Fresno State’s Dog Bowl Ice Cream Eating Contest and the new Kids Zone will be featured during the eighth annual Fresno State Farm Festival from 8-11 a.m. Saturday, July 12 at the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market on campus.
The free, public festival features samples of student-grown and -produced goods from the university’s 1,000-acre University Agriculture Laboratory in the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.
A wine tasting and food pairing featuring the award-winning 2007 Saviez Syrah runs from noon-4 p.m. in the market. Tickets are $3 and proceeds benefit the Jordan College. Also, a free happy hour pour of Sangria wine will be available from 1-2 p.m., or while supplies last.
2013-winners
The festival, which drew nearly 1,500 people last year, promotes the importance of agriculture in today’s society and the university’s agricultural education programs that prepares tomorrow’s leaders, said Charmayne Hefley, a junior agricultural communications major from Madera who is a farm market student marketing assistant.
Hefley and senior ag business major Arielle DiPinto of Fresno created the 2014 theme, “Roots of Our Community – Growing Academics and Agriculture.”
“This theme reflects the market’s mission to deliver high quality student-made products that are grown, harvested, created and/or processed on our Fresno State farm lab,” Hefley said.
The Kids Zone will feature coloring contests, puzzles and educational workshops where children can plant succulents and decorate their pots with paints and craft supplies. The workshop is $8 for a small plant, $10 for medium and $15 for large.
“This new addition will provide students hands-on experience in their field while educating prospective students about agriculture,” said Nina Palomino, manager of the Farm Market. “It’s a great opportunity to show our commitment to the community.”
“It will be a great opportunity to help educate future leaders of agriculture,” said Miles Robinson, an agricultural education major from Escondido who also works at the market. “Not only for the kids, but also for those of us that want to be agriculture teachers.”
And ice cream lovers will get a chance to steal bragging rights from the “Garbage Guts,” winners of the inaugural Dog Bowl Ice Cream Eating Contest last year.
The ice cream contest, set for 11 a.m., debuted last year and is now accepting applications for ten teams of four until 10:30 a.m. that day or when the roster fills up. They will battle to see who can scarf down 12 scoops — or two pounds — of Fresno State ice cream the fastest.
University President Joseph I. Castro, who fielded a Dog Bowl team in that first competition with sons Isaac and Jess and daughter Lauren, said the Farm Festival is an integral part of Fresno State’s position as a leader in agriculture education.
“Hosting a family-oriented and fun community event such as the Farm Festival showcases our student’s potential for leading the agricultural industry for generations to come,” Castro said.
The Fresno State Farm Market has been selling Jordan College student-produced products since 1984 with sales now exceeding $1 million annually. Proceeds benefit the university’s agriculture programs and students.
The Gibson Farm Market’s revised summer hours effective July 1 are 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, contact Hefley or Palomino at 559.278.4511 or farmmarket@fresnostate.edu.
The Gibson Farm Market’s revised summer hours effective July 1 are 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday. The market will be closed July 4.
(Charmayne Hefley, a junior Agricultural Communications major from Madera, and University Communications news intern Akyia Westley contributed to this story.)
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