Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The butter sculpture for the 2015 Pennsylvania has been unveiled. The sculpture, called “Fill a Glass with Hope,” shows a food bank worker pouring milk into a glass held by a little boy next to his mother. A dairy farmer and cow stand close by, next to a case filled with gallons of milk. This year, the Farm Show will be collecting milk – and money – to provide milk to food banks. Milk is the most needed, but least donated item at food banks. This year's sculpture took sculptors Jim Victor and Marie Pelton of Conshohocken 10 days to complete. After the farm show, the 1,000 pounds of butter will be taken to a local farm, where it will be converted into energy. The Farm Show starts Saturday in Harrisburg, and runs through January 17. Photos via Twitter The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Governor Tom Corbett jokes around with a couple of young PA Farm Show attendees who were helping to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Dairymen's Association Milkshake. Provided by Commonwealth Media Services The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Harrisburg – A sculpture made from nearly 1,000 pounds of butter was unveiled today at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the show’s iconic milkshake served by the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association. The sculpture, sponsored by Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, takes its cue from the number one song in 1954, “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and features a family enjoying a delicious milkshake while watching a cow couple “shake.” Agriculture Secretary George Greig unveiled the sculpture along with Berks County dairy farmer and president of the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association Lolly Lesher, Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association Executive Director Dave Smith, Pennsylvania State Dairy Princess Lu-Anne Antisdel and sculptor Jim Victor. “For 60 years, milkshakes have been part of the Farm Show tradition of celebrating Pennsylvania agriculture,” said Greig. “What may seem like just a great drink in a plastic cup is a lot more – i...

Harrisburg – Lorrie Rauch of New Tripoli, Lehigh County, won first place with her Peachy Apple Pie in the Blue Ribbon Apple Pie contest on Saturday at the 2013 Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. It’s all in the apples,” said Rauch. “If you have a good apple, you have a good pie.” Her choice was Cortland apples from a local farmer’s market. Rauch, who loves baking and competing, won the contest in 2009 and has baked a different type of pie each year she competed in the contest. Five judges tasted each of the 73 pies entered to determine the winner based on overall appearance, filling, flavor, creativity and crust. The judges were: McKean County Fair President John Berne, Don Keneske, Reed Soergel, Fay Strickler and Charlie Gipe. The 2012 Pennsylvania Fair Queen Drew An Brubaker presented the awards. The top five winners received ribbons, with the top three taking home cash prizes of $500, $250 and $100. Pennsylvania ranks fourth nationally in apples, producing roughly 439 m...

Harrisburg – Judges celebrated top PA wines from across the state at the 2013 Pennsylvania Farm Show Commercial Wine Competition. Karamoor Estate Vineyards of Fort Washington, Montgomery County, took top honors with their Estate Meritage. The 2008 vintage received Best of Show Dry Grape, Best Vinifera and Double Gold awards. Greendance Winery of Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County, received Best of Show Sweet/Dessert Grape with its Diamond. The 2011 vintage also received Best American and Double Gold honors. Crossing Vineyards and Winery of Washington Crossing, Bucks County, received Best of Show Fruit and a Gold award with its Wild Berry. Pickering Winery of Wysox, Bradford County, received Best Hybrid and a Gold Award for its 2011 Vignoles, and Wilcox Winery of Wilcox, Elk County, won Best Sparkling and a Gold Award for its 2011 Celebration. “Whether sweet, dry, white or fruit, there’s a wide variety of wines to sample here in Pennsylvania,” said Paul Vigna, Patriot-News wine...

A sculpture made from nearly 1,000 pounds of butter was unveiled today at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, paying tribute to Pennsylvania's diverse agriculture industry. The sculpture, sponsored by Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, features PA Preferred, the official brand of agriculture products grown or made in Pennsylvania. Pictured, Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary George Greig (right) and Dairy Farmer Harold Shaulis, of Somerset County (left) listen as Jim Victor of Conshohocken, Montgomerty County, talks about his sculpture. Photo provided by PA Internet News Service

