The last time I wrote here, I was adjusting to the end of summer and not at all ready for the fall season. I've slowly gotten used to it and am enjoying all it has to offer -cooler temperatures and beautiful colors.

Now I am looking forward to the Christmas holidays and all that has to offer - decorating, baking cookies, shopping (yes I enjoy that!!) and best of all getting together with family and friends.
As you are planning for all the business of the season be sure to keep Hershey Farm in mind for Christmas entertaining. We would love to have you bring your gatherings to us, whether it is a small group of friends taking the time to enjoy a great meal together or a larger family or work place party, we can accommodate your get-together. We take reservations for any size group.

We also offer a To Go menu. This menu includes Hershey Farm's homemade and delicious fried chicken and sides or soups. So, if you've been shopping all day and don't know what to feed your family or friends for dinner stop in and take some of our specialty items home for your family.

Please call 1-800-827-8635 x716 for details.

Have a peaceful and memorable holiday season.

Hello again from the kitchen and bakery at Hershey Farm!!
Fall has arrived (even though it's still 70 degrees outside) and that means it's time for pumpkin!! I'm sure all of us have a relative that makes the best pumpkin pie, or the best pumpkin roll. I know I can think of my Aunt's pumpkin pie and put on 3 pounds just from the thought!!

If you want to make a quick alternative to a pumpkin pie, try this.
Fold ½ a cup of graham cracker crumbs with
2 T of melted butter and set them aside.
Make a batch of regular vanilla pudding and chill it.
Make a batch of your favorite pumpkin cookies and put them in the refrigerator.
Using a small single serving glass bowl, press a thin layer of the graham crumbs in the bowl. Put a teaspoon of vanilla pudding in the bottom of the bowl and press a cookie onto it.
Cover the cookie with some more vanilla pudding and sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar over the top.
Add a touch of whipped cream and there you have it!!

These are also fun for kids to make as well, after the main items are ready. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and I'll talk to you before Christmas!! Jon

Sadly enough, fall is upon us!! I am definitely a person who enjoys summer and all it has to offer, however, we are quickly approaching Thanksgiving Day. This is a very busy holiday for us (this probably has something to do with our candied sweet potatoes..) and we have already started taking reservations. Whether you are planning an intimate holiday for 2 or a large family gathering we would love to have you join us for your Thanksgiving celebration. We serve breakfast that day from 8 - 10:15. Lunch/Dinner is from 11:00 until 6:00. The cost for adults is $22.99, children ages 4-8 are $7.99 and 9-12 are $9.99. Tax and gratuity are not included in these prices. Reservations are recommended. If you are looking for a more traditional Thanksgiving meal, we also serve a family style meal to groups of 8 or more. This all you can eat meal is served to you at the table and consists of traditional turkey and stuffing plus other Hershey Farm favorites like our fried chicken. The price for family style is $19.25 for adults and children ages 4-12 are $12.25. These prices are inclusive. Please call us at (717) 687-8635 Ext. 716 for more information or to make reservations for either meal style.

As I look back, the last time I wrote we were looking ahead to Mother's Day!! Now, the end of summer is almost here and believe it or not we are looking ahead to first our Whoopie Pie Festival (Saturday, September 18th) and then Thanksgiving - both of which will be here before we know it!!!

This summer I have enjoyed talking to many guests - some started out bringing their children here and now bring their grandchildren, some are in Lancaster County visiting and some stop at Hershey Farm for a meal on their way to or from another vacation destination, still others live here and stop in for a meal on a regular basis. I have enjoyed talking to everyone - many share stories of things they remember on other visits or about the show they just saw at Sight and Sound, how much their kids enjoy the animals or other things they enjoy while visiting. I want to thank everyone for your positive comments, suggestions and even criticisms. All of these things are how we can continue to improve.

We appreciate the loyalty of those of you who have been coming for years and look forward to adding our new guests to the list of people who keep coming back.

Enjoy the rest of your summer and don't forget to stop and visit us soon.

I love to receive feedback from guests, good or bad (how else can we improve?) so please keep it coming!

Here is a lovely email, with pictures, I received from guests at the Inn at Hershey Farm.

