Hartford-Litchfield Sister Cities: November 2013

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Hartford FFA Hosts Banquet for Litchfield Guests

The Hartford FFA hosted a Banquet on Nov. 5 for the delegates from Litchfield and the Hartford community.

Hartford FFA students and Miss and Little Miss Hartford pose with Peanut Butter and Milk Festival guests from Litchfield.

Amelia Hinson, Miss Hartford, and Madie Adams, Little Miss Hartford

Macie Dillard, Hartford FFA Secretary, and Nicole Krumrie, Dairy Princess

Darin Moseley, Hartford Baptist Youth Pastor and former FFA member

Leah Solomon and Robin Miller entertained

Nicole Dillard, Sister City President

Kathy and Patrick Devine

Nicole Krumrie, Dairy Princess

Austin Larson

Alana Caron

Katelyn Knutson

Holly Anderson

Sunday, November 3, 2013

They have arrived!

The delegation from the Peanut Butter and Milk Festival in Litchfield, MN, arrived in Hartford Nov. 2 and spent time with their host families Sunday. They were hosted by Wiregrass Electric Cooperative Sunday evening with a BBQ supper with BBQ and chicken and rice prepared by Josh and Winton Fulford.

The group will tour the Dothan area, including the Michelin plant, on Monday with a visit to the National Peanut Festival that evening highlighted by the Greasy Pig Chase and the Calf Scramble.

History of Program

The idea began in January of 1971 when Bruce Cottington, a Litchfield grocery store owner and host of a talk show on local radio station KLFD, was talking about how often he ate peanut butter and drank milk. Looking for a good sales promotion, Litchfield was proclaimed the peanut butter capital of the world, and the Peanut Butter and Milk Festival was begun to promote rural America, good food, agriculture and the dairy industry, and young people.

As a lifetime Future Farmers of America (FFA) member, Cottington naturally involved the FFA.Cottington’s search through Auburn Univ. in Alabama led to Paul Dean, FFA advisor at Geneva County High School in Hartford. In October, Cottington’s family traveled to Alabama to make a presentation to then Governor George Wallace who signed a legislative resolution proclaiming Meeker County citizens as residents of Alabama. (Although they couldn't vote, they were welcome to pay taxes!) They then visited Hartford, Dothan and the National Peanut Festival. Cottington and Dean then developed the idea of a north-south FFA and FHA exchange program.

In 2008, the Sister Cities Program celebrated the 37th year of what has become an annual exchange of people, good will and peanut butter and milk. Hartford students and citizens travel to Litchfield each February for the Peanut Butter and Milk Festival, and Litchfield students and citizens travel to Hartford each November.