Sunday is the last day of the fair, and that means auction day. All of the non-prize winning animals have been released back to the farm, and the prize winners are prepared for the auction ring. They don't go through the lengthy detailing process again, but are basically cleaned up.
At this point I'll discuss the status of livestock. One of my friends, who is a photographer at the local newspaper, asked me about how the kids could part with animals knowing their eventual fate. I attempted to explain to him that these animals are not pets....they are livestock and there's a difference. The kids know that besides the crops of corn and soybeans, livestock is how their family makes a living.
Farm kids have pets, they're just not 1,500 lb. steers!
3 comments:
Oh, this brings back memories of my childhood in Ohio. I wasn't a farm girl, but every year the news would show at least *one* weeping kid auctioning a prize-winning animal they'd grown too fond of.
One year, a local company who bought a prize-winning animal got lots of press for giving the animal *back* to the teary-eyed kid who couldn't part with it. Other years, though, you'd walk into the grocery store & see the *hide* of the most recent champion proudly displayed over the butcher's counter.
The Cheshire County Fair here in NH starts today...you've got me itching to go, camera in hand.
as pathetic as it may sound ... I am learning a lot about county fairs from your photos and commentary ... obviously, I did not grow up in the country ... which is too bad. These photos are terrific.
Oh gosh Becca, it's not pathetic at all....that's the point of blogging and photoblogging, so that you can share your experience.
I wasn't brought up in the country, either and I wish I'd had this 4-H experience.
Thanks to all who are my loyal readers and for all the kind comments. I really appreciate it.
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