Dear Brett:

Thank you for writing us about our stay. I've included some pics. This is our second stay with the Hershey Farm Inn, we were last there about 4 years ago. We chose the carriage house again as this room was quiet and comfortable last time and was reasonably priced. We enjoyed your beautiful grounds. I found time to walk on your trails and enjoyed the views. My daughter had hours of fun with the animals, feeding and talking to them. We spent some time at the pond this stay and tried fishing. My daughter and son enjoyed this, and one of them even caught a fish! We all really enjoyed the show "Joseph" right next door at the Sight and Sound Theatre. We all loved the restaurant, we had dinners and breakfasts there. Everyone found a variety of food that they enjoyed and left full and satisfied. I especially love your French Toast Bake and Whoopie Pies! My daughter's favorite was your mashed potatoes, my son's was the fried chicken and my husbands was the ceasar salad with grilled chicken. The chef made me a delicious ceasar salad with steak. All of the staff were friendly and helpful. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and thank you for your hospitality!

Sincerely,

Rosemary Scheiber and Family

Hershey Farm has created an exclusive pack of Amish Silly Bandz, manufactured by the original Silly Bandz brand.

The Gift Shop at Hershey Farm is THE ONLY place to get the
Covered Bridge
Horse & Buggy
Amish Hat
Amish Bonnet
Horse
Horseshoe

The custom 12 pack Silly Bandz is $4.25. The pack includes 2 each of the above designs.
Hurry in before they are gone!

Brand New for Groups of 15 or more!
Offered exclusively at Hershey Farm Restaurant and Inn

Hello once again from the kitchen at Hershey Farm!!
It's amazing how fast this summer is going!! Soon my children will be heading back to school (yay!!) and the cool farm show weather will be upon us. It's hard to imagine wearing a sweatshirt right now though!!! I hope everyone has had a good summer filled with lots of backyard cooking, picnics, and family fun.
On a recent trip to an amusement park, I noticed the large number of people walking around with hot dogs. I thought, "Wouldn't it be cool to eat a hot dog that has a bit more character?" I began thinking of ways to spruce up a regular old hot dog. Here are a few of the ideas that I came up with.
1. Before grilling, cut a slice down the center of your hot dog. Do not cut the whole way through. When your dog is grilled to perfection, put some shredded cheddar cheese in the slit. Put your hot dog in the bun and use some thin sliced "Sandwich stacker" style pickles on each side of the dog. Sprinkle some shredded lettuce on the top and add a touch of ranch dressing!!
2. Start the same way with a slit grilled hot dog. Dice some jarred jalapeno rings and sprinkle them with a little bit of taco seasoning. Fill the slit with this mixture. Line the sides of the hot dog bun with some sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips. Top the hot dog with some of your favorite chili, some shredded cheese, and a couple shots of Frank's Red Hot!!!

I hope you give these a shot at your next grilling, and try to shake things up a bit!!! Have fun cooking, and I'll talk to you all in the fall!!! - Jon

This is a recent comment from Trip Advisor.com about the Inn at Hershey Farm. Thank you!

"What a great place to visit!!!!!

Hershey Farm Restaurant & Motor Inn

FromHamilton, Canada

Jul 2, 2010 | Trip type: Couples

My wife and I stayed here recently for a weekend "get away". What a wonderful treat! The staff, the accommodations, the grounds....hard to say which was nicer! Please believe all you read and hear about the smorgasborg breakfast/lunch/dinner. It is absolutely fabulous! The staff are extremely helpful and courteous. Our room was "cozy"!. Location is very close to wonderful theatre experiences and shopping as well. We will be back soon!

Yes, we know it's hot and doesn't feel like Christmas. And, no, we're not talking about Christmas in July.
Even though it's still a few months away, now is the time to start planning those holiday bus trips.
Why not bring your group to Lancaster this year for the Christmas season? Lancaster has a wonderful Christmas museum, delicious foods and entertaining shows. Don't have the time to put a tour together or not sure what to include?
Let Hershey Farm take care of that wish on your Christmas list.

Call today and book our holiday package that includes a self guided tour of the National Christmas Museum, gingerbread decorating contest, lunch at Hershey Farm Restaurant and a Christmas show at Sight and Sound Theaters and your group will be in the Christmas spirit in no time!

For reservations, please call Sherry at (800) 822-7866 or e-mail at groupsales@hersheyfarm.com.