Hartford-Litchfield Sister Cities: Welcome BBQ at Wiregrass Electric Co-op

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Welcome BBQ at Wiregrass Electric Co-op

After a day of visiting the churches of host families (and a little shopping by some) -- the Sister City group welcomed Minnesota visitors with a Barbecue at Wiregrass Electric Cooperative's community room. The BBQ, chicken and rice, and Brunswick Stew was cooked by president Josh Fulford and vice president (and dad) Winton Fulford -- and committee members furnished all the trimmings -- including baked beans, potato salad and slaw. No one went away hungry -- especially with the great desserts -- peanut butter pie, pecan pie, cakes, brownies -- YUM!

Tomorrow is the trip to the State Capitol in Montgomery with former State Representative Riley Siebenhener -- and then the Calf Scramble and Greasy Pig Chase at the National Peanut Festival! They better get some sleep tonight!

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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.