Attend the Farm-to-Fork Event on June 17 and Celebrate Pennsylvania Dairy
A limited amount of tickets are left for the “A Toast to Dairy” celebration on Thursday, June 17, 2021. Hosted by the Dairy Excellence Foundation, the annual event celebrates Pennsylvania dairy and helps support dairy education programs. The event will take place from 6-9 p.m. at the Historic Acres of Hershey in Elizabethtown, Pa. Tickets are available at www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/toasttodairy for $75 each with discounted rates available for groups or organizations that purchase bundles of eight tickets.
“’A Toast to Dairy’ is always an exciting event, but this year is extra meaningful as the dairy industry safely comes together in-person to celebrate Pennsylvania dairy and the students who are making a mark on the future of this industry,” said Jayne Sebright, Executive Director at the Center for Dairy Excellence. “We’ll be highlighting some of our on-farm interns and have several new activities planned. There has been a lot of interest in this year’s event, so I encourage you to get your tickets while there is still time left.”
“I benefited from the on-farm internship program by gaining hands-on experience at a local dairy farm while I was in college. I built great relationships with the producers I worked with, and after I graduated, I actually received a full-time position at the same farm. I love what I do, and I am excited to attend this year’s event to celebrate the PA dairy industry and share my internship experience,” added Holly Musser, a previous on-farm intern.
This year’s event includes meal stations sourced with Pennsylvania Preferred ingredients, a new tasting experience with local wines, brews and cheese pairings, live entertainment, and more. During the event, attendees will enjoy:
- Farm-to-fork food stations – Thanks to Mountain Laurel Catering and event donors, attendees will enjoy a variety of food stations and dinner options sourced with local, PA Preferred ingredients.
- Wine and brew tasting experience – New this year, attendees will receive a guided tasting passport to sample wine and beer from local wineries and breweries, including Waltz Vineyards Estate Winery, Troegs Independent Brewing, Lindgren Craft Brewery, and The Winery at Wilcox.
- Cheese pairings – The Pennsylvania Cheese Guild will be offering carefully paired local cheeses to sample.
- Raffle baskets – A favorite each year, attendees can purchase raffle tickets and enter to win baskets donated by event sponsors.
- Cow pie bingo – New this year, attendees can participate in cow pie bingo. A cow from an Adams County dairy farm will be released into a small area marked with Bingo squares, numbered 1-50. Join the fun for a chance to win $100, and watch a live stream in real time as the cow determines the winner!
- Charcuterie and cheese board demonstrations – Enjoy live demonstrations and learn how to create your own charcuterie and cheese board.
- Pennsylvania Dutch desserts – As attendees celebrate Pennsylvania dairy, a variety of Pennsylvania Dutch themed desserts will be available from Karns Foods.
- Live music – Pyxus Music, a talented duo, will be performing live music throughout the event.
- Caricature artist – Attendees can take home a personalized drawing from a live caricature artist during the event.
Visit centerfordairyexcellence.org/toasttodairy to purchase tickets and learn more about the event. Discounted rates are available for groups or organizations that purchase bundles of eight tickets. All proceeds from the event will support the scholarships, internships and curriculum provided through the Dairy Excellence Foundation.
Premier sponsors of the Toast to Dairy event include the PA Preferred® Program and Land O’Lakes. Other sponsors include Dave and Janet Hileman, Feedworks USA, Herbein & Company, Inc., Phibro Animal Health, Premier Select Sires, Savencia Cheese, and Valley Grange.
To sponsor the event, email Katie Waite at kwaite@centerfordairyexcellence.org or call 717-346-0849.
Learn more at centerfordairyexcellence.org/toasttodairy or call the Foundation at 717-346-0849 with questions about the event.