International Plowing Match

Last Thursday and Friday I spent the day outside of Walton at the 2017 International Plowing Match.  On Thursday our ETFO local had a booth in one of the education tents.  We highlighted ETFO's Building Better Schools campaign with a continuous slide show, with posters, various giveaways, and just being their.  On Friday the school went with 150 kids or so.  It has a huge footprint covering 1,000 acres of plowing, parking, camping, and all things agricultural.  I was even there for 90 mins or so last Monday setting up our 10x10 space.

The corn pit was a great success as we stashed a number of animals and goodies within for people to pick out.  There were 10s of thousands of visitors each day, but of course many people passed us by having no interest in what we were there for.  Fair enough.  We were saddled beside other educational groups, a Children's Aid Society display, Mental Health awareness nurses, and the Jehovah Witnesses.  We were stocked a plenty with teachers willing to help, so it left lots of time to walk around the site to check out the festivities.  The IPM had a bit of a flee market feel to it, somewhat of a fair or carnival feel as well with the food vendors, some 4H animal presentations, and of course the outdoor lifestyle/recreation component.

But the scope of the thumbprint it took up was certainly impressive.  There had to of been over 20 huge wedding tents for groups to set up in.  The tractor companies took up car lot type space show casing there newest machines.  I never actually saw one furrow being turned by a tractor or horse, but I saw lots of people.

Just Some Pictures

Using an afternoon to tidy up and organize the house and the technology.  I am consolidating files and stream lining stuff so it is easier to get out.  I have found some pictures of my buddies and have emailed those off to them...  I got some back to school pictures taken.....  There is a few pictures from the summer that I was sent.  Anyway - just a few pictures.

We are all really well around here.  The chickens are all still alive and have laid steadfastly since their arrival.  They have done a number on the rhubarb, but are well mannered and pleasant.

They (the chickens) are Rhode Island Reds.  They are quite social and like to follow us around the back yard.  They also generally come up to great us after school.  They are no trouble to put to "bed" so to speak at the end of the day.  They willingly retreat to their coop as darkness nears.  As you pet them they crouch down and squat in what seems like the way a dog would roll over on its back wanting its belly rubbed.  They also submit quite nicely to be picked up if necessary.  The chickens seem clean and go to the bathroom in the exact same spot in the coop each night so it is an easy and predictable clean up.  The eggs are good to eat as well.

We grew really good sunflowers this year.  Our tomatoes were good and the basil was beautiful too.