December 16, 2024 • 30 mins
"Find out all the ways that agriculture empowers our daily lives and makes us a national leader. It's a preview of th109th Pennsylvania Farm Show running January 4th through the 11th." https://www.pa.gov/agencies/farmshow/pa-farm-show.html
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I am Sylvia Moss. This is Insight, a presentation of iHeartMedia,
where we really do care about our local communities and
all our listeners who Livepear. This is my absolutely, positively
favorite time of the year, not just because of Christmas
or New Year's or even my birthday. But you didn't
know that it's my favorite time of the year because
(00:20):
two of my very favorite buddies are here. Who are
these buddies, you ask, Well, right here in front of
me Sharon Meyer. She's the executive director of the Pennsylvania
Farm Show and ExpoCenter Dave Smith, the executive director of
the Pennsylvania Dairymen's Association. Sharon and da we are here
to share all the details about the one hundred and
night Pennsylvania Farm Show, which runs in just a couple
(00:41):
of weeks. It starts January fourth, and it runs through
January the eleventh. You know it started back in nineteen
seventeen as Pennsylvania State, The Pennsylvania Farm Show has become
the largest indoor agricultural event in the whole country. Did
you know what attracts over a half a million visitors
each year? Holy donut? After all these years, it's still
free which Jerryman David will tell you it's ugly awesome.
(01:05):
How's out there? You like that one? I like what
you did there, So thank you, thank you. If you've
been to the Pennsylvania Farm Show, you know what all
the excitements about hundreds of your favorite vendors, thousands of
amazing exhibitors, and with every annual farm Show event, plenty
of hey guess what's new? Sharon and Day, we're going
to talk about that. You're my Christmas present when you
(01:25):
come in here every December, Dave us sitting there life,
but I mean, and it's no joke. Let's spread some
of that joy, Sharon. Okay. First of all, every year
the Pennsylvania Farm Show has a new theme. Tell us
about this year's them.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, So this year we're going to celebrate our one
hundred and ninth Pennsylvania Farm Show January fourth to the eleventh,
and this year's theme is Powering Pennsylvania. There's nothing that
says agriculture more than powering Pennsylvania, because that's what agriculture does.
It creates jobs, it feeds people, and the list goes
on and on. So we're really excited this year to
(01:59):
have Powering Pennsylvania is our theme and you'll see that
throughout the entire display and the exhibitor of presentations and
educational sessions that we run.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Are you gonna have the governor down their milk on
caw Dave? We hope so, okay, I guess before.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
It's pretty pretty pretty exciting to get people in there, everybody.
It's an experience everybody should have.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Oh god, you know what some of the farm shield
like every year we have the favorite you know, like
the sheep, the shawl, the butter sculpture of the animals,
the food court and everything. They're going to be there,
but there's gonna be some new things there, Sharon, Can
you talk about some of those things like Tempbell Grandon.
That's pretty impressive.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
I'm very excited about.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yes, we have doctor Temple Grandon who will be on
site on Thursday.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
The ninth at nine am.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Tell people who she is.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
She is a professor, a author. She is very well
known for. There's actually a movie out Brandon and she
had some challenge just growing up as a child and
became just very well known for the way she manages
animals and understanding animals, how to move animals, the process
(03:09):
and all of that.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
So she was autistic, Yes, yeah, I don't think people
understand that. And that's just because your artistic doesn't mean
you can't do anything. So what else do you have
going on?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
So, and she's part of our Women in ag series
that we're running the shot. Yes, we're really excited to
have her coming in and we're doing some other sessions
throughout the week as well related to that. So that's new.
We also have col cuddling this year. We have some
baby Highlanders coming in, little mini cows and they're going
(03:40):
to come in and there'll be a fan favorite.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
I'm quite sure.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
We started goat snuggling a couple of years ago and
that's been huge and so now this year cal Cuddling.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Who does it is a mostly little kid.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Yeah, it's actually an organization.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah, it's actually a husband and wife or the goats
that actually made a very good business for themselves. They
actually do birthday parties and all kinds of different visitation.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
You know, they'll come and.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah, and so they they bring in, you know, probably
twenty goats at a time. They rotate them out, you know,
every couple of days, making sure that they're getting enough
rest and all that, but you can, you know, you
pay to go in and they're sponsored by their Friends
of farmshow Foundation.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
It's one of their expotainment groups that they have.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
So we have the cows, the we have butterflies, fishing,
and and of course the goats.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
I think that's awesome. That is so cool. I got
to check into that more. You have something the PPL
is going to do for you, right.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, So one of the PPL o PPL is coming
in to do a live wire presentation this year and
it's really how to keep your farm safe. So they're
going to talk about they have a big truck and
they're going to actually show you how to you know,
remain safe when you're talking about extremely high voltage power lines.
H They're going to be in the Equan Arena doing
a showcase on that, which again feeds back to powering Pennsylvania.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
You know what, I love the fact that if someone
could it involved. One of the things I noticed that
you have going on is a new thing with the
kids about turkey show me. What's turkey show mean? Show?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Yes, if you haven't seen a turkey show, you need
to google it.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Ohio State Fair does one.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
We're adding it this year, we had eighty different youth
from across the state that signed up to be turkey
showmen this year. We delivered chicks to them several months
ago and they actually are going they're raising them now
and then they'll come in for farm show and they'll
they kind of will lead them around. If you've ever
(05:32):
watched the swine competition, how the swine are in the
sale arena, they kind of move them around.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Turkeys do the same thing.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
So they're going to actually they're raising them and they'll
talk about them and then show how to yeah, show
them around the ring.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
I wonder what happens when they're doing.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Well Turkey sandwiches.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Oh my god. I remember when I was kid growing
up and somebody who bought us these little peeps were
colored for Easter, and you know, they grow up and everything. Alison,
my dad took him to a farmer and a former yeah,
did his thing and everything. And my brother was five
years old then I thought he was going to have
a stroke when my dad come, oh, that's that was
little Joe that you used to it, and was like, oh, no,
(06:14):
it's funny, but I totally forget where you're coming from.
You have somebody pretty fancy. As far as food, a
chef well known just be on TV.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
We do.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah, the Culinary Connection stage will not disappoint again this year.
The chef's name is escaping me right now. I apologize,
but they are running a program all week again and
it's going to be It's definitely not going to disappoint.