Harrisburg - Cody Steele from Brockway, Jefferson County, exhibited the Grand Champion Overall Junior Meat Goat on Thursday, Jan. 12, during the 96th Pennsylvania Farm Show. World Class was named champion after taking the Champion Purebred title and being selected as the class winner for the 10-12-month-olds. Reserve Grand Champion Junior Meat Goat honors went to Hayden Remesburg of Middletown, Dauphin County, with his goat LBCSZ6 Ruth. Ruth was named Reserve Champion Purebred after winning the 19-24 month class. Judge Mike Borsch from Jacobsville, Ohio, evaluated the goats based on soundness, broodiness, age and conformation. Youth meat goat breeders from across Pennsylvania competed in the show's three divisions: Purebred, Percentage and Crossbred. The Keystone Goat Producer's Association sponsored embroidered chairs for the champions of each division. The results of each division were as follows: Champion Purebred: Cody Steele from Brockway, Dauphin County, with JPHIL World...

Harrisburg - Agriculture Secretary George Greig celebrated more than 450 combined years of family farming across the commonwealth on Wednesday, Jan. 11, at the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. Greig honored the four farms families by presenting them with certificates designating each farm as a Pennsylvania Century Farm. "The Farm Show is a great place to honor Pennsylvania's long-standing farm families," said Greig. "This is where farm meets city and where people from all walks of life can appreciate what these families have done to maintain their farms for a century and keep Pennsylvania growing." The four farms include: The Tim and Sandra Brown Farm, the Marguerite Maxwell and James Maxwell Farm, the Linda (Lang) Mathias and Kevin Mathias Farm and the Prange Family Farm. The 101-acre Brown farm was established on April 1, 1893 and purchased for $14.85 per acre. A blacksmith and sawmill business was also on the Ebensburg, Cambria County farm and today...

Harrisburg – The arena floor was filled with a flourish of colors and patterns as dancers, young and old, took to 58 squares during the Square Dancing Competition Monday, Jan. 9, at the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show. Dance caller Dan Prosser of Dillsburg, York County, said the event is “truly a family activity.” Square dancers have been part of the Pennsylvania Farm Show since the mid-1950s. The Farm Show competition has three different classes of dancers: 16 years old and under, 16 to 25 years old, and an open class where dancers of any age could strut their stuff in western square dancing. Prosser said there are two different types of square dancing. In traditional square dancing, moves are dictated by the music and about 25 different calls. Western square dancing has about 100 different calls and moves are dictated by the caller. With western square dancing, the caller can make any variation of call order they would like. Candice Miller from Chest Springs, Cambria County, has been dan...

Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Farm Show Scholarship Foundation presented more than two dozen students -- including a Potter County resident -- with $3,500 scholarships on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. Kristen Hayman of Genesee was one of 26 students who received a scholarship. Agriculture Secretary George Greig presented the scholarship awards, recognizing the integral contributions youth make in keeping Pennsylvania growing. “Each year, the Pennsylvania Farm Show celebrates the best of agriculture – and you are the best,” said Greig. “I thank the scholarship foundation, its members, contributors and buyers for their hard work. You are making a difference in the lives of these students.” The foundation has awarded $977,250 to 370 junior Farm Show exhibitors since the program began in 1993. In addition, Delaware Valley College provides matching grants to its recipients, and Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences offers $2,000 to its full-time...

Harrisburg – Michael Zaffuto, the Sykesville Ag and Youth Fair finalist, was the first male ever to best entries from across the state in the Hershey’s® Cocoa Classic Cookie, Brownie or Bar Contest held Saturday, Jan. 7, at the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. Zaffuto’s Strawberry Shortcake Brownies recipe topped 79 entries and won him a $250 prize. As the first male to win the grand prize, the 13-year-old said, “I made it up. I wanted to do something different.” Second place and $100 prize was awarded to Dannah Robosson of Fulton County. Matthew Brown of Elizabeth, Lancaster County took third place and $50 prize. Fourth place went to Jada Yanek of Allentown, and fifth place went to Marlana Knab from the Claysburg Farm Show, Blair County. A panel of five judges sifted through entries scoring them on flavor, texture, creativity and inside and outside characteristics. Winning Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake Brownies Ingredients: Bottom Layer: 1 cup butter, softened 2 cups sugar 4 ...

