For a dairy exhibitor the Wisconsin Junior State Fair begins before anyone else is even allowed in the park.   Exhibitors out working at the park to set up the barn displays, put up waterlines and hoses so the animals have something to drink, and quite possibly the most important part…shake out all of the straw for the dairy cattle to rest in the remainder of the week.

 

As an exhibitor in Green County, there is always plenty of work to go around when it comes to taking care of 54 animals. The day starts out with getting up with the sun to get outside and wash cattle before they are loaded on the trailer. Then it’s taking care of the rest of the herd at home. Then its quick run inside to shower and get back outside to load up the cattle. 

 

Once you get to the fair the work starts all over again. The animals walk off the trailer and into the wash rack for their second bath of the day. But the work doesn’t stop here. The green county exhibitor split up in shifts to stay back in the barn and watch the animals to clean up after them and continue feeding them. In the mix of it all I have to make sure that I milk my cow twice a day and find time to make sure I eat three meals a day.

 

Being a dairy exhibitor at the Wisconsin State Junior Fair is a ton of work. Why do so many of us gather together every year and work so hard all year round to make these five days run as smoothly as possible?   It’s because of the friends and fun. Showing dairy cattle is a lot of work, but there is twice and much fun and friends involved in it all.