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An exhausting but fun county fair

I don’t know how the members of the Jefferson County Fair board or those bringing livestock to the fair for show feel  after the event is over, but to me it is like a big whoosh of exhaled air after holding my breath for about nine days.

Nine days you say –the fair is only for six days.

Sunday means going out to put up the tent, and Monday is the official flag-raising by the Jefferson County Veterans Association, opening ceremonies and  coronation. And then the real fair begins, and the day after means getting together a fair tab with pictures I have taken all week for the copy desk to put together. It is in today’s paper. Look for it.

As for my tent, it was not the haven from the rain it should have been. After the Tuesday wind, I arrived to find a sad, broken heap on the ground. I used my trusty, junior-fair-loaned golf cart for my shelter and just drove around looking for animal winners. And a great big thanks to Larry Mercer for putting it back together after the rain.

Then, lo and behold, it rained on Friday night and when I arrived on Saturday it was in another crumpled mess — this time beyond repair.

I am thankful to Chris Molinaro for taking a picture of the exotic animals winners. You know what that means, don’t you? Snakes. I don’t mind if they are in their own environment and minding their own business but wrapped and wriggling around someone’s arm gives me the shivers. Congratulations to Faith Davies, Brooke Zonkoski and Emily Fox for having the courage to spend time raising them.

Here is another story on Faith Davies. She raises silky bantam chickens that are as soft and fluffy as an angora rabbit. She trains each one to strut about on a little leash. I didn’t see it happen but heard about it from many.

I caught Gretchen Bonecutter, adviser for the Sunrise Lads and Lassies 4-H  Club, knee deep in suds while washing a bull calf and young heifer. I have been connecting her with a club that she has not had for several years, the Country Shamrocks. I did list it right this time, as the Sunrise Lads and Lassies. This is Miranda’s last year in 4-H. I will have to keep up with Isabelle, who is 9, from now on.

Janelle Nicholson has celebrated many of her birthdays at the Jefferson County Fair. It is on Aug. 18, the third week of the month, and that is when the fair is held. She has a paint horse named Chief and has been showing in open class since was he was 4 and the horse is 8 now.

The fair was made extra special with my granddaughters, Amber and Jessie, and son, Jay, coming down from Lewis Center. They both helped Erica Lyons and me with additions for the parade judging and were always there when I left something behind.

I was a little slow on my feet on the Saturday of the fair. After completing my work for the day at the office, we went to dinner and then to the drive-in movies. There are none in their area, so that is the first thing they think of when entering Jefferson County.

I saw a poster on the 4-H Shooting Sports program with pictures of its members. They are Luke and Ben Lincott, Buckeye Variety; Mary and Max McConnell, 43 Ramblers; Grace and Tyler Browning, Buckeye Variety; Emma LaPrete; Emily Fox, Country Kids and Gabe Glenn, Country Rangers. Carl Glenn is an adviser for the group.

They are supporting a fundraiser for the Jefferson County Friends of NRA. There will be dinner, drawings, auctions and fun. It is Sept. 10 at 5:30 p.m. at St. Florian Hall.

Regan and Riley Wilson and Mia Fabry gathered around one of the Glenn ponies for a photo op with Adrian and Maddie Granatir and their grandmother, Virginia Glenn. Virginia is so accustomed to having children around, she gathers in other children, too.

Thanks to Girl Scout Troops 1138, 1008, 1009 and 5566 of Tiltonsville for having a booth in the junior fair building. The Edison FFA always has a decorated booth, too. Thanks, Chuck Cline.

The Fox youngsters all came to the photo tent for a photo op. They had all won in something different. Elijah and Emily both won honors with their cats, and Sarah had a prize fancy duck and Collie named Snoopy. She went to state competition for a sports nutrition project as well.

And now it will be on to the fall festivals. The Great Trail Festival started yesterday and will be open today and Sept. 3, 4 and 5. The Old Construction and Mining Equipment Show will be at New Athens on Sept. 10 and 11. And the Sally Buffalo Days are set for Sept. 17 and 18. Lots of outdoor fun still to come.

If you haven’t had enough of fairs, the Puskarich Public Library in Cadiz will have a tour back in time about the Harrison County Fair. Susan Adams of the county genealogical society will give a brief history of the fair that has moved five times during its 160 and more years. There will be items belonging to Scott Pendleton collected from some of the fairs to show as well.

(McCoy, a resident of Smithfield, is a staff columnist and food editor for the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times. She can be contacted at emccoy@heraldstaronline.com.)

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