From the Pastures: Busy week at fair

What a week! As I am write this column, I have just arrived home from the Boone County Fair, our local fair. The weather was a little wet and stormy at the beginning of the week, but perfect for the weekend.

The Boone County Fair is owned by the Granges of Boone County. It is one of the largest county fairs in the state and is also the 4-H fair. A wide variety of livestock junior, open and 4-H shows are held throughout the week. Livestock include: dairy cows, beef cows, sheep, swine, ponies, dairy goats, Boer goats, alpacas and rabbits. A large draft horse show is also held.

The fair is truly a community event with many local groups operating food booths or informational booths. All of the fair board members and the many volunteers work long hours all week to make the fair successful. We joke that our lawns don’t get mowed, the dishes pile up in the sink, our houses are a mess and we are exhausted by the end of the week, but we can’t wait until next year. The volunteers are the people who make the fair such a success. Many thanks to them!

This year’s fair was exciting because my young grandkids were able to show sheep. We brought three Shetland lambs and one Scottish Blackface lamb. The kids did a great job and had a lot of fun. They were thrilled to win their first ribbons and put them in their back pockets.

All the judges were great and really encouraged the kids. People walking through the barn loved the Shetlands and asked a lot of questions about the Scotts. I always enjoy talking to people about sheep and the benefits of wool.

Tomorrow back to reality and my real job. Then I need to start preparing for the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival scheduled Sept. 9-12 in Jefferson, Wisconsin. I want to take roving, yarn and batts from both the Shetland wool and the Scottish Blackface wool. Several are completed, but I always think of another color to dye or roving combination to make.

Hope you had a chance to visit a county or state fair this summer.