On Saturday night, June 1, at the Norwich Campus of Morrisville State College, Chenango County celebrated 50 years of Dairy Promotion. During the banquet, we crowned our 50th Dairy Princess.
The evening drew a crowd of over 100 people, 2 princess candidates, and 14 dairy ambassadors. We had three judges: Marsha Cornelius (Executive Director Norwich Campus), Mike Ferrarese an attorney in Norwich and an Assistant District Attorney, Georgiana Rowe (Roweview Farms) the 2001 and 2004 Chenango County Dairy princess as well as the 2005 New York State Dairy Princess.
“Our 50th Dairy Banquet was as much about celebrating the past as it was about embracing the future. It is a great time to be in agriculture. We are feeding the world through our exports, we have Choboni in our backyard and as we looked around the room, it was obvious that we are doing a great job at growing our most valuable crop, our youth the next generation of agriculture.” — Sheila Marshman — Professor of Agricultre Business, Morrisville State College.
Exley Bookamerin, 2013-2014 Chenango County Dairy Princess
Exley Bookamer is the 19-year old daughter of Brian and Hannah Bookamer of South Plymouth, NY. Exley is employed by Ransford Creek Farm, owned by Adam Evans. She is an independent member of the 4-H and is a Junior member of the Jersey Cattle Association.
In school, Exley is a distinguished honor student, involved with the Student Christian Fellowship, the Student Advisory Committee, she is involved in her church and has completed mission trips to Ethiopia.
Chenango County Alternate Dairy Princess Sarah Baker
Chenango County Alternate Dairy Princess Sarah Baker is the 16 year old daughter of Rick Baker and Amanda Cotten of Mount Upton, NY. Sarah owns dairy cattle and is an independent 4-H member. She is also a past dairy ambassador. In school, Sarah is a member of the National Honor Society, Students Against Drunk Driving, Student Council, Language Club, High Honors, Leadership Conference, 2013 Girl’s State representative for the class of 2014, High School Band, Jazz Band. Most recently, Sarah earned the distinction of being voted the 2013 Prom Queen for the Mount Upton Junior Class.