FFA and 4-H members spend months preparing for annual fair
Swine, sheep, goats, cattle, rabbits, poultry, cavy and dogs were all shown at the 66th annual Healdsburg Future Farmers Country Fair on Friday, May 22 at Recreation Park. The biggest hometown fair of the season showcases the work of young men and women involved in local 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) programs. 4-Hers and FFA students maneuvered animals weighing anywhere from two to 20 times as much as they did, families radiated pride and support for their children, and of course, there were animals galore.
Among those showing animals was Emma Manoukian, a junior at Healdsburg High School who has been showing animals for half of her life. She’s been in FFA for three years, and was in 4-H for five years prior to that. Manoukian got into raising livestock by following in her older siblings’ footsteps. She said she’s raised around 40 animals in the last eight years, showing livestock at both the HFFCF and the Sonoma County Fair. This year, she showed a crossbred market lamb, Johnny, and a Duroc market hog, Rollo. She bought both animals in January. Her pig is five months old, and her sheep is around six and a half months old. As far as what it’s like to raise an animal and then sell it to be slaughtered, she said that, “you just have to know when you’re buying them that they’re bought for a purpose and that purpose is that they’re going to market.”
“My goal is to give them the best life possible before that point,” Manoukian said about her livestock.
She said that she enjoys FFA because of the opportunities it offers, such as public speaking competitions and leadership positions. Manoukian is also the Healdsburg FFA Chapter Secretary and the North Coast Region Secretary.
HHS junior and FFA member Raul Ojeda showed four market hens, for the second year in a row. Ojeda said he got involved in FFA after he heard about the program because he had always wanted to raise animals. He said that his favorite thing about FFA is the people, and although it can be sad to sell animals, members know what they’re getting into when they join FFA or 4-H.
As a show of support for those involved in 4-H and FFA, local businesses and individuals engaged in enthusiastic bidding at a Saturday auction for the beef, sheep, goats, swine, rabbit and poultry that the participants had spent months getting ready for the event. Over $332,000 was raised.
Fairgoers who attended the annual event from May 21-23 enjoyed many other fair staples such as games, contests, food stands, circus acts, bounce houses, a mechanical bull, a train, a petting zoo and still exhibits, which included sewing, photography, floral design and fresh arrangements, crafts, potted plants, container gardens, hobbies, fine arts, photography, educational posters, baked goods, confections, preserves and canning.
