After the fair wrapped up, the kids felt, well, a little lost. In the weeks leading up to it, their days were packed with training, washing, and grooming animals, plus finishing up projects and all of the entry work. Then suddenly, the fair was over, and they felt so strange with all the free time they now had.
The Horton Senior Center members had drinks and treats brought in by our members on Tuesday morning. Our president made a few announcements about upcoming events. Those of us that volunteered to help deliver shelf stable food boxes for Northeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging were reminded to be at the center at 9 a.m. on Thursday, July 24. Thank you to Mary Pat and Phillip Jeffery, Laura and Larry Paulsen, and Jerry Holsman and Mary Patterson for volunteering!
America believes in second chances. It’s the land of reinvention. The country that invented brunch, rebooted Batman eleven times, and gave Paul Giamatti a leading man phase. And now, it has done the impossible: turned a backyard barbecue game into a professional sport.
My oldest loves the beef project in 4-H. Two years ago, she raised a second-year bucket calf and got a solid introduction to raising and handling a bigger beef. Last year, she raised and trained her first market steer. Everything besides a bucket calf, including a market steer, is a beef that was raised by its momma, so not a tame thing, nor are they little. Last year’s market steer was picked straight from the herd, and there couldn’t have been a better first steer to raise. With her diligence in training, he ended up being quite the puppy dog. With this year’s steer, she helped with the picking. We chose a nicely built calf in the winter and brought him home to the corral containing my son’s second-year bucket calf. He was deemed “Arnold.”
The Horton Senior Citizens met on Tuesday, July 8 for Coffee Group followed by our monthly board meeting.
Germany is efficient. France is flirtatious. Canada apologizes for being in your way, even though I don’t know anyone on their way to the North Pole other than Will Steiger. But America? If you want to understand America, skip the textbooks or history lessons. At a distance, just observe the month of July.
Sewing has been done, not without some seam ripping. Photos have been taken, gone through, and mounted. Wood crafts have been cut, sanded, and perfected to the standards of a child. Cutting boards have been planned and created through cutting and gluing. Robots have been made and tested. Flour has been milled to test recipe after recipe. Artwork has come alive on canvas. Vegetables have been planted and cared for in hopes of having produce in time. Chickens have been handled and preened. The bunny has been groomed and posed. Goats have been led and braced. Steers have been trained and fattened. Bottle after bottle of raw milk has been fed to the growing and ornery bucket calf. Halters have been fitted. Practice shows have gone on in the yard. Clothes have been ironed and modeled.
The members of the Horton Senior Center have been enjoying slightly cooler temperatures and rain showers this week. Game Day on Saturday was well attended and there was a lot of snacks to share. Coffee Group was also well attended. Janice Langdon provided cupcakes for those members who will celebrate birthdays in July.
Be sure to check out the Brown County Free Fair in Horton, KS on July 12-18. A schedule of events can be found on our website: http://www.brown.k-state.edu/ along with this year’s Fairbook. You can also follow along on Brown Co 4-H and Brown County Kansas Fair Facebook page for results and pictures. This year’s fair theme is Blue Jeans & Country Dreams.
Included are some photos submitted by Greg Newlin, who is a guest columnist for the Hiawatha World.