Country Focus: Snow shovel ready - bring on spring!

We dodged a snowstorm last weekend. It’s March so the melt can start anytime. My sister, in Bismarck, said they have had 85 inches of snow so far. That’s over seven feet and more is on the way!

The Winter Show will be winding down this weekend. I have such fond memories of the time spent at the show growing up. Dad worked the night shift for ten years. The crew was responsible for setting up the arena for the various events over what used to be an eleven-day event. He would bring home the freebies from the booths and us kids would be so excited to see what Dad brought home. It’s funny how excited an elementary aged kid can get over a yard stick and a notepad. The last couple years Dad was working there the free stuff ended. The K-9 unit patrolled the building at night and Dad said he can’t outrun a German Shepherd.

As we got older, we participated in the Steer Classic. The steers were fattened up to finish and judged during a live show, auctioned off that evening and then slaughtered at Valley Meat Supply to be judged on the carcass. Our steers were never the heaviest, but they did well on the carcass judging. The auction was the highlight. It was held in the Riverside Room at the Valley City Eagles Club. A pickup and trailer backed up to one door, I’d bring the steer out to the show ring in an evening gown and heels for the bidding and then I walked it to the other door to be loaded onto another pickup and trailer. During an ice breaker game, “What’s something no one knows about you?” Well, I showed a 1300-pound steer in an evening gown. I always got looks when I answered that question.

Make sure the shovel is ready and the 347th snowstorm. Bring on spring!