Dairy Days at Thanksgiving Point

Last Saturday, Thanksgiving Point Farm Country held their annual Dairy Days, celebrating all things dairy. Dairy enthusiasts were invited to discover the wonders of dairy farms by making homemade butter, learning about cow biology, riding the cow train, and playing a variety of dairy-based games.

Patrons could even sign up to take a free bus tour of a working dairy farm. Families enjoyed the sunny afternoon walking around farm country and seeing first-hand the farm to table process of collecting and processing dairy products. Different booths set up around the center of the farm allowed visitors to see and dissect a cow’s heart, learn about the process of pasteurization, eat ice cream cones, and shake individual tubs of cream to make butter. When asked what the best thing about milk was, one 7-year-old boy quickly replied, “Ice cream is the best thing ever!”

Dairy Princesses Breanna Utley, Jaycee Carter, and Hannah Smith attend Dairy Days at Thanksgiving Point. | Jennifer Wirth

Dairy Days even had royal visitors. Hannah Smith, Breanna Utley, and Jaycee Carter, this year’s Utah Valley Dairy Princess/Ambassadors attended the event. Wearing their tiaras and sashes with blue jeans and boots, these young women represented their local county and are charged with educating elementary students about the importance of dairies, attending the county fair offering information about dairy products and farming, and serving their community. According to Director Vicki Utley, “The Dairy Princess/Ambassador pageant is a scholarship program based on community service, whose purpose is to further the Dairy community’s events and hopes to educate consumers on the health benefits of dairy in a daily diet.”

Lehi City has a rich history of dairy farming. In the 1800’s through the late 1900’s, there were dozens of thriving dairy farms throughout the area.