by Rachel Bishop

and Jim Litch

Special to the Sounder

As you wander around the fair this year, we encourage you to take a moment to appreciate the hard work of the Orcas 4-H Fur and Feather kids. You will find them almost everywhere across the fairgrounds.

In the small animal barn, kids will be showing (and racing) chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs. Say hi to the kids and their dogs in the dog tent next door. From there the sound of the large animals will lead you to the next barn. Martha Lum has a large Steer called Monty, and Tashi Litch is showing Heffy, the dairy cow.

There will be kids showing animals from Orcas Moon Alpacas and lots of sheep and goats. Any time of the day there will be Orcas kids in each of these barns, showing their animals to the judges, taking part in judging or quizzes, caring for the animals and ready to answer your questions.

Behind the show ring adjacent to the food court is the 4-H barn. Take a wander round and marvel at the number of activities, photographs, woodwork and any number of crafts and foods. You’ll be able to see how many ribbons the Orcas kids have won!

In order to qualify for the fair, kids have to complete many activities throughout the year. As elected officers at the monthly gathering, they have learned how to make an agenda, run a meeting and propose and vote on motions.

They have also have to do a demonstration in front of the group and the judges, and even the shyest have come far in speaking confidently in front of a group.  They have written articles for the paper. They have cooked, served and cleaned up monthly dinners at the senior center learning the importance and fun of community service. They have shown themselves the importance of committing to a project and following it through the year to its culmination at the fair.

The final event of the fair on Saturday morning is the animal auction, a chance for the kids to auction some of their animals to the community. If you are looking for meat from gently raised animals, or a trio of chickens to start your own flock, or even a very special dozen eggs, please come and bid on them.

The following will be auctioning their animals at the fair:

Anwyn Thompson – Grass-fed market lamb, dozen eggs

Emma Thoron – Trio of market rabbits

Kaj Litch – Dozen eggs

Martha  Lum – Grass-fed beef

Miette Woolworth – Grass-fed market lamb

Nisha Woolworth – Trio of  barred rock-laying hens, dozen eggs

Rachel Lum – Market goat

Tashi Litch – Trio of Rhode Island Red Laying hens

It takes an island to raise a child, and our thanks go out to this island for your support of 4H.

To you all, thank you. See you at the fair!