West Alexander Fair celebrates the Year of the Woman Farmer
West Alexander Fair celebrates Year of the Woman Farmer
The 120th West Alexander Fair opened its gates on Monday, and amid the home-canned goods, crocheted hats and sweaters, and baked goods displayed in a large exhibition hall is a first-time exhibit: “International Year of the Woman Farmer.”
The exhibit honors local women in agriculture and features a collection of jeans pocket-shaped pennants that include the names and photos of woman farmers who have played a role in farming in Washington County.
The exhibit coincides with the United Nations declaration of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, which celebrates the important – and often overlooked – contributions of women to both global and local food systems.
“We wanted to celebrate women in agriculture. Women are often overlooked for their roles in agriculture,” said Denise Leigh, fair queen coordinator for the West Alexander Fair. “But so many are behind the scenes getting things done – from the women carrying cocoa beans on their shoulders to the women around the world who do whatever they need to do to put food on tables. In Washington County, we are no exception. Women are the unsung heroes of agriculture, and it’s important to celebrate them.”
The picture-filled exhibit is the second major event the West Alexander Fair has put together to honor women in the local agricultural community.
In May, the fair hosted a Denim and Diamonds Ladies Night Gala, which was highlighted by the inaugural presentation of the Women in Agriculture Diamond Awards, presented to farmer HP Shriver, who operates Shriver Beef Farm, and large animal veterinarian Dr. Becky Grusenmeyer.
The award recognizes local women who have made outstanding contributions and shown dedication and leadership in the agriculture community.
“I bawled when I found out I won,” said Shriver, who grew up on her parents’ Litman Dairy Farm and now operates Shriver Beef Farm. “I still get up at 5 a.m. every morning and I don’t go to bed until 10:30 p.m. or 11 p.m. at night. It wears you out, but then the alarm clock goes off and you’re still motivated to do it. I think it’s bred into you.”
Grusenmeyer, who earned her veterinary degree from the Ohio State University and spent more than 45 years in veterinary practice, was recently inducted as an honor roll member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and said the international recognition for women’s role in agriculture “is long overdue.”
She believes women “bring a gentler approach to things.”
“When I’m out delivering a calf, I have an idea what it feels like to give birth. I think men are compassionate, too, but I think women bring a gentleness and more patience to farming,” she said.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, women produce more than 50% of the world’s food – up to 80% in some regions.
Data from the Pennsylvania’s Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women shows that 35% of all agriculture producers in the commonwealth are women, and two-thirds of students at Pennsylvania State University College of Agricultural Sciences are women.
One of them is Ashlynn Mankey, the West Alexander Fair Queen who is a Penn State freshman who majors in animal science and plans to work in the field of cattle embryology.
Mankey noted that fewer than 2% of the U.S. population are farmers, and marveled at the women who play a role in the area’s farming industry.
“Serving as the 2025 West Alexander Fair Queen during the International Year of the Woman Farmer has been one of the most deeply meaningful honors of my life, allowing me to celebrate the strength, grit, and legacy of the women who feed our community,” said Mankey. “Stepping into this role at a time when women farmers are receiving this spotlight filled me with immense pride, knowing I was helping pave the way for future generations of young women in agriculture.
“They are entrepreneurs, land stewards, innovators, and community leaders … here in Pennsylvania, women in agriculture are farming smaller parcels, public lands, and conservation easements. They are leading with sustainability, resilience, and vision.”
People can view the “Honoring the Woman Farmer” exhibit for the duration of the West Alexander Fair, which runs through Sept. 12.