HARRISBURG, Pa. — After a week of preparation, the animals are moving into place for the start of the Pennsylvania Farm Show.
“It’s always exciting because you’re seeing new cows that people are showing this year," said Dalton Brown, a farm hand from the Adams Cattle Company.
“We start months of planning [ahead of time] to have products for the exhibitors," said Fritz Frey of Frey Livestock Supply.
Farm hands from across the Commonwealth spent the afternoon preparing cows for the first day of Farm Show exhibits.
Each and every cow received the royal treatment.
“We wash them, blow-dry them, and then we have to comb their hair and spray stuff into [the hair]," said Brown.
“We have clippers, blades, and plenty of grooming products," said Frey. "They’re well taken care of.”
The hours of grooming are the culmination of months of planning by local farmers, who display their best cows for thousands of Farm Show goers.
“It’s pretty much a 24/7 thing on the home front and especially when we’re at the shows," said Kurt Stockdale with Stockdale Cattle Company.
Farm hands hope months of preparation pay off in the form of first-prize ribbons in show events.
“It kind of makes the long days and long hours worth it," said Stockdale.
The Pennsylvania Farm Show kicks off on Saturday at 9 a.m.
For a full guide on what to expect at the 2023 Farm Show, click here.