King Buckwheat is proud of its agricultural roots in Preston County

For this year's King Buckwheat, the 82nd Preston County Buckwheat Festival will no longer just be an opportunity to compete with friends in the fair's livestock pens, but also a chance to represent his county and the agricultural industry.

Since he was ten years old, the Buckwheat Festival has been an opportunity for Connor Gibson to show off market leaders and eat buckwheat cake. Encouraged by his family and teachers, it seemed like a natural next step in his farming career to apply for the title of “King Buckwheat.”

Building on foundational experiences on his family's 750-acre farmland in Cranesville, Gibson recently founded Gibson's Livestock LLC, his own farming business, which currently consists of a British White Park cattle herd, pigs and a flock of 40 chickens.

In preparation for his reign as King Buckwheat, Gibson took it upon himself to be as authentic a King Buckwheat as possible – that is, he grew and processed his very own buckwheat crop.

He then processed the grain into flour, which he sold to his friends, family and community.

“It was definitely new. I had never really grown a plant on my own before, so it was definitely a learning experience. It was cool to see it from start to finish,” Gibson said. “I just wanted to try it out. That way, if I got King Buckwheat, I could say, ‘Hey, I did that,’ and talk to someone about it.”

His reign as King Buckwheat was a similar adventure full of new experiences and learning opportunities.

One of his most important findings? Always be ready to meet new people.

It was also a rewarding surprise to witness the tremendous impact of the Buckwheat Festival, as the fair enjoys the appreciation of not only Preston County residents, but also visitors from throughout north-central West Virginia and beyond.

“I definitely feel like I accomplished something,” Gibson said. “It was an eye-opener for me to see how well-known (the Buckwheat Festival) is not only in Preston County, but in West Virginia itself and in Maryland.”

During this week's festival, Gibson looks forward to adding more pieces to the puzzle of how the Buckwheat Festival becomes the icon of fall fun that every Preston County resident knows and loves.

“I've never really ventured out of the barns in recent years, but this year I'm going to see exactly what the Buckwheat Festival is instead of just celebrating buckwheat cakes and sausages,” Gibson said.

A senior at Preston High School, Gibson is a member of the Preston County Future Farmers of America (FFA), the National Honor Society, the National Technical Honor Society and the Preston County Livestock Association. His goal is to pursue a career as a livestock sorter or agricultural machinery mechanic.

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