December 30, 2025 • 30 mins
“Everything you always love and some great new surprises, too are all part of this year's Pennsylvania Farm Show, which takes place from January 10th through the 17th at the Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg. Join us as we chat about this year’s theme, “Growing a Nation,” and how our farmers play a vital role in feeding communities across the country.” Plan Your Visit
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, I am Sylvia Moss.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
This is in Sight, a presentation of iHeartMedia, where we
really do care about our local communities and all our
listeners who live here. Oh my gosh, my Christmas wishes
have come to I got some good news for you,
and I got a little bit of bad news. And
the good news, well, actually it's great news. In less
than a week, it's the one hundred and tenth Pennsylvania
(00:22):
Farm Show. It runs from January tenth to the seventeenth
at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg.
This year's theme is called growing a Nation. It's an
opportunity for all of us to learn how Pennsylvania farmers
play a vital role in feeding communities all across the country.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
And it's also ties in several.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Events that mark America's two hundred and fiftieth Birthday celebration.
Of course, this year you're gonna find everything you always
look forward to at the farm Show. But boy boy, wait,
all you hear what's going on here with the Scooper,
my two buddies that I count on every year.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Oh, I'm so glad. They they're the highlight of my year.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
They're gonna fill you in on the farm show, and
that's because nobody knows as much about farm show as
they do. The truly wonderful and amazing Sharon Myers worked
for almost forty years in the hospitality industry. Most of
us have come to know and admire her because for
a lot of those years, Sharon was the face of
the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, serving as
(01:17):
its executive director.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Earlier this year, Sharon was.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Appointed to the Joptin County Visitors Bureau as their president
and CEO. So that's a pretty big deal. Well, this
is going to bring me to the kind of tough
news something I hinted at the top of the program.
I just learned that our other guests who spent three
decades leaving the Pennsylvania Durings Association, Dave Smith, is going
to step away from that role and just tell me,
(01:42):
don't worry about it. It's going to take a little
time because we're looking for somebody pretty special. We get
we get to know everything that's happening this farm at
this year, at this farm show because of Sharon and Dave.
And I know Shan's going to agree with me when
I talk a little bit about that, Dave, She cheered
me on. Okay, let me tell you a little bit
about my buddy Dave. First of all, as a longtime
(02:02):
dairy farmer himself, Dave has successfully managed his own multi
generational family and dairy crop farm in Central PA, raising
heifers and farming over three hundred and fifty acres. Holy
don't Dave having been recognized as a top agricultural leader
in Pennsylvania for his impact on the state's number one industry.
And I told a lot of people about this. Dave
(02:23):
has testified before Congress about the plight of the American farmer.
He's led the Pennsylvania Daringman's Association through major grope and
modernization while serving on boards including the Pennsylvania Agriculture Discovery
Center and penn State ad Council.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
He is the creator, Has.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Crane Claimed of fame and promoter of the iconic Pennsylvania
farm show Milkshakes that We're going to talk. It's become
a signature statewide tradition. And David, I'm still waiting for
that chocolate peanut butter. If you're leaving, you pass around
the next guy. Dave drove nearly six million dollars, don't
laugh at me, and charitable support, industry programs and community
(03:01):
causes over the last ten or twelve years.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
And ective well, it's not really want to.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Here's a couple of examples of the filled Glass of
Hope campaign that everybody knows about, the Fresh Milk campaign
for neighbors in need, the Chooseberry, Choose Pennsylvania Dairy consumer
education and awareness campaign, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureaus mobile Egg
Education Lab that travels all around the schools teaching kids
about farming, the Pennsylvania Dairy Princess, I haven't seen them
(03:27):
for a while. And promotion program, the FFA, the Future
Farmers of America, and school programs, Friends of Agriculture Foundation,
and so many, so many, so many more projects. And
this is really what Dave, I tell more people about you.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
About this.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Dave led the efforts to provide over forty six million
servings of fresh milk, defeeding Pennsylvania food banks. That is amazing.
He continues to oversee the expansion of the mobile Milkshake
truck program, bringing milkshakes to events all over the state.
And I know, Dave, for as humble as you are,
you are, You're saying, so just shut up, move on.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Okay you said that, right, Am I right? Sharon, Am
I right?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, this move on?
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Okay, cool?
Speaker 4 (04:06):
When I grow up?
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Yeah, don't we all don't.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Okay, here's something I want to start with, Dave. We've
all known, uh, the rough time Pennsylvania farmers have had
over the last year. How do you think attending the
farm show is going to help them?
Speaker 1 (04:22):
What do you think?
Speaker 5 (04:23):
Well, the dairy dairy industry in Pennsylvania has has its
highs and lows, and actually, you know they have they
have some good years and uh uh, it's very interesting
to me that they are as resilient as they are
because they're they're they're there to take care of their
animals and provide some really good quality food. So we're
very fortunate about having those dairy farms in Pennsylvania. In
(04:44):
fact that Pennsylvania has the second largest number of dairy
farms in the nation right here in Pennsylvania. So, uh,
the the economy of things, it varies, and I think
are our farmers are as I said, resilient. You know,
they're they're they're going to go with the flow, They're
going to manage their operation to the best of their
abilities and persevere.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Oh that's good news because that's one of the main
issues that I've been concerned about that I even want
to get the governor in here to talk about. I
haven't been able to do yet yet. Sharon, my dear,
dear's dear Sharon. Everything's turned and we girls are taken over, right, Okay,
Now this year the farm Show is also I don't
want to say we're taking over, but they're starting to
notice that we have your hands in a whole lot
(05:24):
more than people really think.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
We do.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Talk to us about how they're honoring women as farmers
at the farm Show.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
Yeah, so this year we're going to celebrate women in
agg You know, we've known for a long time that
you know, women make about eighty percent of.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
All household decisions.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
Well, now they've determined that women grow about fifty percent
of the country's food. Actually, it's the world, it's not
just our country, and that's pretty incredible. And so with
twenty twenty six being the Year of Women in Agriculture,
the Pennsylvania Farm Show really wants to celebrate that. So
there'll be a number of educational sessions and seminars throughout
the week just different opportunities for women to showcase what
(06:00):
they've done and how much they contribute to Penslvania agriculture.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
I would imagine it's an opportunity for young women out
there to also see there are opportunities not just for
the guys. Like Dave and I have talked about in
the past, there's a lot of things that women can
do in agriculture because they've proven they can do it.
Speaker 6 (06:15):
I think that's probably one of the highlights of farm
Show is that so many people if you're if you
feel like you're disconnected from agriculture, it's simply because you
don't fully understand agriculture. There are so many jobs that
are related to agriculture that you just wouldn't think belong
you know, whether it be you know, food production, whether
it be you know it because the tractors now run
(06:37):
on you know, on computers like everything else. I mean,
there's just so many different facets of agriculture that you know,
create so many jobs, and you can learn about those
jobs at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
And what a job for the future, not just for women,
for men. Also, this is in Pennsylvania where it's such
a huge industry. If you can encourage some young person
to get into it, and it offers the same type
of jobs that a lot.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Of the other why shouldn't you do it right? Oh?