They're going to do the Army Navy Cookoff again. Oh yeah,
they're going to run you know, they start about ten
o'clock in the morning and run until about five o'clock
five or six every day, running different presentations. So it's
(06:47):
definitely something you should check out if you haven't done
it yet.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
You know what I think I would walk to the
farm show for this. Yeah, something new with mushrooms. I
love Portobello mushrooms. People don't realize that Pennsylvy is the
mushroom capital of the world.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Isn't it It is?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
I have no idea.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah, sixty percent of all the mushrooms in the United
States are actually grown here in Pennsylvania and they're all
hand picked, which I learned this year.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
I wo understand that.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
But yeah, so they the mushroom growers have the new
stuffed baby Portobello mushroom stuff with cheddar and bacon, which
we're definitely going to have to try. I'm sure that
will be a fan favorite. And then they're also adding
to their menu this year. They have a hot honey
drizzle that you can actually get over top of your
fried mushrooms. So that sounds really delicious.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
If they're going to sell that drizzle stuff, I.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Don't know, that's a good question. I would I would
think so.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
And the honey you know, the honey booth isn't too
far from them, sure, something that they've worked out together.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
I'm just thinking that would be good with kabasi too. Ooh,
kabasi mushrooms. Oh Dave, what do you think sounds good?
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I think you're on track.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Here, I am. And I think people don't realize that.
Some people think, ooh, mushrooms. I love mushrooms. But first
of all, there's no calories, there's part, there's no fat,
no cholesterol, there lodal of vitamins and you can eat
them like a snack and you know it's great.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Yeah, very high in antioxidants. They're really healthy for you.
A good a good option, you know, a good alternative
option exactly. Their blended burger is really popular and for
someone like me, I didn't like mushrooms for a long time.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Now, yes see my taste.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
I started with the blended burger, which is beef and
mushroom and it's ground together and it's really good.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Oh my god, I can't imagine. Well, you know what
Sharen I was thinking the other day. You know that
fake statutes in the Susquehanna River somebody put years ago
during Team I. I somehow kind of over the last
several since I know Dave, it's like, I'm expecting to
see something like that about Dave. Maybe I don't know
in susquehann or maybe Yeah, because you're amazing, Dave, you
(08:48):
testified Listen, I'm impressed. I talk about you a lot. Anyway.
I know that as the executive director of Pensman Yeah,
Pennsylvany Derriman's Association testified before Congress you have been the
guide taking the lead to promote the dairy industry here
in Pennsylvania with the Jusier Dairy Consumer Education Advocacy. Tell
(09:11):
us about that, because that is really cool. You're telling
people don't look at the other stuff by something local, right,
PA preferred.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Yes, you know, the Derymen's Association is a nonprofit organization.
So a milkshakes that we do and sell our fundraiser
for organizations, So proceeds go back into our community into
a lot of different programs that help support organizations for
education purposes and actually next generation development and really a
(09:39):
cool aspect of the job that I have to see
some people enjoy a milkshake, but also to see some
really neat programs, you know, grow and help help students
and young people develop some careers and learn more about agriculture.
So it's just a win win.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
And there's a lot of stuff. There are a lot
of opportunities for young people. We talk ai. I remember
I thought last time you came in, we were talking
about because I thought you still milk the couse you
don't do that. You guys have machines.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Well, you know, technology in agriculture, not just the dairy
industry continues to expand and amazingly some some farms have
robotic milkers and it's just fascinating to see there's there's
mechanisms there so they can locate where the odor is
and they put the milking machines on automatically without people
(10:27):
there just incredible technology that's coming forward in agriculture, not
just dairy, but it's it's neat to see happen.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Some of the bucks rays also go two way out
the mobile egg unit. Tell me about that's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Yeah. One of the things that we support with some
funding is a Pennsylvania Farm Bureau has a mobile ag
Education Lab. Just an incredible program and I think they
just don't have one. They probably have multiple ones, four
to five of these these labs, and they they their
trailer labs that they pull around to elementary schools around
(11:01):
the Commonwealth. And the cool story is that they schedule these,
you know, a year ahead of time, and these students
go through these labs for hands on learning experiences and
they have accredited personnel there so that these people that
students can learn more about where their food comes from
and something about agriculture. I'm not talking just about rural places,
(11:24):
but these these go into urban, urban settings where students
and people just don't have a concept of agriculture and
and and the connection of agriculture and the refrigerators. So
that's part of the important things that we do that
we are very dedicated to support educating people about where
(11:45):
their food comes.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Well you say about the people don't really realize all
this stuff. And one of the things you do is
the Pennsylvania Dairy Princess and program and people they're not
just cute little girls from farms that put a progress
on where Crown Art tell us about that. This is
why I love of your organization so much.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Well, the pennsylvani Dairy Princess program actually is in most
of the counties in Pennsylvania, probably thirty thirty counties in Pennsylvania,
where they have a contest with young women competing against
each each other to see who would be the county
Dairy Princess, and they move on to a state competition
and it's it's an incredible program where young women are
(12:23):
trained and they have seminars where these these young ladies
probably the age of sixteen to twenty one or something
like that in age, they go to locations where they
have training seminars to teach them different aspects of communication
and part of that is being able to present and
(12:43):
speak in front of the consumer and public to give
a presentation or help developer skills in that way. So
incredible to see that happen. They continue to enhance the
abilities of young women to speak for themselves and speak
in front of people.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Exactly what's the caving corner.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
The caving corner, good question. The Caving Corner at the
Pennsylvania Farm Show started about seven years ago and an
incredible experience where we have have some dairy farmers around
the central Pennsylvania area where they've committed to bring some
some pregnant dairy cows into the farm show and depending
(13:23):
on mother nature, they may have a baby caf at
the farm show when some of the public may be
able to see them. And we've learned that many many people.
You know, it's just amazing that miracle of birth. And
we have a lot of volunteer farmers and industry people
there that can describe the process of the birth and
(13:48):
the baby caf and the mother and what what the
what they do and how they're handling in the farm.
