Summer is drawing to a close as the gates for the Beaver Community Fair open. The air is still hot and sticky, the smell of funnel cake and corn dogs hangs heavy as you enter through the main entrance. Rides are being set up and the kids from 4-H and FFA are bringing in their livestock for show.
I have been in Pennsylvania for about a month now and have been eager to become involved in the community. After reading a short article in the Union Times (the local weekly paper), I decided to go check out the first day of the fair, as the booths were set up and the adult horse show. Walking in, the first open display was the poultry and rabbits. Well who could resist seeing all those cute lil' bunny booties? I certainly can't.
Being the first day of the fair, all the livestock were being unloaded and brought to their new homes for the week. Each stall being decorated by the proud kids and families who spent the past year raising the animals for show. Walking between the warehouses I happened upon the shower stalls. BATH TIME!!!!
After strolling by all the livestock, saying hi to the cows, petting the goats, begging for a rabbit (because they needed my love) I kept on my search for the horse show. It started to sprinkle as I approached the horse arena, helping to keep the dust down during the catalog race.
Riders gallop from one side of the arena toward the other, where one barrel waits with a catalog resting open. Each horse is eager to take a hard, fast, tight turn around the barrel as the commentator comes over the speakers "Rider, your page is 83". The girl reaches down as her horse anxiously paws at the ground, ready to race away from the barrel.
She grabs the catalog, hurriedly flipping to page 83. Holding the page high in the air, she spurs on her horse, rushing to beat the clock.
The livestock have been judged, and winners determined. Now is the time each young farmer has been looking forward to, the auction. All of the meat market animals are available during the auction. I had plenty of questions and luckily, I was able to sit by the mother of a farm family. Her daughters were champions and reserve champions in various categories, and between them all, had animals of every breed. One of her little girls even had some rabbits sell for over $600. WHAT?!?!?!
Not all of the animals are auctioned, but some of these help students purchase more for the following year and re-coup costs of raising the livestock. Some participate in a buy-back program, and others choose to keep the animals to breed again for the following year.
Fairs are not just horses and cows though, there are events for every interest and hobby.
- Flower arranging? Got it
- Growing vegetables? that too.
- Arts and crafts? Well, there is quilting and crocheting, sewing and drawing, photography, even legos! So, take your pick.
- Canning or baking? Both of those
and if none of those are for you, its A-Okay, you can just enjoy the rides and games
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