Mud Sales 2018 Schedule – Lancaster County
We’re about 6 weeks out from the first mud sale of the year. Mud sales, held primarily in Lancaster County, PA, are auctions meant to support local fire companies.
First a little background, then we’ve got the dates listed below (Jump to: 2018 Mud Sale Dates – Lancaster).
The name “mud sale” comes from the typically muddy condition of the ground during the spring thaw (though not all mud sales, or even a majority, take place in the spring).
The revenue from these annual sales makes up a large chunk of the operating budgets of these volunteer crews.
Many of these volunteer fire-fighting organizations have significant Amish membership.
From a 2012 Lancaster Online article on Plain involvement in fire crews:
Amish men and women put great stock in service to others. In civilian life, sprinting willingly into a burning home or bandaging a wound at a graphic accident scene is the ultimate expression of that idea.
Said Rachel, an enthusiastic Weaverland Conference Mennonite teenager who was certified with Daniel at Gordonville: “You can look at volunteerism as a ministry.”
Many have done so in the eastern and southern parts of the county, where some Plain families have served their neighbors for three generations.
Today, said Lancaster County Emergency Management Deputy Director Phil Colvin, local communities are attended by up to 300 Plain sect firefighters and a lesser number of EMTs.
English and Amish emergency crew toil seamlessly side by side. Colvin and others agree that the Plain sect contribution is essential at a time when volunteerism is declining and the need for responders is growing.
Church leaders have become much more accepting of EMS involvement over the past 20 years, as more and more people have joined in, said Sam, an Amish man who heads Gordonville EMS.
Sam further notes that 80% of volunteers in his organization are Amish and Mennonite.
Lancaster is not the only are with Amish firefighters; they also serve on fire companies in New York.
As you can see by the photos and videos below, mud sales are well-attended by both Amish and non-Amish patrons.
What can you buy at a mud sale?
You’ll find a wide array of things for sale at these events. Quilts and crafts, furniture, antiques, building material, equipment, and tools are all on the block. Used buggies are up for sale, as is livestock. And of course, there’s plenty of food and baked goods to keep attendees from getting too hungry.
Past Mud Sale Videos
You can see some of those items up for sale in these videos.
Here’s an abbreviated news report on the 2015 Gordonville Mud Sale:
Here’s a clip from the 2013 edition of the same event, with footage of an Amish auctioneer calling the sale.
This is worth a view just for the performance of the older Amish ringman (or maybe the correct term here is “bid spotter“).
I don’t think I’ve ever seen an Amish grandpa that excited, jumping up and down…you can tell he loves his job:
And here’s drone footage of the 2017 Gap event:
Lancaster County Area Mud Sales – Dates & Locations – 2018
Below is a list of Lancaster County-area mud sale events (21 total) via discoverlancaster.com.
If you go or have been before, let us know what you thought!
February 24, 2018
Strasburg Spring Consignment & Mud Sale
Strasburg Fire Company
203 Franklin Street
Strasburg, PA 17572
717-687-7232
strasburgfire.com
March 3, 2018
Bart Township Auction & Mud Sale
Bart Township Fire Company
11 Furnace Road
Quarryville, PA 17566
717-786-3348
bart51.com
March 10, 2018
Gordonville Spring Mud Sale & Auction
Gordonville Fire Company
Old Leacock Road
Gordonville, PA 17566
717-768-3869
43fireems.com
March 17, 2018
Penryn Volunteer Fire Company Sale
Penryn Volunteer Fire Company
1441 North Penryn Road
Manheim, PA 17545
717-664-2825
penrynfire.com
March 17, 2018
Airville Volunteer Fire Company Mud Sale
Airville Volunteer Fire Company
3576 Delta Road
Airville, PA 17602
717-862-3806
avfc55.com
March 17, 2018
West Earl Fire Company Quilt & Consignment Auction
West Earl Fire Company
14 School Lane Avenue
Brownstown, PA 17508
717-989-5986
westearlfire.org
March 22, 2018
Farmersville Mud Sale
