Winners of the pie baking contest at Ag Day included (top, from left) Ava Hughes, Willow Borove, Fay Townsend, Holly Klim, and Amanda Voll. Amanda’s pie is held by her mother, Brenda. Also not pictured is pie winner Kathleen Borove. Penn State Extension, which coordinated Ag Day again this year, had many representatives onsite, including (above, from left) Jeffrey Hyde, Sarah Welch, Tammy Miller, and Laice Varnum.
Story and photos by Rick Hiduk
(originally published in the Rocket-Courier)
It was all hands on deck for the Penn State Extension of Susquehanna County on March 21, as the agency hosted Ag Day at Montrose High School for the first time. At least 84 vendors greeted the public, including a wide variety of businesses in the gymnasium that support the ag industry and non-profit organizations set up in adjacent hallways called “Resource Alley.” Extension educators conducted three blocks of educational work sessions on an array of topics that included water management, entomology, farm safety, and health. Extension departments represented in classrooms or at other stations included Master Watershed, Master Gardeners, Master Food Preparation, Food Families and Health, and 4-H.
Penn State Extension Master Gardener Laice Varnum presented welcoming remarks and made announcements throughout the event. “This is our 35th year with Ag Day, formerly Dairy Day,” Varnum related. “We’re pleased to have all three Susquehanna commissioners here today as well as the Dean of the Extension Program for Penn State,” the latter a reference to Jeffrey Hyde, who was also introduced to Farm Bureau members and elected officials at a meeting held before the start of the main event.
Susquehanna County 4-H Extension educator Tammy Miller has seen an increase in the number of youths involved in the organization as well as seven new adult volunteers, she explained. New programs have been introduced in the last year include MyPI, a disaster preparedness program for youths that focuses on topics like fire safety and suppression, treatment of injuries, search and rescue and disaster psychology. Upon completion of the course, students will receive FEMA CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) certification.
Susquehanna County Dairy Promotion and 4-H are heavily involved in Ag Day, providing project exhibits and free samples of milk, cheese sticks and ice cream. Dairy maids Maria Klim and Willow Borove were among those greeting people and talking to them about their club activities. Willow is in her first year as a Dairy Promotion team member, relating that she felt that it would be a good fit for her as a fifth-generation dairy farmer. “It’s a big part of my family’s livelihood,” said Willow, who estimated that her family currently has about 40 cows.
Maria also lives on a multi-generational dairy farm. “I wanted to introduce people to dairy and spread the word about it,” she stated. In addition to making Ag Day guests happy with the free treats, the girls like preparing and showing their scrap books and posters. Willow suggested that butter pecan ice cream was the crowd favorite for the day, even though her personal favorite is cookies and cream. Maria prefers salted caramel.
Susquehanna County Farm Bureau associates staffed a table at which they were raffling off a basket, distributing informational pamphlets and talking to people about joining the organization. “We also have books here to sell for Ag Literacy Week,” said Kate Cole, regional organizational director for Region 8 of the PA Farm Bureau. “We advocate for farmers and legislative issues, bringing laws up that farmers believe in and are passionate about.”
Tina Henning of Henningstead Farms in Mehoopany (above, left) was busy throughout the day providing samples of and selling blocks of organic cheese. “We have a high percentage of guernseys, which means our milk is high in a A2A2 (beta-casein protein) which makes it easier to digest. Our cheese is all full fat and natural,” she told Ag Day guests like Rosemary Cosner (above, right) of Springville. “Whatever God gave it, that’s what’s in our cheese.” Henning noted that there are also a lot of blackberries and blueberries on the farm from July to Labor Day. Berries led to beekeeping, she noted. “When the bees and the berries cooperate, we have berry honey, which is different to a lot of people.”
