NORWICH – Like his family’s goat farm in Georgetown, 11-year-old Eli Stoltman says there’s a lot of things that make Chenango County Dairy Day great.

“Dairy Day is a lot of fun and you can do lots of cool stuff,” he said, listing walking in the parade, being around the animals, participating in the drawing contest and playing with other kids as his favorite aspects of the event. “It’s also lot’s of fun to do the maze.”

When asked what he liked most about living on a farm, Stoltman said everything – well, almost everything.

“You get to care for lots of animals, you’re never bored and there’s always lots of things to do. You have to get up early and do lots of chores, too, and then you come in and eat breakfast,” he said, adding that he loves it all, “except maybe for the getting up early part.”

Dairy Day – honoring all those who are late to bed and early to rise for the sake of producing our nation’s food supply – saw its best turnout to date Saturday, event organizers say. Following the 11 a.m. parade down East Main Street, all ages filled the Exhibition Hall at the county fairgrounds to take-in a little bit life – past and present – on the farm. Sheep shearing, wool-spinning, oxen-pulling, sheep herding and goat milking demonstrations were popular attractions throughout the day. There were also hosts of displays highlighting the dairy industry, local farm products, local farming history, conservation, health, equipment and technological innovations. Chenango County Dairy Princess Ashley Fagan and her court passed out milk and greeted passers-by, while local officials toured the grounds with New York State Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Patrick Hooker. Alan Proskin, who operates a farm off of Rt. 23 atop Tanner Hill, won the “I Love My Chenango County Farmer” Contest.

Surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the moving crowds by the Grange Hall concession stand, Roger and Marjorie Bliss said Dairy Day is proof that there is both a rich farming history and future to celebrate in this county.