Fair Week

Fair week was comprised of very busy days, lots of driving, lots of waiting, and LOTs of fried junk food.  Overall it was a grand success and the kids, exhausted, yet happy are eagerly planning what they want to do next year.....already!

Last year was Sidney's big year, and our first year.  We learned a lot about the mechanics of fair and what was involved with having a farm animal to show.  This year, due to the loss of our show chickens, Sidney's animal involvement was limited, but Charles, having his first year of animals, was ramped up. 

So, how did they do??  Fantastic!  Sidney took two first place blue ribbons in her photography, a first place blue in her archery shoot, and a third place white in her eggs.  Charles took two first place blue ribbons in his vegetable category with an additional spotlight ribbon awarded to his carrots! He also received a first place blue in archery.  He took two second place red ribbons with one of his Mini-Rex (Polka) rabbits and his New Zealand (Meat) and a first place blue with his other Mini-Rex (Dot) as well as his showmanship.  Thanks to his generous grandparents bidding from afar, his meat rabbit sold at auction for $250!  This was our first year in a meat auction and it was quite exciting.  In our barn there were chickens, ducks, turkey's & rabbits and the prices went anywhere from $100-$1200 on each one!  I was stunned, and also thinking that a turkey or two for next year might just be a grand idea!

They are both eager to enter several additional projects into the 4-h class, and next year plan to both participate in the rabbit project.  Who knows what else we may have bit off by that point that they can participate in!

Skill and Imagination

 

Beginning with being enchanted by  Legolas, then moving on to Katniss and Merida, these are some of the archers that the kids have loved over many years.  This year, they began archery for 4H.  The last month has been quite an education on stance, eye dominance, sights, finger tabs, arm guards, draw length, bow tension and the list goes on. 

 

The first great challenge was getting our heads around the little tidbit that my leftie (Charles) is right eye dominant and shoots right handed and my right handed one (Sidney) is left eye dominant and shoots left handed.  Talk about switching things up!  The shoots, twice weekly for the last three weeks, have been to develop an average of four shoots, leading up to their fair shoot for a ribbon.   Since the weather has been incredibly hot here, the last two weeks have meant shooting in 90 degree heat.

 

Last night in a gorgeous (and it appears short lived) 70 degree temperature, they had their final fair shoot and both bested their averages gaining them blue ribbons!  The fair isn't until the last week in July, but the shooting sports compete outside of fair and have their results and photos posted in the 4H barn.  

The experience has been wonderful.  I suspect that we will become regular members of the bowmen and participate in many future events.  This sport is a great combination of developing skills while living in imagination.  What is better than that?