The new “Destination Dairy” Northeast Hall will be unveiled during the 2020 Pennsylvania Farm Show from January 4-11 in Harrisburg, Pa. Destination Dairy will feature the Calving Corner as the cornerstone exhibit, giving Farm Show visitors the opportunity to witness the dairy birthing process.
Destination Dairy will also include interactive, family-friendly learning stations, including activities centered around dairy nutrition, animal care, shopping locally, and more. Families can participate in dairy trivia and enjoy skits and stories told by Pennsylvania dairy princesses on the Destination Dairy stage.
“Our goal with Destination Dairy is to give Farm Show visitors a firsthand look at the quality and care that goes into Pennsylvania dairy,” said Miriam Miller, project manager for the Calving Corner. “The hands-on learning stations will highlight the entire process from the dairy farm to the grocery store, so families can walk away with a true understanding of where their milk comes from.”
Pennsylvania is home to 6,200 dairy farm families, nearly 40 dairy processing companies, and a wide array of small-scale dairy creameries and artisan cheese makers. Ninety-nine percent of all dairy farms in Pennsylvania are family owned. The Destination Dairy exhibit hall will highlight several of the state’s dairy farm families and share the impact Pennsylvania dairy is making on local communities and the state’s economy.
Pennsylvania dairy princesses and dairy industry volunteers will be available to guide families through the Destination Dairy learning stations and answer questions about the Pennsylvania dairy industry.
“Families that visit the Destination Dairy hall and Calving Corner exhibit will have the opportunity to interact with local dairy farmers, veterinarians, nutritionists, and industry representatives that are volunteering their time and animals to share one of the many miracles of modern animal agriculture,” said Miller. “It’s an exciting, educational experience for the entire family.”
In the Destination Dairy Northeast Hall, cows representing four farms within one hour of Harrisburg will calve on site during the entire length of the Farm Show. Farms include Yippee! Farms owned by Arlin and Deborah Benner of Mount Joy, Pa.; Meadow Spring Farm owned by Tom and Andy Bollinger of Lititz, Pa., Meadow Wood Farms owned by Dave, Bob and Tom Bomberger of Lebanon, Pa.; and Franklin View Farms owned by Jim, Nelson and Aaron Breneman of Washington Boro, Pa.
Destination Dairy and the Calving Corner are made possible by the Friends of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania, American Dairy Association North East, Center for Dairy Excellence, Northeast Agricultural Education Foundation, Inc., Mid-Atlantic/AgChoice Farm Credit, Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement, Land O’Lakes Foundation, Allied Milk Producers, and additional dairy organizations with support from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
To learn more about Destination Dairy, contact Miriam Miller at [email protected].
The Calving Corner is the cornerstone exhibit in the “Destination Dairy” Northeast Exhibit Hall, Pennsylvania dairy industry’s showcase at the 2020 Pennsylvania Farm Show with hands-on, educational learning activities and fun interactive stations for children and the entire family, along with the cows and newborn calves from local family dairy farms. The Calving Corner is made possible by the Friends of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania, American Dairy Association North East, Center for Dairy Excellence, Northeast Agricultural Education Foundation, Inc., Mid-Atlantic/AgChoice Farm Credit, Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement, Land O’Lakes Foundation, Allied Milk Producers, and additional dairy organizations with support from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Visit facebook.com/thecalvingcorner for more information.