The Department of Agriculture shared the schedule for the virtual 2021 Pennsylvania Farm Show. Traditionally held in Harrisburg at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, the department announced a move to a virtual show as Pennsylvania continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In January, we will celebrate Pennsylvania agriculture together with the virtual 2021 Farm Show,” said Secretary Russell Redding. We have seen over this extraordinary past year that agriculture is not only an asset to our communities and our economy, but it is absolutely essential to each and every one of our lives.
“In January, we’ll introduce you to some of the extraordinary people in the industry who have fed our commonwealth, our nation, and our world through good times and bad. You could learn to cultivate your own garden, or to liven up your meals with inspiration from the virtual Culinary Connection, or how to tie-dye a T-shirt with plants. Just like our agriculture industry, this Farm Show will offer up bounty and variety to enrich your life.”
The full schedule of events is available here. Some staples of the show include:
– The traditional kick-off of each day with the National Anthem
– 4-H demonstrations
– Live ducking pond and beehive cams
– A Cultivating Tomorrow panel discussion series
– STEM demonstrations that can be researched at home with kids
– Culinary demonstrations
– Veteran-farmer stories
– DIY plant-based projects and activities
– Segments about the history of Farm Show
– Agriculturally-themed bedtime stories
In addition to live and pre-recorded events that will be featured on the Pennsylvania Farm Show Facebook page and the Pennsylvania Cable Network, the Farm Show will host virtual exhibits at farmshow.pa.gov. The more than 180 virtual exhibits include videos, activities and other learning opportunities that range from all things about bluebirds, gourds and cider, to how to cook dried beans, how to raise hogs or how to make a blue ribbon-winning apple pie.
The full schedule of virtual events will run from Monday, Jan. 11 through Friday, Jan. 15, with previews and light programming running Saturday, Jan. 9 and Sunday, Jan. 10.
Follow the Pennsylvania Farm Show on Instagram, where they’ll host 20 takeovers that will take you behind-the-scenes on Pennsylvania’s farms. Follow along and learn the inner workings of everything from goat and poultry farming, to organic agriculture or bees or rabbits. The Instagram takeovers will run from Saturday, Jan. 9 through Saturday, Jan. 16.
“We hope that this year’s virtual show can offer a whole new perspective on a beloved tradition,” said Redding. “We look forward to being welcomed into homes across the commonwealth as we Cultivate Tomorrow.”
