Youth, livestock shine in Pocahontas
By EMILIE NELSON, Messenger staff writerArticle Photos
POCAHONTAS - Dawson Fischer got an up close look at some prize-winning porkers Saturday morning at the Pocahontas County Fair.
The 9-year-old from Palmer was mingling about in the swine barn with his friend, Cody Peterson, also of Palmer, after the pair showed their bucket and bottle calves in the junior calf show.
Although he doesn't show pigs of his own, Fischer said he likes to check out all of the animals at the fair.
" I showed a bottle calf this year," he said. "I'll probably show in 4-H next year when I am old enough. The animals are my favorite part. I like to hang out with them."
A true farm boy, he took another look at the pig, and seemed to know its fate for the future.
"He's big,"Fischer said. "It looks like it'll probably be good eating someday."
Trevor Frerk showed his calf, T.J., for the first time Saturday. Though the calf, which he said was "a few months old," was bigger than he was, the 6-year-old didn't seem to have any problem leading it to and from the show ring and barn.
"It's fun. I learned to feed him," said Frerk. "We fed him with a bottle every day."
Peterson also said he learned a lot while taking care of his calf, Henry.
"I had to learn to lead him around and walk him," he said. "I fed him a bottle every day at first. He's off the bottle now and eats corn."
Kent Musfeldt, of Coon Rapids, who was serving as the beef judge for the day, said the junior bottle calf show is a good pre-4-H experience for youths.
"It's a neat competition," he said. "They raise their own calf and get the chance to show and learn competition. The kids get a chance to get used to showing and learn good animal husbandry skills."
Vonnie Pratt, 8 , and her friend Annika Duitscher, 7, both of Rolfe, spent part of their day at the fair visiting and petting their friends' lambs. While one lamb tried to make a snack of Duitscher's jeans and boots, she didn't seem to mind.
"I don't mind it much," she said. "I have calves at home that try to eat my shirt sometimes,
For those youngsters that didn't have livestock, the 4-H and open class pet shows were an opportunity for youth to take the spotlight as they showed everything from dogs and cats to fish, rats and hamsters.
Kathryn Keller, 12, of Rolfe was showing her cat, Tess, in the pet show for the first time. She said she has several cats at home, but that Tess made the best show cat of the bunch.
"I've shown other cats before," she said. "But she's fun and fluffy. She's a kind cat. I like her."
Contact Emilie Nelson at (515)573-2141 or enelson@messengernews.net
