PSU AEE Students help with FFA Food Stand at Farm Show

Any food product with this label is grown in PA and
supports local farmers!

What unifies all humans? If you guessed FOOD than you are correct! When the Pennsylvania Farm show comes to Harrisburg, people come for the exhibits, shows, events, but also to eat the amazing food that is only there for one week out of the entire year! Cheese cubes, pizza, milkshakes, fried mushrooms, and so much more are all PA Preferred products that are sold.

PA Preferred has been working with several food booths for a common goal. They feel that is their duty to restore thousands of PA companies to only sell products from local farms to support the economy as well as the farmers who grow the products. One of the stands that works with PA Preferred is the FFA Foundation Food Stand. Tyler Schaeffer, as well as myself, had the privilege to be the mangers over the week of Farm Show. 

Top (left to right) Kelsey Paulus, Olivia Murphy-Sweet, Dave (Ice Man), Shannon Christie,
Bottom (left to right) Ali Emig, the Nittany Lion

From open to close, FFA members from all over the state, came to work with us at the stand to make some FFA dollars. From working they could save money that goes to their chapter to go on trips at a discounted price. One of those students Ali Emig from the Cumberland Valley chapter said, “I work here every year with my chapter. It is a great way to make friends as well as money to use on trips! I hope that when graduate I can still come back to work because the relationships you make here with people last a lifetime. I am still friends with a girl I met freshman year of high school!” She worked all week to save up money to go to Washington and Oregon with her chapter for their spring trip. She will also be going to the Penn State branch campus Mont Alto in the fall.

State FFA Officer, Lena Bioni
working at the FFA Food Stand

During the week it was awesome working with students and their teachers to make the week a great success. We raised over $30,000 dollars at the stand during the course of the week. Tyler and I also received a scholarship from working through the FFA foundation.

To learn more about the Pennsylvania State Farm Show visit www.farmshow.state.pa.us. Or if you are interested on being a manager for next year you can contact Mark Lowery at mark.lowery@newholland.com

To learn more about starting on the path to having a career that makes a positive impact on the lives of students across the globe by becoming an agricultural educator, please contact the agricultural teacher education program at teachag@psu.edu. Follow us on Twitter at TeachAgPSU, on Facebook, or on our blog!

Olivia Murphy-Sweet
Student Blogger
Teach Ag! Avenger
Twitter Handle @OSweetMurph
2016 Agricultural Education Student Teacher