Well, it is that time of year again. The 4H season has begun. Actually, meetings began in January, but the weigh in for the Canyon County Fair was earlier this week, and that is when it really starts to feel like it is beginning.
Our daughter, Hattie, shows sheep every year. This is the irony of our farm. We raise cattle, pigs, chickens and goats. However, she chooses to show sheep. This is the one animal that we don’t raise, and the animal we know the least about. I think this is an early form of rebellion.
Back to the sheep weigh-in. There is something about the first day going back to the fairgrounds, seeing all the other kids and parents bringing their animals in and finding out what weight your child is starting their animal at that really kicks it all off.
To explain the weigh-in, there is a date selected by the fair board in which all competitors must bring their animals to the fair grounds to be weighed and to establish a starting point. This includes cattle, goats and pigs as well.
The starting weight is recorded, and then competitors can later be awarded for the most gain on their animals. Also, when the fair officially begins in the end of July the animals get weighed in again. There is a minimum weight threshold they must hit to be able to be sold at the end of the fair. This can be a stressful time depending on the performance of your animals.
Hattie has actually had a time in which her sheep did not “make weight”. So, she was unable to sell her lamb that year. She was not happy. Especially when, instead of her sheep staying at the fairgrounds on the last night of the fair, to be taken to its buyer, we had to haul it home and find an alternative.
4H is a great activity for kids. They learn a lot of responsibility, record keeping and budgeting. There is a lot of camaraderie as well, and weekly practices within your 4H group. The kids learn a lot about agriculture and where their food comes from. It is one of the highlights of this lifestyle and being on the farm.
We hope that any of your reading this will look into supporting these great kids. The best way to do this is to contribute to their projects at the Canyon County Fair. You can do this without purchasing an animal. It is easy to place an “add on” bid to a specific member’s animal or to a group of competitor’s animals.
To let you know how this works, at the end of the fair all of these kids have their animals auctioned off at an all day sale that takes place at the fairgrounds. These kids depend on the generosity of donors bidding on the animals to get the price high enough for them to at least get their money back. However, they are all hoping to make a profit on these animals, and your donations can definitely help.
If you are interested in doing this just let me know. I will be happy to help you set it up. Or, I can even bid for you at the auction if that is what you would like. However, you can participate without ever setting foot on the fairgrounds.
Send me an email or give me a call, and I’ll put your name on my list to call in July as we get closer to the auction.
Thanks Everyone!