So it's a it's a true life connection with livestock
and our farmers to the public and many many people. Truly,
it's just the miracle of birth is amazing And actually
when I'm there in that location, fascinating to me is
(14:14):
as interesting as a birth is of a caf or
a birth of any animal that you want to see
what how that happens is. It's fascinating for me as
an industry person to watch the audience and see that
joy of those an amazement of those people that when
they see a birth.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Wow, wow. Well you know what. Dave walked in? Who
with Sharon? This will Actually Sharon came in first and
then Dave comes in and I'm looking at him. He goes,
are you looking for your milkshake? It's not my back pocket, David,
your milkshake. A couple of weeks ago, you let the
word out what it is, so tell us about it.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Well, the Dairyman's Association traditionally does a chocolate and vanilla.
Over the last several years, we've had some real fun
around introducing a new flavor, and this year, our mint
milkshake will be introduced at the We've done a couple
of locations prior, but at the farm show, so it's
created a lot of fun. Everybody has different taste buds,
it's a little bit different. We're excited to offer that,
(15:11):
and I see you're working on yours already.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Hey, I got a question for Well, you didn't say
it's mint. It mit mint. It's not like that McDonald's stuff. Now,
you know, it's it's better. It's it's it's Dave's milkshake.
You're the milkshake ment. You know, over the last couple
of years, you had what you had black raspberry, you
had the vanilla vanilla orange cream. So you guys, what
(15:40):
was your favorite of last couple of years? Sure, and
what's your favorite strawberry.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
I've really enjoyed the black raspberry.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
And I like the orange cream.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Everybody has different tastes, no I know.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
So anyway, tell us how important people don't know this?
This is amazing. Pennsylvania needs to take a bout in agriculture.
Bout how important is the dairy industry to Pennsylvania.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Well, let me speak first of agriculture in Pennsylvania. And
actually agriculture is the largest sector as far as economic
economy in Pennsylvania, and it truly is a generator of
revenue for the for the commonwealth, and it's very important
for jobs. The dairy industry is one of the largest
(16:24):
sectors of agriculture and actually Pennsylvania has the second largest
number of dairy farms in the United States. So it
is truly very important. Just as agriculture in Pennsylvania.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
And you know what, Dave's not just a PR paid
PR guy that knows all the stuff. You have like
a fifth generation family farm that you still work, right,
your son is the fifth generation.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Yes, I have a son that is operating our family
farm and he is a fifth generation. Pretty cool to see.
I'll take it a step further. I have an eighty
nine year old father that who is around there to
mentor and is an involved and get that and helping
out and giving suggestions.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Yeah, he never mind. I went through that myself. It's
like they want help. If nobody helps them, they're wine
because nobody helps them. And if you help them, you're
not doing it right.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Right, We make it work.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Make it work well. Beside your milkshake, you have some
other stuff hot that you're going to be Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
You know, as I said, we try to do some
new things. And this year we have our grilled cheese sandwiches.
We're introducing a different flavored pepper jack cheese and I'm
sure that I'm kind of excited about that. It gives
a little bite to it and a little extra flavor.
So we're doing a little bit different there with that
pepper jack grilled cheese sandwich. And we're going to be
(17:46):
there in January January fourth, and we're looking forward to that.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Sharon, I mentioned to you earlier about you have some
new stuff. You have anything else you want to talk
about as far as new stuff, and also tell us
I mentioned the butter sculpture, any other things to talk
about that to me.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
So first of all, one another thing new that we
have this year. We also have the loaded French fries.
So the potato growers are actually going to have loaded
French fries this year. They've had loaded big potatoes for years,
but now they're expanding onto the loaded French fries. And
they're also going to load up their new potato cakes
that they started two years ago.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Potato cake. Yeah, and they're delicious, really, Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Let me tell you. I grew up in the coal
regions and that's these These Catholic I call them honkey
Polish Irish are not Irish with all those churches up there.
They make potato cakes and they make a bundle off
of those things because they're delicious, and these are the
same thing. Oh my gosh, what else?
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Yeah, So they're going to be loaded this year. We
have a number of new stage presentations this year. We're
really excited. A couple of years ago we started what
we're calling the Farmcer Junior Committee, and it's a group
of young individuals anything from late high school to early
college or through college, really individuals that want to anticipate
(19:00):
in farm show, support farm show, and really they come
in and they work the full week with a variety
of opportunities. It was a way for us, as our
volunteers are aging out to try to get some new
young adults interested in farm Show and so they've been
(19:20):
a huge success this year. We task them with with
scheduling our stage events both on the Lancster Farming Stage
and then also we have PSCU as a.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
New sponsor this year.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
They're sponsoring the Family Living Stage, so that's now going
to be the p SCCU stage and the Lancster Farming
Stage which would be in Expo Hall, and we tasked
them with scheduling and they have filled both stages. So
we have over two hundred educational sessions happening between the
two stages for the week. And yes, it is very
it's awesome. Anything from you know, you know, dog grooming
(19:53):
to flower gardening, out back, raised beds, you name it,
anything you know, agricultural related, you know, soil health, a
variety of topics, and they had it done in a
time that actually made our visitor guide.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
So the schedule is actually in the visitor guide.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
And that's another thing I wanted to talk to you.
We're going to talk more about what you're saying. But
on your website you have a program. You can find
out everything that's going on, what time it is. Talk
about that. That's pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Yes, So our website, which is farm Show dot PA
dot gov, we'll tell you all about the show, and
then you can actually click on the visitor guide on
there and it actually runs through.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
The whole, you know, the whole.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Our sponsors are listed there, the program is listed there,
the stage schedules, all of that, and on the very
back is that full schedule for the culinary connection.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
And there's also opportunities a lot of opportunities to volunteer,
because how many people does it take to do the
farm show every year?
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Well about four thousand volunteers and ag organizations collectively produce
the annual farm Show. We, of course, are managed by
the PA Department of agriculture. But and the there's about
three hundred employees in total at farm Show for you know,
at the farm show complex. But what really makes it
(21:09):
happen is the volunteers. And it's anything from anyone from
ag organizations to Penn State, Delvo, just a list of
volunteers that we you know, committee chairs, judges.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
You name it.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
But yeah, over four thousand people it takes to put
put on the annual.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Farm You know what I think about I think it's
wonderful when you're setting it up, when you have it
going on, but when it's over, oh my gosh, you
have volunteers to help.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
Fired volunteers, Hi volunteers.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Yeah, so we you know, we go right from farm
show into a draft horse sale, okay, and so we
literally have in It depends on the hall that you're in.
Some halls have about twenty four hours to clean up
and get out.
