County Fair
This next week, actually Sunday 8/2/2009 starts the next edition of the Monroe County Fair. I am not trying to compete with Dean Cousino of The Monroe Evening News. Dean does an excellent job covering animal related news items and other youth orientated items and other activities at the Fairgrounds. I will give an overview of animal related aspects that happen during the week. This is not meant to be a blatant shill for the fair, well maybe I am biased. What I am trying to illustrate is the responsibility of animal care, husbandry habits, and the positive outcome animals have on their exhibitors and owners. I grew up with 4-H and I know how it takes an adolescent and tests their mettle. This program produces a great product, an adult that returns the favor then pays it forward.
4-H uses the project as a basis for learning, leadership and planning. Project content does not matter. The project may be domestic arts, photography, vehicle or an animal related project. The future gains are in the vein of "next year I will do this and that" for a certain project. Our two children participated in the 4-H market hog project, for the first few years they actually thought the hogs were the project. They learned time management, learning how to make decisions and live with choices. They learned how to manage money by balancing a checkbook, paying for the hogs, feed, and tests for Pseudorabies. They learned recordkeeping to evaluate for a profit and loss form for Sweet Quality Pork. They learned about deadlines and pressure in the show ring. Two of those years, they selected and raised the Reserve Champion Market Hog. They went through the sadness when the pigs go to market after the auction sale. Some years the hogs just bought them a week at the Fair. Those hectic years are gone and I miss the time spent with both children during the project and the week at the fair.
The lamb project is very similar where children and parents share the responsibility of making fair weight, showing and the auction excitement. There are extras in the sheep barn. They have Wool Lead line classes where very young explorers borrow a lamb and dress up animal and lamb in costumes. They have older exhibitors do a fashion modeling show. The exhibitor is required to wear an item made of wool; the lamb may wear some accessories or show up Au Naturale. It is a fun to watch but all I can say is "Ewe".
Steers in the Beef project are bathed, shined up, hooves polished and groomed for showmanship and conformation placing. Sometimes these cattle are attracted to the midway. They will get away from handlers and bolt. They are almost a full year of commitment of feeding and handling.
Dairy cattle exhibited are from calves, yearlings to mature adult cows. There is no bull at the Fair, well at least not over a year of age. This project requires connections as you need someone in the business to get a show dairy cow. They do require milking twice daily even at the fair. You may watch this added attraction. Occasionally there will be a calf born at the fair. These exhibitors do have a full year commitment to keep showing.
Each species (chickens through horses and cows) have showmanship classes. The overall winner gets to compete in Sweepstakes Showmanship on Thursday evening.
The Horse barn projects may include small ponies, riding horses, medium draft to full sized Draft breeds. Mules are shown but they are in 'Open' Class. All of these require twice a day feeding all year also. They do all sorts of classes. My favorite set of classes involves Stepping Stones Therapeutic Ridding. I am on the board of directors for this group of impaired riders. When you see their smiles, this group of people will warm your heart for more than just five minutes.
Goats: a barn full of inquisitive critters that charm your soul is located on the south of the farm type animals. There are breeding stock, milking does and this year's model kids on exhibit. They do cart classes and let you feed them some grain. They sell a quart of milk from the Champion milking goat as a moneymaking project. They even have a "celebrity" goat-milking contest, no kidding.
Inside the Small Animal Barn are turkeys, geese, ducks, chickens, broilers, roasters and "Fancy" breeds. This may include Polish chickens, Banny chickens, Araucana (Easter egg green colored egg). Rabbits include many breeds and types, Californian, New Zeeland, Angora, and Giant Flemish is a partial list of those exhibited. There are also Guinea Pigs (cavies) and a few other pocket pets.
Dogs are included in the Fair. They exhibit on Saturday for their show events. They also have a tent area were they do demonstrations of agility. Sunday evening they show up for age group appropriate "Doggy Dress up". This fun set of classes has the exhibitor come up with a matching theme and dress kid and dog in complementary or identical outfits. They write a narrated script while dog and child are modeling in the show ring.
Cats (Felines) exhibit but due to their solitary nature, they show on Friday before fair opens to the public. They have conformation, showmanship and a feline costume class.
County fairs are good clean fun for the family and friends. It is a bit of Americana subjected to all of the pressure points of our current economy. There are lessons learned by young and old, the art of negotiation with adults or children, reprimands for not doing chores correctly or on time, learning to follow 4-H rules, and adhering to "barn" rules are important life habits to obtain. I went through the whole gamete. It is remarkable the growth you see in people. Some parents grow up and let their children grow up too. When you see that happen you know 4-H really works.
4-H is a foundation for a lifetime