08/16/2025
“Why do you bring cows to the fair?”
Someone asked me that yesterday.
“Do you make money? Is it just to promote your farm and sell beef?”
I paused for a second, smiled, and said,
“Nope. It’s definitely not for the check. I think it’s just in our blood.”
Because if we’re being honest—by the time you pay for feed, supplies, decorations, vet bills, entry fees, and take a whole week off work—you’re not exactly coming out ahead. Actually, I could probably take my family on a tropical vacation! 🤣
But instead, we spend our summer in a barn. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Because here’s the thing:
For some folks, the county fair might be the only place they’ll ever see a cow up close.
And every year we get the same questions:
🥛 “Do brown cows make chocolate milk?”
🐄 “Is she a dairy cow?”
👧 “Why does that girl cow have horns?”
This is our chance to connect. To educate.
The county fair is one of the last real links between agriculture and the general public.
But beyond all that—it’s about our kids.
Our kids don’t just show up at the fair. They work.
They feed cows in the dark before school.
They break animals to lead, even when they get stepped on or dragged across the pasture.
They clean pens, haul water, scrub water tubs, and spend months prepping for just a few minutes in the ring.
They’ve learned that you can’t skip chores.
That animals don’t wait until you’re in the mood.
That success doesn’t come overnight.
They’ve watched a calf grow into a cow, and then raise a calf of her own. That’s full-circle learning. That’s grit, patience, and commitment.
They’ve learned to win humbly, lose gracefully, and stand back up when things don’t go as planned.
It’s not about the ribbons.
It’s about the work ethic.
The life lessons.
The family memories.
And the legacy we’re building—one calf at a time.
That’s why we go to the fair.