Speaker 4 (21:54):
Others have about forty eight. But it's a quick turnover.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
So yeah, it takes us, you know, a couple weeks
to set up, and within forty eight hours the building
looks like farm Show never happened and we're on to
the next event.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
You've been doing this for quite a while tell me
what your cheap responsibility is with the farm show, because
you it's not just the farm show, it's the complex, right.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
So, so the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex is about a
million square feet of space. We have eight halls, three arenas,
some meeting space, and besides the annual farm Show, which
of course is our favorite because we produce it start
to finish, we do two hundred plus other events. So
like this past weekend, we had volleyball in one hall,
(22:36):
we had beer judging in another hall. We had the
Pennsylvania Youth Livestock Show in the middle of the building,
and we had a gun show on the south end.
So a lot of moving, a lot of moving parts.
It was a busy weekend.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
How do you go home? You manage all this?
Speaker 4 (22:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (22:51):
So I have an incredible team, you know, our managers
are just fantastic and everybody.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
You know, it's a team approach. It's one thing.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
So I've been there to actually be ten years that
I've been there, and it's something that we pride ourselves on.
Everybody works together. There's no job greater or smaller than
the other. Everything's important. Everybody works together and on any
given day you'll see the manager's picking up trash, including
myself and Heidi who's the assistant director. It's just what
it takes, and we know how important it is. You know,
(23:20):
people that exhibit it farm show from the ag organizations
like Dave's who bank on the farm show for scholarships
and fundraising. Yeah, you know, there's a lot of organizations
use the annual farm show as their greatest fundraiser and
their greatest opportunity to educate Pennsylvania's on what their organization
(23:40):
does and without it that you know, their loss. So
it's really important to us to make sure that we're
serving those organizations that help make Pennsylvania agriculture what it
is and sharing.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
You're amazing, You're totally amazing. And David talk about scholarship.
Your foundation has given away how much of the last
couple of years in scholarship Pretty.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
Cool when we added up the numbers, but not just scholarships,
but community development program has been all the programs that
we support in agriculture over four point five million dollars
in the last nine years. Pretty pretty great thing, you know, Sylvia.
There's some other things going on there about our fill
of glass with hope, program they're really incredibly proud of.
(24:21):
We're going to make an announcement and we've had As
Sharon mentioned, there's a lot of collaboration between businesses and
a lot of different individuals, and the Filled Glass with
Hope program raises money for Feeding Pennsylvania to purchase fresh
fluid milk for their food bank clients and the need
it's amazing. We feel sometimes that we're putting the dent
(24:41):
and things, but the need for nutrition of milk continues
to grow. And actually, over the last ten years that
program has funded forty million servings of milk to food
bank clients that was not there before. Oh my gosh,
just a kickoff for there, and it's just incredible program.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Well, you know, I'm so glad you're with the youth
because I think about people like you two guys, and
I think someday these eyes aren't going to be there
to do this. What's the next generation going to do?
But I'm sure with what you've seen with the youth
that come to the farm show, not as not as
people to see what's going on, but the kids who
grow up in farms and different things like this, they
(25:20):
had that same attitude that you do right.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
They do can do attitudes. In fact, you know they're
going to pick up up and do it even better
than some of the people there are now. So yeah,
you know, I'm just I'm just thrilled about that, you know, Sylvia.
I wanted to mention one other thing that as as collaborations.
One of the things that we do and Sharon has
a day the Thursday of farm Show is Military Appreciation
to day.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
I was going to bring up.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
You were going to bring it up, and just recognizing
the military, retired and active personnel has become very important
for us and it's neat to see those military personnel
be there. In fact, this year we had a partner
renewal by am IS helping us support free milkshakes to
those people that come to us at the farm Shaw,
(26:05):
just as a recognition. And I know Sharon has a
lot of other things going on around the Military Appreciation Day.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
She does absolutely well. I wanted to ask you guys,
there's a there's always going to be. It's secure, there's
places to park, it's free to get in, there's places
to pee, which I worry about all the time. Sharon's
laughing at me.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Four hundred and ninety two to be exact, four hundred
and ninety two. What restrooms?
Speaker 1 (26:29):
Oh my gosh, I'll have to check them all out.
Go ahead, Okay, you're funny. Oh heck, listen. Tell me
you guys, what are you looking forward to the most
this year?
Speaker 4 (26:42):
Oh my, that's a tough one, and I think you
asked that every year.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
I love it, I know it, David.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Tumblegrand And certainly just you know, from a personal perspective.
But again, I think the youth that are going to
be involved this year at the Committee against They're they're
on fire. They're really going to do a great job,
and you know, the programming that they have in place
is going to be incredible. So I'm happy to see,
you know, see them. And then the Turkey Showmanship too,
because it was an opportunity to get people involved that
(27:11):
hadn't shown at farm Show before, and some of them
weren't even farmers. So it's a small project that got
them introduced to farm Show and we're really excited about that.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
That's all David take the stage. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
The neat thing about Farm Show it's such a gem
here in Pennsylvania where people can go with families to
see so many things and I truly every year just
enjoy seeing families with children, seeing the livestock, the cattle,
and the animals up close and personal. You know, in
addition to that I mentioned earlier about the caving corner,
(27:45):
the expressions and the all over a birth or a
baby caf is just amazing for us to see. And
we're thankful for the opportunities that we have and we
want to share that with others.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Okay, thanks so much, remember rain shine or snow right.
The one hundredth and ninth Pennsylvania Farm Show starts on
January fourth and runs through January eleventh at the farm
Show Complex in Harrisburg. Sharon Myers, my dear. She is
the executive director of the Pennsylvania Farm Show and ExpoCenter.
You have huge shows like this all year long, and
(28:20):
honest to God, I don't know how do you do it.
All the information that you want to need about the
twenty twenty five Pennsylvania Farm Show and including the schedule
of events, you can go to Wear.
Speaker 4 (28:29):
Sharing farmshow dot pa dot gov.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
And David David Smith, the executive director of the Pennsylvania
Dairyman's Association aka David milkshake Man.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
Your web address Padairyman's dot com.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Okay, sounds great, guys, this is so exciting. I just
said date to told Dave that I would like to volunteer.
So we'll see how that works out.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Dave, we need to make that happen.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Yeah, and you got to listen everything I tell you
to do right well, you know, volunteers also, No, I'm like,
you're yeah, No, I'm kidding. It's going to be a ball.
Join us this weekend for insight on several of your
local iHeart sedations, or any time on your favorite podcast step.
