state fair

This summer I was on the fence about whether to visit the California State Fair or not. But, then in the mail I received an invitation for 4H Alumni to come to the 4H booth at the fair. They are compiling pictures of 4Hers and their thoughts on 4H for a 100 year celebration project for the year 2013. How cool is that! I was really proud to have been and currently be part of an organization like 4H that has so much to offer and teach children about agriculture, leadership, responsibility, and hard work.

So, decision made. We packed up and trekked to the fair. We went to the 4H booth, of course. Bee and I were photographed together. RT chose to be shot with his buddy. Then off to the gardens, my favorite part of the fair. They were amazing! The vegetable planters and flowers were so cool. We got awesome ideas for trellises and cages and irrigation systems. Dorky, I know. But super cool to us. Those farmer/designers are so talented. I am green with envy.

And of course, when taking children to a fair there is the obligatory begging, usually for food on a stick or horribly overpriced lemonade. But no, with our kids it's not begging for the usual stuff. Oh no...

Most of the begging this year came from the younger child. She was begging for a dairy heifer. Yes, a calf. Begging to do a dairy project in 4H next year. And during the begging, her usual 1,000 questions on the subject were launched. So many questions that I finally said that I would get on Amazon.com when I got home and order her some books on 4H dairy heifers and different dairy cow breeds. That shut her up for awhile.

We watched the Guernsey show. We visited the dairy nursery. We watched the dairy vet students from UC Davis. We walked the dairy barns - Open and Junior. And we talked to our dairy 4H leader - yes, about a dairy heifer project.

Next year at the fair, I will welcome the begging for a stinking corn dog... Love that Bee.