

      Where is this?

      Where is this flea market/auction? I want to go! I am now in Meadville/Conneaut Lake, PA., and I’m surrounded by Amish, which I love, but where is this flea market? I have to go!!!

      1. Address for Belleville PA Big Valley auction

        Shawn, the Belleville auction in Big Valley is actually pretty easy to find. Here’s an address for your GPS. This is to the Dairy Sales facility but it is all one big compound from what I recall.

        Kish Valley Dairy Sales Arena
        100 Walnut Street
        Belleville, PA

        The auction and market are on the right side of Highway 655 (the long main route through the Kishacoquillas Valley) as you are heading northeast. There is a big parking lot out front. Look for lots of yellow, black, and white buggies. Hope that helps!

    9. Shawn

      Would somebody please email me with the info: shawnbutchko@yahoo.com. Thanks.

    10. jodie

      enjoy

      I do enjoy reading your postings everyday. Thanks for all you do

    11. jodie

      Do enjoy

      I enjoy reading your blog everyday. Anything Amish I enjoy.

    12. TOM

      buggy plans

      Does anyone know of printed building plans for the different buggies that are shown in the pictures at the Big Valley auction at Belleville. thanks

    13. OldKat

      Tom, try Googling something like wagon plans, buggy plans etc.

      Also, try Small Farmers Journal online. I never go to that site, because I enjoy reading the hardcopy edition. BTW: This is a magazine that is very popular among the Amish. Another option might be Rural Heritage, again I don’t go to the online site so can’t tell you what is there.

      Many of the Amish “buggies” appear to me to actually be a modified spring wagon, which has had the top enclosed. This is really quite different than the historical “doctors” buggy in size, design and construction. One thing that I have seen on quite a few Amish buggies that surprised me was fiberglass wheels. Makes sense though, because they see alot of service.

    14. OldKat

      Mary Alice, sheep are very much herd animals. In fact possibly THE most herd oriented domestic animal. While it may look crowded in those holding pens, they were no doubt much more comnfortable than you or I would be under the same circumstances.

      If you put a single sheep in that situation they would be far more stressed than that group was. You wouldn’t hold them for days in a pen that crowded, but their body language tells me that they were pretty comfy; no pushing, not stirring around.

      Sounds like a fun place to be though. Maybe not so much if you are a sheep!

      1. Oldkat, you know alot more about these things than I, but I’ve got to think all that fluffy sheep’s wool must add a little cushion if they get to pushin’. I mean, sheep have got to be pretty impact-resistant animals, right? 😉

    15. Answers and plug for magazine

      For a good story on Big Valley buggy makers, order a copy of this mahttp://www.commonground-pa.com/Common_Ground_Magazine/CG_Classics.html#84gazine.

      The Common Ground magazine is a local magazine, been published since 1989. Their website is http://www.commonground-pa.com The magazine has pictures of the Big Valley Amish in every issue, but the magazine isn’t just about the Amish, it’s about our region around the Juniata River, taking in Mifflin, Juniata and Huntingdon counties. Printed quarterly, it’s a colorful and interesting magazine. Of course I’m a little partial, because I write an antique article for it when able to pull myself away from my bnb duties. But those of you who love to see pictures of the Amish working etc, this magazine will capture your heart! For those of you who have asked where Belleville is, it’s located west of Harrisburg, east of Altoona and just south of State College on route 655, which runs between routes 322 and 22. Also a note on the sheep in the sale barn; all the animals arrive Weds morning and are sold in the afternoon, leaving for their new homes. They aren’t in the pens for very long. The local spca checks to make sure they have water and conditions are keep favorable and legal for the animals.

      1. Big Valley Bed and Breakfast special

        Claudia thank you for sharing all this, I always appreciate your Big Valley insights. Also I just wanted to make sure everybody caught Claudia’s offer above:

        “Anyone that wants to come stay at our Bnb, just say you found us on Amish American and I’ll give you a discounted rate for Tuesday and Wednesday nights!!”

        That is really nice, we can call that the Amish America Auction BNB special at Claudia’s 😉

        I also enjoyed the Common Ground magazine when you shared it before, really nicely done I thought. Where can people find a copy when they’re in Big Valley?

