As this year’s county dairy princess, Ravyn Bashore is using her background in and passion for the dairy industry to represent farmers in the county.
The 21-year-old daughter of Bob and the late Sherry Bashore was raised on their family-owned and -operated dairy farm. The farm, which was formerly known as Plenty-Good Dairy and, since the transfer of ownership to her sister, is now known as Swatara Valley Farm, specializes in American Lineback dairy cattle.
After graduating from Northern Lebanon High School in 2021, Bashore has worked full-time at Swatara Valley Farm. She was the 2021-22 Pennsylvania State FFA Sentinel. In the fall of 2023, she received her American FFA degree.
Bashore has previously served on the Lebanon County dairy royalty court as the 2008-09 Li’l Dairy Miss, the 2012-13 Dairy Miss, the 2017-18 Dairy Maid, and the 2019-20 Alternate Dairy Princess.
As this year’s Lebanon County Dairy Princess, Bashore said she plans to continue to bridge the gap between farmers and consumers.
Her plans include educating consumers on the high standards that farmers hold themselves to with their dairy products and their treatment of cows and land and also educating consumers on why dairy is an important part of their diet.
In the LebTown-exclusive interview, Bashore put these plans into action by providing a key message for Lebanon County residents: “Milk and dairy products are among the safest and most highly regulated foods available to consumers. And dairy farmers and processing plants must meet strict safety regulations and requirements and are inspected regularly by federal and local inspections.”
The Lebanon County Dairy Princess and her court promote the dairy industry through appearances at schools, in the media, on social media, at stores and booths, in adult groups, and at special and state events.
Those interested in booking the Lebanon County Dairy Princess and her court for an educational visit or event can contact the Lebanon County Dairy Promotion Program at lcdairypromotion@gmail.com or its booking chair, Royell Smith, at 717-829-4929.
Bashore’s crowning
Surrounded by her court, Bashore was crowned the 2024-25 Lebanon County Dairy Princess at the 52nd annual coronation ceremony at the Mount Zion Road Church on Saturday, May 4.
The evening coronation ceremony opened with a live piano performance by Megan Bomgardner, followed by an introduction of this year’s Lebanon County Dairy Princess candidate, Bashore, by the master of ceremonies Crystal Bomgardner. Bashore was escorted to the stage by Justin Schwenk.
The 2023-24 county Dairy Princess Mackenzie Thomas was then escorted to the stage by her father. The 19-year-old daughter of Mark and Christine Thomas is working at Furnace Hill Holsteins while pursuing an associate’s degree in business at Penn State University at Harrisburg. Her future plans include getting married, graduating college, and continuing to promote the dairy and agricultural industries without a crown and sash.
Thomas offered a few words of encouragement to this year’s Lebanon County Dairy Princess candidate and her court: “What an exciting night this is! Ravyn, this marks your incredible journey that’s ahead of you, this is the first day. I can’t wait to see what this is going to do for you. It’s changed my life in the most wonderful ways. You will have days where it’s rough, it’s intimidating, it’s challenging, but once you get to the end of the road, you’re going to be so happy that you came back, so I’m so excited for you!”
Bomgardner then read an impromptu question – “What is the biggest challenge that dairy farmers face today?” – to Bashore, who responded with consumers’ misconceptions about the dairy industry. Bashore then went to prepare for her skit titled “Diving into Dairy.”
Bomgardner then presented farewell remarks from the outgoing 2023-24 court: Dairy Maid Haylee Mullen, Dairy Misses Evelyn Maulfair and Mikaylia Maulfair, and Li’l Dairy Misses Rosalie Maulfair and Rea Light.
Through the impromptu questions that Bomgardner asked each member of the outgoing court upon welcoming them to the stage, the Maulfairs revealed their shared love of coffee ice cream, and Light shared her favorite flavor of “milk punch:” creamsicle!
As of May 1, the 2023-24 Lebanon County dairy royalty court completed 306 promotions, which included 87 school, 111 media/social media, 33 booth/store, 19 adult group, 50 special event, and six state events.
Bashore then returned to the stage, dressed as a scuba diver, to perform her 3- to 5-minute skit, which was geared toward children. In the interactive skit, she was searching for the key to a locked treasure chest, which ultimately revealed its cow-shaped treasure.
Along the way, Bashore brought some “dairylicious snacks,” which included chocolate milk, yogurt, and cheese, to curb her hunger. She encountered fish that represented each of the 13 essential nutrients found in dairy and the way that they work together, sort of like a school of fish. She also encountered a cow dressed in a snorkel and inflatable arm floaties that reminded children that cows live on dairy farms, not the ocean.
Bashore then went to prepare for her speech, “A Dairy Community that Cares.”
