PHILADELPHIA — The Pennsylvania Farm Show is celebrating its 100th show this year and dairy — the Commonwealth’s No. 1 agriculture industry — will share the spotlight through various displays and partnerships sponsored by Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program.
At the Farm-to-Shelf exhibit in the Weis Expo Hall, visitors can talk with farmers and learn how the food they purchase is grown, harvested, sourced and then sold at local grocery stores.
The exhibit portrays the journey of four commodities, including dairy, pork, apples and potatoes, from farm to grocery store shelf. Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association has partnered with the PA Dairymen’s Association and the Center for Dairy Excellence to sponsor the dairy exhibit, which will include a live cow and calf and a demonstration robotic milking system
Dairy farmers and industry representatives will be volunteering their time to talk with Farm Show guests about how dairy farmers care for their animals and the many steps taken to produce milk.
Milking parlor
Activities in the North Hall (dairy barn) will include milking parlor demonstrations and a learning station activity hosted by Pennsylvania Dairy Princess and Promotion Services.
Guests at the dairy-sponsored Ag Explorers learning station will learn why breakfast is the most important meal of the day through an interactive, hands-on activity that will focus on milk and other dairy foods.
A special giveaway will be provided to children who participate in the activity. At the milking parlor, dairy farmers will be on hand at scheduled times throughout the show to describe the milking process and answer questions from show visitors.
Culinary connection
Recipes from The Dairy Good Cookbook: Everyday Comfort Food from America’s Dairy Farm Families, will be featured at the PA Preferred Culinary Connection Stage during Dairy Day on Jan. 16.
Pennsylvania dairy farmers Diane Hoover, of Lebanon, Rita Kennedy, of Valencia, and Raechel Kilgore-Sattazahn and Betsy Sattazahn, both of Womelsdorf — whose recipes are included in the cookbook — will join Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association staff on stage at 11 a.m. to prepare their culinary creations.
Samples of the recipes will be provided, and guests will have the opportunity to win a free copy of the cookbook. The recipes also will be featured in the Culinary Connection recipe booklet available to all attending.
Ice cream scoop-off
This program, held Jan. 16 at 12:30 p.m., is the capstone celebration of the 100th show and the culminating event of the Penn State Berkey Creamery’s 150th anniversary year.
Visitors will have the opportunity to sample the new “Birthday Bash” ice cream flavor and learn about the creamery’s history.
Cheese competition
Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association also has partnered with Penn State University to sponsor the second annual cheese competition, featuring locally made cheeses.
Butter sculpture. Renowned husband and wife sculptors Jim Victor and Marie Pelton return this year to create the 1,000-pound sculpture.