Speaker 5 (07:04):
Absolutely, Sharon's nailed it here about the careers in agriculture.
I think so many people when you talk about a
farm or agriculture, you think about the physical farm and
the livestock.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
You mean, like you're putting your wife out every morning
at like three thirty in the morning, get those get those.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Cows out there.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
So maybe some, maybe some, But but the point of
it is is that there's so many more career opportunities
outside of the farm related to production of food, and
and that's so important to all of us because you know,
we're all going to eat, and those career opportunities are
are vast. It's just as Sharon has said, it's it's
more than just that production on the farm, and there's
(07:42):
so many other opportunities.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
And there's a lot of big companies. I see a
lot of moving into Pennsylvania. What's that one it's over
in camp Hill. Uh, it was part of It wasn't
a d M. It was one of those big companies,
you know, like worldwide companies. They're moving into Pennsylvania more
so they're saying we need more people because of big
agriculture and like they biotechnology companies, they really need these kids,
(08:07):
don't they.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
Well it's great to hear that too, because there's a
lot of production of agriculture right here in Pennsylvania. But
we're so close to the food markets were the metropolitan
area is here in the northeast or we're close to
provide our food and manufacture our food, so we have
a short distance of those lose large metropolitan areas, which
(08:28):
is very important for you know, our food supply chain.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Yeah, it's awesome. Okay, guys, we have a whole lot
to talk about. Let's I want to hit the newest
stuff first. Okay, First, Aaron, right, the food court, Well
it opens. Food court opens on Friday.
Speaker 6 (08:42):
Right Friday, January nineteen, telve o'clock and parking is free.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Okay, and you anybody can come into that, right Okay.
Isn't there something going on for PA Preferred? But you
got to pay for that. That's something you got to get.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Get that.
Speaker 6 (08:52):
There's a charge for that, right, Yes, the PA Preferred
reception is Friday evening and that is where you know
the Pennsylvania. Products created across the across Pennsylvania are showcased,
whether it be you know, mushrooms, which is one of
our favorites. Yeah, you know, even to fish too, of course,
a dairy. All the great food that we produce here
in Pennsylvania will be showcased Friday night under the PEA
(09:14):
Preferred Reception Program.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Okay, now when does it?
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Doesn't Secretary of Agriculture and what day does he commit
with the governor?
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Didn't they do their thing?
Speaker 6 (09:21):
Well, it varies every year depending on schedules. Typically they
are at the reception and then we also have Public
Officials Day, which is on Wednesday. Public Officials Day is
you know, the Governor usually comes for that, the Secretary
and all the local elected.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
When's the day when they announced the isn't there a
young lady that's going to sing the national anthem?
Speaker 1 (09:38):
And everybody? It was a contest, right you did this
last couple of years us about that.
Speaker 6 (09:43):
Yeah, so it's called osay can you sing? And it's
a contest where you can actually send in a video
and they listen to you sing the national anthem because
not everybody can do that.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
It's it's such an amazing guff.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
And so then they select from the group of contestants.
They select one singer for every event, whether it be
opening ceremonies on Saturday morning, someone for the reception. They
do open every day with the national anthem each morning,
and so someone is dedicated to that. They'll have someone
(10:14):
sing a public officials day. So I think if my
account's correct, it's about twelve slots. Twelve different individuals get
to sing the national anthem during the week of farm Show.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Well, right up from David is the reason why there's
the longest line at the farm show every year, and
that's those milkshakes.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
Well, the Association has been doing milkshakes since nineteen fifty
three at the farm Show. It's really cool that some
of the things that we've done over the years to
draw some attention to the dairy industry around that, and
you mentioned them earlier. So we're happy to be there.
I think I'm just so thrilled with the people that
come back every year to help us. I think it's
(10:55):
an understated value of the people that we have there,
the volunteers and the employees that do that because the
farm show just thrives on a lot of volunteerism. And
if there was ever a study made around how many
people it took to run the Pennsylvania Farm Show, I
think people would be just amazed at that. You know,
our association alone, we have a list of nearly five
(11:20):
hundred people that are there, you know, sporadically throughout the
week to help serve milkshakes.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Well, tell us about the new milkshake. What you're doing
for this year because of our anniverse.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Yeah, So next.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
Year we have the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of
the of the United States.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
It's a big deal.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
So it's kind of interesting because we've been planning with
the Cassandra Coleman, the executive director of the America two
fifty PA Organization, for We've been scheming a little bit
for probably almost two years now about what we can
do around the farm Show to introduce the upcoming celebration,
and we came up with the idea of and first
(11:58):
of all, I want to say too that I think
it is so important to us to recognize that agriculture
was so much a part of the growth of our
nation two hundred and fifty years ago and continues to be.
So that's just a really cool aspect. It happened right
here in Pennsylvania. It started right here in Pennsylvania, which
is so impactful. We had so many people that were
(12:19):
farmers at that time, so we wanted to be part
of this celebration the association, so we partnered with America
two fifty PA and the Tourism Bureau to create a red,
white and blue milkshake flight in honor of our nation's
birth two hundred and fifty years ago. So we do
offer our red strawberry milkshake, a white vanilla milkshake, and
(12:43):
then also we've done a blue raspberry milkshake that we're
going to serve at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in addition
to our regular chocolate. So we're gonna have a lot
of fun with our milkshake flight with America two fifty
PA to kick off the gear at the farm show
with Agriculture Sure and the celebration of our nation.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
You know, you guys, that's it.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
It's the milkshake everybody talks about've been talking about for years.
But your association has other things they're selling for and
as part of the food menu at the farm show.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
Well, right, you know that the food core is a
great system that's put in place many years ago where
we have all the many of the commodity groups represented
in Pennsylvania and they sell the foods that they represent,
and our foods are obviously our milkshakes, but we do
deep fried mozzarella cheese cubes, some soft served ice cream,
and some really great grilled cheese sandwiches. So you know,
(13:37):
we're representing dairy industry and we try to put out
the best product that we can for Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Well, sharingman, we were talking a little bit before we
started this that the mushroom farms, mushrooms are this is
the mushroom capital lit right, Pennsylvania. People don't know that,
but they have some big deal things going on as
far as mushroom this year. Talk to us about that, Jeral, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
I'm very, very excited.
Speaker 6 (13:58):
And mushrooms are the leading industry in Pennsylvania agriculture industry,
or we lead the mushroom industry, I should say in Pennsylvania.
So they have two new products this year. One is
the mushroom coffee. It's very I'm very excited about it.
I'm one of those I have I have not tried
this particular brand, but I'm a mushroom coffee drinker, so
(14:19):
really excited about it. It's just lots of health benefits,
lots of antioxidants. So they're going to serve it at
farm shows.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
That was going to say, can you get that at
the farm show? I wonder can you buy it?
Speaker 6 (14:29):
Yes, they are gonna have it at farm show. And
then they're also doing a mushroom.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
It's not fajita.
