How many times has it happened to you that you’re at the state fair and some “city person” comes up and asks you questions about your cow or pig or sheep. Occasionally they are rude, but usually they are just genuinely interested. They’ve never seen a cow before! GASP. Now, after the Fluffy Cow phenomenon, this could be an even bigger issue for cattle showmen.
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| Not every child gets this experience. |
Celeste Laurent Harned, a hog producer from Kentucky wrote a letter to fair goers in a blog last year. It gives advice on how to avoid being in the way, explains part of the preparation that happens at a show and gives a showman’s realistic perspective about what is going through our minds at the “big dance.” To read the post, click here.
In Harned’s post, she says –
“I?m glad that you?re excited about seeing the many different types of animals. As a family farmer, I love talking about how I work hard to make sure that my animals are cared for properly. If you see me sitting in a nearby pen, feel free to pick my brain and ask me all about my animals. If I?m in the middle of getting my pig ready for the show by brushing them off or spraying them down with water, please understand that I don?t have time to talk because I need to focus on my pig.”
How many times has that happened to you?
She also adds this bit of humor –
Pub mix is Hilary’s favorite show snack! “Animals are curious and will eat just about anything that you put in their mouths. Its my job to make sure that they don?t eat anything that will hurt them so please keep your corn dog, cotton candy and krispy kreme burger to yourself.”
But, we also know it’s impossible to eat only fair food for two weeks (not to mention expensive!)
So we took a little poll on our Facebook page the other day. Turns out our fans favorite “show snacks” are peanut butter filled pretzels, cosmic brownies, peanuts, pub mix, tootsie pops, chocolate chip cookies, beef jerky and snickers.
We chose one winner from the group – Hilary Hawkins of Darwin, MN. She’s got a nice box of snacks headed her way!
P.S. – Head over to our Facebook page. Give us a like and share the below image, you could win some awesome FMG prizes!
