Sollenberger Vies for Queen Crown

Ashley Sollenberger, the 20-year-old daughter of Eric and Jamie Sollenberger of Curryville, hopes to win the title of the 2024-25 Williamsburg Farm Show Queen. 

She has an older sister, Lily, and two younger brothers – Levi and Reed. Sollenberger has lived and worked on her family's dairy farm her whole life, and continues to help out there when she's not at work. Sollenberger is currently employed at Renaissance Nutrition in Roaring Spring, working in the warehouse – loading and unloading trucks that deliver products throughout the United States. Sollenberger plans to return to the family farm and help expand the business. 

When asked about her favorite part of the Farm Show, Sollenberger said, "All the hard work put in by our members on their exhibits whether it is with animals or an art piece."

Some of her other favorite things include the song, "The Poet" by Ryan Bingham, the movie, "Tombstone" and the TV show, "Yellowstone." 

Sollenberger hopes to implement a greater outreach with the community if she is crowned and motivate the younger generation with agriculture. If crowned, she is looking forward to connecting with surrounding communities and sharing her love of all things agriculture.

For Sollenberger, the key word of the Williamsburg Community Farm Show is community. The fair provides a week of fun and good times for those who attend, not only locals but those from surrounding areas as well. It's an event for family and friends to gather and enjoy time away from work and school Sollenberger said. "To me, the Farm Show is a time to celebrate the agriculture industry. With agriculture being such a big part of my life, I think it's important to carry on that tradition and connect with others to help keep the industry alive by educating and showcasing what we are most proud of."

"All exhibitors, whether it's showing animals, crops, or equipment put a lot of time into making their exhibits the best that they can be and I feel like I speak for most when I say that it's very admirable to see the level of care and pride that the exhibitors take when at the fair," she says.

"As an older running candidate in the Fair Queen competition, I hope to inspire the younger generation of farmers, animal lovers, and young agriculturalists to be an advocate for the slowly fading industry that has made my life what it is today," Sollenberger says.