Something new

We’re at the top of the mountain regarding  the 4-H year; our county fair was a couple of weeks ago, and the state fair is right around the corner. After the state fair, we’ll move back into the valleys and foothills that make up the rest of the year. From this vantage point, it’s meaningful to reflect on the climb.

One of the best parts of exhibiting animals in 4-H is that each year we try, learn or experience something new. We did lots of all three this year.

This year, we’re experiencing our first 4-H graduate. County fair was the first of lasts for Dan. It was heartwarming and heart stopping all at the same time. We made it until the last moments of the fair before the feelings of finality overflowed. When you think of all the activities and sports a young person participates in, 4-H is constant and meaningful in a way few other programs can be. That has certainly been true for Dan.

With our dairy cattle, something new included bringing a few old show halters to the barn so the cows and heifers could spend more time in them. New housing at the fair prompted the kids to try watering their string with lick tubs instead of drinking cups. We also learned that Monika’s iPhone settings didn’t want her to text photos of dairy cow udders to our group chat.

With chickens, we learned about bloom in laying hens and more about breast uniformity in market chickens. We also had a new 4-H’er join our crew. Our friend,Travis, wanted to try showing chickens, so Daphne lent him a few of hers and began teaching him the ins and outs of showing chickens. He wants to show market chickens next year, so Dan showed him our setup. Travis even came to help us butcher the market chickens after the fair.

Our biggest “something new” this year  was dairy goats. After watching the dairy goat show at the state fair last year, Daphne came home and told me she wanted to try showing dairy goats. I told her to ask her father, as part of Glen’s job in college was working with goats — let’s just say I always figured that the world would freeze over before goats found a home on our farm. Daphne, however, is a skilled and persuasive orator.

Before long, Daphne was making plans to show dairy goats. My own 4-H dairy mentor’s children raised and showed dairy goats; her youngest graduated from 4-H last year. Daphne asked Owen about leasing some of his Nigerian Dwarves for the summer, and he agreed.

In May, we ID’d several goats and goat-proofed a pen in the barn. In June, we visited Phil and Colleen’s farm to pick up three goats — Cassie, Lyra and Walnut. Because Lyra and Walnut were pen mates who hadn’t been separated, it was decided that Walnut would come to our place as well. Leasing Walnut gave Dan an opportunity to try something new for his last year of 4-H.

Colleen and Owen gave Daphne and Dan a crash course on caring for and judging dairy goats. Thankfully, dairy goat anatomy and evaluation is very similar to that of dairy cattle.

Showing dairy goats, however, is very different from showing dairy cattle. They learned dairy goats are shown with collars instead of halters. Exhibitors and their goats don’t just walk around the ring and line up like dairy cattle. Colleen visited us in July to give Daphne and Dan a showmanship workshop. They practiced the turns and showmanship formations like the cast of a musical.

When it came to the fair and show prep, we learned that dairy goats are much simpler than dairy cows. No daily baths, no catching manure, no carefully clipped toplines. The only thing that came as a surprise was that dairy goats’ udders are shaved with a razor — like shaving your legs — not clipped.

The show itself was a hoot. Having never watched a dairy goat show, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Turns out, dairy goats are just as vocal and theatrical in the ring as they are in their pens. Daphne and Dan’s pre-fair rehearsal paid off. They looked like naturals in the ring and managed to each earn showmanship accolades. After the show, Dan said it was one of the funnest experiences he’s ever had in 4-H. Daphne said the trial is over;she is certain she wants to keep showing dairy goats.

Yesterday, Daphne made arrangements with Owen for the purchase of five dairy goats: Cassie, Lyra, Walnut and two junior kids. The kids will move here next month. Cassie, Lyra and Walnut will return after they’ve spent some time with the buck and are ready to, hopefully, provide Daphne with some new kids. Both Daphne and Monika are ecstatic about the prospect of baby goats. Since Daphne will have several in the same class, Monika is excited to try her hand at showing dairy goats next year.

For me, our start in the dairy goat project has been incredible — even though that meant I got to hand milk Cassie while Daphne was gone at camp (even Glen took on milking Cassie a couple times to help Daphne out). It was an opportunity to reconnect with the coach, mentor and friend who guided me through my 4-H years. I got to watch my kids get to know Colleen and her family. We all got to try, learn and experience something brand new together. It brought us a lot of joy and laughter, and  I know for certain there will be many more new experiences and new joys to come.

Sadie Frericks and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minnesota. They have three children: Dan, Monika, and Daphne. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.