HARRISBURG – Young visitors to the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show can become “Farm Show Detectives” and visit learning stations to investigate where milk comes from, measure their height in horse hands and explore the important connection between bees and the food supply.
The show runs Jan. 7-14 at the Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg.
“Each year, thousands of children become Farm Show Detectives and learn where their food comes from,” said Agriculture Secretary George Greig. “These fun, interactive learning stations staffed by industry experts play a vital role in the future of our agriculture industry by helping to enhance the important relationship between producers and consumers.”
The stations will feature topics such as 4-H, alpacas, apples, beef and veal, bees and honey, beetles and bugs, the butter sculpture, dairy, edible nuts, farm equipment, farmland preservation, food safety, goats, horses, mushrooms, pigs, poultry, rabbits, sheep, vegetables, veterinary medicine and the WoodMobile. Stations will operate from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day and will be marked with a lamppost and sign.
Station headquarters is the Department of Agriculture booth in the Main Hall, where participants can register and enter to win prizes sponsored by Turkey Hill. A special map of the 22 stations will be given to every “detective.” Completed maps can be dropped off at the department’s booth or at the Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators booth in the Expo Hall.
A grand prize winner will receive one year of free ice cream. Five daily winners will be chosen to receive Turkey Hill party packs, and each day a winner will be chosen for the “Daily Detective Prize,” a giant cow or truck replica.
The Pennsylvania Farm Show is the largest indoor agricultural event in the nation, with 24 acres under one roof that feature nearly 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits and 300 commercial exhibitors. Admission is free and parking is $10. For more information, including a complete list of the 22 Farm Show Detectives learning stations, visit www.farmshow.state.pa.us.