I'm Sylvia Moss. This has been insight. Thanks so much
for listening. Seeing next week.
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I am Sylvia Moss. This is Insight, a presentation of iHeartMedia,
where we really do care about our local communities and
all our listeners who Livepear. This is my absolutely, positively
favorite time of the year, not just because of Christmas
or New Year's or even my birthday. But you didn't
know that it's my favorite time of the year because
(00:20):
two of my very favorite buddies are here. Who are
these buddies, you ask, Well, right here in front of
me Sharon Meyer. She's the executive director of the Pennsylvania
Farm Show and ExpoCenter Dave Smith, the executive director of
the Pennsylvania Dairymen's Association. Sharon and da we are here
to share all the details about the one hundred and
night Pennsylvania Farm Show, which runs in just a couple
(00:41):
of weeks. It starts January fourth, and it runs through
January the eleventh. You know it started back in nineteen
seventeen as Pennsylvania State, The Pennsylvania Farm Show has become
the largest indoor agricultural event in the whole country. Did
you know what attracts over a half a million visitors
each year? Holy donut? After all these years, it's still
free which Jerryman David will tell you it's ugly awesome.
(01:05):
How's out there? You like that one? I like what
you did there, So thank you, thank you. If you've
been to the Pennsylvania Farm Show, you know what all
the excitements about hundreds of your favorite vendors, thousands of
amazing exhibitors, and with every annual farm Show event, plenty
of hey guess what's new? Sharon and Day, we're going
to talk about that. You're my Christmas present when you
(01:25):
come in here every December, Dave us sitting there life,
but I mean, and it's no joke. Let's spread some
of that joy, Sharon. Okay. First of all, every year
the Pennsylvania Farm Show has a new theme. Tell us
about this year's them.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, So this year we're going to celebrate our one
hundred and ninth Pennsylvania Farm Show January fourth to the eleventh,
and this year's theme is Powering Pennsylvania. There's nothing that
says agriculture more than powering Pennsylvania, because that's what agriculture does.
It creates jobs, it feeds people, and the list goes
on and on. So we're really excited this year to
(01:59):
have Powering Pennsylvania is our theme and you'll see that
throughout the entire display and the exhibitor of presentations and
educational sessions that we run.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Are you gonna have the governor down their milk on
caw Dave? We hope so, okay, I guess before.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
It's pretty pretty pretty exciting to get people in there, everybody.
It's an experience everybody should have.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Oh god, you know what some of the farm shield
like every year we have the favorite you know, like
the sheep, the shawl, the butter sculpture of the animals,
the food court and everything. They're going to be there,
but there's gonna be some new things there, Sharon, Can
you talk about some of those things like Tempbell Grandon.
That's pretty impressive.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
I'm very excited about.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yes, we have doctor Temple Grandon who will be on
site on Thursday.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
The ninth at nine am.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Tell people who she is.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
She is a professor, a author. She is very well
known for. There's actually a movie out Brandon and she
had some challenge just growing up as a child and
became just very well known for the way she manages
animals and understanding animals, how to move animals, the process
(03:09):
and all of that.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
So she was autistic, Yes, yeah, I don't think people
understand that. And that's just because your artistic doesn't mean
you can't do anything. So what else do you have
going on?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
So, and she's part of our Women in ag series
that we're running the shot. Yes, we're really excited to
have her coming in and we're doing some other sessions
throughout the week as well related to that. So that's new.
We also have col cuddling this year. We have some
baby Highlanders coming in, little mini cows and they're going
(03:40):
to come in and there'll be a fan favorite.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
I'm quite sure.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
We started goat snuggling a couple of years ago and
that's been huge and so now this year cal Cuddling.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Who does it is a mostly little kid.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Yeah, it's actually an organization.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah, it's actually a husband and wife or the goats
that actually made a very good business for themselves. They
actually do birthday parties and all kinds of different visitation.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
You know, they'll come and.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah, and so they they bring in, you know, probably
twenty goats at a time. They rotate them out, you know,
every couple of days, making sure that they're getting enough
rest and all that, but you can, you know, you
pay to go in and they're sponsored by their Friends
of farmshow Foundation.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
It's one of their expotainment groups that they have.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
So we have the cows, the we have butterflies, fishing,
and and of course the goats.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
I think that's awesome. That is so cool. I got
to check into that more. You have something the PPL
is going to do for you, right.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, So one of the PPL o PPL is coming
in to do a live wire presentation this year and
it's really how to keep your farm safe. So they're
going to talk about they have a big truck and
they're going to actually show you how to you know,
remain safe when you're talking about extremely high voltage power lines.
H They're going to be in the Equan Arena doing
a showcase on that, which again feeds back to powering Pennsylvania.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
You know what, I love the fact that if someone
could it involved. One of the things I noticed that
you have going on is a new thing with the
kids about turkey show me. What's turkey show mean? Show?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Yes, if you haven't seen a turkey show, you need
to google it.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Ohio State Fair does one.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
We're adding it this year, we had eighty different youth
from across the state that signed up to be turkey
showmen this year. We delivered chicks to them several months
ago and they actually are going they're raising them now
and then they'll come in for farm show and they'll
they kind of will lead them around. If you've ever
(05:32):
watched the swine competition, how the swine are in the
sale arena, they kind of move them around.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Turkeys do the same thing.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
So they're going to actually they're raising them and they'll
talk about them and then show how to yeah, show
them around the ring.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
I wonder what happens when they're doing.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Well Turkey sandwiches.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Oh my god. I remember when I was kid growing
up and somebody who bought us these little peeps were
colored for Easter, and you know, they grow up and everything. Alison,
my dad took him to a farmer and a former yeah,
did his thing and everything. And my brother was five
years old then I thought he was going to have
a stroke when my dad come, oh, that's that was
little Joe that you used to it, and was like, oh, no,
(06:14):
it's funny, but I totally forget where you're coming from.
You have somebody pretty fancy. As far as food, a
chef well known just be on TV.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
We do.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah, the Culinary Connection stage will not disappoint again this year.
The chef's name is escaping me right now. I apologize,
but they are running a program all week again and
it's going to be It's definitely not going to disappoint.