Speaker 6 (14:37):
What is it called the breakfast burrito, which you'll be
able to get every morning, which is a great addition
because we definitely lack some breadth breakfast sandwiches there, so
I think that'll be very popular. And then they'll have
all their their regular you know usuals as well blended burgers.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
And oh yeah, it blows me away the way they
come up with some new menu on our item on
the menu that is a combination something in mushroom or
this mushroom, and it's really surprising and really really delicious
for those people who put their nose up at mushrooms.
Sometimes you don't even know you're eating a mushroom. It
doesn't how about a day.
Speaker 5 (15:12):
Oh extly, the mushrooms are excellent. I really enjoy I
think more people should try it.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
Londen Berger is a good start because you don't even
know for sure that you're reading it there.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Talk to me about booze. There's a competition when you
guys just jump in. They're having a competition. We're going
to showcase Pennsylvania's crafted spirits, gin things like that.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
What is this competition about?
Speaker 6 (15:35):
Yeah, So we've had wine for a long time in
the farm Show. We introduced cider a few years after,
and we then we had beer as well, and this
year will be spirits.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
There's a lot of spirits.
Speaker 6 (15:45):
Being made in Pennsylvania and we have some really good
committee members that wanted to bring it to the forefront
and so they'll be able to run their competition. It
is a competition first, there's no prizes given. They're not
allowed to sell it or anything like that. Okay, once
they get you know, it's a process. You have to
you know, display, you know, have the contest one year,
(16:08):
display one year, and then you get to sell an
icy So you can buy wine, beer and cider at
farm Show at this point, but spirits this year will
simply be on display for a contest.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
There are a couple of celebrities that are gonna be
there this year, Brian, can't you I'll mispronounce his name's sands.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
You you better talk about is it both Clary Connection? Yeah? Yeah,
Dave talked to us about that. You know about that.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
There's like Jen Heasley, she's on Cooking with the Pros
on CBS twenty one, and uh, I'm not familiar with
this gentleman, but I'm sure a lot of people are.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Brian will Tagio. Am I saying it right? He's a chef.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
I think you are saying it right, and he's on
television and he's a very popular cheft. In fact, I
have a couple of my team members that are just
excited to have him in person, and they were gonna
they want to have time off so they can go
to the Culinary Connection during the farm show to you know,
while while he's here.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Well, you know a lot of people will watch those
food channels, so I'm sure a lot of them know
all about him.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
How about it.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
I think he has a lot of groupies.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Oh is that right?
Speaker 3 (17:07):
I think he does.
Speaker 6 (17:07):
Okay, The Culinary Connection has done a good job of
getting celebrities over the past few years, and it's really
grown in popularity for sure.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
You know, we talked about how we're going to incorporate
the two hundred and fiftieth Celebration of America. They're going
to be they're going to be quite a peep quite
a number of products, food and otherwise that will demonstrate
that Sharon tell us about that.
Speaker 6 (17:32):
Yeah, So there's everything from the two fifty apron contest,
you know, to quilts Christmas tree growers are incorporating some
design elements and their wreathmaking.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Beekeepers will have something, you know.
Speaker 6 (17:45):
So we we've strongly encouraged as many of the competitive
events committees to embrace the two fifty and they're doing it.
So there'll be lots of competitions. We as the Visitors
Bureau are actually working with two fifty as well as
the Friends of Farms Show Foundation, and of course, you
know Heidis Vonovek, the executive director at the Pennsylvania Farm
(18:06):
Show Complex now to develop.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
The ag Explore app.
Speaker 6 (18:09):
The ag Explorer program has been in existence for a
very long time and it's typically you come in, you
get a map. It shows where all the learning stations
are across the complex. It's a way to navigate the
complex and learn along the way. And so this year
we're digitalizing it. We're actually we have an app. You
go in, you can click on the QR code at
any of the ag Explorer stations, download the app, and
(18:33):
as you go to each ag Exploor station, whether it
be learning about bees, learning about dairy, learning about beef whool,
you can actually it checks you in. It's geofens so
it will check you in and you then earn prizes.
Two fifty is sponsoring the first couple thousand. Anyone who
checks in at least fifteen locations will get a goodie
(18:55):
bag from America to fifty and then also Dairy Farmers
of a Mary is the larger sponsorship sponsor of the
program and they will be giving away winners at the
prizes at the end.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Of the week.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Well you have an app like that.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
You've been last time you were in to talk about
Visitors Bureau and what you're all the all the incredible
things going on here in our area. You have an
app like that that identifies is it artwork?
Speaker 4 (19:18):
Well, we do.
Speaker 6 (19:19):
It's called our Trails and Experience app, and we do
anything from you know, experience, hiking, biking, you know, there's
there's the outdoor component. We have an arts Arts District
we have a trail there, and so it was a
really good opportunity for us in my new role, to
really help UH grow the ag Exlore program because we
(19:40):
know so many people like you know, prizes and they
want to have that gamified thing on their phone. So
we were able to help create the Explorer program on
a digital version within forms shows.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Am I missing anything that's new? I'm sitting here thinking
about it. I wonder if you mentioned somebody. I mean,
there's plenty of new stuff there, but at the top
of my mind, I can't think about that. So that on, hold,
jarm are you going to say?
Speaker 4 (20:01):
I was just going to say.
Speaker 6 (20:02):
We do have the rodeo this year, which we've had
PRCA has been there for a number of years. They
are adding a Friday eleven am show this year because
attendance has been so well, so good that people were
starting to not be able to attend because they were
sold out early, and so they added an eleven am
Friday show for families, which is great. You can bring
your kids, you know, homeschoolers, that kind of thing, attend
(20:23):
the rodeo during the day and then they will still
have the Friday evening show as well.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
I love that you still have things like the little
peeps that kids can and Dave the calving corner still
have that tu us.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
But that's absolutely and it's just been breathtaking to see
the success of that. You know, we have some very
committed dairy farmers in Pennsylvania that have have allowed the
you know, to they have they have committed to bring
some pregnant cows into the farm show and if the
timing was right, there is opportunity that the people might
be able to see the birth of the CAF. The
(20:55):
miracle of the Birth of CAF been very popular. It's
been started about eight years ago, and you know, when
we first started, I really thought that we would run
out of farms, you know that would be committed enough
to do that, because it is a real commitment.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
For our farmers to do that and travel and so forth.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
And you know, to date, we continue to get new
farms involved in this because they're committed to helping to
share that miracle birth with with other people. And it's
very significant to me that they're willing to do that
and teach people and have a conversation about people about
what goes on in the farm and what happens on
(21:35):
the Farmer.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
About real life. I agree with that. That cheap the
shawl is still on, right, Sharon. It's like years ago
that sort of the farm show was no much sheep
the shaw, sheep the.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
Shaw It's very popular.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
Yeah, okay. Every year they had that was it? A
thousand pounds of butter that somebody brings in. It's but
it's not larger and it's butter.
