A fair day to start the Y-S Fair
Visitors opening day saw bubbles, animals and flower displays
The 90 degree weather didn’t discourage Camille Umland and Ashlen Vanmeter from taking a ride in the Bubble Lagoon on Thursday, opening day of the annual Yuba-sutter County Fair.
The feature consists of inflatable bubbles floating in a pool that they climbed into.
“It’s like floating in space but it’s hard to stand up,” said Umland, 13, of Wheatland.
The fair runs daily through Sunday.
Umland and Vanmeter each raised swine and are showing them at the fair through their club – the Wheatland Future Farmers of America.
Thursday afternoon hosted an army of young participants.
Holden Hicks, a 16-year-old with the Marysville FFA brought his cow, Bubba, to the fair.
“I’m with FFA and 4-H and I used to raise pigs but I wanted more of a challenge because they were too easy,” he said. “I’ve got good connections with cattle breeders and buyers and I’m a beef ambassador for Butte County.”
Brody Lowe, with Browns Valley 4-H, spent some time cleaning the pen where his goat, Dash, and his friend Brock Deiser’s goat, Dusty, are staying during the fair.
“It’s really fun and next year, I plan on raising a steer,” Lowe said. “I’ve learned to take care of my animal and manage my money but I still get
to spend money on fun stuff.”
His father, Brandt said raising an animal helps his son learn responsibility.
“He’s leaning the importance of responsibility and he’s already got a lawn care business where he’s mowing two to three lawns per week.”
Megan Osbourn of Loma Rica brought her daughters, Laney, 8, and Kinley, 9, to the Flower House to see some of the plants, produce and eggs that were on display.
“That’s a funny looking tomato,” said Laney Osbourn. “It’s a funny shape and there are bumps all over it.”
Laney raised a dog, Charlie, and Kinley raised a market goat, Stetson Lawrence – named after a member of the Professional Bull Riders.
“It’s important to expose them to agriculture so that they know where our food comes from,” Megan Osbourn said. “Raising the animals is good so they learn responsibility and get to show off their hard work.”
Pauline Graham of Elverta came to see the flowers and was impressed with the quality.
“My son came from Mississippi and my daughter came from Turlock and we go to the State Fair, the Amador County Fair and the Yuba-sutter Fair,” she said. “This flower selection is much better than what’s at the State Fair – it’s all about the beer and wine there now.”
Liz Hopkins, with the Sutter Buttes Garden Club, was at the Flower House keeping an eye on the displays and helping people with botanical questions.
“It’s really nice when one of the kids comes in and sees that they won an award – they start jumping up and down when they see their ribbon,” she said. “We (the club) have been helping out at the Flower House for many years.”