Bountiful Harvest Celebration & Cow Milking Contest Returns

On Friday, Sept. 18, Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County will be hosting its 11th Annual Bountiful Harvest Celebration & Cow Milking Contest. All proceeds from the event will support the development of the Education Center and 4-H Park located at 300 Finchville Turnpike, Otisville, New York.

Festivities will include hay wagon rides, a sumptuous farm-to-table dinner prepared with locally sourced ingredients, old-fashioned games, a live auction, themed raffle baskets, and the highlight event – a celebrity cow milking contest.

The cow milking competition brings together well-known Orange County leaders for a fun, friendly challenge that also supports an important cause. This year’s cow milkers include:

Heather Bell, President & CEO, Orange County Chamber of Commerce, Jeff Crist, Chairman, Orange County IDA, Amanda Dana, Director of Tourism, Orange County, Conor Eckert, President & CEO, Orange County Partnership, Steve Gross, Orange County Economic Development Director.

Each celebrity will step up to a real dairy cow to see who can fill their bucket with the most milk while being cheered on by friends, families, and the community. However, the contest isn’t just about skill and speed. Every contestant is also raising funds through their online “milk bucket.”

Each contestant’s digital “milk bucket” can be accessed on the Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County website. Individuals can donate and “fill” a contestant’s bucket. The winner of the physical milking contest and the contestant with the most online donations will each receive a blue ribbon as a reward.