Join the Calving Corner Team at 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show

By Blake Jackson

Individuals with experience in Pennsylvania’s dairy industry are invited to volunteer at the Calving Corner during the 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show, taking place January 10-17, 2026, in Harrisburg, Pa.

The Calving Corner, located in the Destination Dairy Northeast Exhibit Hall, serves as the central educational exhibit where visitors can witness live cow births and learn about the dairy industry through interactive activities. The exhibit also reaches over 37,000 virtual viewers annually through live streaming.

“Volunteering at the Calving Corner is an exciting way to help share the story of Pennsylvania dairy farming directly with consumers and families. Farm Show visitors not only witness the miracle of birth and learn where their food comes from, but it’s a rewarding way to help enhance the public’s understanding of production agriculture,” said Miriam Miller, project manager for the Calving Corner.

Four Pennsylvania dairy farms will participate in the 2026 exhibit, including Rock Solid Dairy (Garber family, Cumberland County), Kurtland Farm (Kurtz family, Berks County), Sweigart Dairy (Sweigart family, Lancaster County), and Penn England Farms (England family, Blair County). Cows from these farms will calve on-site throughout the Farm Show.

“I got into veterinary medicine because of dairy farmers and their families. I really like supporting those farmers, so the Calving Corner is a great way to do that. It’s also a good way to bridge the gap, so there’s a better understanding [from consumers] of how things work on the farm.” said Veterinarian Ann DiPastina from Penn Vet.

Volunteer opportunities are open to dairy farmers, veterinarians, nutritionists, college students, and other professionals with dairy experience. Volunteers must be 18 or older, complete online training, and wear proper attire.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available. “The Calving Corner is a tremendous opportunity for Pennsylvania’s farmers to tell their story to the hundreds of thousands of visitors at the PA Farm Show each year. From individuals who completed our survey last year, 95.2 percent said the Calving Corner helped increase their understanding of the role dairy farmers have in our community,” Miller added.

Interested individuals can apply at www.surveymonkey.com/r/calvingcorner or contact Miriam Miller at Miriam@thecalvingcorner.org.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-katie-ellement