The Four Town fair was this past weekend and the weather was beautiful: Sunny, breezy, and highs in the mid 70's. At night it did get a bit chilly, but we were cozy in the camper with the furnace on!
We started showing the goats at 9:30AM on Saturday. The girls did well in their showmanship classes, but were placed down because I didn't allow them to short clip their goats. It is just too cold to shave the animals nearly bald in order to place higher in one showmanship class. It was Rachel and Samantha's last show for the season since they aren't old enough for the Big E yet, and Topsfield requires that you own the goats you show.
There were 160 goats to judge for the breed classes! My goat Lucy, took first place in the 4-5 year old Oberhasli class (and yes, she did have competition!). She then went on to place as the Best Oberhasli in Show, as well as the best Oberhasli udder in show. Then she was placed as Reserve Best Doe in Show! It was a Great Goats sweep as Lara's doe was the Grand Champion Doe!
Hannah purchased a four year old Alpine milker that already has three championship legs. We'll pick her up after she has been shown at the open ADGA show at the Big E. Hannah needs a doe that can be in milk for the 2009-2010 4-H year as she is now old enough to qualify for next year's Big E competition.
The rest of the fair was pretty uneventful. On the way home we managed to bottom out the bottom of the camper. Thankfully, we only bent one of the stabilizers (as well as putting a nice deep gouge in the road). The camper can be fixed and won't even be very expensive to do so!
Our next event is the 4-H competition at the Big E!
Showing posts with label fairs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fairs. Show all posts
Monday, September 21, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Fair Time!
After a nearly four week break from fairs, we are back at it this weekend with the Haddam Neck fair. We love this particular fair! Many years ago it was the first fair our girls ever showed their goats. We had so much fun, and still do every year.
So we are packing the camper, checking the stanchion, and prepping the goats. Having had the break I am really looking forward to this fair. In the last few years we had several fairs prior to Haddam Neck and I was pretty much burnt out by now. This year we eliminated a few fairs for "economic reasons". The break has given me renewed vigor for facing the next five fairs!
So we are packing the camper, checking the stanchion, and prepping the goats. Having had the break I am really looking forward to this fair. In the last few years we had several fairs prior to Haddam Neck and I was pretty much burnt out by now. This year we eliminated a few fairs for "economic reasons". The break has given me renewed vigor for facing the next five fairs!
Monday, August 25, 2008
The Chester Fair
We had so much fun at the Chester Fair this weekend! The weather couldn't have been more perfect! Sunshine, a few puffy clouds, temperatures in the mid 80's, with the overnight temps in the mid 50's!
Hannah's chickens received 11 blue ribbons, 7 red ribbons, and 3 white ribbons! She was thrilled! So far in all of the fairs, one of her chickens has consistantly been a first place bird and has won best bantam in show a few times. Hannah is looking forward to trying to breed this bird and hatch some eggs to raise.
I am really not a chicken person, myself. I like to eat chicken, and I think the chickens sense this about me. This fair, for some reason they put nearly all of Hannah's chickens up on the top shelf. Hannah couldn't reach the birds to get them out of their cages at the end of the fair weekend. Lucky me got to put my hands into the cages of rather stressed out birds, catch them, pull them screaming from their cages, and then hand them off to Hannah. As soon as they were in Hannah's capable hands they quieted right down. As much as I don't like chickens, they don't like me!
Abby placed nearly last in her showmanship class, but we had expected it since she was unable to prepare her goat on Friday due to our hauling in hay that day. She is such a gracious loser, I admire her more for the way she handled the loss, than if she had won. Abby's goats showed well in the breed classes and Jones took 3rd in the working goat class.
Abby really impressed Sam and I this weekend with her maturity and wise decision making skills. On Saturday afternoon, when all the showing was done, she came to me and said that she wanted us to sell Jack and James. Jack and James were the two wethers we had let her keep to make a cart goat team. She told us she really wanted to focus on training Jones for the single cart and she didn't have the time to give Jack and James the focus they needed. I was very proud of her and I know it wasn't easy for her to make that decision since she very much loves those goats.
