8/28/10

Being a "rancher" is tough for a kid . . .

This spring and summer, Colten and Sam worked on raising 2 baby lambs to show and sell at the fair through the county 4-H program. It was hard work . . . . for them and mom and dad! I had to go an catch the lambs a few times in the neighbor's yard when they'd get out of the fence we rigged for them. After having to do that a few times, I finally got it working right - thank goodness!!! It seemed like the lambs would only get out when Joe was at work or out of town - just like the horses! The first time the horses got out in the road, I looked like an idiot chasing them back and forth with nothing but a bowl of grain to get their attention!

The lambs got their own pen that Colten, Sam and Joe would stay near to keep the lambs fed and watered and clean. We were so happy to have some family come up to support the project for the boys.
There was a lot of waiting since there were so many kids doing it this year!

Sam isn't old enough to show and auction off his lamb, but Colten is. He did a great job with it for his first year. He got some blue ribblons, and looked really professional showing his lambs!

The judge was really good and explained every little thing that she judges on to the rest of us.



Chloe, as always, was a great sport and was just happy to be with everyone!


It was a lot of work, but it was fun.
Sam showed his lamb at the pet show, and he was thrilled to get a trophy for it.

Jake was a pretty good sport. He just walked around with me looking at all the animals. It was pretty hot, though, and when he was tired, he'd just put himself in a time-out in the shade.


Sam, especially, got sad about where the lambs were going after the fair, and made sure that I took pictures of them so he can have a picture of them by his bed to always remember "his cute little face."
It was definitely the "real deal" when he was up for auctioning off his lamb. There was a huge crowd, and the guy calling out the bids was very good at the "bid announcing". I bet it's really called something else, but I thought it was crazy fast and VERY entertaining. His voice almost made me want to bid on a $3,000 steer!! Good thing I never got a bidder-number! Joe actually bid on a pig - so we've got a freezer full of pork on the way!
It was so cute to see him up there with everyone watching and bidding. I couldn't help getting into it and smiling for him!
I know it was a good experience for Cole and Sam, and it was great for them to have something to work toward all summer - each and every day, but it was still really, really sad knowing where they were going right after the fair - the boys were pretty down about it.

2 comments:

marilee said...

McKenzie, your children are beautiful/handsome! I hope you are feeling well...

Jenny Esterbrook Photography said...

Great job! That does sound like a lot of work but it looks like the kids totally loved it! :)

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