Young farmers gear up for county fair: Life on the farm
Young farmers gear up for county fair: Life on the farm
| Waylon Rondeau, 6, son of Jim and Tara Rondeau of the Chatham area, rides a cow Thursday at the family’s farm. |
By JOHN PEPIN Journal Munising Bureau
CHATHAM — Water splashed up from a running hose near Chatham Thursday as a group of smiling young children circled a dairy calf on the Cold Springs Road farm of Jim and Tara Rondeau.
The kids were using stiff brushes to wash the cow before taking it to the Alger County Fair in Chatham for Friday morning’s fair opening. The fair runs through Sunday, with a few dozen children from throughout the county exhibiting their farm animals in competition for prize ribbons.
Rondeau family and friends from the Chatham area had seven kids getting ready for the fair Thursday afternoon.
Standing around the young calf, one of the kids held the cow firmly, while the others scrubbed in circles across the wet black- and white-colored hide.
“Mom, we need a bigger cow,” said one of the kids.
Nicholas Maki, 10, one of the kids scrubbing, said he was going to be showing a cow at the fair for the first time and he was looking forward to it.
Brushing and washing a cow is one of a handful of preparation steps necessary, he said.
“You have to walk her and give her a bath and they just have to get used to you,” Nicholas said.
The calves and cows also have their ears tagged before they are loaded and trucked the short distance to the Rock River Township Park.
Nicholas’ cousin Cody Maki, 10, said he’s enjoyed showing animals at the fair in the past.
“I have shown calves twice and I’ve shown pigs and rabbits,” Cody said. “It’s fun.”
Cody said the best part is getting the ribbons.
Some of the things judges look for in cows and calves are milk carrying capacity, cleanliness and showmanship.
Looking over the group of kids washing the cow, Tara Rondeau said going to the fair with livestock has been a longstanding family tradition.
“All of these kids are either family or friends of our family,” Tara said. “This will be our third year (showing). But my husband’s family has been doing this since he was little.”
Nicholas said he has several friends who are bringing animals to the barns at the fair for competition.
What kind of animals will they be showing?
“Cows,” Nicholas said, pausing to think. “And cows.”
Several of the kids won blue ribbons Friday when their livestock was judged at the fair.
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