God blessed her decision though. We hung our "For Sale" sign up on Sunday morning. A few hours later an older couple approached our pens and started to ask questions about goats. The good kinds of questions. The kinds of questions that let you know they have done some research and have thought about it beyond, "They're so cute. Wouldn't it be fun to have a pet goat?"
We told them about Jack and James. They asked more questions, said they were interested but had to go and talk about it. The wife came back with her sister a few hours later. They asked a few more questions, the husband went back home to check his pastures for poisonous plants, the sister volunteered to "goat-sit" if needed. The wife came back again a few hours later and told me they would buy Jack and James. Abby was so happy that they get to stay together, and they are going to a loving family with many acres of pasture and a barn.
Rachel and Samantha upon overhearing the wife and I discussing pick-up at our next fair, started to cry a little. I said something to Samantha and Rachel said that she was going to show Jack at the next fair. The woman, said she would love to watch Rachel show Jack and she wouldn't take them to their new home until after the show at the next fair. Rachel smiled and thanked her (a shocking event in and of itself!).
Oh! and our new goat from Minnesota won Best Jr Doe in Show! The look on Abby's face was priceless when she was handed the blue rosette! Of course with all the chaos right before the fair, I had forgotten my camera. We have never won a "best in show" ribbon before.
Chester Fair was a good fair in so many ways!
Hannah's chickens received 11 blue ribbons, 7 red ribbons, and 3 white ribbons! She was thrilled! So far in all of the fairs, one of her chickens has consistantly been a first place bird and has won best bantam in show a few times. Hannah is looking forward to trying to breed this bird and hatch some eggs to raise.
I am really not a chicken person, myself. I like to eat chicken, and I think the chickens sense this about me. This fair, for some reason they put nearly all of Hannah's chickens up on the top shelf. Hannah couldn't reach the birds to get them out of their cages at the end of the fair weekend. Lucky me got to put my hands into the cages of rather stressed out birds, catch them, pull them screaming from their cages, and then hand them off to Hannah. As soon as they were in Hannah's capable hands they quieted right down. As much as I don't like chickens, they don't like me!
Abby placed nearly last in her showmanship class, but we had expected it since she was unable to prepare her goat on Friday due to our hauling in hay that day. She is such a gracious loser, I admire her more for the way she handled the loss, than if she had won. Abby's goats showed well in the breed classes and Jones took 3rd in the working goat class.
Abby really impressed Sam and I this weekend with her maturity and wise decision making skills. On Saturday afternoon, when all the showing was done, she came to me and said that she wanted us to sell Jack and James. Jack and James were the two wethers we had let her keep to make a cart goat team. She told us she really wanted to focus on training Jones for the single cart and she didn't have the time to give Jack and James the focus they needed. I was very proud of her and I know it wasn't easy for her to make that decision since she very much loves those goats.
God blessed her decision though. We hung our "For Sale" sign up on Sunday morning. A few hours later an older couple approached our pens and started to ask questions about goats. The good kinds of questions. The kinds of questions that let you know they have done some research and have thought about it beyond, "They're so cute. Wouldn't it be fun to have a pet goat?"
We told them about Jack and James. They asked more questions, said they were interested but had to go and talk about it. The wife came back with her sister a few hours later. They asked a few more questions, the husband went back home to check his pastures for poisonous plants, the sister volunteered to "goat-sit" if needed. The wife came back again a few hours later and told me they would buy Jack and James. Abby was so happy that they get to stay together, and they are going to a loving family with many acres of pasture and a barn.
Rachel and Samantha upon overhearing the wife and I discussing pick-up at our next fair, started to cry a little. I said something to Samantha and Rachel said that she was going to show Jack at the next fair. The woman, said she would love to watch Rachel show Jack and she wouldn't take them to their new home until after the show at the next fair. Rachel smiled and thanked her (a shocking event in and of itself!).
Oh! and our new goat from Minnesota won Best Jr Doe in Show! The look on Abby's face was priceless when she was handed the blue rosette! Of course with all the chaos right before the fair, I had forgotten my camera. We have never won a "best in show" ribbon before.
