Join the Assembly Line
Take Home the Local Favor
Day One
Morning: Here's a twist on traditional manufacturing tours: No recreations. No actors. No animatronic figures handling ingredients. No dull slideshows depicting static conveyor belts. At the Herr's Snack Factory Tour, it's the real-deal crew zipping out thousands of crispy pretzels, perfect chips and savory tortilla snacks. Best of all: Yup, there are samples on this tastiest tour in town.
Afternoon: The original Bauman family apple cider press was purchased in 1892 and was powered by a steam engine. The apple butter recipe was from his wife, hearkening back to her original German roots (the product was called "lattwaerrick"). The process has changed over the decades, but not the Bauman family's commitment to quality. See the cooking, cooling and jarring of apple butter today at the tour of Bauman's Family PA Dutch Fruit Butters and Ciders.
Day Two
Morning: QVC Studio Park is a one-of-a-kind guided walking tour through the fantastic world of multimedia retailing and live television. At this state-of-the-art broadcasting facility, guests will see and experience how products are sourced, tested, brought to life on air, and delivered to millions of QVC customers. The 58,000 square feet of studio space can be viewed from the Observation Deck, where visitors can watch QVC programs in progress and may even catch a glimpse of a favorite host or guest!
Afternoon: Combine learning with licking at Chester Springs Creamery at Milky Way Farms. Watch robotic milking machines in action and then dig into the resulting ice cream made on the premises. The Matthews family, in charge of the farm since 1902, names its flavors for the cows that help produce them, so be prepared to spoon your way into "moo-licious" servings of Cleo's coconut, Rosie's rainbow sprinkle cake or Claire's cookies ‘n' cream.
Evening: Embark on the juicy journey of wine-making at Boyd's Cardinal Hollow Winery. The wine educational classes demonstrate the growing, harvesting and processing of grapes, showing the symbiotic relationship between vine and vintner. Then, it's on to the tasting, where you'll learn the finer art of detecting bouquets and flavor infusions... including jalapeño.
Day Three
Morning: The oldest continuously family owned and operated candy making company in the U.S., Asher's Chocolates offers a wide selection of chocolates and other confections from Pecan Caramel Patties to its award-winning Chocolate Covered Pretzels and creamy fudge. The retail store has plenty of samples to try, and you can save some serious (chocolate) coin by picking up bags of "broken" candies.
Late Morning: The cherub-like faces of the Carolers and Kindles created by the artisans at Byers' Choice are the perfect reason to schedule a visit. The Christmas Museum gives you a chance to experience these adorable figurines in a variety of seasonal settings, as well as watch for yourself the craftsmanship and care that go into their creation.
Afternoon: Edward-Freeman Nut Company was established back in the fall of 1899, by the American Peanut Corp. of Suffolk VA, to process and distribute Virginia-grown peanuts. Several years later, it became one of the nation's leading peanut butter manufacturers. In fact, its Old Dominion peanut butter trademark of 1905 is considered to be the oldest registered product in the industry. Visit this turn-of-the-20th-century outlet store and watch the process that results in tasty peanut, almond and cashew butters. Then browse the shelves for candies that will bring you back to your childhood in all its sweetness.
