All American Day at the fair

Yeah for blue ribbons! And red ones and white ones. Emily did get a blue ribbon at the fair on her pig. It took third place in her class. Jefferson's and the family alternate both got red ribbons. The kids both did a phenomenal job at showmanship and I was convinced one of them would win Grand Champion or Reserve, but to my shock neither of them did. Go figure.

Lest you think this impressive or not, we have decided that how you finish with pigs is completely due to genetics and judges. If you are lucky enough to pick a great piglet with the kind of genes the judges like, you win! Some judges like 'em long and lean, and others like them with all kinds of other qualities. This year's judge wanted to see a smooth walking pig with a flat back, and lots of muscle, with plenty of meat. He told Emily that she had the first place pig, but it just did not have enough meat on it. Two years ago, it would have been first place with the other judge. That's OK, we are not raising pigs. And they were happy for their friends who won.

I got a blue ribbon on my plum jam and a blue ribbon on my denim rag quilt. The kids got white ribbons on their artwork. We still need to check their school artwork. The fair is a wonderful time for us filled with great memories, wonderful accomplishments, some disappointments, and a lot of hard work. We fall in to bed on Saturday night exhausted. But we love doing it every year.

County Fair

Today was the day we take the pigs to the fair and everyone does the so happy we are almost finished with pigs dance. On Sunday, we will do the official so happy we ARE finished with pigs dance. No school tomorrow and the next two days are dedicated to showing and selling the pigs. This pig is our alternate. If you don't have an alternate and it doesn't make weight, you don't get to show and sell your pig. We found that out the hard way. If your pig gets hurt, like it breaks a leg, you can't show or sell your pig. We have friends that found that out the hard way.

Putting pigs in the fair involves loading them into the trailer. Finding and putting them in the appropriate pens while lots of other people are doing the same. Letting a nice man at the fair back up the trailer because I just cannot do it and Bret could not help today. Wash all three pigs and then get them weighed while lots of other people are doing the same. Get your papers in, get your pen signs up. Get their water feeders up and make sure they are fed. And the cool thing is, it can't be done without everyone helping with the flow of pig traffic. So you help corral and people help you get yours back where they go. A very nice flow of everyone helping.

We think our pigs look pretty good this year. Emily's in particular, but it is on the smaller side. The bigger classes usually win grand champion and reserve grand champion. Tomorrow we will find out if we got blue ribbons. I also entered Andrew's rag quilt and some plum jam I made. I really wanted to enter a baby quilt I am almost finished with, but I just ran out of time. The kids entered some drawings.

Tomorrow is the big show day. But we love Saturday. That's the auction. We have our fingers crossed. We love the fair!