Looks like I have forgotten to post about a few big events in our life.
This past year Lex joined the Bouncing Chickens and Crowing Rabbits 4-H club and intended to show a chicken, but it died, so then she intended to show her new chicken and it died so this April she brought home Medusa her prized Guinea pig and showed her at fair in the small animal competition in August. We spent 4 full days at the fair grounds starting at about 7am getting the guinea pigs cage set up and cleaned each day to 5pm each night.
Nojah spent time with his friends and I didn't see a whole lot of him unless he wanted money. Lex equally enjoyed catching up with her friends and showing off her guinea pig. Over the course of the week we learned what fair was all about, and we liked it.
The small animal competition was on Friday Aug 10th and lasted all afternoon. It was long and hot. We watched both 4-H and FFA show their chickens and rabbits, and enjoyed watching Lex show the only Cavy and Zyler the only duck.
All the kids did a great job answering questions, controlling their animals, and making good eye contact. The judge gave Lex rave reviews saying that even though she had the only cavy she would show very well against other counties in her junior class. Medusa is a long haired Abyssinian Cavy and are usually more difficult to show according to the book and she may have been the most compliant/calm animal on the table during competition. We were very proud of our little piggy and kudo's to Lex for all the time she spent the month before fair handling her, studying and getting to know her stuff. The only question he asked that she couldn't answer was ......What is the gestation period of a guinea pig? Lex's answer was Um, I don't know what that is. :-)
Because she took champion in showmanship of her guinea pig, she moved on to what they call all around.
All-around is where the showmanship champions of all the different animals (chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, ducks, etc), get to compete for
showmanship of ALL the small animals. It was pretty cute watching Lex
try to show a chicken and bunny and answer questions as well as watch
the other kids try and manipulate her guinea pig. She showed well but
didn't know her chickens and bunnies very well but it gives her a goal
for next year :-) To be all-around champion.
We were pretty darn proud of her, she thrived and absolutely loved it. Next year she is hoping to do dog 4-H, show lucky duck (If I don't kill the duck first), show both guinea pigs and raise a sheep in the back yard for next year. Very ambitious little thing isn't she? Although I have to say all summer, especially since going to fair, she has yet to really complain when asked to take care of any of her animals. She just does it. She's growing up.
4 comments:
Being a city girl, it is so fun to live vicariously through your blog. How fun to be a part of 4H and fairs, and it's amazing the responsibility she is already learning at a young age!
I love that Lex is in 4-H. I really love the name of her club. Bouncing chickens and crowing rabbits? That's great! So much more original than my sewing group: The Sweet Sew-ers. What? Sewers? As in drainage for waste? Just so you know, I didn't vote for that name! I probably didn't come up with anything better though.
Your comment where the animals died...is funny. Sorry. I can just hear you saying these things as you write them. ;)
Tell Lex we're really proud of her. Maybe next year we can see all her animals!
That is awesome! I am glad that Lex gets to experience so many different avenues of life: farming, hiking, sports, travel... You guys stay very busy!! and I really think you do a great job of letting your children pursue unique things like this! How fun!
I definitely don't know the gestation period of a guinea pig either! Sounds like it was an overall success, I'll look forward to seeing how she does not year too. :)
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