spring farm extravaganza
We can count the fair at church two weekends ago as a warm-up, because this past Saturday we jumped head-on into a bigger event: the Middlesex County 4H Spring Extravaganza. And not just as participants, either—we were there to work! But don't worry, there was plenty of time to play and enjoy as well, because the volunteer assignments were so ad-hoc and disorganized that, beyond setting up and cleaning up, there wasn't really anything for them to do. Except do fair things, and spend money!
a celebration of farm life
Besides the food—hamburgers, grilled cheese, chips, brownies, popcorn, Hawaiian shaved ice—they bought raffle tickets, stuffed animals, and books. Which was almost everything they could have spent money on. Some of their friends also paid for henna tattoos, but that didn't interest them. The stuffed animals were delight enough!
introducing "Hamilton"
And of course, it wouldn't be a proper old-fashioned fair without some field games. Besides the tug-of-war pictured here (Zion and Elijah's team won that contest, I was on the losing side every time I participated), there were sack races. They provided all the excitement anyone could hope for.
thrills and spills!
The event was pretty well attended, and it was a cheery sunshiny atmosphere all over the grounds. I didn't take any pictures of the animals, but they were the main attraction: you could visit and pet cattle, sheep, and goats—including a few adorable tiny baby goats. And the horse girls were riding in the ring, showing off their skills. And when the boys needed some time away from the crowd, the fairground has space for that too.
a moment of quiet
This was the first ever Spring Extravaganza; usually Middlesex 4H is content with just the one fair in August. But I guess they've been missing inviting the public to the fairground over the last two years! Of course, the end-of-summer fair is still on the calendar, and promises to be a whole lot bigger and better. We're looking forward to it!
after the crowds had gone