Finally, Finn-ish The Fair!

Okay, okay, The Fair is old news. We have done so much since then, so much that sitting in front of the computer telling folks about it is not an option. Pony Club Camp, Ambassador work at Livestock Judging Camp, Mike (horse) taken to a barn to be ridden, and hopefully sold, 3 days without electricity (not too much of a hardship for us, as we don't air condition, but the real story for me was trying to get fuel!), a dressy affair for the OSU Veterinary Resident Banquet- prepared for sans electricity, two 4th of July Parades for the band kids, a 4th of July party, a trip to the Orthopedist to be proclaimed "HEALED!" of the broken scapula...now just the challenges in the shoulder separation, my 44th birthday, a week long vacation with the entire contingent of in-laws, all 19, and then back, to Cowfeathers. Oh, how I wish I could say I was going nowhere and doing nothing of consequence for a while.
But, I feel like I need to put a finish on The Fair, as this year was a unique one for our family. It was the first time in our eight years of county-fairing that the kids sold animals in the ring that were off to market. At our fair, the show is "terminal". Meaning, if you show a "market" animal, it isn't going home with you. They leave on a truck. There are two ways of getting on the truck. The first way is to chose to send your animal by "packer bid". This means that the company that had the highest bid to take those animals to slaughter collects the animals, usually in the very early morning, right out of their pens, and off they go. The child who brought the animal to the fair gets paid by the pound for their animal.
The second way to get on that truck is "through the ring". This means that the child takes his turn walking the animal around in the ring while the auctioneer "sells" the animal to a bidder. The bidder can opt to actually get the meat from that animal, and will pay the packer for the processing of the animal, but most bidders are mostly there spending money just to support the community. Local businesses, big and small, come sit in the stifling arena for a very long day in the heat spending money. The highest bid gets then paid to the child showing the animal, as well as the packer bid amount. For instance, Youngest's hog had a packer bid of $0.70? (I think) a pound. Our feedstore, Faler Feed (see previous blog about Faler's) was the high bidder on Youngest's hog. So, Youngest will get the amount generously bid by Dave Winecoop from Faler Feed, plus the packer bid of $0.70 per pound. Eventually, Youngest will get a check from the Sales Committee for the final amount. Then, we will check this against all the receipts for the purchase price of the hogs and the feed and the dewormer, and see if he made any money!

Each child can choose only one animal to send "through the ring". The other market animals they bring to fair will all go by "packer bid". Youngest chose to take Willis through the ring, thus Wilbur disappeared in the night on Thursday of The Fair. Youngest had tears and sadness that night, sorry to see Wilbur for the last time. By Saturday, which is Sale Day, he was resigned to the task before him, and was chin up for the whole process.

 Youngest, parading around the ring with Willis, bemused by the whole process, one pant leg in and one pant leg out. If Mereth is reading this, she will remember Randleigh Dairy's Charlie, who had the same routine.

 Youngest in the ring with the auctioneer in that loud, staccato, number gibberish voice getting folks to raise their hand and spend some money on the boy.

The Sheep Kids of Saddle and Sirloin 4-H Club!

 Sheep were late in the order of the day for sale. This is particularly unfortunate, as most bidders give up after several long hours of sweating, and they've spent their money anyway. Middlest seemed to be holding it together, but February was a special pal, and hers from birth. It wasn't going to be easy. As a family we tried to surround her and support her, but she was rather snarly. She seemed to do better with her friends, and ones that have been through the experience before were the ones  she chose to help her through.

Middlest with February, almost time for the sale. Mother can see how close the tears are in this photo.

Showing him off like a champ! To a very sparse crowd.

But, always there with support for showmanship, Mr. Johnson of Johnson Land and Cattle Co. was also there with support in purchasing February. Thank you to the Johnsons!

And that was the fair. We packed our stuff right up, and at 11 pm collected Finn, the remaining ewe- Grand Champion Breeding Sheep, don'cha know! Also the first and second place fancy chickens, and the second place fancy ducks,  piled it all onto the truck, crates and boxes and feathers flying and baaaing, and headed home, just like the Clampetts in The Beverly Hillbillies.

In 12 hours, Middlest and I headed out again, with the horse this time, to spend 5 days at Pony Club Camp. No time for mourning sheep, we've got riding to do!