CONNOQUENESSING TWP - At the Butler Farm Show, there are lots of items so fresh their smells fill the buildings. But there also are a number of old collectibles.

The American Heritage Showcase near the state police building has about 90 exhibitors of items that show the evolution of Pennsylvania lifestyle. Oren Hutchinson, chairman, started the showcase in 1983 with his own collection.

"There were too many things ending up in the trash," he said. The antiques deserved admiration, not the garbage can, he said.

He's kept up his collection that has spread out of his house and into his airplane hanger. The number of exhibitors has grown also.

Last year he had more than 70 tractors on display, he said.

His oldest item, he estimated, is a corn sheller dating from the 1890s. The upright model is about 30 inches off the ground and is all wooden except for the gears. An ear of corn is placed in the arm, the user turns the crank, and the kernels of corn are stripped from the cob into a bucket.

Each day visitors to the Farm Show can spend an hour or a day looking at antiques, fresh garden vegetables or just-baked cakes.

This year, Hutchinson may even have a demonstration of thrashing done by hand. People of all ages enjoy the thrashing demonstration he said; younger children ask questions and older people tell him something he didn't know.

Jim Lokhaiser, a spokesman for the farm show, said the 57th annual event can be fun for everyone.

"It's more of a family-oriented show," he said. "You'll see families with strollers walking and looking."

The day before opening, the farm show accepts exhibits and livestock, getting everything ready for Monday of show week.

On Thursday of that week, 4-H and FFA clubs auction off the market animals to raise money. At the 2004 show, clubs raised more than $111,000.

Other auctions, such as the baked good auction Monday evening, continue through the weekend.

"We have a great display of exhibitors," he said.

Judging is done Monday for most items in the 6,000 classes. However, not all classes are entered. With 78 classes of chickens, a single farmer might be the only one to enter a Sicilian Buttercup, but there's sure to be lots of apple pies in the Blue Ribbon contest.

In addition to nightly shows in the arena and pavilion, J&J Amusements is providing amusement rides for entertainment.

The farm show decided to keep the one-price schedule for the show instead of splitting the cost of admittance and rides. Admission is $6 Monday and $7 Tuesday through Saturday.