By Alexandra McLaughlin
Spin a prize wheel. Plant a seed in a newspaper pot. Put on virtual reality goggles to diagnose stream health or test your agricultural knowledge using a brand-new decision-support tool powered by artificial intelligence. These hands-on experiences await visitors to the Pennsylvania Farm Show, to be held Jan. 10-17, 2026, in Harrisburg, where faculty and extension educators from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences will offer interactive activities and expert guidance on topics ranging from mental wellness and food preservation to invasive species and water quality.
Penn State Extension and College of Agricultural Sciences main exhibit, Giant Expo Hall
This year, the main Penn State Extension and College of Agricultural Sciences booth in the Giant Expo Hall will participate in the AgExplorers program, featuring interactive stations designed to engage visitors of all ages. Displays at the booth will include the following:
Family well-being and mental health — Extension’s family-well-being team will offer activities supporting mental wellness across generations. Visitors can spin a prize wheel and learn about extension programs designed to strengthen family resilience.
The health and wellness team will explore connections between nutrition and mental health, highlighting brain-boosting nutrients.
Master Gardeners — At the invasive species exhibit, Penn State Extension Master Gardeners will dispel myths about the spotted lanternfly, box tree moth and other invasive insects through a spin-the-wheel game teaching visitors to distinguish beneficial insects from harmful ones.
At the main Master Gardener station, visitors can create pots from newspaper, fill them with potting mix and plant a seed. Master Gardeners will answer gardening questions and share information about the program and upcoming training opportunities.
Food preservation and pest management — Home food preservation extension educators will teach safe handling, preserving and storage techniques to help visitors avoid foodborne illnesses and pests in their homegrown and homemade foods.
Water resources — Extension’s water team will offer two distinct experiences. Visitors can spin a digital water wheel to deepen their understanding of water resources and use virtual reality goggles to explore Pennsylvania streams as “stream doctors,” learning key indicators of stream health through an interactive scavenger hunt.
Technology and engagement — Penn State Extension’s marketing team will debut Touchpix, photo and video booth software that uses virtual backgrounds to provide visitors with personalized digital photos featuring Penn State Extension-branded backgrounds.
Staff from the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Office for Undergraduate Education and from Development and Alumni Relations will discuss academic programs and alumni engagement opportunities. Visitors can collect college planning guides and alumni pins and enter a drawing for a $150 Berkey Creamery prize.
Exhibits around the complex
Beyond the main booth, Penn State experts will staff several other displays to provide educational information and support industry partnerships:
— In the Main Hall, Master Gardeners will staff the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania’s AgExplorers Apple Booth, teaching visitors about Pennsylvania’s apple industry through games and an Apple IQ Quiz Board. In a new partnership, Master Gardeners will assist the Pennsylvania Nut Growers Association in educating visitors about tree-nut varieties grown in Pennsylvania.
— The Penn State Pesticide Education Program at its exhibit in the Main Hall will help visitors match common household pests to appropriate management tools. Participants can spin a wheel, answer questions and win prizes while learning from pesticide education staff and Master Gardeners.
— Enology Extension Educator Molly Kelly and the grape and enology team will work with the Pennsylvania Winery Association in the Main Hall to educate attendees about the winemaking process from harvest through bottling.
Source : psu.edu