Lets Go To The Fair!

I've often told my husband that we should seriously consider inventing a car freshener scent that smells like the Fair. But what would such a lovely yet abominable creation smell like? Fried Cokes, cotton candy and kettle corn with just a hint of sawdust.

It's that time of year again. It happens right at the end of summer every year. It's time when the fair comes to town.
There are many reasons I attend fairs. Being a busy mother, artist, blogger and urban farm wife,  "free time" is elusive and nearly mythical around these parts.
 Urban Farm Euphoria for me is the agricultural and exposition portion of the fair. I found myself, almost embarrassingly, skipping on the pathway leading to the exposition building.

Walking through the heavy glass doors was like walking into a building of homespun reverence: a magical land of baked goods, spun yarn and gourmet vinegars. Kaleidescopic quilts hang immensely overhead like  proud homages to the homesteading gods. Baskets of gourmet goods bursting with homemade crafts.

My eyes were immediately drawn to the Grand Reserve Champion ribbons. Royal Purple in color, the satin bows were proudly displayed on the winning entries, carefully kept under eye and even behind locked glass cabinets. The idea of receiving a reward, for what I consider an art form that is experiencing a resurgence lately, is wholly perfect. The modern urban homesteading and self-sustainability movement should remember, just for a moment, these dusty symbols of extremely talented handiwork that existed long before our current, hipster-farm mindset.


In the Home-Arts area I met another family who were handling their area together. Each was helping by answering questions and handing out recipe cards.

Beverly Goodwin of Sweet, ID in front of her winning basket for preserves.

 Beverly's soft smiling eyes and easy handshake seem to tell me that she would answer all of my eager questions. She swiftly turned her crotchet needle quick and sure while she smiled and told me that this is her eighth happy year at the Western Idaho Fair. Since starting, it has grown into a family affair that now includes her brother and sister.

Some of those I spoke with were participating for the first year, like teacher Wylene Knight from Horseshoe Bend, who was nervously awaiting her homemade bread to be judged. I wished her the best.

When we spoke, Beverly had taken an early lead and ended up walking away with numerous honors this year. She took home six 1st-place ribbons for her Strawberries, Apricots, Grapes, Thyme, Tarragon and Almonds.

Since this particular fair has a large open class, it really is one of the best kept secrets for those participating in the Home and Agricultural  'arts'  to get recognition for their hard work throughout the year.


I took my time, browsing the agriculture buildings, speaking with enthusiasts and fair participants in different areas.

Chris and Tina Abe own and operate Fuji Farm, in Nampa, Idaho, raising Nigerian Dwarf goats. Tina cheerfully considers their dream a family endeavor. Their farm is home to more than six Grand Champion prize goats.

Photo credit Fuji Farms. This is  GCH Sandy Hollow UK 2*M 

 All four kids help pitch in with the the daily milking and farm chores.
With determined smiles they handled each of the goats, taking them individually for their afternoon walks. One by one, The goats marched out, some with noses as small as acorns and dark eyes that lure you to scratch their nobby little heads just a minute longer. I spent about twenty relaxing minutes with one of their smaller goats who was both tame and sweet. I highly recommend goat-petting for what ails you.

Because I took my time, my fair experience has forever changed my respect for those who contribute both their talents and their time to pull off such a tremendous event every year.

Patiently waiting with a flower in her tail.

The Chicken Exposition building shares it's space with the Cavies (Guinea Pigs) and Rabbits. So of course my head almost exploded with the amount of cuteness overload in one building.

Grand Reserve/Champion Bantam Plymouth Barred Rock White

Handsome show Rooster

Robin Hopper has been working in the Chickens division for fifteen years and answered all my sometimes silly questions with a smile and wink. Chicken entries this year have gone up and she says she definitely sees the backyard chicken trend being represented more than in the past last few years.

Robin Hopper in the poultry building was so helpful

The youngest man I interviewed ( he was around 11) smiled with a boyish face behind his ginger hair. He had entered and took home ribbons with two handsome cochins. His older brother proudly held his prize-winning Polish crested hen. He talked excitedly about his interest in raising and showing his chickens and pigeons.