The First Lady Susan Corbett prepares her family's corn pudding recipe using PA Preferred products at the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show. The 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show is the largest indoor agricultural event in the nation, featuring more than 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits and 300 commercial exhibitors. The show runs through Saturday at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg. Admission is free and parking is $10. Photo provided by Commonwealth Media Services The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Lt. Governor Jim Cawley (right) admires the 2012 PA Farm Show butter sculpture while Secretary of Agriculture George Greig (left) and butter sculpture artist Jim Victor (center) enjoy the moment. Provided by Commonwealth Media Services The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Deputy Secretary Mickey Rawley, Punxatawney Phil, Phil's official handler Ben Hughes, DCED Secretary Austin Burke, and Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Reading pose together to promote a new partnership with Pennsylvania and Foursquare , a social media game and network, where users can earn badges uniquely associated with state attractions, including Groundhog Day on February 2.

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A sculpture made from nearly 1,000 pounds of butter has been unveiled at the 95th Pennsylvania Farm Show, which officially opens Saturday, Jan. 8. The design depicts a dairy farmer providing milk to children playing on a jungle gym and tossing a ball with a football player. Sculptor Jim Victor of Conshohocken, Montgomery County, began crafting the life-size design in mid-December and finished just in time for the Farm Show. He also creates sculptures using chocolate and cheese. The butter will be converted into biofuel after the Farm Show ends. http://www.farmshow.state.pa.us/ Pictured, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Reading and artist Marie Pelton look over the 2011 butter sculpture at the unveiling event today at the Farm Show Complex. Courtesy of Commonwealth Media Services

‘B’s Sticky Buns’ Judged Best at First-Ever Contest Harrisburg – Belinda Myers of Dallastown, York County baked her “B’s Sticky Buns” to win the first Sticky Bun Contest from among 62 other entries on Friday, Jan. 15 at the 2010 Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. Myers, a part-time hairdresser and employee at Perry Dell Dairy, was absolutely shocked when they called her named as the winner. “It’s wonderful! I just can’t believe it!” Myers exclaimed after winning the contest. Myers not only earned bragging rights for baking the best sticky buns, but she also received $500 from event sponsor Good Foods Inc. Second place and $100 went to Greta Slagill of Dillsburg, York County. Third place and $50 went to Alicia Knab of Hollidaysburg, Blair County. Eva Seibert of Allentown, Lehigh County received fourth place followed by Brenda Harper from Pennsylvania Furnace, Centre County in fifth place. The sticky buns were judged on overall appearance, flavor, inside characteristics including text...

Harrisburg – Ann Weikel’s Toggenburg doe, GCH Rockspring T Gstone Gemstar, was named Dairy Goat Best Doe in Show on Friday, Jan. 15, at the 2010 Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. This is Weikel’s third consecutive victory in the show. Weikel, owner of Rockspring Farm in Blairs Mills, Huntingdon County, also exhibited Best of Breed LaMancha with her goat “Dorothy.” Judge Daniel Considine, Portage, Wis., said of Gemstar, “This doe’s shoulder assembly and strength of pastern is what really set her apart from the rest of the breeds.” Seven breeds and divisions were represented totaling 297 head in the show, including Alpine, LaMancha, Nubian, Saanen, Toggenburg, All Other Purebreds and Recorded Grades. The results for the seven divisions are as follows: Alpine Grand Champion and Best of Breed: Milar-Farm Laurel Lonestar, exhibited by Catherine Soult of Newport, Perry Co. Reserve Grand Champion: Country-Acres BD Sweetie, exhibited by Heather Moffitt of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland Co. L...

The 2010 butter sculpture is carved from 1,000 pounds of Land O'Lakes butter and depicts a dairy farm family enjoying breakfast together. ( Photo provided by the state Department of Agriculture )

Harrisburg – The 2010 Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg has a lot to offer maple syrup enthusiasts, with educational displays, competition and fresh maple syrup products available for sale. Janet Woods of the Pennsylvania Maple Syrup producers and the Pennsylvania Maple Syrup royalty presented a maple syrup production demonstration on Monday, Jan. 11, at the show. Together they covered a variety of topics including the types of trees used for syrup, the tools used in the production process and the history of maple syrup making. “Most people don’t know that it takes at least 40 gallons of tree sap to produce one gallon of maple syrup,” said Woods. Woods, an Erie County native, has been producing syrup her entire life and was the premiere exhibitor for the second year in a row at the 2010 Pennsylvania Farm Show. With 15 classes available, Woods was able to enter one of her products in every class. Contestants must enter a minimum of 10 classes, including an entry in the Individual Edu...