Real-Life Visits to Pennsylvania Dairy Farms

The Dairy Excellence Foundation hosts annual day-long farm tours to give high school students the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge of modern working dairy farms. These dairy farm visits showcase careers within the dairy industry as well as modern agricultural technologies used to help improve today’s farming practices.

Offered both in-person and virtually, the day-long event will give high school students in grades 9 – 12 a firsthand look at Pennsylvania dairy farms and exposure to different careers available within the dairy industry. Students will meet dairy farmers and industry professionals from at least two dairy farms in Pennsylvania. Students and educators can ask questions about today’s dairy farming practices and career opportunities.

SAVE THE DATE: Fall Farm Tour in October

A DLT Fall Farm Tour is being planned for October 2026 in a county to be determined. More details will follow over the summer with the launch of registration on September 1. Feel free to email Michelle Shearer at mshearer@centerfordairyexcellence.org for more details.

DLT Previous Farm Tours

2026 DLT Tioga County Spring Farm Tour

In April of 2026, more than 30 students spent the day experiencing farms and careers. Offered in-person, participants toured Painterland Dairy Farm where their milk is processed into Painterland Sisters Skyr Yogurt, and Patterson Farms the biggest maple syrup farm in Pennsylvania. Both farms are in Westfield, Tioga County, PA. They learned about the careers of dairy producer, ag conservation technician, tree grafter, entrepreneur, and maple syrup producer.

Photos from 2026 DLT Spring Farm Tour:

2026 DLT Spring Farm Tour Group Photo with Grandma Painter at the Painterland Farm Original Foundation

2026 DLT Spring Farm Tour Group Photo at Patterson Farms

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2025 DLT Cumberland County Fall Farm Tour

In November of 2025, more than 80 students spent the day experiencing dairy farms and careers. Offered in-person, participants toured Destiny Dairy Bar and Mount Rock Dairy Farm in Cumberland County, PA. They learned about the careers of dairy producer, veterinarian, and more and networked with industry professionals.

Photos from 2025 DLT Fall Farm Tour:

2025 DLT Fall Farm Tour Group Photo at Destiny Dairy Farm in Carlisle

2025 DLT Fall Farm Tour Group Photo at Mount Rock Dairy Farm in Newville

2024 DLT Fall Farm Tour

On Thursday, October 17, 2024, 68 students and 6 educators spent the day experiencing dairy farms and careers. Offered in-person, participants toured Penn England Farms and Ritchey’s Dairy in Blair County, PA. They learned about the careers of dairy producer, veterinarian, hoof trimmer, milking equipment sales, calf feeder, ag equipment technician, and dairy processor.

Photos from 2024 DLT Farm Tour:

2024 DLT Blair County Farm Tour Participants at Penn England Farms in Williamsburg

2024 DLT Blair County Farm Tour Participants with Andrew Ritchey at Ritchey’s Dairy in Martinsburg

2023 DLT Fall Farm Tour

On Thursday, October 19, 2023, 58 students and 7 educators spent the day experiencing dairy farms and careers. Offered both in-person and virtually, participants toured Corner View Farm and Kirbyville Holsteins and Jerseys in Berks County, PA. They learned about the careers of dairy producer, engineer, agronomist, calf manager, robot technician, dairy extension educator, seed salesman, ag loan officer, and precision ag technician.

Photos from 2023 DLT Farm Tour:

2023 DLT Farm Tour In-Person Participants with Brad Biehl and Suzanne Meck from Corner View Farm in front of the original dairy barn in Fleetwood, PA

2023 DLT Farm Tour In-Person Participants with Jim and Sue Younker at Kirbyville Holsteins and Jerseys in Berks County, PA

Questions and More Information

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Michelle Shearer at mshearer@centerfordairyexcellence.org or 570-768-8316.