Speaker 5 (21:59):
Every year they come up with a new a new sculpture,
and that's really cool.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
You guys don't have any idea.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Right, they don't tell anybody.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
Okay, we're hoping for two fifty, but who knows.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Oh that would be cooln't it? Wow? Wow?
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Okay, they have a mullet competition. I have no cool idea.
What what the freak? When I think of mall, I
don't think of the hair.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
Do is that that's where it is?
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Ye?
Speaker 6 (22:21):
Yeah, so we we got the idea.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Number. I think this is probably the third year.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
You're right.
Speaker 6 (22:28):
Yeah. And one of the fairs.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
Yeah uh.
Speaker 6 (22:32):
Some of the farmship leadership goes to the International Association
affairs and events and they were talking about this mullet contest,
and you know, we thought, hey, why not try it, right.
The secretary at the time was like, why are we
having a mullet contest? I said, well, you can't educate
them on agriculture unless you get them to come to
the show.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
And this is a great opportunity to get them to
come to the show.
Speaker 6 (22:53):
It's a different demographic and so we did and it
blew up.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
It was very very popular.
Speaker 6 (23:00):
I'm only I mean more contestants than we actually could track.
So yeah, it's been very very popular. And it is
I mean if you if you lived in the eighties,
you know.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
It's children and adults too, so it's a mix.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
All ages, all ages, all ages participation.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
How did they decide who has the best mullet?
Speaker 4 (23:18):
We have judges.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Maybe you could be a mullet judge something that would
be fun.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Maybe I could show up with the moment. How about that.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
I think it's open to you if you try it.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Hey, speaking about other turkeys, there's a turkey contest that
seems to be picking up speed over the last couple
of years with the young kids.
Speaker 6 (23:40):
Right, Yes, so last year the turkey showmanship competition really started.
Another one that you know, the Farmship Leader farm show
Leadership borrowed from another fair and you kind of if
you've ever watched them show swine where you have a
stick and you kind of lead them through turkeys, kind
(24:01):
of do the same thing. And so there was a
sponsor they actually give the kids a free turkey and
then and it was and then they raise it and
they come to farm show and they walk it around
and they put it in the show ring and all
those great things. And it's an opportunity I could speak
to last year. I can't speak to the participants this year,
but last year with a really great thing was a
(24:21):
number of the kids that participated were not living on farms,
were not kids that had really ever been exposed to
agriculture before. And so it's you know, it's a it's
a bird. It's small, it's not you know, you don't
need a barn for beef or you know, something larger.
So it gave these kids an opportunity to learn about
agriculture and participate in farm show in an area they
(24:42):
would not have fought.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
What happens to the turkey when it's all when they're all,
you know, everything's done, do they do they get sell
the turkey?
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Or does it what happens?
Speaker 6 (24:51):
Yeah, the top winners do go into the livestock auction.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Okay, okay, I remember when we were kids, it was
easter time in the east give remember when I don't
know if you, I'm older than you guys, but they
used to give like parents used to get these.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Little peeps, colored peeps.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
And I remember somebody gave my brother and my two
brothers and I one and my one brother he used
to try to make his fly and my but first
two died. My brother who was the wilder one of
the three of us. He had lost almost all kinds
of funds with this peep, and it got struck, getting
bigger and bigger, and my dad said, we got to
(25:26):
give this to the farmer because you know again, well
then the farmer did his number on it and brought
it back and gave it to my dad.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
Oh, my little brother cried and cried and cried like, yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
It's funny how the young kids, dave you been a
farmer for a long time. Kids get attached to the animals,
don't they shut Yeah.
Speaker 5 (25:46):
Well, you know, and that's a that's an item for
the farm show too. They do get attached and then
and the livestock sale they don't go home to the farm.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
You know, they get they get sold.
Speaker 5 (25:58):
And I have seen you know a lot of a
lot of the youth that have spent you know a
lot of time training that animal, you know, for the
showmanship contests and things like that, and they do become
attached to those animals, and it's it's a kind of
a heartfelt, you know, feeling for those folks when when
the separation happens.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Wow, well, Sharon, you know what, I know how important
agriculture is in Pennsylvania if by anyone anyone else, you
guys have taught me that. I know that the dairy
industry alone provides like close to fifty thousand jobs, right, Dave,
and generates almost twelve billion dollars of revenue for the stake.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
That's just a dairy industry, that's right.
Speaker 5 (26:37):
You know, the whole wagon industry is in over one
hundred billion dollars, but the dairy and that sector is
is huge in Pennsylvania.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
So sharing what does all this with the farm show
being here for eight days, what's going what does it
always mean to our local economy?
Speaker 4 (26:53):
Local economy?
Speaker 6 (26:54):
The Pennsylvania Farm Show generates about seventy million dollars in
economic impacts. You're talking fifty six hundred jobs. You're talking,
you know, thirty five hotels see business from the annual
farm show, thirty four thousand room nights. It's a big
deal and we appreciate being part of that because you know,
with agriculture being the number one industry in the state
(27:15):
and tourism being number two, what a great partnership. Absolutely,
and you know, again, agriculture six hundred thousand jobs in
the state, tourism about five hundred thousand. So it's a
great opportunity for us to you know, promote the state's
number one in two industry and to educate people along
the way. And we hope that people really truly understand
(27:38):
the impact. You know, there's nothing else banging on the
door to come in in January, and so you know,
every business we now have a program called placer AI
that we actually collect some data from and we know
that you know, there's one hundred and fifty plus businesses
that actually see business as a result of farm show,
people coming going, you know, gas being bought, the tax
(28:00):
revenue that's generated from people selling products, and so let's do.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
This year round.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Yeah, absolutely, every day exactly can you handle that day?
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Absolutely, we'll make it work.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Now, both of you guys have been doing this like
for years and years.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
When you think back over the years, tell me, is
there anything really hysterical now you know them all for hysteria,
anything funny over the years that you can remember that's happened,
or anything that really sticks it. Maybe it doesn't have
to be it's something that touched you.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
Something that that impactful for me was I think in
the nineties there was a blizzard that happened during the
farm show, and I think things closed down to the
point where, you know, there were some people that stayed
the farm show and nobody could get anywhere. But it
was kind of unique and very neat to see how
people stepped up to help other people in those kind
(28:52):
of environments.
Speaker 6 (28:54):
Yeah, how it sharing You were going to say something, well,
I would just say, you know, farm show in general
being you know, I've been so black for the last
twenty years. I started in sales selling the farm show
complex and then of course as the executive director, and
it's a facility that gets in your blood and it's great.
Everybody works together for the common good that no one
look thinks about themselves and I really appreciate just everybody
(29:15):
bringing it together.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
I'm so glad you guys come in. It's always wonderful.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
It's one hundred and tenth Pennsylvania Farm Show January nineteenth
to tenth of the seventeenth at the Pennsylvania Farm Show
Complex in Harrisburg. A mission is free, parkins fifteen bucks.
