The Porterville Fair
The Porterville Fair has come and
gone. I have recuperated from early morning trips to the fairgrounds before
work to feed and water my daughter’s rabbits. No more mad dashes after work to
the fairgrounds to switch out fresh ice bottles for the rabbits’ cages.
Everyone survived another year of overpriced fair food. In fact, although small
in numbers, our little Springville 4-H rabbit project group did quite well with
their rabbits: Micaela, my daughter, won junior showmanship and best of breed
and best opposite with her New Zealand brokens. Mason and his brother Eric
seemed to have a good time also. Eric, a mini-member, won his ribbon for
participation, and his older brother placed fourth in novice showmanship and
won best of show with his Joe Lugo Dutch junior buck.
Community involvement is what keeps
our little fair going. There are many county fairs, but few city fairs like the
Porterville Fair. Local farmers and business leaders volunteer their time and
produce a wonderful experience for the entire Porterville community. Each year
my daughter takes off three days from school to show her rabbits, help friends
with their sheep, pigs, and goats, and ride the midway’s old favorites and new
adventures. I hope the simple joys and values of the ag lifestyle stay with my
daughter as she ages and goes away to college. Maybe one day she will volunteer
to help a committee at the Porterville Fair or make mad dashes to the
fairgrounds before work to support her future 4-H daughter.
Although I enjoy the fair each year,
I miss the community volunteer groups who used to cook and serve delicious
homemade food. I cannot go to the fair and experience the mouth watering, giant
barbequed ribs from St. Anne’s church. Gone are the strawberries and shortcake
from the Job’s Daughters’ booth. I miss saying hello to community members I
have not seen since last year’s fair. Remember the funnel cake with whip cream
piled high? I know new regulations and a new fairgrounds necessitated new
traditions, but the fair board should work to find ways to bring back the civic
groups who volunteered and profited from feeding fair goers each year. Now, we
just eat before we go to the fair or wait until we leave the fairgrounds. Why
pay $4 for an under cooked corn dog, when we can buy corn dogs for $1.50 at the
local Shell on Highway 65.
I suppose I should cherish these
fair moments, like watching our daughter try to show a pigmy goat in the small
animal round robin. Next year, she will be a big eighth grader and that will
probably be her last year in 4-H and showing at the fair. With sports, AP
classes, and scheduling conflicts due to the implementation of career pathways,
she is unlikely to be able to participate in FFA and not many 4-Hers continue
once in high school.
Lastly, a thank you to all who
volunteer long hours to make this community fair special and continue the
tradition of the Porterville Fair. Did I mention that there were 42 meat pens entered
in the Porterville Fair rabbit show? Forty-two!
