Air July 23, 2003

Thank you Gary, and good morning everyone. It's county fair week. Don't try to find me at the office, because I'm not there. If you have a crop production crisis I can be found at the fairgrounds and I will make time for you and your problem. If it's a lawn and garden question, it would be best if you waited until next week.

Like I said, it is county fair week and I want to see you at the fair. Why? Well, I could say that if I have to be there you should too, but that's not the reason. Fairs are a special time. In decades long gone they were usually in late August or early September so that the current year's production could be shown off. Remember that farm families weren't running to town several times a week for ball games in those days. If you didn't see someone in town on Saturday night, when everyone came to town, or if you didn't see them in church on Sunday, you didn't see them until school started or until the county fair. So the fair was a big social event. This was county wide so the folks from the eastern part of the county had a chance to visit with the folks from the western part of the county. 4-Hers were showing off their projects and adults were engaged in catching up on news and gossip. It was certainly a different era! Now days, kids squeeze in exhibits and appearances at the fair in between jobs and ball games. The fairs have been moved up to late July and very early August to avoid conflicting with all the stuff that goes with the start of the school year. Details of the fair can be viewed on the internet and everything under the sun might be viewed in the 4-H exhibit building. But as much as the projects exhibited have changed, there's still some of that old time tradition. You can still come out to the fair and see foods and clothing. There are still hogs and cattle in the barns, and folks from all across the county will still take time to sit down and visit, and watch the livestock shows and reminisce about their own days in 4-H, and admire grand champion steer, or photograph or woodworking article. You've got two full days left, so before Thursday evening rolls around, come on out to the fairgrounds or listen to the regular reports on KJCK, 1420 Country radio!

This is Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent, with Ag Outlook 2003, and I'll see you at the fair!

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