MOUNT GILEAD — Shelby Perkins and her four children are ready for a full fair week.
“It’s been exciting to get ready for it. The kids are excited to get back to a full week instead of just a day. They enjoy spending time with their friends, and being able to prepare and show off their animals to the community.”
Dane, 13; Cassidy, 7; Henry, 9; and Cole 14 were all smiles as they got their breeding goats set up Monday morning at the 171st Morrow County Fair.
Perkins also has been involved in the Junior Fair program as a leader.
“It’s nice that everyone seems to be coming back with a good attitude and ready to get this week under way and get it done,” she said.
This is the family’s fifth year for showing goats.
“We started with cattle and still do those. Our friends have goats and our kids realize they really like the goats,” Perkins said.
“The Coopers helped us getting started with them and we really, really are enjoying the goats. They’re fun and jump around.
“They’re kind of like the dog of the farm animals. You can really get attached. That’s why we like the breeding goats. We can take them home with us.”
Preparing the animals for fair is a year-round effort.
“They make sure they’re fed and healthy. Toward summer they’ll get them out and walk them. They let you put the halters on them and like to walk around. They get washed and clipped and ready for the fair.”
Cassidy has a favorite among the threesome of goats.
“Mira’s so sweet and nice. She was a bottle baby,” she said. The animal lived in the house for two weeks.
“Mira is short for Miracle,” Shelby said. “Her mom died and we raised her.”
Goats will be judged Saturday.
David and Brittany Arnold’s children entered sheep for the first time.
“We did rabbits a couple of years ago. The children love being with them,” David said.
Scarlett and Bryce are members of the Shaw Creek Farmers 4-H Club out of Cardington.
“We feed and water them twice a day. We sheared them and washed them. For four sheep it took probably five to six hours. It’s a lot of work to get them full show ready,” he said.
Arnold said, “coming in to set up Sunday and seeing people setting up was nice.”
They showed on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
“It’s going to be busy.”
Mason Kidwell brought four pigs, including his brother Mason’s. They are members of Next Generation 4-H Club.
“I’ve been doing this for about nine years. I used to show goats and pigs,” Kidwell said.
He said he spends five hours a week on average working with the animals. He showed Tuesday and Saturday.
Jillian Shaum and her mom Tara were inside the poultry barn prepping her pair of rabbits, Sugar and Pumpkin.
A member of Friendly Farmers, this is her fourth year participating in the fair.
“They’re easy to train and keep them clean,” she said.
Rebecca and Heidi Johnson entered bantams, along with two pullets, a rooster, turkeys and pigs.
“We get them at the beginning of the year and take care of them,” said Rebecca. Both are students at Highland Local Schools.
Rachel West appreciates what 4-H does for her children McKenzie, Jesse, Robert and Sammie.
“It allows the kids to understand responsibility for their project and also learn a lot from other projects,” she said.
The Junior Fair will wind up with the Livestock Sale on Labor Day.
Daily gate admission for those over age 6 is $6. A season pass for ages 16 and over is $30 and a youth ticket for ages 7-15 is $20.
Children six and under, parking and the grandstand are free.
