What could be better than the combination of milk and peanut butter? That’s what Bruce Cottington of Litchfield, MN, thought forty years ago when he traveled to Alabama seeking a southern town and Future Farmers of America organization to partner with to promote the two states’ number one products – milk and peanuts.
Cottington, a Litchfield grocer, originally started the sister city exchange program as a promotion for his store. One of his favorite snacks was a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk. While researching the peanut industry and looking for a way to link the two products, he was eventually directed to the FFA Advisor at Geneva County High School, Paul Dean.
In 1971, Cottington traveled to Alabama with his family to meet with Dean and returned to Litchfield to form the International Peanut Butter & Milk Festival in Feb.1972. Visitors from Hartford who traveled that year to Litchfield included Mr. and Mrs. Paul Dean, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Outlaw and FFA student Neil Outlaw. In the fall of 1972, the first group from Litchfield traveled to Hartford which included Bruce Cottington, Mr. and Mrs. Ken Stark and FFA student Brent Schultz.
Week of Activities beginning Nov.
Hartford will host the 40th annual exchange delegation of FFA students and residents of Litchfield Nov. 5-13 with an exciting week of activities including tours of area business, industry and farming enterprises – plus trips to the state capitol in Montgomery, the National Peanut Festival and the Gulf coast beaches. Litchfield’s delegation this year includes students Tori Barka, April Anderson, Nicole Carlson and Dakota Bridge, Dairy Princess Amanda Turk, and residents Cindy Knutson, Aggie and Bernie Schmitz.
In addition, a group of 20 Litchfield residents will arrive on Nov. 10 to celebrate the special 40th year of the Sister City Program. Cottington and Hartford’s first student to participate, Neil Outlaw, will ride in the National Peanut Festival Parade in Dothan on Nov. 12.
The 40th anniversary Minnesota delegation this year will include Peanut Butter & Milk Festival President Terri Anderson and her daughter, Amanda; festival founder Bruce Cottington; his son, Jim Cottington; his grandchildren, Levi and Anna Cottington; Litchfield High School FFA Advisor Rob Cole; Dean & Gloria Ohland; Bob & Betty Hermann; Loree Schultz and her daughter, Holly Schultz-Anderson; Don & Sue Christofferson; Karen Becker; Gale Larson; Tyler Warren; and Tim Bergstrom.
In February, a group from Hartford will visit Litchfield to learn about the dairy industry and to enjoy outdoor winter activities such as snowmobiling, ice fishing and downhill skiing. In addition, a Hartford group will travel in July to celebrate the 40th anniversary at Litchfield’s Watercade Festival.
Community Invited
Throughout the 40 years of the Sister City Program, many close ties and friendships have developed between the citizens of the two towns that continue today. Several who attended years ago as students have returned as adults remaining involved in the program.
Hartford invites members of the community to attend several of the events:
- Wed., Nov. 9, lunch at the Johnny Hughes Community Center hosted by the City of Hartford at noon.
- Thurs., Nov. 10, banquet hosted by Hartford’s FFA at 7:00 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church.
- Fri., Nov. 11, fish fry at the National Guard Armory hosted by City Bank at noon.
- Sat., Nov. 12, barbecue at 7:00 p.m. hosted by Wiregrass Electric Cooperative at their community room.