During the intermission, Bomgardner introduced the incoming 2024-25 court: Li’l Dairy Miss Cambrie Bomgardner, 7, who shared her song “You Need Three Servings of Dairy Every Day”; Li’l Dairy Miss Emma Eberly, 7, who shared her song “Emma the Farmer”; Dairy Miss Carissa Bomgardner, 8, who shared her poster titled “Milk: It’s Good for You,” and Dairy Maid Chelsie Bomgardner, 15, who shared her poster titled “Dairy Technology.”
Cambrie Bomgardner shares her song entitled “You Need Three Servings of Dairy Every Day.” (Provided photo) 
Emma Eberly shares her song entitled “Emma the Farmer.” (Provided photo) 
Carissa Bomgardner shares her poster entitled “Milk: It’s Good for You.” (Provided photo) 
Chelsie Bomgardner shares her poster entitled “Dairy Technology.” (Provided photo)
Bashore then returned to the stage to recite her 3- to 5-minute speech on the topic of farm care, which was geared toward adults.
In the speech, she talked about her experience being within the 97% of dairy farms in the U.S. that are family-owned and -operated. Bashore, one of five children, also mentioned how local dairy farmers showed up for her family after her mother’s illness and passing.
“While my mom was in the hospital, she shared dairy knowledge with the nurses, drank chocolate milk, and was constantly asking about our cows and work at home,” Bashore said, noting that her mother’s passion for the dairy industry contributed to her own passion for the industry. “She was always informing the consumers in our everyday doings of life about the importance of dairy in your diet.”
Bomgardner introduced the two people who interviewed her before the pageant started that evening. She also thanked some individuals who helped out with the event and recognized the event sponsors – Bernard C. Morrissey Insurance Inc., Balsbaugh Insurance, Tim McGowan Studios, and Rick and Christine Bashore and family – as well as the special guests in attendance.
She then welcomed the 2023-24 Pennsylvania State Dairy Princess and Schuylkill County Dairy Princess Alexis Butler to the stage.
“And a little piece of advice I can give [Bashore and her court] is just remember the reason we’re doing this,” Butler said. “The reason we’re doing this is to serve our dairy farmers. We’re going to be servants during our year. It’s pretty easy to forget about that and just think that it’s a ‘me’ thing. But I want you to remember the true purpose of why you do what we do, and you truly will get so much out of it: public speaking, time management, and many valuable skills that you’ll only learn as a dairy princess or a dairy promoter.”
Bomgardner then welcomed Alisha Risser, chair of the Lebanon County Dairy Promotion Program committee, to the stage. Risser expressed her gratitude for fellow committee members, the girls on the outgoing court and their mothers, Bomgardner, and others who helped make the program a success.
She noted that the Lebanon County Dairy Promotion Program is always open to adding new people to the committee. Those interested can contact anyone on the committee to be added to their email list.
A picture slideshow set to “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack and Sons of the Desert, “Happy Anywhere” by Blake Shelton featuring Gwen Stefani, and “See You Again” by Carrie Underwood commemorated the outgoing court’s year of dairy promotion and paid tribute to the late Bryan Kendall, who passed a week prior to the coronation ceremony.
Then came the announcement of the “Digging into Dairy” dessert contest winners. The 12 desserts that were entered in this year’s contest were taste-tested by Heidi Flory and Christine Williams. The top three winners in each division received cash prizes.
For the youth division, Georgia Sellers earned 1st place for her blueberry pretzel salad, Tucker Smith earned 2nd for his cream cheese cookies, and Abigail Eberly earned 3rd for her chocolate peanut butter cake.
For the adult division, Sheila Schwenk earned 1st place for her double layer pumpkin pie, Kalli Schwenk earned 2nd for her no-bake cheesecake bites, and Lorraine Shuey earned 3rd for her Black Joe cake.
The “Digging into Dairy” dessert contest was started by the late Sherry Bashore in 2002. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the contest in 2022 and to honor the committee member, a cookbook with recipes from the contest as well as past and present royalty and committee members was created. The cookbook is available for purchase by contacting anyone on the committee, Ravyn Bashore told LebTown.
In Thomas’s emotional farewell speech, she thanked the Lebanon County Dairy Promotion Program committee, her court and their mothers, her mother and father, her best friend who served with her at the state level and who will be by her side at her wedding, her boss, local dairy farmers, and others from the community.
She also honored the late Bryan Kendall, who she knew through her church community, and asked guests to consider their spiritual standing.
Thomas then crowned this year’s Lebanon County dairy royalty. Wearing her crown and sash, Bashore thanked the farmers for what they do and expressed her excitement for her reign, which started on June 1, 2024, and will end on May 31, 2025.
Upon reflecting on her experience at the coronation ceremony in the LebTown interview, Bashore said, “I think the most intimidating part is the expectations from everyone else. And I think the most memorable part is standing on stage, being crowned with my four other little girls and becoming the face of this year’s Lebanon County Dairy Promotion Court to represent our farmers.”
Following the coronation ceremony, guests enjoyed ice cream and samples of the desserts from the dairy dessert contest while socializing.
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