Palmyra farmer who made Dairymen’s milkshakes known statewide to retire

Dave Smith plans to call it a day later this year when he steps down as executive director of the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association after 30 years. 

While his last day is yet to be determined, his legacies at the helm of the nonprofit agricultural organization are secure.

“I think the legacy will be what the milkshakes have done as far as supporting the dairy industry in Pennsylvania and the next generation of dairy farmers,” said Smith. “I think a large amount of our contributions go back into enhancement of programs for education and next generation career development of our young people.”

The Pennsylvania Dairy Princess Program, Future Farmers of America, youth scholarships, and internships that help the next generation of agriculturalists hone their skills and advance their education are a few beneficiaries of the organization. 

The milkshakes served by his organization have become legendary over time. For years the only way to get them was at the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show. In 2008, however, that all changed. (Smith also co-owns JDS Family Farm in North Londonderry Township.)

“In 2008, I did start recognizing that the milkshakes were very popular and we were growing our brand a little bit. And I started doing some events. We used our milkshake equipment and we did some things here in Harrisburg. We did the Kipona (Festival) and we did some of the other events here in Harrisburg.”

They say that success breeds more success, and that is certainly the case with consumption of the organization’s delicious milkshakes. 

“We did start doing some events at other places. So that kind of just grew in that way. And then about the time we started doing that, we also made agreements with the concession caterer here at the Farm Show Complex to be a subcontractor of them and do some other events at the Farm Show like the Great American Outdoor Show,” he added. 

The growth of the organization’s physical presence with the food stand during the Farm Show has also expanded. For years there were only four milkshake machines at one booth that was located in the Main Exhibition Hall. As their fame grew, so did the number of machines. This year, there were 24 milkshake machines at two locations within the complex during Farm Show week.

Smith is quick to credit the volunteer staff – primarily Valley Grange of Lewisberry, York County, whose members have faithfully poured out deliciousness throughout the time the food court is open over the course of 8 1/2 days at the Farm Show in early January.

“Since the beginning of the milkshakes here, they recruit the volunteers and the staff to fill it. Recruiting the volunteers and the staff has become really a pretty big job, too. Because obviously, with that number of milkshake machines, we need a lot of staff,” Smith said. “So our milkshake location here at the main food court, when we’re running full capacity, takes 30 people. And the other location takes 15 people. … And then we run three shifts a day. So if you extend that out further, over the eight and a half days that we’re here, we need to fill nearly 1,200 shifts with people. So we have a base of probably about 700 people that come in here and help do the milkshakes.”

There has also been expansion to include other dairy products during the Farm Show during Smith’s tenure, such as grilled cheese sandwiches. 

“The opportunity came along at one point to do some grilled cheese sandwiches because our association has allowed us to sell dairy-related foods in the food court. So we started selling grilled cheese sandwiches. It has really, really kind of neat because we used some extra butter. We used a couple slices of cheese. It’s a good sandwich,” says Smith.

Another item, deep fried mozzarella cheese cubes, has been a major hit with visitors to the annual ag event for over a decade.

“Some time after we started that second stand for milkshakes, an opportunity came up where I got connected with somebody that has done our deep fried mozzarella cheese cubes at some other places. And we created a partnership and they’ve been here with us for 15 years,” Smith said.

On the first full day of the Farm Show the past two years, lines that appeared to be a mile long had already formed about 30 minutes before the first batch of cubes was ready to be served. LebTown asked Smith why the lines formed so early when the booth wasn’t even open for business.

“That’s because they’re a really good product, they’re really good,” Smith said, with a sly smile. “I have had people that say they waited a whole year to come back to the Farm Show for the mozzarella cheese cubes.”

Fill a Glass with Hope

Another one of his legacies is the partnership created with the Fill a Glass with Hope initiative that supports various charitable organizations, including eight regional Pennsylvania food banks. The program is a partnership between Feeding Pennsylvania, the American Dairy Association North East, and the PA Dairymen’s Association.

The dairymen’s website notes, “The PA Dairymen’s Association is an innovative and leading statewide non-profit association, known for serving its legendary milkshakes, being a leading dairy advocate, and for providing nearly $6 million in financial support over the past eleven years to the Pennsylvania dairy industry, charitable causes, and communities throughout the state.”  

“The Fill a Glass with Hope is just a wonderful connection with our charitable food system and it’s a market that we want to, our dairy farmers, want to serve,” Smith said about the program, which provides dairy products to food banks.

Smith, who turns 69 in two months, said he feels it’s time to turn the reins over for an organization he’s helped grow as he himself has advanced through its ranks. He said he eventually became a full-time employee on the way to becoming its director.

“It’s more of a situation where I feel that it’s very important to get somebody on board so they know what’s going on because our business and operation is so unique,” Smith said about his remaining days on the job. “I told our board of directors that I will be around to assist and mentor somebody to come in.”

Whenever his final day comes, it won’t be what he calls his retirement.

“And I’m not, they called it a retirement. But I’m not ‘retiring retiring,’” Smith, a lifelong farmer and former dairyman, said. 

That’s because while you can take the man off the farm, you can’t take the farmer out of the man. Agriculture is something that gets in your blood and becomes a life-long passion.

“My goal will be to find something in agriculture to dig into a little bit more again. But the main goal for now is to create a runway to have somebody come on board and learn the job,” Smith said. “I think it’s important that I have more people and another person to understand what’s going on at the association.”

No matter where he eventually lands in agriculture, Smith will always be known for elevating the organization’s milkshakes to new heights. He, however, refuses to seek credit or praise for their popularity.

“I think it’s a great product. You know, we’ve created our own recipe. I tell people who ask that question that some of it is because we have a higher fat content in our milkshakes. And fat creates flavoring in all foods,” Smith said. “So it is about the quality of the product, and the taste has grown a lot. And obviously we’ve done a lot of promotion around it, too.” 

Association president Glenn Gorrell said Smith’s pending departure is a strategic component of a long-term succession plan. He added in a press release that Smith has “admirably served as the executive director for more than three decades.”

“Dave Smith has driven incredible growth, developed innovative partnerships, favorably positioned our famous milkshakes and established a successful mobile milkshake truck business that delivers milkshake smiles to thousands of fans annually while giving back,” Gorrell said in the statement. “He has diligently served as a visionary leader for the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association for 30 years. We are truly grateful for Dave’s commitment, leadership, marketing initiatives, and dedication as well as for his advocacy on behalf of the entire dairy industry.”