By By MARCIA STEFFENS / Niles Daily Star
CASSOPOLIS – The final stop of the 25th annual Farm Bureau Queens' Farm Tour Saturday ended with squeals and some were from baby piglets.
The Miss Blossomtime queens were excited to meet Miss Piggy up close and personal at the Robinson Farms on Decatur Road in Cassopolis.
Miss Blossomtime Ashley Eldred-Barker of Bangor and queens from 23 communities, along with Mr. Blossomtime Taylor Robson of Niles/Brandywine and his court each received a basket of Michigan products, Roberson said.
"They look forward to it. It's the first time they get to wear jeans," said Heidi Roberson, of the Blossomtime board and festival director. Usually all of the appearances include their crowns, heels and formal wear, she added. "They are excited to see the baby pigs," she said.
The Robinson farm has been a stop on the tour for about 16 years, Roberson said. They sell pork products at their Jake's Country Meats.
The tour began with breakfast at Tree-Mendus Fruit Farm between Eau Claire and Indian Lake, with their cherry filling on waffles.
The tour, which is to showcase southwest Michigan's diverse agriculture production, makes stops at farms in three counties.
Lunch was provided by the Van Buren County Farm Bureau in Paw Paw, as Berrien, Cass and Van Buren County Farm Bureaus sponsor the annual tour. Everyone was also provided with hats and sweatshirts from Farm Bureau.
The group saw Lemon Creek Winery in Berrien Springs and Dickerson's Greenhouse in Gobles.