We were kindly invited to demonstrate our heritage skills and join a spin-in up at the Evergreen State Fair this end of August. We have been quite busy during the summer and determined it was better for our family to take a break from events for August to September and instead focus on prepping our homestead for school, fall and general reorganization to accommodate our continued growth. Touted as 'The Largest Country Fair in all of Washington', although we didn't commit to a demo, we couldn't resist visiting the fair to enjoy some wholesome family fun and relaxation on it's very last day. Held at the Monroe Fairgrounds, it was close to Grandma, so she joined us as well.
I must express how pleased we all were with the clean, quality activities, events and demonstrations they host, truly their description fits this fair. We learned a lot. We stepped back in time. We enjoyed a wide variety of healthy, happy animals. We savored so many quality creations that were shared willingly and displayed appreciatively and carefully after many, many hours of sincere effort on everyone's part. I have not experienced this level of quality and attentive care in any of the fairs we visited this year - not even close. For me (Mom) it was what I had been craving in all the others...I could have stayed all day - maybe two, just gleaning from happy demonstrators and eager teachers. It was well worth our time to drive to this beautiful agricultural region of Washington State, which coincidentally was noted by all as being much cleaner then several of the cities we pass to arrive at our destination. Our hearts were truly happier in a large agricultural region and as I type it reminds me of this quote:
The economic system of the Bible is agrarian and based upon the supposition that nearly all the people live upon the land and engage in cultural pursuits. It was intended their should be neither poverty nor riches, nor beggary nor great wealth in the land. But that every man should be economically independent and self supporting; possessing his habitation and means of livelihood and enjoying the products of his labor. In short, that he should sit under his vine and fig tree and eat the fruit thereof. According to Biblical law, it is elemental that every man should bare his own burdens, maintain himself and his family and should labor, plant his garden and till his land."
H.B. Clark
There is a lot to revisit and I happily share the Cows today - dairy and meat barns.
Look for more to come in the days ahead!