El Paso County Fair

Who knew that Colorado Springs was in El Paso County?  Not just for Texas.  The kids and I went with my parents and spent the better part of Saturday doing things most of us had never done before, like catching a fish, seeing a livestock auction and milking a cow.

There was a free catch and release fish pond.  Makenna caught a fish after about 15 seconds.  Isaac caught several, but they managed to jump off themselves before the teenage 4H helpers could detach them.  Jess stuck with it, replacing the bait many times, until she finally felt the tug and held on!

I never knew there were product lines for animal beautification, let alone competing brands!  We saw sprays for cleaning, shining, and buffing your sheep, goat, cow, pig. . . .

The prepping kit for this fine pig.  

The girls trying to flavored honey after the honeybee lecture/demo.  Behind you can see some of the 4H projects displayed.  There were many, many categories.  

This is Princess.  She is a very patient, organically raised cow who kindly let my three kids try their hands at milking.  The whole coming face to face with your food was quite an experience for them.  It's a wonder they still drink milk.  Believe it or not, I think reading to/listening to the first Fablehaven book is what got them all to try it.  The author was correctly descriptive, on a bigger scale.  

I don't remember at exactly what point Isaac asked this, but it was quite telling.  "You mean Americans actually still do this kind of stuff?" Agh.  Am I failing my kids?  Maybe we need to spend a year on a farm and see, experience and taste where food comes from.  I am glad they got to spend the next few weeks helping in my mom's garden.  They planted and weeded and watered and picked and ate.

Don't know these girls.  They were just an iconic picture for the day with their braids, plaid shirts, jeans, boots and numbers.  The kids wear the numbers as they show off the animal they raised for auction.  There were different types of poultry, sheep, goats, pigs, and a couple of cows.  There were also lots of bunnies on display and available for sale, but they weren't auctioned.  

We also saw an embarrassing (you were embarrassed for them, though they seemed to be happily oblivious) Wild West Gun Slingers show with atrocious scripts and acting.  The redeeming show was a Magic Act by a guy who was on, but didn't win American's Got Talent.  We have no idea how he did a couple of his tricks.  My dad was checking under the slightly raised platform stage, but still no clue. And on the educational side, we had a full demonstration of the process Alpacca hair/fur? goes through from animal to expensive yarn and how it compares to sheep's wool.   In that same wonderfully Air Conditioned building we saw all the quilts on display.  There is no way these were done by 4H kids.  But there were some beautiful ones.  Someday I want to make a big scrappy quilt with tiny pieces.  Here is a black and white and red all over one I really liked, with a close up. 

Jess really liked the John Deer display.  She climbed up and put on a seatbelt and hat, found the handles, levers and pedals and was disappointed she couldn't actually drive.  Makenna tried out the seat of a plowing tractor.

Last picture I'm going to include.  Though I'm thinking why don't I have any of my parents?  Kids are the focus of all the people shots.  Hmm.  I'll have to work on that.  These geese looked like they were wearing tutus.  The picture doesn't do them justice.  We have a picture book about a chicken that wants to be a ballerina and that's all I could think of looking at these birds.