Fair time is also a great time to see 4-Hers in action!
Sonoma County Fair runs July 24 thru August 9 (closed on Mondays). Visit the Livestock area and watch the kids show chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep, swine, dairy cattle (shown here) and beef cattle. Showing livestock at the fair requires months of preparation for the market animals (sold at the auction) and years of work for the breeding projects (ongoing dairy and livestock projects).
Check the Livestock schedule and stop by to see the kids show while you are at the fair (look for Junior, Jr or
Market on the schedule). The
Large Animal Round Robin class on Wednesday, August 5 starting at 11am is where you can see the best junior livestock show persons take their turn at showing all of the different large species: goats, sheep, swine, beef cattle, dairy cattle and horses. The winner is crowned top junior livestock show person of the fair.
Small Animal Round Robin is Sunday, August 2 at 11am, where best junior show persons in rabbits, cavies, poultry, pygmy goats and dogs compete.
One way to support 4-Hers is to
contribute to the purchase price of or to purchase a market animal. 4-Hers use the auction proceeds to pay back loans taken out to fund the project (bank of mom and dad or actual loan from Sonoma County Grange Credit Union). Any remaining funds are used to purchase next year's market animals, to support their breeding project and/or saved for college.
The Junior Livestock Auction Schedule:
- Lambs – 7/25, 9am
- Goats – 7/25, 1pm
- Rabbits – 7/25, 1:30pm
- Hogs – 7/31, 9am
- Poultry – 7/31, 1pm
- Beef – 8/1, 6pm