Where do we get more information from? About the Pennsylvania
Dairyman's Association.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
Dave Padairyman's dot com.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
And about the farm Show Sharon.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
PA farm Show Complex dot gop.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
I love you guys.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
I'm sylving them moth listening inside every Sunday on our
ten iheartstations There any time on your favorite podcast step.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Thanks so much for listening. See it at the farm
Show
Hi, I am Sylvia Moss.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
This is in Sight, a presentation of iHeartMedia, where we
really do care about our local communities and all our
listeners who live here. Oh my gosh, my Christmas wishes
have come to I got some good news for you,
and I got a little bit of bad news. And
the good news, well, actually it's great news. In less
than a week, it's the one hundred and tenth Pennsylvania
(00:22):
Farm Show. It runs from January tenth to the seventeenth
at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg.
This year's theme is called growing a Nation. It's an
opportunity for all of us to learn how Pennsylvania farmers
play a vital role in feeding communities all across the country.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
And it's also ties in several.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Events that mark America's two hundred and fiftieth Birthday celebration.
Of course, this year you're gonna find everything you always
look forward to at the farm Show. But boy boy, wait,
all you hear what's going on here with the Scooper,
my two buddies that I count on every year.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Oh, I'm so glad. They they're the highlight of my year.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
They're gonna fill you in on the farm show, and
that's because nobody knows as much about farm show as
they do. The truly wonderful and amazing Sharon Myers worked
for almost forty years in the hospitality industry. Most of
us have come to know and admire her because for
a lot of those years, Sharon was the face of
the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, serving as
(01:17):
its executive director.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Earlier this year, Sharon was.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Appointed to the Joptin County Visitors Bureau as their president
and CEO. So that's a pretty big deal. Well, this
is going to bring me to the kind of tough
news something I hinted at the top of the program.
I just learned that our other guests who spent three
decades leaving the Pennsylvania Durings Association, Dave Smith, is going
to step away from that role and just tell me,
(01:42):
don't worry about it. It's going to take a little
time because we're looking for somebody pretty special. We get
we get to know everything that's happening this farm at
this year, at this farm show because of Sharon and Dave.
And I know Shan's going to agree with me when
I talk a little bit about that, Dave, She cheered
me on. Okay, let me tell you a little bit
about my buddy Dave. First of all, as a longtime
(02:02):
dairy farmer himself, Dave has successfully managed his own multi
generational family and dairy crop farm in Central PA, raising
heifers and farming over three hundred and fifty acres. Holy
don't Dave having been recognized as a top agricultural leader
in Pennsylvania for his impact on the state's number one industry.
And I told a lot of people about this. Dave
(02:23):
has testified before Congress about the plight of the American farmer.
He's led the Pennsylvania Daringman's Association through major grope and
modernization while serving on boards including the Pennsylvania Agriculture Discovery
Center and penn State ad Council.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
He is the creator, Has.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Crane Claimed of fame and promoter of the iconic Pennsylvania
farm show Milkshakes that We're going to talk. It's become
a signature statewide tradition. And David, I'm still waiting for
that chocolate peanut butter. If you're leaving, you pass around
the next guy. Dave drove nearly six million dollars, don't
laugh at me, and charitable support, industry programs and community
(03:01):
causes over the last ten or twelve years.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
And ective well, it's not really want to.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Here's a couple of examples of the filled Glass of
Hope campaign that everybody knows about, the Fresh Milk campaign
for neighbors in need, the Chooseberry, Choose Pennsylvania Dairy consumer
education and awareness campaign, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureaus mobile Egg
Education Lab that travels all around the schools teaching kids
about farming, the Pennsylvania Dairy Princess, I haven't seen them
(03:27):
for a while. And promotion program, the FFA, the Future
Farmers of America, and school programs, Friends of Agriculture Foundation,
and so many, so many, so many more projects. And
this is really what Dave, I tell more people about you.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
About this.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Dave led the efforts to provide over forty six million
servings of fresh milk, defeeding Pennsylvania food banks. That is amazing.
He continues to oversee the expansion of the mobile Milkshake
truck program, bringing milkshakes to events all over the state.
And I know, Dave, for as humble as you are,
you are, You're saying, so just shut up, move on.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Okay you said that, right, Am I right? Sharon, Am
I right?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, this move on?
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Okay, cool?
Speaker 4 (04:06):
When I grow up?
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Yeah, don't we all don't.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Okay, here's something I want to start with, Dave. We've
all known, uh, the rough time Pennsylvania farmers have had
over the last year. How do you think attending the
farm show is going to help them?
Speaker 1 (04:22):
What do you think?
Speaker 5 (04:23):
Well, the dairy dairy industry in Pennsylvania has has its
highs and lows, and actually, you know they have they
have some good years and uh uh, it's very interesting
to me that they are as resilient as they are
because they're they're they're there to take care of their
animals and provide some really good quality food. So we're
very fortunate about having those dairy farms in Pennsylvania. In
(04:44):
fact that Pennsylvania has the second largest number of dairy
farms in the nation right here in Pennsylvania. So, uh,
the the economy of things, it varies, and I think
are our farmers are as I said, resilient. You know,
they're they're they're going to go with the flow, They're
going to manage their operation to the best of their
abilities and persevere.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Oh that's good news because that's one of the main
issues that I've been concerned about that I even want
to get the governor in here to talk about. I
haven't been able to do yet yet. Sharon, my dear,
dear's dear Sharon. Everything's turned and we girls are taken over, right, Okay,
Now this year the farm Show is also I don't
want to say we're taking over, but they're starting to
notice that we have your hands in a whole lot
(05:24):
more than people really think.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
We do.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Talk to us about how they're honoring women as farmers
at the farm Show.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
Yeah, so this year we're going to celebrate women in
agg You know, we've known for a long time that
you know, women make about eighty percent of.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
All household decisions.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
Well, now they've determined that women grow about fifty percent
of the country's food. Actually, it's the world, it's not
just our country, and that's pretty incredible. And so with
twenty twenty six being the Year of Women in Agriculture,
the Pennsylvania Farm Show really wants to celebrate that. So
there'll be a number of educational sessions and seminars throughout
the week just different opportunities for women to showcase what
(06:00):
they've done and how much they contribute to Penslvania agriculture.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
I would imagine it's an opportunity for young women out
there to also see there are opportunities not just for
the guys. Like Dave and I have talked about in
the past, there's a lot of things that women can
do in agriculture because they've proven they can do it.
Speaker 6 (06:15):
I think that's probably one of the highlights of farm
Show is that so many people if you're if you
feel like you're disconnected from agriculture, it's simply because you
don't fully understand agriculture. There are so many jobs that
are related to agriculture that you just wouldn't think belong
you know, whether it be you know, food production, whether
it be you know it because the tractors now run
(06:37):
on you know, on computers like everything else. I mean,
there's just so many different facets of agriculture that you know,
create so many jobs, and you can learn about those
jobs at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
And what a job for the future, not just for women,
for men. Also, this is in Pennsylvania where it's such
a huge industry. If you can encourage some young person
to get into it, and it offers the same type
of jobs that a lot.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Of the other why shouldn't you do it right? Oh?
Speaker 5 (07:04):
Absolutely, Sharon's nailed it here about the careers in agriculture.