Satinette Pigeon Hen

This is a way of life for these boys and their family. Their mom sweetly pushed a stroller by the plexiglass display holding newly hatched quail as small as dimes.

Hatching quail

I imagined for a moment what it would be like to win one of those gorgeous, flamboyant Grand Reserve Champion ribbons for one of my chickens, a batch of beautiful eggs, or a jar of Strawberry-Ginger Jam.
As stated above, there are many reasons I go to the Fair. Upon reflection, I'll have to admit my favorite memories were not the entries that ranged the gamut from Light Horse Mule Driving to pickled pints of asparagus. It was remembering the genuineness of the people of Idaho who I had the opportunity to talk and share with. Of course next year, I'll want a ribbon too.

Grand/Reserve Champion blue eggs. 

 View results from the 2012 Western Idaho Fair.

Early Moulting Hen Society

In every flock there seems to be the innate understanding of a pecking order. Once the order is set you can begin to catch glimpses of a society. If you watch even closer, you can learn the quirks, moods and habits of each individual chicken.

I'm convinced that within the basic pecking order lies a subculture. 

The Early Moulting Hen Society has as its charter members a group of bantam hens.
A blue Silkie hen, Huckleberry. She is the eldest of the group. Her daughter is a lavender Silkie hen, Fleur. Bunny, the black Silkie and Fluffy, the lone speckled Cochin, round out the group. All are docile, persistent and moulting.

Huckleberry moulting

This society prizes modesty over all. The commonality of moulting early in the summer seems to bind this group together. I imagine that they must mutter to each other using a shrill British-like accent. Initially I wanted to include more pictures in this blog but the EMHS girls were throwing off some pretty creepy looking stink-eye. I decided, rightly so, to back off with taking pictures.

Under normal circumstances, a layer-bred hen will often moult in the fall and take about 2-3 months. This usually indicates that they will be good layers. Chickens who are early moulters, such as the Early Moulting Hen Society, tend to lose few feathers and may not be the most prolific layers in the flock. These are my "dainties" of the coop. They are so self-conscious, they are too timid to leave the protective housing of their nests.

Not even a peach juice block could lure out the EMHS.

I'll admit, it's hard not to anthropomorphize this experience. It is irresistible not to insinuate a wealth of  human emotions to members of my flock. I can report on their daily activities, and extrapolate based on the nature, breed and age of the hen.

Every day for the last month, the Early Moulting Hen Society (EMHS) meets in the nesting boxes. This is after a morning turn around the yard to peck at honeysuckle dew and the worms crawling home after a night spent in the wet grass. Then it's back to the coop for their daily routine: staring at each other and picking at pieces of straw.  Their indignant, high pitched 'tuck-tuck' can be heard from the coop every time one of them gets kicked out by a resentful non-member who is just trying to do her job laying an egg. While this is not good behavior, it is an entertaining example of full-force, pecking order dynamics.

Without access to the nest boxes chickens will lay everywhere

Here is what I know about moulting. Moulting is a yearly occurrence in the life of a chicken needed in order to replace old feathers with new feathers. Hens that begin to molt after 12-14 months of egg laying are generally understood to be better layers. Late Moulter = Better layers. Because they go through their moulting process much quicker than their counterparts, the Late Moulters have a longer laying season and their feathers are shabbier looking.

Early Moulters, in contrast, take their time moulting and seem to lose less feathers. Even more so in Silkies who have more fluff and few feathers to begin with.

It's also hilarious.

Beatrice from Keara Farms won the 2011 BYC Moulting Championship

I try to break up their meetings whenever I can with beneficial moulting treats of Hemp and Chia seeds.

EMHS on a rare break outside the coop.

I pull them out of coop at least twice a day and send them into the yard. Each time they will just wander back to the coop. I'm not sure if it's a sense of stubborn jackassedness or an overly developed sense of dignity.

In my opinion, it's the latter. These hens are ladies through and through, and when it comes to their yearly moult, it is just easier to endure in the confines and safety of a coop. Do chickens have vanity. I vote yes. And I am not just imposing my wayward human musings on my flock...really, I'm not!

To this day the Early Moulting Hen Society meets daily in the coop. Time to go break it up.  

For more information on Chicken Moulting-What is Moulting?