‘Imagine the Opportunities’: Pennsylvania Farm Show to kick off soon
The 104th Pennsylvania Farm Show kicks off Jan. 4 with this year’s theme: “Imagine the Opportunities.”
“Each and every one of more than half a million attendees will have the power to imagine how they can support, or be a part of, Pennsylvania agriculture’s bright future,” Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said in a statement. The farm show theme was created in part to recognize Governor Tom Wolf’s signing of the Pennsylvania Farm Bill, which invests $23.1 million into Pennsylvania agriculture and its future.
The much-anticipated Pennsylvania Farm Show, which takes place in Harrisburg, is the largest indoor agricultural event in the United States, with thousands of exhibitors and free admission for all. Among those exhibitors are a plethora of Centre County businesses, farmers and producers, including a fair amount of wineries. This year, 32 wineries from across the state are presenting wine to attendees, for sampling and purchase, and select wineries will compete for a range of accolades.
“We have been in business since 2011 and this will be our seventh year exhibiting at the Pennsylvania Farm Show,” said Jeff Proch, of University Wine Company. “The Pennsylvania wine industry is an important element of agriculture and agritourism in the state, so it’s fitting that Pennsylvania wines have a presence in the signature event that celebrates Pennsylvania farming.”
The show is also a good way to share University Wine Company’s products and story with new customers and reconnect with existing ones, he said.
“It’s an opportunity to interact with hundreds if not thousands of people who are interested in what you do and what you have to offer, so it’s wonderful for marketing your business,” Porch said.
University Wine Company uniquely understands the farm show’s 2020 theme, as Proch and his team imagine their own new opportunities as they prepare to open a new tasting room and production facility this year.
Another Centre County winery planning to be at the Pennsylvania Farm Show is Happy Valley Vineyard and Winery. Co-owner Barb Christ says the winery has been participating in the show for at least five years and it’s one they look forward to each year.
“It is a time (to) educate the public as to the diversity of wine that can be produced in Pennsylvania,” she said, adding that the show, which runs through Jan. 11, hosts a food court where many community members dine, while trying various Pennsylvania products, including wines. “It is their chance to have food that represents all the commodities that are produced in Pennsylvania, and this includes Pennsylvania wine.”
The show is also a chance for the winery to showcase new products, as Happy Valley Vineyard and Winery goes into 2020 celebrating the vineyard’s 20th birthday and the winery’s eighth birthday.
Other Centre County wineries and similar producers appearing at the Pennsylvania Farm Show include Seven Mountains Wine Cellars and Good Intent Cider.
More information about the 2020 Pennsylvania Farm Show can be found at farmshow.pa.gov.