Chester Fair was a good fair in so many ways!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Dairy Cows and Abby
Abby loves showing cows. She absolutely loves "Lovely". Hmmm... I hear a sucking sound not so far off... must be that vortex...
Monday, August 11, 2008
Beef Cow Vortex
I love our little hometown fair. The Lebanon fair is such a lovely low key fair. The girls watched falconers and trampoline artists. When we arrived on Sunday morning we were just 20 minutes too late to have witnessed the beef cow next to us giving birth! The owners were considering naming it Lebby, short for Lebanon.
Hannah fell in love with the 1800 pound beef cows next to our dairy cows. The lady who owns them thought Hannah was the sweetest thing and offered to let Hannah show her cows at the next fair that we both will be at. So Hannah will be showing beef cows at the Ledyard fair in September!
The next fair will be Chester fair (Aug 22-24). Only goats and chickens go to that fair. No cows since the goat show and the cow show happen at the same time. Abby tried it last year and was worn to a frazzle running back and forth between the two barns.
Of course before the next fair we have our campfire this coming Friday!
Hannah fell in love with the 1800 pound beef cows next to our dairy cows. The lady who owns them thought Hannah was the sweetest thing and offered to let Hannah show her cows at the next fair that we both will be at. So Hannah will be showing beef cows at the Ledyard fair in September!
The next fair will be Chester fair (Aug 22-24). Only goats and chickens go to that fair. No cows since the goat show and the cow show happen at the same time. Abby tried it last year and was worn to a frazzle running back and forth between the two barns.
Of course before the next fair we have our campfire this coming Friday!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Busy, Busy
We have managed to squeak in a few school lessons in between, visits to Meme's house, fixing the broken van (twice!), clipping a cow (still one more left to clip!), working on fair exhibits, catching a bee swarm, and visiting other 4H fairs to get ideas.
Rachel is enjoying her math curriculum. She likes watching the instructor on the DVD's. Then the lessons are gone over again by me. She spends the next few days doing the worksheets and working with the manipulatives. There is a lot of review and repitition with this curriculum. Just goes to show how her brain works, since she has yet to realize that the work isn't anything new each day.
Samantha is doing the Math lessons too. On the same level as Rachel but since the levels are called Greek alphabet letters, neither realizes that they are both doing grade 2 work.
Abby's new science and algebra curriculum have arrived. Her history and Latin should be here shortly. She is finishing up her science textbook from 8th grade this summer before we start on the Biology.
Nathalie is devouring all books put in front of her and has recently discovered my old Nancy Drews. She loved the Boxcar Children books and says the Nancy Drew books are just a more grown up version. I think she has read nearly 50 of them so far.
Hannah is spending her summer researching things to teach Rachel and Samantha. She just finished learning all about frogs. Her frog exhibit at the 4H fair took two blue ribbons and one red ribbon. Rachel and Samantha love following her around at the library helping her find books to read to them.
Fair season is quickly gearing up. Starting with the Chester Fair (Aug 22-24) we will have 6 fairs in 6 weekends! We then get a week off before we go to Portland Fair. Of course, just to make things interesting that weekend, my brother has decided to get married on that Sunday!
Rachel is enjoying her math curriculum. She likes watching the instructor on the DVD's. Then the lessons are gone over again by me. She spends the next few days doing the worksheets and working with the manipulatives. There is a lot of review and repitition with this curriculum. Just goes to show how her brain works, since she has yet to realize that the work isn't anything new each day.
Samantha is doing the Math lessons too. On the same level as Rachel but since the levels are called Greek alphabet letters, neither realizes that they are both doing grade 2 work.
Abby's new science and algebra curriculum have arrived. Her history and Latin should be here shortly. She is finishing up her science textbook from 8th grade this summer before we start on the Biology.
Nathalie is devouring all books put in front of her and has recently discovered my old Nancy Drews. She loved the Boxcar Children books and says the Nancy Drew books are just a more grown up version. I think she has read nearly 50 of them so far.
