Since medieval times, the fall fair has been a time to celebrate the year with music, dance, drink and food with your neighbours and to show off the best that you have produced.
Needless to say, when our ancestors came to North America from Europe, they brought this tradition with them. The fall fair quickly became a very popular yearly event where farmers — male and female — showed off their best horses, cows and all other livestock as well as seed forages, baking, handiwork, quilts and anything else proudly produced.
Fall fairs became known as the place to renew old acquaintances, view the best of everything produced in the region, check out the new cars, marvel at the farm equipment and ask, “What is this?”
The fall fair is also a chance for consumers to interact with farmers who produce the food we eat and where they can confidently ask questions that only a farmer can answer. Remember that there is no such thing as a stupid question; only a stupid answer.
Sometimes the best answers are given by the 4-H kids. The 4-H pledge is “I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service and my health to better living for my club, my community, and my country.”
The 4-H kids are always learning so they can relate to those who ask questions. 4-H kids spend hours and days clipping, washing, training animals how to walk perfectly, getting insurance on the animal, getting health certificates from the vet, getting feed, clean bedding and transportation arranged for their animals. They must register the animal and reserve a stall for each at the fair. Show clothes (whites), work boots, clippers, halters, water pails, etc. must all be ready. Those who show at the fair must make prior arrangements for time off school and arrange for someone to do their jobs on the farm when they are goofing off at the fair.
Some things are back year after year like midway rides, great music and entertainment, good food prepared by local people and served from clean government-inspected booths.
Fall fairs are a place where families and kids can safely wander around enjoying and learning at the same time. 4-H kids must be able to enjoy the fair in safety and freedom. Police, security guards, and farmers demand it.
When the market steer class was first introduced, 4-Hers like Gary Hodgins, Austin Clark, Jack Lang, and Elwyn Brownlee had to exhibit and sell their steers at the Sherbrooke Fair. It was because of the work of our 4-H leaders like Llewellyn Hodgins that the 4-H steer show and sale came to the Shawville Fair and became so popular.
Many fairs in the valley now include 4-H market steer and market lamb shows and auctions. 4-H members are taught how best to feed and look after their animal and how to train and show it. The sale of these animals has provided financial resources for many local kids to attend higher education.
The fair of fairs is the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, Ont. There the market animals are shown and judged at the start of the two week event and after these animals go through the abattoir, the carcasses are returned to refrigerated show cases and again judged to find out if the judge that chose a winner in the show ring really picked the winner.
Today in this run around world many people don’t have time to bake, make pickles, quilt, or bake bread. Anyone who exhibits in these classes is special just to be there. The exquisite quality of these classes can only be achieved by endless practice. Maybe that is why most farmers look to be pretty well fed.
Come out and enjoy the fall fairs, bring your family, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Chris Judd is a farmer in Clarendon
on land that has been in his family for generations.
gladcrest@gmail.com
