Paul and his friend, Lane, on the float, which had a "beach theme."

The Blackjack 4-H club float in the Pottawamie County Fair parade.

One fair down .... I'm sure many to go!

My goodness, what did I learn at the county fair? If you want something done, ask a bunch of farmers! We learned a lot about chickens, helped the chicken superintendent care for the birds, and later on, cleaned out the hog barn (our project for our club, and not as nasty as you might think.) While the parents are a vital part of the 4-H projects, the young people learn how to take care of their animals, be ready to show, and at home on the farm, they learn a lot about responsibility, as they prepare their animals for the fair. The judging that is based on opinion, not whether or not something lives up to a breed standard, can seem capricious and arbitrary, but you learn to just say "oh well." There are many "oh well" moments in life ... and not much you can do about it; may as well learn it as a youth.

We'll be back next year!