Pennsylvania Farm Show offers interactive farming experiences at the Calving Corner
Visitors can also take part in hands-on activities at Moo University
OUR COVERAGE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FARM SHOW CONTINUES NOW, AS THE DOORS WILL BE OPENING UP FOR TODAY IN JUST A FEW HOURS. NEWS EIGHT’S GABRIEL THOMAS ALREADY INSIDE THE COMPLEX, AND GABRIEL ONE OF THE NEATEST PARTS OF THE FARM SHOW IS THAT IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT FARMING, YOU WILL FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE ANSWER. AND THERE’S A PROGRAM THAT’S ALSO DESIGNED TO DO THE SAME THING ABOUT DAIRY FARMING. IT IS. GOOD MORNING MATT. WELL, CLASS IS NOW IN SESSION HERE AT THE FARM SHOW COMPLEX. WE ARE AT MCGILL UNIVERSITY. YES, MU UNIVERSITY. SO ALTHOUGH IT’S REALLY NICE TO SEE THOSE COWS GIVE BIRTH, IT’S ALSO REALLY GOOD TO LEARN HOW THAT FOOD MAKES IT TO YOUR PLATE OR TO YOUR FRIDGE. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT DAIRY COWS, NOT BEEF COWS, BECAUSE YOU LIKE TO EAT MILK AND YOU LIKE TO. OR YOU LIKE TO DRINK MILK. EXCUSE ME? YOU LIKE TO EAT CHEESE AND YOU LIKE TO EAT YOGURT. SO EVENTUALLY THAT GOES TO YOUR PLATE OR TO YOUR FRIDGE. NOW I HAVE BRITTANY SNYDER JOINING ME THIS MORNING. SHE IS WITH THE CAPTAIN CORNER AND MU UNIVERSITY. YOU EXPLAIN TO ME A LITTLE BIT WHEN WE WERE TALKING BEFOREHAND HOW MILK GOES THROUGH A SERIES OF STAGES OR PROCESS BEFORE IT MAKES IT TO YOUR FRIDGE OR TO YOUR PLATE? EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT THAT. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SO MILK IS TESTED UP TO 17 TIMES BEFORE IT GETS TO YOUR REFRIGERATOR. FROM THE TIME IT LEAVES THE FARM. WHEN IT GETS TO THE PROCESSING PLANT AND THEN GETS TO THE STORE. SO TODAY WE’RE DOING AN ACTIVITY THAT KIND OF SIMULATES THOSE DIFFERENT PROCESSES AND STEPS. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY REGULATED PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET. SO YOU CAN BE GUARANTEED EVERY TIME YOU TAKE A SIP OF MILK, IT IS SAFE AND HEALTHY FOR YOU TO DRINK. BUT TODAY WE’RE GOING TO DO A FUN EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO EMULATE THAT. ALL RIGHT BRITTANY, SHOW ME HOW TO DO THIS. SO FIRST WE GET THE FOOD COLORING AND I HAVE TO STEP BACK BECAUSE I AM REALLY NOT AN EXPERT AT THIS. I’M NOT A SCIENTIST, BUT I AM LEARNING HERE HOW TO TEST MILK. I’LL PICK UP THIS Q-TIP. RIGHT, BRITTANY. YEP. YEAH. SO I’M GOING TO PUT SOME FOOD COLORING IN HERE. AND YOU CAN SEE AS I’M PUTTING THE FOOD COLORING IN, IT’S NOT MAKING THE WHOLE PLATE ONE COLOR LIKE IT WOULD WITH WATER. AND THAT’S BECAUSE THE FOOD COLORING IS ACTUALLY STICKING TO THE FAT GLOBULES IN THE MILK. SO WE’RE ACTUALLY SEEING THE FAT GLOBULES. IT HELPS US SEE IT RIGHT NOW IN THE MILK. BUT WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO IS WE’RE GOING TO SHATTER THOSE FAT MOLECULES AND WATCH THEM SCATTER ACROSS THE PLATE. SO WE’RE GOING TO TAKE OUR Q-TIP, JUST PUT A LITTLE BIT OF SOAP ON THE END, AND THEN WE’RE JUST GOING TO VERY GENTLY TAP SOME OF OUR FOOD COLORED SPOTS AND WATCH THE MAGIC HAPPEN. SO WE ARE ACTUALLY SEEING THOSE FAT GLOBULES SHATTER APART. AND THE FOOD COLORING IS LETTING US SEE THAT HAPPEN. AND THIS IS KIND OF ALSO MEANT TO EMULATE NOT ONLY TESTING MILK. WE DON’T ACTUALLY TEST MILK WITH DISH SOAP AND COLOR, BUT WE’RE ALSO EMULATING THAT. WE’RE SHATTERING THOSE FAT GLOBULES IN MILK, WHICH IS THE SAME SIMILAR PROCESS AS HOMOGENIZATION. HOMOGENIZATION IS SO THAT WAY WHEN YOU GO TO DRINK YOUR MILK, YOU DON’T HAVE TO SHAKE IT EVERY TIME RAW MILK CREAM RISES TO THE TOP. SO WHETHER YOU REALIZE IT OR NOT, EVERY BOTTLE OF MILK SAYS HOMOGENIZATION, RE
Pennsylvania Farm Show offers interactive farming experiences at the Calving Corner
Visitors can also take part in hands-on activities at Moo University
Updated: 11:24 AM EST Jan 12, 2026
The Pennsylvania Farm Show offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience farm life up close, with attractions like the calving corner, where crowds gather to watch cows give birth and see the care and teamwork involved in welcoming new life. Beyond the barn, families can participate in interactive experiences such as “Adopt a Cow,” which connects the public with local dairy farmers and the animals they care for year-round. Visitors can also take part in hands-on activities at Moo University, where they learn how milk goes from the farm to the table while gaining a deeper understanding of the dairy industry’s role in Pennsylvania agriculture.Together, these hands-on experiences turn the Farm Show into more than an exhibit, offering an educational look at farming, tradition, and the people behind it.The Farm Show will be displaying the Calving Corner until January 17. To access the schedule for the week, click here.
HARRISBURG, Pa. —
The Pennsylvania Farm Show offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience farm life up close, with attractions like the calving corner, where crowds gather to watch cows give birth and see the care and teamwork involved in welcoming new life.
Beyond the barn, families can participate in interactive experiences such as “Adopt a Cow,” which connects the public with local dairy farmers and the animals they care for year-round.
Visitors can also take part in hands-on activities at Moo University, where they learn how milk goes from the farm to the table while gaining a deeper understanding of the dairy industry’s role in Pennsylvania agriculture.
Together, these hands-on experiences turn the Farm Show into more than an exhibit, offering an educational look at farming, tradition, and the people behind it.
The Farm Show will be displaying the Calving Corner until January 17. To access the schedule for the week, click here.