Venango County Fair 2017

Helping a friend prepare his goat

We have all returned from the fair and life is coming back to normal or at least as close to normal as it comes here. Once again the boys had a good year at the Venango County Fair,  but more important than how they did is what they did. They learned that sometimes hard work doesn't always work out for them and that sometimes it does. They learned that setting a goal helps them focus on what they need to do to achieve that goal. They showed good sportsmanship, reached out and helped others, they learned new skills and helped new members through their first year of the fair.

Garrett in his Showmanship Class

Garrett's goat decided they should get sick right before the fair and because of that Garrett did not get to show his goats. But on Monday, he was able to borrow a goat and still show in the Jr. Showmanship contest.  Even with a borrowed animal Garrett ended up as Jr Showman!!! Monday evening he got to pull his lawn tractor. On Tuesday he showed his pig, which with the large number of pigs this year, he did not place, but he received a blue ribbon for showmanship. He also entered his Woodworking project and Small engine project and he received 1st on both of those!  He was able to sell his pig on Thursday night at the Livestock Auction- Thank you Matt Higgins for your support!

Garrett at the Lawn tractor pulls

Hog Show

1st place Small Engine

Watching the hog show

Auction

Helping with the Senior Hog Show



Woodworking Project

Best of Show Peppers

Big Blue and Garrett

Now Robert had a busy week, he showed his market goat on Monday where it placed 5th, and he was #2  Sr. Showman. But this worked out that he ended up showing in the Supreme Showman contest when the young lady in #1 decided to represent hogs for showmanship- so Robert got to represent goats in the Supreme contest. Monday evening he pulled his lawn tractor. He didn't show again until Wednesday when he showed his dairy beef. He placed 2nd in showmanship there and 3rd with the beef. He also entered his Small Engine project and placed 1st. Thursday evening he sold his goat "Chrome" - Thank you Deible's Landscaping for your support! Friday was an interesting day with Robert competing in the Master Livestock Showmanship contest- he had to show a beef, sheep, swine and goat. He did very well as we found out on Saturday that he won this contest! But on Friday he also competed in the Supreme Showmanship Contest, where he had to show a beef, sheep, swine, goat, dairy cow, and a horse! This contest is where the 1st place showman of each species competes against each other, Robert was just excited to be included in this contest and maybe he will qualify again next year.

Robert and David in goat Showmanship

Robert in Lawn Tractor pulls

Beef Showmanship

Farm Tractor Pulls on Papa's Farmall Super M

Robert and Chrome on Auction Nihgt

The group of Seniors for Master Showman Contest



Robert "loves" showing hogs

Robert with his horse

And then there is Wyatt! Wyatt enjoyed riding around the fair in the stroller and checking out the animals.  He didn't enter anything yet, but his Curious George quilt was entered and he was very excited when we would walk by it. Soon enough he will be ready to take on the fair, but it will have to be another year!

Can I talk to a camel?

Wyatt's Quilt

Hanging Out at Fair!

Goat Kids

Well we have finished kidding for January we are up 13 goats this month. Not bad for a small herd of critters that all started with a 4-H project. But I had been asked for some pictures of our little ones. So here you go!

Now we have a small break until March!

Goat Kidding for January 2016

We have been kidding in goats this month, actually we started at the very end of December, but we have added 11 kids to the herd in the last month or so. These 2 ended up with special treatment as they arrived on a very cold night and they ended up with a little bit of frostbite on their ears. It was so cold that night that we brought them into the kitchen to hang out for a day or so until it warmed up. The mom had some problems too and well she is still here but not nursing the kids- So we have 2 bottle babies!

New Year and off to Farm Show

Well this year the boys were pretty low key about ringing in the New Year- no fireworks(missed them by minutes) no ball drop, no games til midnight.  But a week into the new year and we are off to the 100th PA Farm Show and not just to visit! Garrett sent his woodworking project down to be judged as he was a 1st place winner at the County Fair. But Robert, well he decided to raise a meat goat to show at the Jr Livestock Show.  This caused a few issues as we don't have the best facilities for walking and grooming during the winter(muddy) months that we had this year.  And I always worry about traveling to Harrisburg in January from the western end of the state. But Friday morning we got things loaded and headed east. The day was nice, we were ahead of the rain and we had a great trip down. Robert got Mayday weighed in and settled into a pen and then the fun began. Clipping and getting him all cleaned up for the show Saturday afternoon. Friday evening was nice as there weren't too many people there, but Saturday that was a different story!  Fortunately Gary was able to have the weekend off so he could help Robert while Garrett , Wyatt and I could wander the Farm Show.

Family came from the western end of the state just to support Robert- which was cool! He ended up in the class with the reserve Champion, but he placed 9th. He wasn't too upset as he had the opportunity to show at the 100th PA Farm Show- exactly 25 years from when his Dad showed hogs at the 75th Farm Show. I do believe that he now has added an event to the annual calendar. Gary and I got to catch up with some friends from college that we haven't seen in years. We wandered the Farm Show Complex and finally found Garrett's lamp and he placed 2nd - which he was excited about.

Sunday we spent part of the day checking out the other displays throughout the Farm Show and then we headed for home- which included a 30 degree drop in temperature and snow on the western end of the state. but overall, we had a very successful and fun weekend at the PA Farm Show.

Garrett found a place to take a nap

Robert with Mayday before the show

Garrett with his project - the lamp on the top shelf



Robert showing

You have to get a picture on big equipment

I guess your never too old to get pictures on big equipment

Riding the carousel with friends

The Schick Boys!

Making Apple Cider

We have been blessed with a large amount of apples this fall, which is awesome since last year we had very few because of a late frost. Since we had all of these apples it was time to pull out the apple press that my parent's own and get to work. We start by washing the apples off, this is sometimes given to the littlest helper as long as they "control" the hose without getting everyone else wet.

Then they crank the grinder(at the back and I missed the picture). This grinds the apples into tiny pieces and it falls into the wooden barrel with the slats. We then slide the barrel to the front of the press and turn the screw which starts to squeeze the juice right out of the apples.

 

 Delicious apple cider begins to drip or run into a bucket at the end of the press.

We then strain the cider through cheese cloth to prevent any apple pieces from getting into the finished product. Then we jug the cider into jugs for friends and family.

Delicious fresh apples cider- warm or cold it is delicious!!!!!