Down At The County Fair

Last week was our county fair and although our kids aren't in 4-H yet, it will always be a part of our life. We usually go out most nights of the week and enjoy different parts of the fair. Having a breaded tenderloin sandwich, a funnel cake, several milkshakes, a pork burger, and a lemon shake-up are always musts on the list for fair week.

Being 10 year 4-H members has provided so many memories. 4-H is where I first learned how to sew, a skill I still use very regularly today. I took basketry and made several pieces that I love, including a fishing creel, a basket w a deer antler as the handle, and a baby cradle my last year of 4-H. I also did the photography project. It was always fun taking several pictures and then narrowing it down to your best and favorite one. Showing horses provided the most 4-H and fair memories! I grew up on a horse farm and had been riding horses since elementary school, but only showed them my last 6 years of 4-H.

My last year of 4-H showing my horse Tiny

My farmer showed beef, took the corn project, farm scene project, and woodworking. At fair time (and also throughout the year)  we always reminisce of our 4-H days. 

Having kids in 4-H allows you to enjoy it all over again and I cannot wait until our time comes ( 2 more years until our oldest can start). Next year we will enjoy mini 4-H! I can picture the projects that our kids will take and hope they will want to show an animal or two also (maybe a goats and Rhode Island Red chickens - what we have now). 

Until then we will enjoy the fair time as future 4-H parents! 

We enjoy the games and rides! 

The food and milkshakes!

We show off our Farmall 560 as part of the Retired Iron antique tractors and parade!

Our kids enter in the open class!

We serve milkshakes as part of our Farm Bureau Young Farmer group!

We enjoy watching 4-Hers show their heart out during animal judging! 

We enjoy grandstand events!

I enjoy when I'm asked to judge open class and 4-H projects. 

4-H will always be a part of our life and we will always enjoy going down to the county fair! 

The Old Farmall 560

My guest post to The Farmer's Wifee 

2010 Tractor Parade

 

The other day I was looking through various pictures and reminiscing of fun summer times. (I think I'm trying to help get through these colder temps). One event that takes place for us in several of the past summers is the Antique Tractor Parade at our county fair and is evident in my pictures that it is a big event for us each summer.

Great Grandpa planting w the Farmall 560

The old Farmall 560 is special and we like to show it off. About 10 years ago, the tractor was restored and got a new paint job. My husband is part of the Retired Iron Club here in our county and each year the boys and Scott wash it up and get it ready to display at the fair. Two evenings during fair week, the Retired Iron tractor parade takes place. In our county, there are roughly 25 tractors that go through the parade. Some are show tractors and most are old tractors the members have.  These nights are very exciting for our boys, who have been participating in the parade with Scott for several years now. Each one gets to drive one night of the parade. Not sure what we will do now that we have three children. :)

Washing up the 560

Bought brand new in 1961, primarily for planting purposes by Scott's great grandpa, the Farmall 560 is still going. It has been passed down now through 4 generations and now belongs to our oldest son. Scott has several old family ledgers and paper work from purchases of equipment and other farm items that have been saved for several years. When looking for some old pictures of his great grandpa with the 560, it was neat to look back through some other older items.

Ledgers - the top one dates at 1939 and was Scott's Great Great Grandpa's

We still use this tractor for our produce planting. We hook up our plastic layer and transplanter to it and get our summer crops and pumpkins planted. Family history is important to us and to pass down the information. It is wonderful to share the stories with our kids. Point - Pass down those family farm stories, share the history so it doesn't get lost.

2013 Tractor Parade