Nature was the focus of an exhibit by Friends of Salt Springs Park. Environmental education coordinators Jim Hayes and Eric Watkins fielded questions on a variety of topics, including upcoming hikes and programs. Guests of all ages were interested in the stuffed great horned owl that was on display as well as what Watkins called an “owl pellet” that he held in his palm. The great horned owl eats its prey whole, he explained, adding, “What they don’t digest in 24 hours, they regurgitate.” He identified a small white bone visible in the primarily furry mass as a likely femur from a rodent.
Guests enjoyed a free ham dinner, complete with giant cookies, in the high school cafeteria that was paid for by Coterra Energy and Expand Energy. Other key sponsors of Ag Day were Montrose Feed & Supply and Williams Companies. They also had the opportunity to share in a large cake that was ceremoniously sliced up by Laice Varnum in the course of a brief ceremony in which Varnum drew attention to and much applause for Evie Groff, a retired Extension secretary who is credited as instrumental in starting Ag Day as Dairy Day 35 years ago.
The final highlights of the day were the naming of the winners of the pie baking contest and the subsequent auctioning off of the pies to benefit both the 4-H and Dairy Promotion programs. Myron Histand of Histand Farm Supply in Potterville estimated that it was probably his 15th time at Ag Day but his first time as a pie judge. “The table next to me said, ‘No,’ so they came to me,” he joked. Histand (below) was clearly enjoying the task, however, judging the offerings first by appearance and then by taste. “It’s a tough one,” he said of choosing a favorite. “I think it’s going to be the strawberry one,” he declared as he pointed at an entry submitted by Brenda Voll. “It’s very good.”
While Voll did not pick up a win, a peanut butter cup cheesecake pie entered by her daughter, Amanda, scored one of three wins in the youth category. Other youth winners were Abby Gretzula and Ava Hughes. The three adult winners were Fay Townsend, Kathleen Borove, and Holly Klim.
The pie auction traditionally provides an opportunity for sponsors and vendors to show additional support for the event and the youth groups by paying what some might thing are exorbitant prices. North Jackson Ag 4-H Club leader Cathy Bewley served as emcee for the auction while Mike Lopatofsky handled the bids, which ranged from $75 to $350, the latter for a lemon blueberry crumb cake pie entered by Peg Miller of Brackney. The total amount raised through the pie auction was $4,555.
Extension client relations manager Sarah Welch estimated that approximately 750 people attended Ag Day. “I thought the day went very well. The vendors were happy with the turnout and the new location,” she offered. “The Extension representatives were also pleased.” As people were leaving, they told Extension personnel that they enjoyed themselves and looked forward to next year.
Photos by Rick Hiduk
Farm Bureau representatives Mania DeLeon (left), and Kate Cole (center) have a lively chat with Jyl Reeves during Ag Day in Montrose.
PSP Troop R community affairs officer Brianna Hollenbeck (left) discusses careers in law enforcement with Susquehanna County dairy ambassador and Montrose sixth grader Emmory Coy-Puzo.
Penn State Extension Master Gardener educator Jim Kester begins a presentation on small fruits for home gardens; one of many classroom sessions available during Ag Day.
Among the Susquehanna County Dairy Promotion associates handing out ice cream and other treats at Ag Day were (from left) Maria Klim, Willow Borove, Ava Hughes, Kaylee Walker and Emmory Coy-Puzo.
North Jackson Ag 4-H Club leader Cathy Bewley served as emcee for the Ag Day pie auction while Mike Lopatofsky (back, left) handled the bids.
Salt Springs Park environmental education coordinator Eric Watkins (left) shows and owl pellet to Debbie Nagle and Dan Handzo, both of Dimock.
Marci Dake (left) of Wyalusing and Cain Chamberlin of Towanda represented the Endless Mountains Heritage Region at Ag Day.
Susquehanna County Dairy Promotion ambassadors Emmory Coy-Puzo (left) and Kaylee Walker help Penn State Extension associate and Ag Day emcee Laice Varnum celebrate Ag Day’s 35th anniversary with the cutting of a cake enjoyed by many guests.