I think so many people when you talk about a
farm or agriculture, you think about the physical farm and
the livestock.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
You mean, like you're putting your wife out every morning
at like three thirty in the morning, get those get those.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Cows out there.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
So maybe some, maybe some, But but the point of
it is is that there's so many more career opportunities
outside of the farm related to production of food, and
and that's so important to all of us because you know,
we're all going to eat, and those career opportunities are
are vast. It's just as Sharon has said, it's it's
more than just that production on the farm, and there's
(07:42):
so many other opportunities.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
And there's a lot of big companies. I see a
lot of moving into Pennsylvania. What's that one it's over
in camp Hill. Uh, it was part of It wasn't
a d M. It was one of those big companies,
you know, like worldwide companies. They're moving into Pennsylvania more
so they're saying we need more people because of big
agriculture and like they biotechnology companies, they really need these kids,
(08:07):
don't they.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
Well it's great to hear that too, because there's a
lot of production of agriculture right here in Pennsylvania. But
we're so close to the food markets were the metropolitan
area is here in the northeast or we're close to
provide our food and manufacture our food, so we have
a short distance of those lose large metropolitan areas, which
(08:28):
is very important for you know, our food supply chain.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Yeah, it's awesome. Okay, guys, we have a whole lot
to talk about. Let's I want to hit the newest
stuff first. Okay, First, Aaron, right, the food court, Well
it opens. Food court opens on Friday.
Speaker 6 (08:42):
Right Friday, January nineteen, telve o'clock and parking is free.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Okay, and you anybody can come into that, right Okay.
Isn't there something going on for PA Preferred? But you
got to pay for that. That's something you got to get.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Get that.
Speaker 6 (08:52):
There's a charge for that, right, Yes, the PA Preferred
reception is Friday evening and that is where you know
the Pennsylvania. Products created across the across Pennsylvania are showcased,
whether it be you know, mushrooms, which is one of
our favorites. Yeah, you know, even to fish too, of course,
a dairy. All the great food that we produce here
in Pennsylvania will be showcased Friday night under the PEA
(09:14):
Preferred Reception Program.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Okay, now when does it?
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Doesn't Secretary of Agriculture and what day does he commit
with the governor?
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Didn't they do their thing?
Speaker 6 (09:21):
Well, it varies every year depending on schedules. Typically they
are at the reception and then we also have Public
Officials Day, which is on Wednesday. Public Officials Day is
you know, the Governor usually comes for that, the Secretary
and all the local elected.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
When's the day when they announced the isn't there a
young lady that's going to sing the national anthem?
Speaker 1 (09:38):
And everybody? It was a contest, right you did this
last couple of years us about that.
Speaker 6 (09:43):
Yeah, so it's called osay can you sing? And it's
a contest where you can actually send in a video
and they listen to you sing the national anthem because
not everybody can do that.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
It's it's such an amazing guff.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
And so then they select from the group of contestants.
They select one singer for every event, whether it be
opening ceremonies on Saturday morning, someone for the reception. They
do open every day with the national anthem each morning,
and so someone is dedicated to that. They'll have someone
(10:14):
sing a public officials day. So I think if my
account's correct, it's about twelve slots. Twelve different individuals get
to sing the national anthem during the week of farm Show.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Well, right up from David is the reason why there's
the longest line at the farm show every year, and
that's those milkshakes.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
Well, the Association has been doing milkshakes since nineteen fifty
three at the farm Show. It's really cool that some
of the things that we've done over the years to
draw some attention to the dairy industry around that, and
you mentioned them earlier. So we're happy to be there.
I think I'm just so thrilled with the people that
come back every year to help us. I think it's
(10:55):
an understated value of the people that we have there,
the volunteers and the employees that do that because the
farm show just thrives on a lot of volunteerism. And
if there was ever a study made around how many
people it took to run the Pennsylvania Farm Show, I
think people would be just amazed at that. You know,
our association alone, we have a list of nearly five
(11:20):
hundred people that are there, you know, sporadically throughout the
week to help serve milkshakes.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Well, tell us about the new milkshake. What you're doing
for this year because of our anniverse.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Yeah, So next.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
Year we have the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of
the of the United States.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
It's a big deal.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
So it's kind of interesting because we've been planning with
the Cassandra Coleman, the executive director of the America two
fifty PA Organization, for We've been scheming a little bit
for probably almost two years now about what we can
do around the farm Show to introduce the upcoming celebration,
and we came up with the idea of and first
(11:58):
of all, I want to say too that I think
it is so important to us to recognize that agriculture
was so much a part of the growth of our
nation two hundred and fifty years ago and continues to be.
So that's just a really cool aspect. It happened right
here in Pennsylvania. It started right here in Pennsylvania, which
is so impactful. We had so many people that were
(12:19):
farmers at that time, so we wanted to be part
of this celebration the association, so we partnered with America
two fifty PA and the Tourism Bureau to create a red,
white and blue milkshake flight in honor of our nation's
birth two hundred and fifty years ago. So we do
offer our red strawberry milkshake, a white vanilla milkshake, and
(12:43):
then also we've done a blue raspberry milkshake that we're
going to serve at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in addition
to our regular chocolate. So we're gonna have a lot
of fun with our milkshake flight with America two fifty
PA to kick off the gear at the farm show
with Agriculture Sure and the celebration of our nation.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
You know, you guys, that's it.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
It's the milkshake everybody talks about've been talking about for years.
But your association has other things they're selling for and
as part of the food menu at the farm show.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
Well, right, you know that the food core is a
great system that's put in place many years ago where
we have all the many of the commodity groups represented
in Pennsylvania and they sell the foods that they represent,
and our foods are obviously our milkshakes, but we do
deep fried mozzarella cheese cubes, some soft served ice cream,
and some really great grilled cheese sandwiches. So you know,
(13:37):
we're representing dairy industry and we try to put out
the best product that we can for Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Well, sharingman, we were talking a little bit before we
started this that the mushroom farms, mushrooms are this is
the mushroom capital lit right, Pennsylvania. People don't know that,
but they have some big deal things going on as
far as mushroom this year. Talk to us about that, Jeral, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
I'm very, very excited.
Speaker 6 (13:58):
And mushrooms are the leading industry in Pennsylvania agriculture industry,
or we lead the mushroom industry, I should say in Pennsylvania.
So they have two new products this year. One is
the mushroom coffee. It's very I'm very excited about it.
I'm one of those I have I have not tried
this particular brand, but I'm a mushroom coffee drinker, so
(14:19):
really excited about it. It's just lots of health benefits,
lots of antioxidants. So they're going to serve it at
farm shows.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
That was going to say, can you get that at
the farm show? I wonder can you buy it?
Speaker 6 (14:29):
Yes, they are gonna have it at farm show. And
then they're also doing a mushroom.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
It's not fajita.