        1. The magazine can be found on the counters at Peights Store, the White Hall Store and also AJ Peachey’s. Can’t think off hand where else in the valley it can be found. Just call the magazine at 717.899.6133 and they’ll be happy to mail you a copy, or tell you other places to find it. You can see and read some samples at their website.

    16. Richard

      A lot of the fire departments are having actions and events this summer in both Lancaster/Lebanon counties to raise money for equipment. In fact I’m going to one today (Saturday) in Lebanon county, and of course ill be bringing my camera. Richard from http://www.Amishstorys.com

    17. Tom

      Sad Event

      I seen on the news last night that a 3 year old Amish girl was killed in Hopkinsville, Kentucky on Friday night. Their buggy was struck by a semi truck. The driver was under the influence, and has been charged. A sad event for sure.

    18. Greg

      Amish auctions

      I live in Central PA. Every month there is some sort of Amish charity or consignment auction that are very much like County fairs. Every June is the Troutville School auction around the 23rd. It is held at a family farm. There is an auction at another farm in Luthersburg on the 23rd of this month (July) and there will be another near Punxsutawney next month. The first 2 mentioned brings in an auctioneer from Baltic Ohio. His name is Andy Raber. I go to many auctions and he is the best I’ve ever heard.
      Many of the “English” auctioneers in the area have an Amishman as a helper that does some auctioneering. Sometimes it’s comical because if they bring an item up that they are not familiar with (some electric household item for instance) they have a difficult time saying what it is.
      One place to check out auctions in general is Auction Zip (http://www.auctionzip.com/). If the auctioneer is Amish and has someone who is English help them they are sometimes listed there. You just enter your zip code and it lists the auctions in the area.
      Andy Raber has a guy who is either Mennonite or was once Amish that helps him (and visa versa). His name is Vern Yoder. He has a website (http://www.auctionzip.com/OH-Auctioneers/97532.html) and does a lot of produce auctions around the New Wilmington Pa area. He does not list the auctions he helps Andy with.
      I have a flyer for the sale on the 23rd in Luthersburg if anyone wants it or if it can be posted.

      1. On auctionzip.com check out auctions by our Big Valley auctioneer, Aaron Kanagy of K & R Auctioneering. He does a great auction in English and will switch to dutch as necessary. He auctions regularly at the Kish Valley Dairy Sale Barn in Belleville. A different sale barn from the previously big topic of the Belleville Sale Barn. Aaron does estate sales unsite or at the Kish barn; selling anything from estates, household items or livestock. The Kish Sale Barn has an auction once per month, but on the off weeks, Aaron will hold household auctions on the premises.

    19. Slightly-handled-Order-man

      I miss Lucy's blog already

      Amish America, I just wanted to pass along a note that our cherished friend and reply contributor Lucy has decided to stop blogging. She says so in her latest blog over at:

      http://annabaptist.wordpress.com/

      Although I never replied to her postings on her site, I enjoyed her work and thought it powerful and spiritually insightful. I hope she appears on Amish America from time to time if she is fully lead to quit her blog (that sounds more like a Quaker phrase than an Anabaptist one, but oh well) and shares her opinion on life in her chosen religion and one of the groups under it’s umbrella here at Amish America.

      1. Thanks for the note Shom, sorry to hear about that. We haven’t always agreed, but I do like hearing from Lucy. I also think it would be great to continue to get her input here.

    20. Ruth Kaup

      I posted a slide show of our visit to Belleville in June, 2011.

      http://ruthkaup.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/belleville-amish-flea-market/

      I found your site, Eric, through reviewing Suzanne Woods Fisher’s new book. So happy I did!

    21. tim wagner

      1970 Arctic cat king kat snowmobile

      HI,
      Looking for the amish that knows and old english farmer with a 2-1971 arctic cat king kat snowmobile setting in his barn,,thank you

    22. julie

      wheel lights.

      Thanks so much for the article on the Bellville Amish. We have traveled there several times. It is interesting to see the differences in the buggies, and the clothing and some of the baked goods. I must say that in Lancaster County, PA I have seen only 1 buggy with wheel lights. It was interesting and also seemed to be somewhat of a safety feature. Can’t wait for the next articles on the Belleville Auction.

      1. Glad you liked it Julie! We do have a new post up today on this community.