County Fair in the mornings...

[Spookwriter]

In the mornings the fair is more about the kids in
4-H and FFA as they show their animals and projects.

I enjoy that part of our fair.

Watching the children with their sheep, goats, hogs,
cattle, horses, chickens...whatever. I talked to several
this morning as I walked around.

My daughter didn't win with her rabbit. And that's fine.
It wasn't about needing a ribbon to be a winner. It was
about her learning to take care of a animal in a responsible
manner.

In my book all those kids at the fair taking care of their animal
or project are winners. Long after the ribbon fades they will have
the memory and life experience of doing this.

And I do take the time to talk to various children to encourage them,
and show that someone cares about whatever it is they're doing.
Ask questions, share a smile.

My favorite time spent at the fair is early morning. Long before the
rides open up, when it's all about the kids.

Here the rides don't start until 1:00. So we're home right now but getting
ready to go back so Hana can enjoy the evening riding with her friends.
So if I'm not here tonight, you know I'm at the fair on the ferris wheel or
some other death defying ride..my sheet flapping in the wind.

But seriously...my hat is off to the children in 4-H, FFA, or whatever
group it may be.

They're all winners.

So if you go to a fair or know a child doing a project take a minute of
your time and encourage them.

And even to the parents of these children. I tip my hat to you too, for
allowing your child this experience. Being one of those parents myself,
I know we back our children with money we can't recover.

But sometimes winning isn't about the ribbon or the money.

Spook...proud parent of a 4-H member.

 

[conny63malies]

Ours was pretty small. THey were a few buildings short after a tornado tore a few down. I love the county fair, we brought a bunch of stuff we canned. We won ribbons on everything and even took a "best of show" for our jam assortment. I didnt see any poultry or other small animals, but that might change after the rebuild. I hope where ever we retire to that they got a good fair.

 

[MeatKing]

Sounds like a grand time Spook!! You DD is lucky you do this for her!!

I'm just learning about our 4-H here.. My kids are still too young, and were still fairly new to the "farm" world. I didn't know all these other things happened before the "rides" opened till the man at the feed store told me... (Yes I was showing my city colors there!!!)

But am looking forward to going this year.. I always go look at all the animal exbits, except our 4-H is hidden in the back and the 4-H's don't leave their livestock in the building for the whole fair.
Is that how your is?

. So have been so missing this part!! Will be really good for my girls and I to go check out!!

Thank-you for sharing, Can't wait to go see it!! (Think I may learn a lot

 

[Spookwriter]

I believe we have seven barns of animals. Like
many small fairs, cattle rule number one, swine second.
A good number of all animals.

Then the main show/sale ring.

Excercise ring for horse riding.

Barn for animal washing, cleaning, shearing.

Smaller show area for "small animals" (chickens, rabbits...)

One open barn for showing tobacco, corn and such.
(Jams and such in another building...no 24/7 access.

Most animals (and caretakers) stay the week. Some kids will
stay in the barn, many have campers in the "camper area".

Sheriff and Emergency Squad onsite, 24/7.

Fair begins to wake up about 6:00 am. Children taking care of
feeding, watering and chores. Bathing animals.

Two venders open for breakfast at 6:00. Few more open late
morning.

A local "feed store" shows their products also and are open at
6:00 for the animals needs. Did you know there is a product called
"Tail Adhevise" for your cattle and horse? Who knew their tails needed
glued on? Seriously, they sell soaps, brushes, halters, leads just
general products to meet the needs. Even pallets of feed in stock.

Right down to adults (trained?) to trim the wool on the sheep. Morning
barber shop.

So yes, there is a lot of movement going on in the fairgrounds in the
mornings. Right down to the adults in charge who oversee their assigned
barn to make sure that each animal is fed, watered, barn isles cleaned.

Nothing game about it. I will go on and say that a fight at fair is seldomn.
Just a good bunch of adults in charge.

Other morning actions include the staff gathering trash, preparing the
motor-ring for the days show. Tonights show was the motocross, which
was pretty good. Demolition derby, truck pulls, mini-car demolition derbys.
Lawn mower races.. something different every night.

So there is a lot more to our fair than just the rides and sideshows.

This year, the fair board gave us free wi-fi on the grounds.

Plus, our fairgrounds are used year around for different things. Boats
"winter" in some barns. The front area..the mid-way...is set up as a
driver-training practice area for the teenagers. Flea-market in the warm
months, one weekend a month. Dog-shows on stage.

Just always something going on there.

It's a pretty good asset to the community.

 

[Bunnylady]

Wow, Spook, you consider that a "small" fair?

Our fair is just a shadow of what it once was. It's held in late October-early November, and lasts for 10 days. We used to have a fairgrounds, but that lot was sold years ago for development. Now, the fair is held on undeveloped land at the airport. It's a tri-county deal, because there isn't much agriculture in our largely urban county any more.

This is the last stop of the year for the company that owns the rides, which is based in a community a few miles from here. It's a somewhat bittersweet setup for the carnies, who will be dispersing when the rides come down, some to homes in the area, some to Florida, some to Heaven-only-knows-where.

We don't have any buildings, all of the exhibits are housed under huge tents. The "Agriculture" tent is where all of the canning/sewing/photography/you name it competition takes place, the animals are all housed in another. While ribbons and prize money get awarded, I have long considered what happens in the animal tent as an exhibition rather than a competition; the "judges" only occasionally have known what they were looking for.