Speaker 6 (14:37):
What is it called the breakfast burrito, which you'll be
able to get every morning, which is a great addition
because we definitely lack some breadth breakfast sandwiches there, so
I think that'll be very popular. And then they'll have
all their their regular you know usuals as well blended burgers.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
And oh yeah, it blows me away the way they
come up with some new menu on our item on
the menu that is a combination something in mushroom or
this mushroom, and it's really surprising and really really delicious
for those people who put their nose up at mushrooms.
Sometimes you don't even know you're eating a mushroom. It
doesn't how about a day.
Speaker 5 (15:12):
Oh extly, the mushrooms are excellent. I really enjoy I
think more people should try it.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
Londen Berger is a good start because you don't even
know for sure that you're reading it there.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Talk to me about booze. There's a competition when you
guys just jump in. They're having a competition. We're going
to showcase Pennsylvania's crafted spirits, gin things like that.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
What is this competition about?
Speaker 6 (15:35):
Yeah, So we've had wine for a long time in
the farm Show. We introduced cider a few years after,
and we then we had beer as well, and this
year will be spirits.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
There's a lot of spirits.
Speaker 6 (15:45):
Being made in Pennsylvania and we have some really good
committee members that wanted to bring it to the forefront
and so they'll be able to run their competition. It
is a competition first, there's no prizes given. They're not
allowed to sell it or anything like that. Okay, once
they get you know, it's a process. You have to
you know, display, you know, have the contest one year,
(16:08):
display one year, and then you get to sell an
icy So you can buy wine, beer and cider at
farm Show at this point, but spirits this year will
simply be on display for a contest.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
There are a couple of celebrities that are gonna be
there this year, Brian, can't you I'll mispronounce his name's sands.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
You you better talk about is it both Clary Connection? Yeah? Yeah,
Dave talked to us about that. You know about that.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
There's like Jen Heasley, she's on Cooking with the Pros
on CBS twenty one, and uh, I'm not familiar with
this gentleman, but I'm sure a lot of people are.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Brian will Tagio. Am I saying it right? He's a chef.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
I think you are saying it right, and he's on
television and he's a very popular cheft. In fact, I
have a couple of my team members that are just
excited to have him in person, and they were gonna
they want to have time off so they can go
to the Culinary Connection during the farm show to you know,
while while he's here.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Well, you know a lot of people will watch those
food channels, so I'm sure a lot of them know
all about him.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
How about it.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
I think he has a lot of groupies.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Oh is that right?
Speaker 3 (17:07):
I think he does.
Speaker 6 (17:07):
Okay, The Culinary Connection has done a good job of
getting celebrities over the past few years, and it's really
grown in popularity for sure.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
You know, we talked about how we're going to incorporate
the two hundred and fiftieth Celebration of America. They're going
to be they're going to be quite a peep quite
a number of products, food and otherwise that will demonstrate
that Sharon tell us about that.
Speaker 6 (17:32):
Yeah, So there's everything from the two fifty apron contest,
you know, to quilts Christmas tree growers are incorporating some
design elements and their wreathmaking.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Beekeepers will have something, you know.
Speaker 6 (17:45):
So we we've strongly encouraged as many of the competitive
events committees to embrace the two fifty and they're doing it.
So there'll be lots of competitions. We as the Visitors
Bureau are actually working with two fifty as well as
the Friends of Farms Show Foundation, and of course, you
know Heidis Vonovek, the executive director at the Pennsylvania Farm
(18:06):
Show Complex now to develop.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
The ag Explore app.
Speaker 6 (18:09):
The ag Explorer program has been in existence for a
very long time and it's typically you come in, you
get a map. It shows where all the learning stations
are across the complex. It's a way to navigate the
complex and learn along the way. And so this year
we're digitalizing it. We're actually we have an app. You
go in, you can click on the QR code at
any of the ag Explorer stations, download the app, and
(18:33):
as you go to each ag Exploor station, whether it
be learning about bees, learning about dairy, learning about beef whool,
you can actually it checks you in. It's geofens so
it will check you in and you then earn prizes.
Two fifty is sponsoring the first couple thousand. Anyone who
checks in at least fifteen locations will get a goodie
(18:55):
bag from America to fifty and then also Dairy Farmers
of a Mary is the larger sponsorship sponsor of the
program and they will be giving away winners at the
prizes at the end.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Of the week.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Well you have an app like that.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
You've been last time you were in to talk about
Visitors Bureau and what you're all the all the incredible
things going on here in our area. You have an
app like that that identifies is it artwork?
Speaker 4 (19:18):
Well, we do.
Speaker 6 (19:19):
It's called our Trails and Experience app, and we do
anything from you know, experience, hiking, biking, you know, there's
there's the outdoor component. We have an arts Arts District
we have a trail there, and so it was a
really good opportunity for us in my new role, to
really help UH grow the ag Exlore program because we
(19:40):
know so many people like you know, prizes and they
want to have that gamified thing on their phone. So
we were able to help create the Explorer program on
a digital version within forms shows.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Am I missing anything that's new? I'm sitting here thinking
about it. I wonder if you mentioned somebody. I mean,
there's plenty of new stuff there, but at the top
of my mind, I can't think about that. So that on, hold,
jarm are you going to say?
Speaker 4 (20:01):
I was just going to say.
Speaker 6 (20:02):
We do have the rodeo this year, which we've had
PRCA has been there for a number of years. They
are adding a Friday eleven am show this year because
attendance has been so well, so good that people were
starting to not be able to attend because they were
sold out early, and so they added an eleven am
Friday show for families, which is great. You can bring
your kids, you know, homeschoolers, that kind of thing, attend
(20:23):
the rodeo during the day and then they will still
have the Friday evening show as well.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
I love that you still have things like the little
peeps that kids can and Dave the calving corner still
have that tu us.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
But that's absolutely and it's just been breathtaking to see
the success of that. You know, we have some very
committed dairy farmers in Pennsylvania that have have allowed the
you know, to they have they have committed to bring
some pregnant cows into the farm show and if the
timing was right, there is opportunity that the people might
be able to see the birth of the CAF. The
(20:55):
miracle of the Birth of CAF been very popular. It's
been started about eight years ago, and you know, when
we first started, I really thought that we would run
out of farms, you know that would be committed enough
to do that, because it is a real commitment.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
For our farmers to do that and travel and so forth.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
And you know, to date, we continue to get new
farms involved in this because they're committed to helping to
share that miracle birth with with other people. And it's
very significant to me that they're willing to do that
and teach people and have a conversation about people about
what goes on in the farm and what happens on
(21:35):
the Farmer.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
About real life. I agree with that. That cheap the
shawl is still on, right, Sharon. It's like years ago
that sort of the farm show was no much sheep
the shaw, sheep the.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
Shaw It's very popular.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
Yeah, okay. Every year they had that was it? A
thousand pounds of butter that somebody brings in. It's but
it's not larger and it's butter.
Speaker 5 (21:59):
Every year they come up with a new a new sculpture,
and that's really cool.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
You guys don't have any idea.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Right, they don't tell anybody.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
Okay, we're hoping for two fifty, but who knows.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Oh that would be cooln't it? Wow? Wow?
