State Fair Shows and Shenanigans

State Fair Week is officially over and we are exhausted from all the fun!  We took our vacations from work to prepare for the fair and get a lot done on the farm.  We had our first homesteading poultry slaughter day and ate chicken-n-dumplings for dinner that night. I’ll have to share more on this in a later post 🙂

Once it was time to get the goats in place for fair shows, all work on the farm came to a standstill.  We were up and out the door early, usually home midday for a short break and then back at the fairgrounds again until dark.  The animals at home were fed most nights by the light of highbeams!

Shows

The Dairy Goat Shows were held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The Girl showed Milky in the Junior Show on Friday and Milky took 3rd place in her class, 3 year olds.  The Girl didn’t go back in to compete for Junior Showmanship; she was a little preoccupied with rabbits … more on that in a minute.

On Saturday, both the Girl and Boy Genius participated in the Open Show.  Milky, handled again by the Girl, took 5th place in her class.  Prada, shown by Boy Genius, took 6th place in her class, 2 yr olds, and 10th place in the special class, best udder.

Shenanigans

The Arkansas Goat Producers Association hosted their annual costume party on Thursday night (with a repeat on Friday night, I believe) — there were some great costumes on the people and the goats.  The kids really enjoyed playing in their costumes and, of course, the candy.

The Girl was thrilled when one of the club photographer’s mistook her for a boy in her ninja costume and thought it was hilarious that her princess friend didn’t know she was under the mask at first.  Boy Genius loved being a skeleton but eventually tossed the mask – once he realized there was no mouth hole – to get busy on his candy.  Wonder Boy didn’t make it far with the hood of his Scooby-Doo costume on but fell asleep that night in the furry body suit.

Ever since the Spring Livestock Show when the Girl watched a rabbit show for the first time, she’s been begging for one of her own.  Well, after a few months (and the backup pleas of Mema), Daddy caved.  The Girl came home with her first rabbit, a tortoise colored Dutch buck.

The plan now is to find a Dutch doe for Boy Genius … apparently we are now in the rabbit business.

Of course, the fair wouldn’t be the fair without the rides and food.  Saturday was Boy Genius’ 8th birthday, so he got his choice of rides, ice cream and toys.  I snuck a funnel cake for myself. 😉

Spending day after day at the fairgrounds, hanging out with friends and all the animals is a blast but definitely wears on you.  By yesterday afternoon I had a sore throat and today I’m convinced my sinuses are crashing and taking my whole body down with them.  I can only imagine how the dust and dander must reak havoc on my fellow showgoers who choose to camp on grounds!  Nevertheless, I wouldn’t trade the experience. 🙂

See our farm’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/farmatapplehill) for more photos from the fair!