Check out the end of the post to find out how you can win 2 Tickets to the TurkeyHill Experience and other fun prizes!
I was delighted to be invited to media day at the new Turkey Hill Experience (THE) in Columbia, Pa. My husband and I have driven by the old Ashley & Bailey Silk Mill each time we cross the Susquehanna river and wonder about the history of this old building.
The mill was originally built in 1899 and was owned by the Ashely & Bailey Company. The mill wove raw silk, imported from China and Japan, into thread and cloth to create a variety of silk-based goods. At its peak, the mill employed several hundred members of the local community. In business until the 1970′s, it was used as a sewing factory by a company called Tidy Products. Tidy products eventually shut down the sewing company in the late 1970′s, and the building has been abandoned ever since. The old brick factory stood as a skeleton to times gone by and was just longing to be rescued from a wrecking ball. It was just calling out to be renovated, loved and turned into something fabulous. Enter: Turkey Hill Experience.
When asked why this location, Quintin Frey, president of Turkey Hill Dairy, replied that:
This location in particular, needed someone to take a stand to help reinvigorate the economy and our community pride. The Experience will achieve both these goals by providing job opportunities for residents, rehabilitating a blighted property in our downtown that has great historical significance, and creating an awesome tourist destination in which we will all be proud.
I appreciate that they took the time, money and energy to use this old relic of a building instead of building a stick building from scratch. There are so many other buildings in our community that can be utilized in the same manor.
One of the nine interactive exhibits at the 301 Linden St location is the experience of creating your own ice cream virtually. Touch screens take you step by step through choosing your ice cream base, swirl, and mix-ins. It is so neat to see your dream ice cream come to life. Even if it is virtual. They have crazy options like wasabi, chopped tomatoes, gravy and a variety of nuts. My girls went traditional with fruit and nuts. I went a little progressive and created : KALA TOMATIFIED MEDITERRANEAN. It’s White Mix ice cream with Pesto and a swirl of none, loaded with Kalamata Olives and Diced Tomatoes.
My husband says only I would come up with something like this!
Then its was off to design our own container. This is what I came up with:
It was fun to resize items, pick a name ( I let the computer pick it for me) change the colors and background. Gives you a peak into what the graphics people might go through when designing your favorite container!
I loved this section the the Experience. You learned about the different types of teas. I am a big tea fan so this was of great interest too me. What I loved was it was more than just looking at information on a wall. You got to smell the types of teas and note the differences side by side. (see photo below) Once again there was interaction with a touch screen. Through a series of fun questions THE let you know what was your personaliTEA. Turns out I am unsweetened iced tea. Didn’t know that. Now I do! I beleive my 6 year old was sweet raspberry tea. Makes sense to me.
How about a little bit of science with your milk? Learn about good and bad bacteria and take a quiz to see if you are right!
Ever wonder what it would feel like to be in a milk mixer? Go for a spin in the blending machine. We had so many giggles and laugh at this exhibit.
We are only part of the way through THE and there is so much more to come! Come back tomorrow to see what we ATE!!
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Would you like to experience the Turkey Hill Experience?
Turkey Hill wanted me to share the love so I will! We are giving away……
1st Prize: 2 tickets to The Turkey Hill Experience, 1 calendar full of coupons, 2 coupons for 1.5 qt. of FREE Turkey Hill Ice Cream, 2 coupons for FREE 1/2 gallon of drink
2nd Prize: 1 calendar full of coupons, 2 coupon for 1.5 qt. of FREE Turkey Hill Ice Cream, 2 coupons for FREE 1/2 gallon of drink
3rd Prize: 1 calendar full of coupons, 2 coupon for 1.5 qt. of FREE Turkey Hill Ice Cream, 2 coupons for FREE 1/2 gallon of drink
Comment below what would be YOUR dream Turkey Hill Ice Cream. Winner will be picked randomly from all comments. Contest ends Saturday night.