Hannah is spending her summer researching things to teach Rachel and Samantha. She just finished learning all about frogs. Her frog exhibit at the 4H fair took two blue ribbons and one red ribbon. Rachel and Samantha love following her around at the library helping her find books to read to them.
Fair season is quickly gearing up. Starting with the Chester Fair (Aug 22-24) we will have 6 fairs in 6 weekends! We then get a week off before we go to Portland Fair. Of course, just to make things interesting that weekend, my brother has decided to get married on that Sunday!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Phew!
After a weekend of goat shows, we are tired!
Everyone did very well! Our goats did as expected at the ADGA show: dead last! What can we say, at least we are consistant! Donna's goats did very well, as one of her Togganburgs earned a championship leg!
The North Stonington fair was a smashing success! We had 72 goats exhibited and every breed had at least one representative. Abby placed second in Senior showmanship to Heather. Susan placed 5th, Matt placed 6th! All of our 4H-ers did very well and all have improved from last year in their showmanship ability.
My niece Claudia placed first in the Pee Wee showmanship class. Hannah placed well in her showmanship class which had a lot of competition. All but one of Hannah's chickens took home a first place ribbon. She was more thrilled that one of her Golden Sebrights started laying eggs, so now she can breed her and raise her own chicks.
I think everyone had fun, there were no battles or brawls, and everyone went home with some money in their pockets! We are going to spend this day getting the house back in order, taking Abby to the doctor for her sore throat, and returning the nieces to their parents.
Oh! I almost forgot the best part of the weekend! We came home late Saturday night and some "vandal" had entered our home and finished painting my bathroom! So now all the rooms in our home have been painted! They look wonderful and as soon as I have a minute I will take and post pictures!
Everyone did very well! Our goats did as expected at the ADGA show: dead last! What can we say, at least we are consistant! Donna's goats did very well, as one of her Togganburgs earned a championship leg!
The North Stonington fair was a smashing success! We had 72 goats exhibited and every breed had at least one representative. Abby placed second in Senior showmanship to Heather. Susan placed 5th, Matt placed 6th! All of our 4H-ers did very well and all have improved from last year in their showmanship ability.
My niece Claudia placed first in the Pee Wee showmanship class. Hannah placed well in her showmanship class which had a lot of competition. All but one of Hannah's chickens took home a first place ribbon. She was more thrilled that one of her Golden Sebrights started laying eggs, so now she can breed her and raise her own chicks.
I think everyone had fun, there were no battles or brawls, and everyone went home with some money in their pockets! We are going to spend this day getting the house back in order, taking Abby to the doctor for her sore throat, and returning the nieces to their parents.
Oh! I almost forgot the best part of the weekend! We came home late Saturday night and some "vandal" had entered our home and finished painting my bathroom! So now all the rooms in our home have been painted! They look wonderful and as soon as I have a minute I will take and post pictures!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Busy Bees!
So much to do... so little time....
We clipped a bajillion goats yesterday, so we have about 6 left to do today.
I think Hannah has washed and blow-dried all her chickens.
We picked up the crates we're borrowing from the Jones'.
Sam has his first physical therapy session this morning. The doctor yesterday decided to keep Sam out of work for another week.
Hannah and I will be heading up to North Stonington around 1PM to drop off the chickens.
After that we'll be going back over to Donna's to extract my honey out of the 4 supers I put bee escapes on a few days ago.
Thankfully the heat and humidity seems to have broken this morning so we won't be losing 6 pounds of water every time we exert ourselves!
We clipped a bajillion goats yesterday, so we have about 6 left to do today.
I think Hannah has washed and blow-dried all her chickens.
We picked up the crates we're borrowing from the Jones'.
Sam has his first physical therapy session this morning. The doctor yesterday decided to keep Sam out of work for another week.
Hannah and I will be heading up to North Stonington around 1PM to drop off the chickens.
After that we'll be going back over to Donna's to extract my honey out of the 4 supers I put bee escapes on a few days ago.
Thankfully the heat and humidity seems to have broken this morning so we won't be losing 6 pounds of water every time we exert ourselves!
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