State lawmakers received a “taste of the country” April 15 during the annual Oklahoma Farm Bureau Farm City Festival at the Capitol. The event is sponsored by the OKFB Women’s Leadership Team, consisting of rural women leaders from throughout the state.
The rural leaders use the Capitol’s first floor rotunda area to set out a spread of freshly prepared food, much of it home baked. There were trays of fresh vegetables, sandwiches, cheese and fruit, cookies, cupcakes and brownies.
“We are here today feeding our legislators and their staff with good old, homegrown food and we want to show them our appreciation for their hard work,” said Kitty Beavers, Duncan, Okla., and chairperson of the OKFB Women’s Leadership Team.
Beavers said the event also provides a unique opportunity to connect with the legislators.
“We host the event at the Capitol so when we go into the legislators offices, they will know where we come from and what we represent,” Beavers said.
More than 500 plates of food were prepared for legislators and their staff members.
“This is an event we look forward to every year,” said Rep. Todd Russ. “We get to hear from rural Oklahoma on some of the issues that might concern them and get their perspective.”
That importance of this event was not lost on Oklahoma’s Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese.
“These rural leaders are who the legislators represent and legislators always appreciate people from their hometown coming to see them at the Capitol,” Reese said.
The rural Farm Bureau women leaders have been hosting the Farm City Festival for more than 30 years.
