The younger non-animal showing kids get to choose food items to enter. We had an abundance of zucchini and I thought it might be worth a try at mock apple pie. I asked Sue to work on this with Afton as the one-on-one time would be good for Afton who gets shoved around in the mix here. She came home triumphant with pies, which were devoured. Thus when it was time for her to make her fair pie she told me I've got this I know exactly what to do. And she proceeded to make a complete pie herself. I was impressed. I did offer the recipe and amounts for pie crust. But she did all the measuring, prepping, and making of the pie.
Millie tried her baking powder quick cinnamon rolls, they got over-baked, so we ate them later.
Afton had extra pie crust so she also made a coconut cream pie from a book she read earlier this summer.
My other helpers and cooks in the kitchen.
Reed was instructed to gather some corn plants. They were super tall. I asked as I laughed how I was supposed to drive that way. We made it work.
Reed parted the leaves and positioned the stalks so I could drive to town.
And the tradition of fair week is store-bought bread sandwiches. The kids like the change and it keeps food in our tummies for the hours on the road and away from home.
At the fair the rootball that Reed left on the stalks allowed them to look nice for many days. They got blue ribbons.
Mark and Bruce had went to gather crops from Uncle Kevin and my dad. They did well selecting and cleaning them up.
Bruce even got the best commercial exhibit.
It's always interesting how up close and personal the kids are with their animals. I was seriously gagging watching and handing baby wipes to them again and again as they cleaned their animals' outer digestive parts repeatedly preparing for the show.
And wiping noses.
Livy and Reed. The judge quickly made up his mind almost as the kids walked in the ring. It was nice to just move through the classes. Livy was out first, she needs to spend more time and effort on this project. We hope to remember and apply that for next year. This may be Reed's last year as the oldest boy home next year he may just have to work. Not sure yet, he does enjoy the animals.
Millie did better she was also in the novice class. But she had spent more time with her animal than the other two. She also doesn't have the responsibility load of them.
And the FFA the judge had much higher expectations for them too.
Another new aspect was the penning the pigs. That was part of the experience of getting your pig into an exact pen. But the helpers in the ring that moved the pigs in addition to the kids were great this year very effective and worked as a group to help the struggling kids.
The fair events are mostly just animal experiences. We saw the entered exhibits looked briefly at the cows, spent a lot of time with the goats petting them, and ate ice cream cones. The week was good and passed quickly. I spent about half the week at home with the younger kids and the field monitor guys. It was good and tiring. My parents hosted Addie, Millie, and Livy. They really enjoyed the time away and got to know and bond with their cousins James and Natalie more throughout the week with Addie chauffeuring them all. We are blessed.
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