They're going to do the Army Navy Cookoff again. Oh yeah,
they're going to run you know, they start about ten
o'clock in the morning and run until about five o'clock
five or six every day, running different presentations. So it's
(06:47):
definitely something you should check out if you haven't done
it yet.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
You know what I think I would walk to the
farm show for this. Yeah, something new with mushrooms. I
love Portobello mushrooms. People don't realize that Pennsylvy is the
mushroom capital of the world.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Isn't it It is?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
I have no idea.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah, sixty percent of all the mushrooms in the United
States are actually grown here in Pennsylvania and they're all
hand picked, which I learned this year.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
I wo understand that.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
But yeah, so they the mushroom growers have the new
stuffed baby Portobello mushroom stuff with cheddar and bacon, which
we're definitely going to have to try. I'm sure that
will be a fan favorite. And then they're also adding
to their menu this year. They have a hot honey
drizzle that you can actually get over top of your
fried mushrooms. So that sounds really delicious.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
If they're going to sell that drizzle stuff, I.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Don't know, that's a good question. I would I would
think so.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
And the honey you know, the honey booth isn't too
far from them, sure, something that they've worked out together.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
I'm just thinking that would be good with kabasi too. Ooh,
kabasi mushrooms. Oh Dave, what do you think sounds good?
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I think you're on track.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Here, I am. And I think people don't realize that.
Some people think, ooh, mushrooms. I love mushrooms. But first
of all, there's no calories, there's part, there's no fat,
no cholesterol, there lodal of vitamins and you can eat
them like a snack and you know it's great.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Yeah, very high in antioxidants. They're really healthy for you.
A good a good option, you know, a good alternative
option exactly. Their blended burger is really popular and for
someone like me, I didn't like mushrooms for a long time.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Now, yes see my taste.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
I started with the blended burger, which is beef and
mushroom and it's ground together and it's really good.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Oh my god, I can't imagine. Well, you know what
Sharen I was thinking the other day. You know that
fake statutes in the Susquehanna River somebody put years ago
during Team I. I somehow kind of over the last
several since I know Dave, it's like, I'm expecting to
see something like that about Dave. Maybe I don't know
in susquehann or maybe Yeah, because you're amazing, Dave, you
(08:48):
testified Listen, I'm impressed. I talk about you a lot. Anyway.
I know that as the executive director of Pensman Yeah,
Pennsylvany Derriman's Association testified before Congress you have been the
guide taking the lead to promote the dairy industry here
in Pennsylvania with the Jusier Dairy Consumer Education Advocacy. Tell
(09:11):
us about that, because that is really cool. You're telling
people don't look at the other stuff by something local, right,
PA preferred.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Yes, you know, the Derymen's Association is a nonprofit organization.
So a milkshakes that we do and sell our fundraiser
for organizations, So proceeds go back into our community into
a lot of different programs that help support organizations for
education purposes and actually next generation development and really a
(09:39):
cool aspect of the job that I have to see
some people enjoy a milkshake, but also to see some
really neat programs, you know, grow and help help students
and young people develop some careers and learn more about agriculture.
So it's just a win win.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
And there's a lot of stuff. There are a lot
of opportunities for young people. We talk ai. I remember
I thought last time you came in, we were talking
about because I thought you still milk the couse you
don't do that. You guys have machines.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Well, you know, technology in agriculture, not just the dairy
industry continues to expand and amazingly some some farms have
robotic milkers and it's just fascinating to see there's there's
mechanisms there so they can locate where the odor is
and they put the milking machines on automatically without people
(10:27):
there just incredible technology that's coming forward in agriculture, not
just dairy, but it's it's neat to see happen.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Some of the bucks rays also go two way out
the mobile egg unit. Tell me about that's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Yeah. One of the things that we support with some
funding is a Pennsylvania Farm Bureau has a mobile ag
Education Lab. Just an incredible program and I think they
just don't have one. They probably have multiple ones, four
to five of these these labs, and they they their
trailer labs that they pull around to elementary schools around
(11:01):
the Commonwealth. And the cool story is that they schedule these,
you know, a year ahead of time, and these students
go through these labs for hands on learning experiences and
they have accredited personnel there so that these people that
students can learn more about where their food comes from
and something about agriculture. I'm not talking just about rural places,
(11:24):
but these these go into urban, urban settings where students
and people just don't have a concept of agriculture and
and and the connection of agriculture and the refrigerators. So
that's part of the important things that we do that
we are very dedicated to support educating people about where
(11:45):
their food comes.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Well you say about the people don't really realize all
this stuff. And one of the things you do is
the Pennsylvania Dairy Princess and program and people they're not
just cute little girls from farms that put a progress
on where Crown Art tell us about that. This is
why I love of your organization so much.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Well, the pennsylvani Dairy Princess program actually is in most
of the counties in Pennsylvania, probably thirty thirty counties in Pennsylvania,
where they have a contest with young women competing against
each each other to see who would be the county
Dairy Princess, and they move on to a state competition
and it's it's an incredible program where young women are
(12:23):
trained and they have seminars where these these young ladies
probably the age of sixteen to twenty one or something
like that in age, they go to locations where they
have training seminars to teach them different aspects of communication
and part of that is being able to present and
(12:43):
speak in front of the consumer and public to give
a presentation or help developer skills in that way. So
incredible to see that happen. They continue to enhance the
abilities of young women to speak for themselves and speak
in front of people.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Exactly what's the caving corner.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
The caving corner, good question. The Caving Corner at the
Pennsylvania Farm Show started about seven years ago and an
incredible experience where we have have some dairy farmers around
the central Pennsylvania area where they've committed to bring some
some pregnant dairy cows into the farm show and depending
(13:23):
on mother nature, they may have a baby caf at
the farm show when some of the public may be
able to see them. And we've learned that many many people.
You know, it's just amazing that miracle of birth. And
we have a lot of volunteer farmers and industry people
there that can describe the process of the birth and
(13:48):
the baby caf and the mother and what what the
what they do and how they're handling in the farm.
So it's a it's a true life connection with livestock
and our farmers to the public and many many people. Truly,
it's just the miracle of birth is amazing And actually
when I'm there in that location, fascinating to me is
(14:14):
as interesting as a birth is of a caf or
a birth of any animal that you want to see
what how that happens is. It's fascinating for me as
an industry person to watch the audience and see that
joy of those an amazement of those people that when
they see a birth.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Wow, wow. Well you know what. Dave walked in? Who
with Sharon? This will Actually Sharon came in first and
then Dave comes in and I'm looking at him. He goes,
are you looking for your milkshake? It's not my back pocket, David,
your milkshake. A couple of weeks ago, you let the
word out what it is, so tell us about it.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Well, the Dairyman's Association traditionally does a chocolate and vanilla.
