Find the joy as you take the ride
Life is a journey, enjoy the ride. I ran across this message as I sat drinking a cup of coffee and reading. For many people life right now is a very difficult journey and the joy in the ride can be hard to find. There is so much upheaval in our country created by inflation causing higher prices for everything that has to be paid for, dangerous people and drugs entering our country every day, problems with sickness and health care, empty store shelves and the shortage of needed items and more. There are valid concerns about the ability and well-being of those who are leading our country and making decisions. Amid all this turmoil in our journey of life there are still reasons to enjoy the ride, however at times we have to look closely to find them.
For me, and for many in my age group, there was joy in the fact that we woke up this morning. Not everyone did! When I looked out the window I saw birds, flowers, a lawn that was ready to mow again and the beginning of a beautiful day. Farmers will be busy in the fields, there is work to be done. It is the weekend, adults and children will be participating in sports events, visiting parks and lakes, going to picnics and barbeques, attending festivals, homecomings, tractor pulls and fairs. All of these things bring much needed joy.
This past week I attended the Harrison County Fair and announced the open class dairy show. Announcing dairy shows is one of my activities that has always given me joy. I get to see beautiful cows and heifers and visit with great people. Harrison County used to have numerous outstanding dairy herds. Now only one (1) herd of dairy cows is currently being milked in Harrison County! Yet sixteen (16) 4-H members showed dairy animals at the fair and what a nice presentation they made!
Every one of them entered the ring dressed in their “show whites”. Calves and heifers were clean, well groomed and properly fitted. Not all animals behaved perfectly and especially when a big truck decided to load a huge “roll off” trash container right beside the show ring during showmanship! The 4-Hers were up to the challenge and it was easy to see that they had spent time working with their animals. They were courteous and respectful to the judge as he questioned each one about their animal and placed the classes.
Many of those youth live in town, not on a farm. The opportunity for them to show a dairy project at the fair was given by dairy farmers out of the area who allowed them to borrow the calves and heifers for their projects. In this day and age, when both adults and children know so little about dairy farming and where milk and dairy products come from, I think this is an outstanding way for them to learn! My congratulations to the Harrison County 4-H Program, the Harrison County Dairy Board and the Harrison County Fair and especially to those 4-Hers.
The county fairs have just begun and will go on for the next three months all over Ohio and in other states. Young people of all ages will be participating with 4-H and F.F.A. projects of all kinds. Many of the different marketing projects, which includes steers, pigs, sheep, and goats, as well as smaller animals, will be sold at sales held during the fairs. Supporting these youth with market projects to sell is an excellent way to fill your freezer. Those kids have worked hard, growing, feeding and preparing their projects for months and they can use your support.
How I wish our news people would go out and visit the county fairs, state fairs, schools, and numerous other youth activities and show the world those hard working and outstanding young people. Sports are not the only thing kids do!! Our country has great kids involved in many different activities in every area of every state! Seeing and hearing about them would add joy to our lives! Life is indeed a journey, look for the things that allow you to enjoy it!