Every time fair season comes back around it just makes me miss everything about the fair. Yes, we're still involved in the fair, but it's not the same as when you're actually showing. We would spend all Summer working for that one week. Starting in the Spring, you pick out your animals, and it's go time from there on out!
Looking back, I now realize how much our parents had to put up with just so we could be there every year. So the shout out might be seven years too late, but make sure to thank a “fair parents” because they do more than you think.
If you've ever shown an animal at the fair, this will be 100% nostalgia…
1. Like the first week or two that you try walking your animals and you just wanna give up because they don't move….like at all.
Sometimes I'm surprised we didn't give up.
2. Your dad watched you walk your animals because he knew that if he didn't, you'd probably walk them for five minutes and call it good.
3. When your little brother tries to “help”.
4. Trying to wash your animals, but they apparently have other plans.
Or getting stuck in between two soaking wet cattle…that's always fun!
5. Everyone's favorite day. The day you have to ATTEMPT to take show pictures without the following three things happening:
– getting your show clothes dirty
– anyone crying
– looking crabby in the picture…..sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.
6. Looking forward to barn decorating day, mainly for the free pizza.
7. Once fair week came, making sure you have barn duty with your friends instead of the parents.
8. For some reason thinking that the cattle were pillows and seeing people stare at you like you were crazy.
Honestly, it's pretty comfortable!
Might not be the safest though…
9. That excited/nervous feeling you got when show day finally came!
10. Halfway through show day realizing you probably shouldn't have stayed up so late.
11. When your parents make you take awkward pictures, but honestly, you're happy they took 'em.
12. When you actually get some good pictures on show day.
13. The fact that you might not have much athletic skill, but you always tried during Ag Olympics. (FYI: We won the three-legged race two years in a row…no big deal)
14. We can't forget about the watermelon eating contest!
15. Lastly, never forgetting the friends and memories you've made over the years. No matter if you've shown for one year or fifteen years, it still makes you wanna go back. I'll always be thankful for the people I've met at the fair.
Some of my favorite memories happened in those barns. Everything from my first kiss, to epic water fights, to even meeting Eric Church.
I hope someday I have kids and they get to experience all the great times we got to.
Is the fair stressful? Yeah, at times.
Is it hard work? No doubt.
Is it worth every second? Absolutely.
You can check out a list of all the county fairs in Wisconsin right
here
.