Over the last several years, we've had some real fun
around introducing a new flavor, and this year, our mint
milkshake will be introduced at the We've done a couple
of locations prior, but at the farm show, so it's
created a lot of fun. Everybody has different taste buds,
it's a little bit different. We're excited to offer that,
(15:11):
and I see you're working on yours already.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Hey, I got a question for Well, you didn't say
it's mint. It mit mint. It's not like that McDonald's stuff. Now,
you know, it's it's better. It's it's it's Dave's milkshake.
You're the milkshake ment. You know, over the last couple
of years, you had what you had black raspberry, you
had the vanilla vanilla orange cream. So you guys, what
(15:40):
was your favorite of last couple of years? Sure, and
what's your favorite strawberry.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
I've really enjoyed the black raspberry.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
And I like the orange cream.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Everybody has different tastes, no I know.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
So anyway, tell us how important people don't know this?
This is amazing. Pennsylvania needs to take a bout in agriculture.
Bout how important is the dairy industry to Pennsylvania.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Well, let me speak first of agriculture in Pennsylvania. And
actually agriculture is the largest sector as far as economic
economy in Pennsylvania, and it truly is a generator of
revenue for the for the commonwealth, and it's very important
for jobs. The dairy industry is one of the largest
(16:24):
sectors of agriculture and actually Pennsylvania has the second largest
number of dairy farms in the United States. So it
is truly very important. Just as agriculture in Pennsylvania.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
And you know what, Dave's not just a PR paid
PR guy that knows all the stuff. You have like
a fifth generation family farm that you still work, right,
your son is the fifth generation.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Yes, I have a son that is operating our family
farm and he is a fifth generation. Pretty cool to see.
I'll take it a step further. I have an eighty
nine year old father that who is around there to
mentor and is an involved and get that and helping
out and giving suggestions.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Yeah, he never mind. I went through that myself. It's
like they want help. If nobody helps them, they're wine
because nobody helps them. And if you help them, you're
not doing it right.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Right, We make it work.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Make it work well. Beside your milkshake, you have some
other stuff hot that you're going to be Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
You know, as I said, we try to do some
new things. And this year we have our grilled cheese sandwiches.
We're introducing a different flavored pepper jack cheese and I'm
sure that I'm kind of excited about that. It gives
a little bite to it and a little extra flavor.
So we're doing a little bit different there with that
pepper jack grilled cheese sandwich. And we're going to be
(17:46):
there in January January fourth, and we're looking forward to that.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Sharon, I mentioned to you earlier about you have some
new stuff. You have anything else you want to talk
about as far as new stuff, and also tell us
I mentioned the butter sculpture, any other things to talk
about that to me.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
So first of all, one another thing new that we
have this year. We also have the loaded French fries.
So the potato growers are actually going to have loaded
French fries this year. They've had loaded big potatoes for years,
but now they're expanding onto the loaded French fries. And
they're also going to load up their new potato cakes
that they started two years ago.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Potato cake. Yeah, and they're delicious, really, Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Let me tell you. I grew up in the coal
regions and that's these These Catholic I call them honkey
Polish Irish are not Irish with all those churches up there.
They make potato cakes and they make a bundle off
of those things because they're delicious, and these are the
same thing. Oh my gosh, what else?
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Yeah, So they're going to be loaded this year. We
have a number of new stage presentations this year. We're
really excited. A couple of years ago we started what
we're calling the Farmcer Junior Committee, and it's a group
of young individuals anything from late high school to early
college or through college, really individuals that want to anticipate
(19:00):
in farm show, support farm show, and really they come
in and they work the full week with a variety
of opportunities. It was a way for us, as our
volunteers are aging out to try to get some new
young adults interested in farm Show and so they've been
(19:20):
a huge success this year. We task them with with
scheduling our stage events both on the Lancster Farming Stage
and then also we have PSCU as a.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
New sponsor this year.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
They're sponsoring the Family Living Stage, so that's now going
to be the p SCCU stage and the Lancster Farming
Stage which would be in Expo Hall, and we tasked
them with scheduling and they have filled both stages. So
we have over two hundred educational sessions happening between the
two stages for the week. And yes, it is very
it's awesome. Anything from you know, you know, dog grooming
(19:53):
to flower gardening, out back, raised beds, you name it,
anything you know, agricultural related, you know, soil health, a
variety of topics, and they had it done in a
time that actually made our visitor guide.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
So the schedule is actually in the visitor guide.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
And that's another thing I wanted to talk to you.
We're going to talk more about what you're saying. But
on your website you have a program. You can find
out everything that's going on, what time it is. Talk
about that. That's pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Yes, So our website, which is farm Show dot PA
dot gov, we'll tell you all about the show, and
then you can actually click on the visitor guide on
there and it actually runs through.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
The whole, you know, the whole.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Our sponsors are listed there, the program is listed there,
the stage schedules, all of that, and on the very
back is that full schedule for the culinary connection.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
And there's also opportunities a lot of opportunities to volunteer,
because how many people does it take to do the
farm show every year?
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Well about four thousand volunteers and ag organizations collectively produce
the annual farm Show. We, of course, are managed by
the PA Department of agriculture. But and the there's about
three hundred employees in total at farm Show for you know,
at the farm show complex. But what really makes it
(21:09):
happen is the volunteers. And it's anything from anyone from
ag organizations to Penn State, Delvo, just a list of
volunteers that we you know, committee chairs, judges.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
You name it.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
But yeah, over four thousand people it takes to put
put on the annual.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Farm You know what I think about I think it's
wonderful when you're setting it up, when you have it
going on, but when it's over, oh my gosh, you
have volunteers to help.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
Fired volunteers, Hi volunteers.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Yeah, so we you know, we go right from farm
show into a draft horse sale, okay, and so we
literally have in It depends on the hall that you're in.
Some halls have about twenty four hours to clean up
and get out.
