Centre County’s annual Farm-City Dinner on Nov. 1 will celebrate local agriculture and conservation efforts.
The dinner will kick off at 5:30 p.m. at New Hope Lutheran Church in Spring Mills with a milk and cheese reception hosted by the Centre County Dairy Princess. Following the reception, a turkey dinner will start at 6:30 p.m.
Herb Grove of the Brush Mountain Bison Farm will be the guest speaker at the dinner. He will share his experiences and insights into sustainable farming practices.
Conservation awards will also be presented to individuals who have contributed significantly to conservation efforts in the community and strive to protect and preserve natural resources. There will be opportunities to win door prizes and participate in a silent auction.
Tickets are available for the dinner for $18/adult and $8 for children ages 5 to 12. Children 4 years old and younger are admitted free of charge. Tickets must be purchased in advance by contacting the Centre County Conservation District at (814) 355-6517 and will not be available at the door.
The dinner will be held in advance of National Farm-City Week, Nov. 22-29. Centre County’s Board of Commissioners on Tuesday issued a proclamation declaring Farm-City Week in the county.
“Farm-City Week is a national observance recognized annually to acknowledge the cooperative relationship between our agricultural heritage and the urban centers of our country,” Jim Coslo, Conservation District manager, said. “It is a time to reflect on our blessings and focus on the common ground between farm and city residents in our rural, urban and suburban communities.”
Centre County has more than 1,000 farms, 300 of which are full-scale commercial operations, and Board of Commissioners Chair Mark Higgins said it’s important to “strengthen those bonds.” between farms and people in small towns and urban centers.
“I think it’s really critical for everyone who lives in our more urban centers, even in Centre County, to understand how reliant we are on our agricultural industry here in Centre County and the importance of supporting our local farms,” added Vice Chair Amber Concepcion.
Commissioner Steve Dershem said the county celebrates its agricultural community year-round, but the event offers an opportunity for deeper understanding.
“It’s indicative that any time you can kind of mesh the conversation about the folks that live in towns and the folks that make the food it’s a general appreciation of everything we are in Centre County,” Dershem said. “I think a lot of counties probably have this mix but I think we have it in a really amazing way. We celebrate it at the Grange Fair. We celebrate throughout all the farmers markets here in the community. We celebrate what we do here locally all the time, but at the same time it gives us all an opportunity to understand not only about the farming and agriculture but also the conservation efforts that are going on to keep those farms productive and safe.”