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Okay, they have a mullet competition. I have no cool idea.
What what the freak? When I think of mall, I
don't think of the hair.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
Do is that that's where it is?
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Ye?
Speaker 6 (22:21):
Yeah, so we we got the idea.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Number. I think this is probably the third year.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
You're right.
Speaker 6 (22:28):
Yeah. And one of the fairs.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
Yeah uh.
Speaker 6 (22:32):
Some of the farmship leadership goes to the International Association
affairs and events and they were talking about this mullet contest,
and you know, we thought, hey, why not try it, right.
The secretary at the time was like, why are we
having a mullet contest? I said, well, you can't educate
them on agriculture unless you get them to come to
the show.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
And this is a great opportunity to get them to
come to the show.
Speaker 6 (22:53):
It's a different demographic and so we did and it
blew up.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
It was very very popular.
Speaker 6 (23:00):
I'm only I mean more contestants than we actually could track.
So yeah, it's been very very popular. And it is
I mean if you if you lived in the eighties,
you know.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
It's children and adults too, so it's a mix.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
All ages, all ages, all ages participation.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
How did they decide who has the best mullet?
Speaker 4 (23:18):
We have judges.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Maybe you could be a mullet judge something that would
be fun.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Maybe I could show up with the moment. How about that.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
I think it's open to you if you try it.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Hey, speaking about other turkeys, there's a turkey contest that
seems to be picking up speed over the last couple
of years with the young kids.
Speaker 6 (23:40):
Right, Yes, so last year the turkey showmanship competition really started.
Another one that you know, the Farmship Leader farm show
Leadership borrowed from another fair and you kind of if
you've ever watched them show swine where you have a
stick and you kind of lead them through turkeys, kind
(24:01):
of do the same thing. And so there was a
sponsor they actually give the kids a free turkey and
then and it was and then they raise it and
they come to farm show and they walk it around
and they put it in the show ring and all
those great things. And it's an opportunity I could speak
to last year. I can't speak to the participants this year,
but last year with a really great thing was a
(24:21):
number of the kids that participated were not living on farms,
were not kids that had really ever been exposed to
agriculture before. And so it's you know, it's a it's
a bird. It's small, it's not you know, you don't
need a barn for beef or you know, something larger.
So it gave these kids an opportunity to learn about
agriculture and participate in farm show in an area they
(24:42):
would not have fought.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
What happens to the turkey when it's all when they're all,
you know, everything's done, do they do they get sell
the turkey?
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Or does it what happens?
Speaker 6 (24:51):
Yeah, the top winners do go into the livestock auction.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Okay, okay, I remember when we were kids, it was
easter time in the east give remember when I don't
know if you, I'm older than you guys, but they
used to give like parents used to get these.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Little peeps, colored peeps.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
And I remember somebody gave my brother and my two
brothers and I one and my one brother he used
to try to make his fly and my but first
two died. My brother who was the wilder one of
the three of us. He had lost almost all kinds
of funds with this peep, and it got struck, getting
bigger and bigger, and my dad said, we got to
(25:26):
give this to the farmer because you know again, well
then the farmer did his number on it and brought
it back and gave it to my dad.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
Oh, my little brother cried and cried and cried like, yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
It's funny how the young kids, dave you been a
farmer for a long time. Kids get attached to the animals,
don't they shut Yeah.
Speaker 5 (25:46):
Well, you know, and that's a that's an item for
the farm show too. They do get attached and then
and the livestock sale they don't go home to the farm.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
You know, they get they get sold.
Speaker 5 (25:58):
And I have seen you know a lot of a
lot of the youth that have spent you know a
lot of time training that animal, you know, for the
showmanship contests and things like that, and they do become
attached to those animals, and it's it's a kind of
a heartfelt, you know, feeling for those folks when when
the separation happens.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Wow, well, Sharon, you know what, I know how important
agriculture is in Pennsylvania if by anyone anyone else, you
guys have taught me that. I know that the dairy
industry alone provides like close to fifty thousand jobs, right, Dave,
and generates almost twelve billion dollars of revenue for the stake.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
That's just a dairy industry, that's right.
Speaker 5 (26:37):
You know, the whole wagon industry is in over one
hundred billion dollars, but the dairy and that sector is
is huge in Pennsylvania.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
So sharing what does all this with the farm show
being here for eight days, what's going what does it
always mean to our local economy?
Speaker 4 (26:53):
Local economy?
Speaker 6 (26:54):
The Pennsylvania Farm Show generates about seventy million dollars in
economic impacts. You're talking fifty six hundred jobs. You're talking,
you know, thirty five hotels see business from the annual
farm show, thirty four thousand room nights. It's a big
deal and we appreciate being part of that because you know,
with agriculture being the number one industry in the state
(27:15):
and tourism being number two, what a great partnership. Absolutely,
and you know, again, agriculture six hundred thousand jobs in
the state, tourism about five hundred thousand. So it's a
great opportunity for us to you know, promote the state's
number one in two industry and to educate people along
the way. And we hope that people really truly understand
(27:38):
the impact. You know, there's nothing else banging on the
door to come in in January, and so you know,
every business we now have a program called placer AI
that we actually collect some data from and we know
that you know, there's one hundred and fifty plus businesses
that actually see business as a result of farm show,
people coming going, you know, gas being bought, the tax
(28:00):
revenue that's generated from people selling products, and so let's do.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
This year round.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Yeah, absolutely, every day exactly can you handle that day?
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Absolutely, we'll make it work.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Now, both of you guys have been doing this like
for years and years.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
When you think back over the years, tell me, is
there anything really hysterical now you know them all for hysteria,
anything funny over the years that you can remember that's happened,
or anything that really sticks it. Maybe it doesn't have
to be it's something that touched you.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
Something that that impactful for me was I think in
the nineties there was a blizzard that happened during the
farm show, and I think things closed down to the
point where, you know, there were some people that stayed
the farm show and nobody could get anywhere. But it
was kind of unique and very neat to see how
people stepped up to help other people in those kind
(28:52):
of environments.
Speaker 6 (28:54):
Yeah, how it sharing You were going to say something, well,
I would just say, you know, farm show in general
being you know, I've been so black for the last
twenty years. I started in sales selling the farm show
complex and then of course as the executive director, and
it's a facility that gets in your blood and it's great.
Everybody works together for the common good that no one
look thinks about themselves and I really appreciate just everybody
(29:15):
bringing it together.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
I'm so glad you guys come in. It's always wonderful.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
It's one hundred and tenth Pennsylvania Farm Show January nineteenth
to tenth of the seventeenth at the Pennsylvania Farm Show
Complex in Harrisburg. A mission is free, parkins fifteen bucks.
Where do we get more information from? About the Pennsylvania
Dairyman's Association.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
Dave Padairyman's dot com.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
And about the farm Show Sharon.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
PA farm Show Complex dot gop.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
I love you guys.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
I'm sylving them moth listening inside every Sunday on our
ten iheartstations There any time on your favorite podcast step.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Thanks so much for listening. See it at the farm
Show
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