Farmersville Volunteer Fire Company
74 East Farmersville Road
Ephrata, PA 17522
717-354-5094
farmersvillefire.com
March 24, 2018
Gap Fire Company Mud Sale & Auction
Gap Fire Company
802 Pequea Avenue
Gap, PA 17527
610-593-2480
gapfire.org
April 7, 2018
Robert Fulton Sale
Robert Fulton Volunteer Fire Company
2271 Robert Fulton Highway (Routes 272 & 222)
Peach Bottom, PA 17563
717-548-8995
513rffc.com
April 14, 2018
Rawlinsville Mud Sale
Rawlinsville Volunteer Fire Company
33 Martic Heights Drive
Holtwood, PA 17532
717-284-3023
rvfd58.com
May 5, 2018
Fivepointville Auction
Fivepointville Fire Company
1087 Dry Tavern Road
Denver, PA 17517
717-445-4933
fivepointvillefire.net
May 12, 2018
Honey Brook Quilt Sale & Consignment Auction
Honey Brook Fire Company
Romano 4H Center, 1841 Horseshoe Pike
Honey Brook, PA 19344
610-273-2688
honeybrookfire.org
May 19, 2018
Weaverland Valley Mud Sale
Weaverland Valley Fire Company
Terre Hill Community Park, 210 Lancaster Avenue
Terre Hill, PA 17528
717-445-7066
weaverlandvalleyfire.com
June 9, 2018
Kinzer Fire Company Mud Sale
Kinzer Volunteer Fire Company
3521 Lincoln Highway East (Route 30)
Kinzer, PA
717-442-4121
kinzerfire.com
June 28 & 29, 2018
Lancaster County Carriage & Antique Auction
Bird-in-Hand Volunteer Fire Company
313 Enterprise Drive
Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505
717-392-0112
birdinhandauction.com
June 23, 2018
Refton Fire Company Mud Sale
Refton Volunteer Fire Company
99 Church Street
Refton, PA 17568
717-786-9462
refton59fire.com
August 11, 2018
Gap Relief Auction
Solanco Fairgrounds
172 South Lime Street
Quarryville, PA 17566
717-687-9470
reliefsales.mcc.org/sales/gap-relief-auction
August 18, 2018
Intercourse Fire Company Consignment Auction
Intercourse Fire Company
10 North Hollander Road
Intercourse, PA 17534
717-768-3402
intercoursefire.com
August 25, 2018
Bareville Fire Company Consignment Auction
Bareville Volunteer Fire Company
211 East Main Street
Leola, PA 17540
717-656-7554
barevillefire.com
September 15, 2018
Gordonville Fall Mud Sale & Auction
Gordonville Fire Company
Old Leacock Road
Gordonville, PA 17566
717-768-3869
43fireems.com
October 27, 2018
Cochranville Fire Company Mud Sale
Cochranville Volunteer Fire Company
3135 Limestone Road
Cochranville, PA
610-593-5800
cochranvillefire.com
Oh, mudder!
Never been to one, but if anyone knows of any “Mud Sale Tours” (for us Englishers), I’d like to know about them! If nothing else, I’d love to experience the Amish involvement (sure would like to meet that “Grandpa”). Listening to the auctioneer himself would be entertainment enough for a dreary winter’s afternoon!
I hope those of you who go will share pictures and memories here!
Alice Mary
you can always come to first 1 in Strasburg this next month Feb24th
Info
Where might be the headquarters in Peach Bottom? Physical address. And who might be in charge.
Robert Fulton Fire Co - Peach Bottom, PA
Ted it’s the Robert Fulton Fire Co, address listed above. As for who is in charge, I don’t know, but here is their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Robert-Fulton-Fire-Company-104656879595495/
Robert Fulton Volunteer Fire Company
2271 Robert Fulton Highway (Routes 272 & 222)
Peach Bottom, PA 17563
717-548-8995
513rffc.com
Incorrect Date for RAWLINSVILLE MUD SALE
Rawlinsville Volunteer Fire Company Mud sale is April 14, 2018 NOT April 7th as your website mentions. Please make a correction to your published article.
Thanks!
Thanks for the heads-up Stacy, don’t know how that happened. It’s been corrected.
Attended First Mud Sale!
I attended my first Mud Sale Saturday, March 17th at the Penryn Volunteer Fire Co. in Manheim PA. My hats off to all of the volunteers as it was organized and very well run. For a first timer, wow! Lots of things going on at the same time, so much to see and bid on, and difficult to know where to start and end. I arrived early to have a look around and decided to spend my time in the antiques tent. A lot of people and a lot of bidding but still able to obtain very good pieces for good prices. I will certainly be making my way to a few more this year. Thanks Penryn!