RALEIGH, N.C. – The North Carolina State Fair is back and so is the Mobile Dairy Classroom from Southland Dairy Farmers.

What You Need To Know

The Mobile Dairy Classroom teaches children and families about the dairy industry

Courtney Bumgarner is the instructor in North Carolina and will be at the State Fair through October 24

Bumgarner will show fairgoers milking demonstrations, and teach about the nutritional value of dairy and the industry as a whole

Courtney Bumgarner is the Mobile Dairy Classroom instructor for Southland Dairy Farmers. She travels around the state with her cows to teach people all about dairy. She lovingly refers to her Holstein and Jersey cows as her pets.

“So they are just like giant dogs. Hilly here loves her treats, and she will do anything for an apple,” Bumgarner said as she walked her Jersey cow into its pen.

Bumgarner went to N.C. State University and double-majored in animal and poultry science. Her grandparents used to own a dairy farm, and it inspired her to pursue this career.

“Farms are going out and our population is going up, so we need our farmers and we need people to appreciate how much hard work they are doing for it,” Bumgarner said.

Bumgarner will show fairgoers milking demonstrations and teach about the dairy industry as a whole.

“The goodness of milk, from farm to table. Just how hard our farmers are working and what our cows have to do to produce that milk and then all the nutritional aspects of it, too,” Bumgarner said.

Bumgarner and her cows are in a pen located between the Jim Graham Building and the Expo building on the fairgrounds. She will be doing demonstrations through October 24. This is a free event.