Agriculture is a way of life for youth exhibitors
Madera District Fair
Every year 4-H and FFA exhibitors spend countless hours raising animals to bring to the fair to show and sell at the auction. These livestock projects will prepare them for life after school and how to be good citizens and stewards of agriculture.
In the Central Valley agriculture is a way of life, recent movements such as “My Job Depends of Ag” show just how important agriculture is to everyone who lives in the Valley and in Madera County.
Every year 4-H and FFA exhibitors spend countless hours raising animals to bring to the fair to show and sell at the auction. All of their hard work results in these projects being offered at the Junior Livestock Auction on Saturday, Sept. 7 during the Madera District Fair where these kids and their animals will take center stage as supporters bid and show their support for this way of life.
Most of these young exhibitors will take their proceeds and invest in their next animal project that will be raised, shown, and sold again at the next year’s fair.
These livestock projects also teach many life lessons that will prepare these kids for life after school and how to be good citizens and stewards of agriculture.
Responsibility is learned in the early — and late — hours of the day as cages and stalls are cleaned and animals are watered and fed. Good citizenship is discovered as these young exhibitors learn how to work together with their classmates/club-mates and as they educate others about their projects.
If you walk through the barns and talk to these young adults you will quickly find that many of them have other interests. Video games, sports and social media are ever present and for a lot of them, farming may not be their way of life. However, the lessons learned and the awards received will stay with them and will guide them into adulthood.
If you would like to come and support the youth of tomorrow, the Madera Fair Junior Livestock Auction will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7. It is easy to register to bid on an animal or to “bump” an exhibitor’s sale price with a flat dollar amount. In many cases your contribution is tax deductible and will support the future of our community.
The 2019 Madera District Fair opens Thursday, Sept. 5 for a four-day run. For more information, contact the Madera District Fair office at 674-8511, or visit our website: www.maderafair.com.
