Towmaster was proud to host a tour for nine out-of-town guests who were visiting Meeker County for the 50th Annual Litchfield Peanut Butter & Milk Festival. The festival features a yearly sister-city exchange with Hartford, Alabama. Each year, participants from Litchfield travel to Hartford in November, and guests from Hartford visit Litchfield in February to experience the local culture, industries and agriculture.
The Towmaster Tour
We were delighted to share the story of one of Litchfield’s largest employers with our visitors. The guests took a tour of our facilities, and learned about the importance of reliable trailer and truck equipment solutions.
Our team also talked about the culture and values of our company, and how we turn to those values every day through our interactions with each other and our customers.
The nine guests who participated were Geneva County High School FFA Students (Future Farmers of America) as well as the school’s superintendent and additional chaperones. There are so many career paths these students can explore as they study various agricultural sciences, we hope to be able to open them up to supportive industries, like truck and trailer manufacturing.
History of Litchfield’s Peanut Butter & Milk Festival
Litchfield’s Peanut Butter & Milk Festival has an incredibly unique history. Local Grocery Store Owner, Bruce Cottington hosted a weekly live show on KLFD Radio, and spoke often about his love of eating peanut butter sandwiches with a glass of milk.
According to the Peanut Butter & Milk Committee, Cottington proclaimed Litchfield the peanut-butter-eating capital of the world.
“Cottington began writing letters to anyone who might be receptive including President Nixon, Sen. Humphrey, Gov. Wendell Anderson, advice columnist Ann Landers and Gov. George Wallace,” the committee’s website states.
According to the committee, Minnesota’s 33rd Governor, Wendell Anderson officially proclaimed February 8-15 as Peanut Butter Days. Soon “Master Peanut Butter Eater” certificates were circulating, and people from all over the U.S. began writing in for them. Litchfield went peanut butter crazy.
The festival was designed to do four things; promote rural America; promote good food; promote agriculture, particularly the dairy industry; and to involve young people in these promotions.
Cottington, a lifetime FFA member, called Auburn University to ask about an FFA chapter in Alabama. From there, the sister cities connection Hartford-Litchfield began and an exchange program between the two.
Other Litchfield Events
Outside of the tour of Towmaster, guests got to enjoy a lot of Minnesota winter fun. They went snowmobiling and ATV riding on Lake Manuella, skiing and tubing at Powder Ridge, visited the Farm, enjoyed a chili dinner, toured the State Capitol and the Mall of America. The guests rounded out their tour with visits to several other local businesses, Litchfield schools, and dairy farms in the surrounding areas.
A Great Litchfield Tradition
Litchfield’s Peanut Butter & Milk Festival has existed even longer than Towmaster! They are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. We are proud to have witnessed the growth and evolution of this great Litchfield area tradition and look forward to future festivals.