"Did you know jersey cows produce an average of three-to-four gallons of milk per day?"
That's how Katie D'Anna began her introduction speech as a 2011 Miss Harford County Farm Bureau contestant at the 24th Annual Farm Fair Thursday evening. Now, with the title under her belt, Katie, 17, has a year of speeches to look forward to as she sets off to represent Harford County.
With a shy smile as she received her sash, presented by the 2010 Miss Harford County Farm Bureau Allison Jones, Katie took the microphone for a few seconds to quickly thank her friends and family.
Katie said later she was surprised she won.
"I really didn't think I was going to get it," she said after the competition. "I guess a little confidence goes a long way."
Three other girls from around the county sought the title of Miss Harford County Farm Bureau this year. Lauren Kidd, of Hydes, was announced as the first runnerup. Also competing were Josie Dallam, who was named first runnerup last year, of Bel Air, and Abby Schimming, of Jarrettsville.
As the new Miss Harford County Farm Bureau, Katie will progress to the state contest, representing Harford County.
Katie, a recent graduate of North Harford High School, would not have run, she said, if not for the prodding of her friend, Elyse Hladky, who won the title in 2009.
Being the president of the North Harford Future Farmers of America, or FFA, Katie said in her speech, "opened her eyes to agriculture."
When she was involved with FFA, she also participated in the Food For America program, which aims to teach elementary school students about agriculture and develop leadership skills in FFA members. In her speech, Katie recalled one little boy who asked her if a sheep was a cow, she said laughing.
While participating in Food For America, Katie said she was able to teach such children about agriculture and how their food ends up on the table.
It was also through FFA that she became involved with the farm bureau, she said, which allowed her to "see firsthand how the grassroots organization can be beneficial to the farming community."
As part of the competition, Harford County Farm Bureau President Jay Rickey asked each contestant a question. In Katie's case, he asked how 4-H and FFA programs affect the community.
Although Katie stressed that it gives people an opportunity to "go out and explain agriculture," she also pointed out that it gives "young farmers an opportunity to learn."
Rickey also briefly spoke about Katie after the program, saying she would become Harford County's representative, and was also a good speaker.
"I was impressed when she started speaking," he said, adding that even he did not like to speak in public.
As the Miss Harford County Farm Bureau, Katie is headed to Harford Community College in the fall. She plans to major in criminal justice, but will take agricultural classes too, she said. In her speech, she assured the crowd that she was looking ahead to her future education and would always aim to do her best.
She may not be sure yet what she wants to do with her degree when she graduates college, but Katie was sure of the continuing importance of the Farm Fair in Harford County.
"I think it's very important," she said. "Involving the community is a great way for agriculture to expand."