Vincent Knoll was toting a bag of goodies as he trooped through the Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg Saturday.

Goodies as in swag.

Freebies.

Giveaways.

The horn of plenty in these lean times may not be what it was 50 years ago, or even a few years ago, Knoll acknowledged.

But a little-recognized fact is that good bargain hunters can still hike –– or graze –– their way through the annual eye-popper in Harrisburg and score a sackful, or a bellyful, of free stuff.

Knoll had accumulated what he called "knick-knacks" –– a ruler and some ag brochures that he said might help him figure out how to farm his ground near Fort Indiantown Gap.

("It's all swamp land," Knoll confided.)

His bag wasn't exactly brimming. But then the day was young.

And the week is young.

The 96th show –– billed as the nation's largest indoor agricultural exhibition –– got underway Thursday with the unveiling of the centerpiece 1,000-pound butter sculpture depicting a young 4-H member with his prize calf.

The event opened officially Saturday as Gov. Tom Corbett invited thousands of visitors to celebrate agriculture "from farm to fork."

It resumes today at 8 a.m. with cattle and lamb shows and runs through 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14.

The free show draws some 400,000 people and features more than 6,000 animals and 10,000 competitive exhibitions.

Parking is $10.

But remember: All those ballpoints, state waterways maps, peacock feathers, fridge magnets and dashes of tangy mustard on pretzel sticks are still free.

"You've got to work for it," warned a young woman who identified herself as Tiffany from Sunbury. "But it's worth it."

Moocher jackpot

 Brenda from Delaware, a farm show first-timer, agreed.

"I got freebies in here," she said, indicating her clothlike carry bag, which she had also obtained for nothing.

Besides a coloring book that teaches kids how to safely handle food, she had gathered several Amtrak train schedules with an eye toward future rail trips.

"Junior Conductor" caps for kids were available at the railroad stand in the Main Hall.

 "We're also giving away six free round trips from Harrisburg to New York," said Mount Joy resident Dale Secker, who is a real conductor for the railroad. "People are registering" in a drawing to win.

Not far away, there was a kind of moocher jackpot.

State Department of Health staffers were handing out bottles of hand sanitizer (twice the size of last year's containers, according to one attendant).

Timothy Haas, of the Pennsylvania Migrant Education Program, stood just across the way offering magnets, key chains and brightly colored hard candy for kids.

And Sgt. Tyler Larsen, Pennsylvania Air National Guard Counterdrug Program, was stationed next door, handing out pencils and pens in between helping visitors test "fatal vision" googles that mimic the view through a drunk driver's eyes.

"People are going through [the writing implements] pretty quick," said Larsen, who was also stamping "passports" for visitors.

Just pick up one of the free passports and get it stamped at four booths to earn a carry bag.

Such stuff has a relatively long shelf life.

But you can't hoard what is arguably the most significant freebie at the Farm Show.

Food.

"Food samples," Tiffany from Sunbury said. "They're still free."

"There's a lot of food samples," confirmed Brenda from Delaware. Although it was late morning, "I haven't [had to buy] food yet."

Pockets of complimentary eats and drinks could be found throughout the Main and Expo halls.

Wine made from cranberries, for example. Hummus. Gourmet coffee. Root beer.

And that's only for starters. Over in Expo Hall, Lynn Kime, a volunteer for the Penn State Cooperative Extension, was smearing dabs of pear butter on saltine crackers.

"Just pears and sugar," he explained.

The crunchy hors d'oeuvres broaden people's palates and minds, Kime added. "I think it adds to an increased awareness" of fruit varieties.

For example, Kime said, "Everybody says, 'I've had apple butter but I've never had pear butter.' "

People lined up 30 deep to spear Hatfield Quality Meats pork products with toothpicks and pop them into their mouths.

On the strength of three decades of going to the Farm Show, Hatfield Promotion Supervisor Steven T. Clemens predicted that he and his partners will serve up at least 20,000 samples over the week.

It spreads good will. It stokes appetites for Hatfield products.

"It's not something we sell to make money," Clemens said.

Free food may be good advertising, but it's not free advertising.

Just ask Robert Hess, a Susquehanna County syrup maker who was manning a stand for the Pennsylvania Maple Syrup Producers. By 2 p.m., he estimated, the booth had served up 900 syrup samples in small paper cups.

"We'll probably give out 10 gallons over the week," he said. "If there's a crowd, it's nothing to go through a gallon a day."

A quart of the sweet decoction was selling for $16.

Maple producers were also offering tastes of maple peanuts and maple cream, which Hess described as "super-saturated syrup."

Since Hess started bringing his wares to the farm show in 1975, he said, the message that maple syrup comes from other places besides Vermont has gotten out.

"When we first started not many knew Pennsylvania made maple syrup."

Contact Sunday News staff writer Jon Rutter at jrutter@lnpnews.com.