2024 Pennsylvania Honey Queen and 2020 Canton High School graduate Cheyenne Bastian-Brown bumped into Rep. Clint Owlett (PA 68th) during the Public Officials Day luncheon at the 108th PA Farm Show in Harrisburg on Jan. 10.
Story and photo by Rick Hiduk
(Originally published in the Daily Review)
Cheyenne Bastian-Brown has always had in interest in agriculture that flourished during her years as an FFA member at Canton High School, from which she graduated in 2020. She served as both local chapter and state FFA officer in 2020-21.
The Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association recently crowned her 2024 State Honey Queen, and she been traveling throughout the commonwealth – sometimes with State Honey Princess Libby Heaton of New Oxford – to promote the beekeeping and honey industries. They enjoy meeting with school and community groups to whom they present educational programming.
The Beekeepers have a strong presence at the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show, selling honey and hosting informative exhibits, from which Cheyenne and Libby greeted guests on Jan. 10 and handed out pamphlets with recipes for desserts and drinks that prominently feature honey. They also sold honey ice cream and waffles in the food court and hosted a celebrity honey extraction.
Cheyenne also sat in as a judge at PA Preferred Culinary Connections stage for an iron skillet cook-off, where honey was a key ingredient, between students between local culinary arts students. When they got a break, she and Libby took part in a second-year activity at the Farm Show – snuggling with baby goats.
While at the Farm Show on Wednesday, Cheyenne had an opportunity to talk with Sen. Gene Yaw (PA 23rd) and Rep. Clint Owlett (PA 68th), both of whom were attending Public Officials Day and a legislative luncheon at which the Beekeepers Association associates were guests.
Currently, Cheyenne is a third year student at Penn State University, where she is pursuing a degree in Agricultural and Extension Education and a minor in International Agriculture. She is involved with and represents numerous groups at Penn State, including Global Teach Ag., the PSU FFA Alumni and Supporters Chapter, University Park Undergraduate Association, the Ag Alumni Society, and the Science Dairy Club.
Cheyenne is also a PSU communications intern and loves to blog about her agricultural experiences. She enjoys music and caring for her pet sheep, Wheat Thin. Upon graduation from Penn State, Cheyenne hopes to return to Canton High School as an ag teacher.