Fun for all at annual Dairy Fest

By MINDY POEHL | Central Texas Edition

Employees from AgTexas Farm Credit Services and Lextron Dairy Services cooked all-you-can-eat grilled cheese sandwiches for DairyFest goers. Other dairy products that were served for the price of a $1 wristband were cheeseburgers, ice cream sandwiches, milk and smoothies. DairyMAX and Southwest Dairy Farmers provided the funding for the dairy products. -- Photo by Mindy Poehl

June 30, 2005 - Dairy essentials like cheese, milk, ice cream, cows and dairy farmers, filled the grounds at Stephenville City Park on Saturday, June 18.

People came to celebrate DairyFest, the annual event in Erath County that touts the dairy industry in the tri-county area.

For a wristband costing only $1, individuals were able to consume all of the grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese burgers, smoothies, ice cream sandwiches and milk as they pleased.

Five-year-old Macy Griffin from Aledo gets a butterfly painted on her face by Jeff Waller, director of Gospel Ministries to Children. -- Photo by Mindy Poehl

DairyFest is an enjoyable event that celebrates the tri-county's dairy industry, while incorporating live, local bands, merchandise booths, dairy cows and dairy related games for kids to play.

Dairy is the tri-county's largest industry and it plays a vital role in the local economy. As this year marks HEB's 100th Birthday, HEB provided ice cream for DairyFest goers, as well as samples and promotions.

Festival attendees not only enjoyed live music, dancers and local entertainers, but they were able to take milk-mustache polaroids, learn at the Mobile Dairy Classroom and watch a truck and tractor pull.

Keith Cherry from Tolar (right) drove the Econo Rod 454 in the truck and tractor pull. Cherry, who competed just for fun, pulled the sled 265 feet. The vehicle is owned by Kenny Yeary of Weatherford (left). -- Photo by Mindy Poehl

As contestants latched their trucks and tractors up to a large sled, driven by Gary Henderson of Stephenville who travels the country with his sled, their loud engines roared as they prepared to drive off, pulling the sled as far as possible.

Cows were available to pet and feed, as well as free rides around the park in a horse-drawn buggy and a hay ride pulled by a tractor. And, Gospel Ministries to Children painted designs on children's faces as the painter told the children a story.

"We tell a story about Jesus every time we paint a face," said Jeff Waller, director of Gospel Ministries to Children. "Victory Baptist Church sponsored us coming here."

DairyFest was sponsored by the TriCounty Agribusiness Association, HEB, Southwest Dairy Farmers, and the dairy farm families of DairyMAX.