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Visit 4-Hers & Master Gardeners at the Fair
July 22-August 7, closed Mondays
"Lights, Camera, Fair!"
Fair time is also a great time to see 4-Hers in action! Visit the Livestock area and watch the kids show chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep, swine, dairy cattle 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 Thursday, August 4 starting at 5pm 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 Wednesday, August 3 at 3pm, 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 Community First or 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.
Support future agriculture leaders at the Junior Livestock Auction:
- July 24, 9am – Lambs, Rabbits & Goats - also Farmers Day!
- July 29, 9am – Hogs & Poultry
- July 30, 6pm – Beef
While at the fair, visit the Garrett and E.C. Kraft buildings to view the junior exhibits and the Hall of Flowers Annex to enjoy the junior gardens.
Check out the Sonoma County Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden at Sonoma County Fair outdoor patio at Hall of Flowers. To go along with the fair theme, the Master Gardener's named their garden “Good, Bad and Beautiful” based on the Spaghetti westerns. It will showcase good practices, bad practices and how a garden can be beautiful and sustainable. Stop by to check it out and chat with the Master Gardeners docents who are available to answer your questions 11am-6pm.
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