Still, it's all fun.

I keep saying "we," because I have been volunteering in the animal tent for several years. Without the volunteers, it couldn't be done. There are some home schooled 4-H'ers that practically live in that tent for the 10 days of the fair. Some of them don't even have animals of their own, but there they are, mucking and feeding with their friends.

When I first started volunteering, there weren't a lot of animals, and many of the rabbits and chickens were mixed breed backyard pets. Since my stock are (mostly) recognizable purebreds, my animals were a mainstay, and for a few years, roughly 10% of the animals in the tent were mine (or my kids'). But the number of entries has risen over the years, and my critters are much less critical now. Still, some of my animals (like my mini mule) are pretty much unique around here, so my involvement plays a significant part in the animal tent.

Every year is different, every year has its drama and small disasters. It's the attitude of camaraderie and a willingness to do whatever is needed that makes the whole thing work. My hat goes off to Skip, the director, the man at the center of this barely-controlled chaos. One evening, several of us were sitting in the "office" trailer, watching through the windows as the pouring rain turned the midway into a quagmire, and we complemented him on his dedication to a job that threatened to make him old before his time. "I'm going to do it, until we get a permanent location again," he said. "There needs to be at least one building, where they can put up a little bronze plaque in my memory." We all agreed that he would deserve more than a plaque, he'd deserve a statue, and we even decided on a design. It would have to be Skip, sitting at the wheel of a golf cart. On the seat beside him, there would be a model of a Bobcat and a 2-way radio, and in the back, a shovel and a can of fire ant bait.

It's crazy, it's fun, and I wouldn't miss it for the world.

 

[Spookwriter]

Oak Ridge Boys headlining tonights main stage.
Should draw a nice crowd.

But just a few hundred feet away, the steer show.
Beyond that, the pulling track. I think tonight is lawn
mowers and normal pick-up trucks.

The fairgrounds are owned by the fair itself, ran by the
fair board and the fair board is voted in by the members
of the farm bureau. Right down to "on" the fairground but not
"in" the fair is our local stock market. Sale every Wenesday except
during fair week and holidays.

The old stock market closed some years ago. But the local farmers
felt the need for a market and so choose to build their own. Sort of
like a co-op, it benefits the fair. And in doing so, it benefits the community
and the children of this community.

And yes, we have a large agriculture base here. These same
"farm-familys" are the parents of most the kids in 4-H and FFA.
So they are well supported.

A good many of the "food vendors" are local groups such as fire departments
or churchs or other such groups. Very few "traveling vendors". Naturally, the
rides are by some professional "fair company". Contract for so many adult
rides, so many children rides.

My daughter is a three year member of 4-H and I watch how things work
around her.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

We are in week 2 of fair season here. DD is showing her Jersey cows in Open classes, her stepson is a second year 4H'r. DD got Jr Champion Jersey DS's stepdaughter got Grand Champion Milking SHorthorn cow WOO HOO!! Cow is leased from local farm but she has cared for it since it's a baby.DH didn't win anything with his Marans eggs, but there is another fair next week and he will try again there. I miss the fairs. I was a 4H dairy leader for 15 yrs and as one of the non-farm moms, I was official club chaperone overnights on the fairgrounds. Slept many many nights on the straw behind the cows, sometimes waking up to a warm breath from a loose cow investigating us. One week in Harrisburg Farm Complex, I slept cuddled next to a very preggy jersey and we both woke up every time one of us shifted position! She was a sweetie. Our club had a rule that whichever mom was there was in charge of making sure all kids tended the animals properly and kept order. I wasn't too popular... but the animals were clean and the aisles were swept! Chickens are not common exhibits since the avian flu many years ago. Many fairs stopped the avian displays and never started them up again. (frown.. I think my "enter" key has died.) our favorite fair was last week but none of the family entered that one-- three weeks of fairs are just too much to handle. We went to walk around and enjoy the sights and get some peaches and ice cream. Got chased home when a storm came up and they told every one to go home. That fair always has good Saturday night entertainment of the old school. Davy Jones, Herman's Hermits, Paul Revere.... all for the price of admission.

 

[chickenology]

My childhood summer memories revolve around showing rabbits at the fair. Going daily to feed and water the rabbits, learning where all the best game booths and food vendors were located. Winning a few bucks occasionally in the rabbit show (pun not intended). DS spent last week doing the same, but in the poultry barn. Hope he enjoys the memories as much as I do, and never realized how hard it was to be the parent of a 4H kid! My favorite times are also the morning - when the birds are crowing and the Bob Evans tent is serving egg and sausage biscuits across from the poultry barn.

 

[OneShotHunter]

Our fair is decent size, but small compared to some. We have

The main animal barn, where the pigs, cows, and lambs are.

The goat barn

A big exibit building, half entries and half small buisness booths

Small animal barn, for the poultry and rabbits

Extra building, used for whatever it's needed for. Dinners, dances etc...

Arena for Demolation derby, mud bog, etc...

 

[they'reHISchickens]

http://www.pbase.com/w3axx/image/145353764 Hope this works. DH entered his pic into the Fair this year. Scary pic full size. Also entered his marans and orpington eggs. We'll see how he does. And yes, he wears Sesame Street t shirts all the time. Pretty lady is granddaughter