HARRISBURG, Pa. — Dairy farmers, dairy farm employees and others passionate about sharing their story with consumers are invited to volunteer at the Calving Corner, Pennsylvania’s dairy cow birthing center, at the 2019 Pennsylvania Farm Show on Jan 5–12 in Harrisburg, Pa. The exhibit offers an educational insight for visitors to connect and learn about the story of Pennsylvania dairy producers while providing a unique platform for dairy industry members to foster and build relationships.
“The Calving Corner is the dairy industry’s opportunity to share its story with the hundreds of thousands of people who attend the Pennsylvania Farm Show,” said Miriam Miller, project manager of the Calving Corner. “It’s a unique opportunity to captivate the audience and engage them in real and meaningful conversations about the care and stewardship we put into dairy production.”
The Calving Corner will feature four family-owned dairy farms that will share their stories as they donate their time and animals to demonstrate the dairy birthing process as part of the exhibit. Cows representing the four farms will calve on site during the eight-day farm show. These farms include: Rohrer Dairy Farms owned by Bob, Mike and Tony Rohrer of Washington Boro, Pa.; Mount Rock Jerseys owned by Francis Mains, Dan Mains and Kyle Kotzmoyer of Newville, Pa.; Star Rock Farms owned by Abe, Rob and Tom Barley of Conestoga, Pa.; and Hess Dairy Farms owned by Joe Hess, Aaron Hess and Tom Stoltzfus of Mount Joy, Pa.
Located in the Northeast Hall of the Farm Show Complex, the Calving Corner will use the miracle of birth to provide a unique platform for the dairy industry to share the commitment and care that goes into dairy farming today. The Calving Corner is made possible by the American Dairy Association North East, Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, Friends of Farm Show Foundation, Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania, Center for Dairy Excellence, Mid-Atlantic/AgChoice Farm Credit, Land O’Lakes Foundation, Professional Dairy Producers Foundation, Northeast Agriculture Education Foundation, Inc. and additional dairy organizations with support from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
Volunteers can be part of the Calving Corner experience by sharing their time and experience in the dairy industry with consumers visiting the exhibit. Dairy farmers, veterinarians, nutritionists, industry representatives and college students are welcomed to register to volunteer throughout the week of the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Volunteers will serve in various roles to help facilitate the mission of the Calving Corner.
Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and should plan to wear proper attire, including clean and neat jeans or khakis. All volunteers will be provided with a Calving Corner sweatshirt. To ensure consistent, consumer-focused messaging, Calving Corner volunteers are required to complete a brief webinar.
To learn more about the Calving Corner reach out via email to Miriam@thecalvingcorner.org or by calling 814-935-4905. To sign up directly to volunteer, visit http://signup.com/go/zbaMQSs or contact Cassie Cole at 888-786-7360 or at dairyspeakerscheduler@gmail.com.
— Center for Dairy Excellence