A great opportunity awaits a young lady living in Susquehanna County to meet entertainers, talk with exhibitors, award ribbons, and greet people of all ages who come to enjoy the fair. In addition, she will receive $500.00 from the Harford Agricultural Society and a $100.00 scholarship from the Pennsylvania Trappers’ Association. The runner-up, or alternate, will receive $300.00 and each remaining contestant receives $25.00 for competing. Contestants must be between the ages of 16 and 20. Poise, the ability to communicate, and a love for the Harford Fair should be possessed by those entering the contest.
Lydia Watkins (Pictured) looks on as her sister, Taylor Watkins is crowned the 2013 Harford Fair Queen. Rachael Grosvenor, the 2012 queen, adjusts the crown for Taylor. She will have the honor of crowning the 2014 Harford Fair Queen during the competition on Monday, August 18, the first day of this year’s fair.
The winner of the contest will serve as the Harford Fair Queen for 2014 and will represent Harford Fair throughout the week of the fair and at the State Fair Competition in Hershey in January, 2015. In addition, she will be asked to make guest appearances throughout the year. To enter, young ladies must submit a 300 word essay entitled “What My Fair Means to My Community.” As a part of the contest, she will give a 3-5 minute speech on “Why You Should Come to My Fair.” She will have a personal interview with the contest judges which gives her a chance to explain the content of her essay and to answer any questions the judges may have. All contest rules and entry forms can be found at www.harfordfair.com. Entry forms are due August 1, 2014, and the competition is Monday, August 18, 2014, the first full day of the Harford Fair.
So if you or anyone you know is interested, check out the information on the Harford Fair website. It is fun, rewarding, and a great opportunity for a young lady in Susquehanna County.
My name is Rachel Johnson and I am the 2014-2015 Susquehanna County Alternate Dairy Princess. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to promote and share the dairy industry within my County.
The dairy industry has always been a part of my life as I grew up on Amasa Hill Farm, a family farm owned by my Uncles. The dairy industry will always be an integral part of my life. Now that I am older, it's very important to me to get information to the public about the necessity of the dairy industry and bring recognition to the farmers and their families who work ceaselessly.
Rachel Johnson
July is ice cream month. Did you know that Dolly Madison, wife of President James Madison, was the first person to serve ice cream to guests in the White House in 1809. The dessert was met with pleasant surprise. Today she is affectionately known as "The First Lady of ice cream." In Dolly's time, ice cream was very different than the creamy dessert we enjoy today. As a guest in the White House in 1809, you would have found a salted, sweetened lump of frozen milk topped with delectable fresh fruits such as strawberries and blueberries. The hard work of your local Pennsylvania dairy farmer is what keeps the ice cream in your freezer.
So today, whether on the porch or by the pool, as you enjoy your favorite brand of cool and delicious ice cream, remember the persevering dairy farmer, the audacious Mrs. Dolly Madison, and her deliciously revolutionary dessert.
The Penn State Master Gardeners of Susquehanna County have built a new, permanent raised bed garden and shade garden at the 4-H Building at the Harford Fair. These gardens will serve as a teaching tool for Master Gardeners to deliver educational programs throughout the week of the Fair. The group of dedicated gardeners (and builders) have been meeting throughout the season to plan the sites and on June 21st it all came to fruition and the gardens were constructed and planted.
Pictured (l-r) are Maureen Hoover, Carol Matheson, Gayle O’Brien, Dorrie Mininger, Lori Wallace and Jim Kasten. (not pictured but who took part were George Schreck and Diane Stahl). Photo by George Schreck.
Programs that will be presented throughout the Harford Fair are: Mason Bee Workshop & Pollinator program, No Dig Lasagna Garden, Using Water Wisely (rain barrel, soaker hose & drip irrigation) and Container Gardening. Master Gardeners will also offer a question & answer table.
Also gracing the front of the 4-H Building is another well-established educational garden which emphasizes the importance of pollinators. The Penn State Master Gardeners would like to personally thank Harford Fair Director Brian Tyler for installing a water spigot at the building to aid us in maintaining the gardens.
Currently there are 28 Penn State Master Gardeners in Susquehanna County. The mission of the Penn State Extension Master Gardener volunteer program is to support Penn State Cooperative Extension by utilizing research-based information to educate the public on best practices in consumer horticulture and environmental stewardship. For more information on how to become a Penn State Master Gardener or if you have any gardening questions contact Penn State Extension in Montrose at 278.1158.