Speaker 4 (21:54):
Others have about forty eight. But it's a quick turnover.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
So yeah, it takes us, you know, a couple weeks
to set up, and within forty eight hours the building
looks like farm Show never happened and we're on to
the next event.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
You've been doing this for quite a while tell me
what your cheap responsibility is with the farm show, because
you it's not just the farm show, it's the complex, right.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
So, so the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex is about a
million square feet of space. We have eight halls, three arenas,
some meeting space, and besides the annual farm Show, which
of course is our favorite because we produce it start
to finish, we do two hundred plus other events. So
like this past weekend, we had volleyball in one hall,
(22:36):
we had beer judging in another hall. We had the
Pennsylvania Youth Livestock Show in the middle of the building,
and we had a gun show on the south end.
So a lot of moving, a lot of moving parts.
It was a busy weekend.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
How do you go home? You manage all this?
Speaker 4 (22:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (22:51):
So I have an incredible team, you know, our managers
are just fantastic and everybody.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
You know, it's a team approach. It's one thing.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
So I've been there to actually be ten years that
I've been there, and it's something that we pride ourselves on.
Everybody works together. There's no job greater or smaller than
the other. Everything's important. Everybody works together and on any
given day you'll see the manager's picking up trash, including
myself and Heidi who's the assistant director. It's just what
it takes, and we know how important it is. You know,
(23:20):
people that exhibit it farm show from the ag organizations
like Dave's who bank on the farm show for scholarships
and fundraising. Yeah, you know, there's a lot of organizations
use the annual farm show as their greatest fundraiser and
their greatest opportunity to educate Pennsylvania's on what their organization
(23:40):
does and without it that you know, their loss. So
it's really important to us to make sure that we're
serving those organizations that help make Pennsylvania agriculture what it
is and sharing.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
You're amazing, You're totally amazing. And David talk about scholarship.
Your foundation has given away how much of the last
couple of years in scholarship Pretty.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
Cool when we added up the numbers, but not just scholarships,
but community development program has been all the programs that
we support in agriculture over four point five million dollars
in the last nine years. Pretty pretty great thing, you know, Sylvia.
There's some other things going on there about our fill
of glass with hope, program they're really incredibly proud of.
(24:21):
We're going to make an announcement and we've had As
Sharon mentioned, there's a lot of collaboration between businesses and
a lot of different individuals, and the Filled Glass with
Hope program raises money for Feeding Pennsylvania to purchase fresh
fluid milk for their food bank clients and the need
it's amazing. We feel sometimes that we're putting the dent
(24:41):
and things, but the need for nutrition of milk continues
to grow. And actually, over the last ten years that
program has funded forty million servings of milk to food
bank clients that was not there before. Oh my gosh,
just a kickoff for there, and it's just incredible program.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Well, you know, I'm so glad you're with the youth
because I think about people like you two guys, and
I think someday these eyes aren't going to be there
to do this. What's the next generation going to do?
But I'm sure with what you've seen with the youth
that come to the farm show, not as not as
people to see what's going on, but the kids who
grow up in farms and different things like this, they
(25:20):
had that same attitude that you do right.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
They do can do attitudes. In fact, you know they're
going to pick up up and do it even better
than some of the people there are now. So yeah,
you know, I'm just I'm just thrilled about that, you know, Sylvia.
I wanted to mention one other thing that as as collaborations.
One of the things that we do and Sharon has
a day the Thursday of farm Show is Military Appreciation
to day.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
I was going to bring up.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
You were going to bring it up, and just recognizing
the military, retired and active personnel has become very important
for us and it's neat to see those military personnel
be there. In fact, this year we had a partner
renewal by am IS helping us support free milkshakes to
those people that come to us at the farm Shaw,
(26:05):
just as a recognition. And I know Sharon has a
lot of other things going on around the Military Appreciation Day.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
She does absolutely well. I wanted to ask you guys,
there's a there's always going to be. It's secure, there's
places to park, it's free to get in, there's places
to pee, which I worry about all the time. Sharon's
laughing at me.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Four hundred and ninety two to be exact, four hundred
and ninety two. What restrooms?
Speaker 1 (26:29):
Oh my gosh, I'll have to check them all out.
Go ahead, Okay, you're funny. Oh heck, listen. Tell me
you guys, what are you looking forward to the most
this year?
Speaker 4 (26:42):
Oh my, that's a tough one, and I think you
asked that every year.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
I love it, I know it, David.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Tumblegrand And certainly just you know, from a personal perspective.
But again, I think the youth that are going to
be involved this year at the Committee against They're they're
on fire. They're really going to do a great job,
and you know, the programming that they have in place
is going to be incredible. So I'm happy to see,
you know, see them. And then the Turkey Showmanship too,
because it was an opportunity to get people involved that
(27:11):
hadn't shown at farm Show before, and some of them
weren't even farmers. So it's a small project that got
them introduced to farm Show and we're really excited about that.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
That's all David take the stage. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
The neat thing about Farm Show it's such a gem
here in Pennsylvania where people can go with families to
see so many things and I truly every year just
enjoy seeing families with children, seeing the livestock, the cattle,
and the animals up close and personal. You know, in
addition to that I mentioned earlier about the caving corner,
(27:45):
the expressions and the all over a birth or a
baby caf is just amazing for us to see. And
we're thankful for the opportunities that we have and we
want to share that with others.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Okay, thanks so much, remember rain shine or snow right.
The one hundredth and ninth Pennsylvania Farm Show starts on
January fourth and runs through January eleventh at the farm
Show Complex in Harrisburg. Sharon Myers, my dear. She is
the executive director of the Pennsylvania Farm Show and ExpoCenter.
You have huge shows like this all year long, and
(28:20):
honest to God, I don't know how do you do it.
All the information that you want to need about the
twenty twenty five Pennsylvania Farm Show and including the schedule
of events, you can go to Wear.
Speaker 4 (28:29):
Sharing farmshow dot pa dot gov.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
And David David Smith, the executive director of the Pennsylvania
Dairyman's Association aka David milkshake Man.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
Your web address Padairyman's dot com.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Okay, sounds great, guys, this is so exciting. I just
said date to told Dave that I would like to volunteer.
So we'll see how that works out.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Dave, we need to make that happen.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Yeah, and you got to listen everything I tell you
to do right well, you know, volunteers also, No, I'm like,
you're yeah, No, I'm kidding. It's going to be a ball.
Join us this weekend for insight on several of your
local iHeart sedations, or any time on your favorite podcast step.
I'm Sylvia Moss. This has been insight. Thanks so much
for listening. Seeing next week.
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