On a hot day in July, I sat ringside at the Elkhart County Fair in Goshen, Indiana and watched the arena fill up with spectators as the 4-H dairy show began. We have been covering their 4-H show for a few years now and I always look forward to it. There’s just something about a county fair that makes everyone feel like the world is right. Whether it’s the parents running around trying to wrangle their kids to the right ring, or grandparents smiling proudly in the stands, a county fair is one week out of the year that makes sense to everyone.
And if you listen closely, you’ll hear the idle chatter from
folks who have lived in the county for decades. These people have been coming
to the county fair for years and now they are enjoying the third and fourth
generation of family 4-Her’s. Old
farmers, relatives, local businessmen, they all like to stand at the rail and
watch the show. For eight hours I sat at the table and listened to people come,
lean over the railing, watch the show and chat about life. No matter where you
go, or what’s in the ring, I guarantee you will hear the same conversation,
over and over and over. Here are my top
five tidbits you’ll hear from the railbirds.
1. Did you hear Bill sold his farm? Yeah, I heard it went for $10,000 an acre. That’s a boatload of money, not sure anyone can make that cash flow. That’s 100-bushel ground at best. Charlie’s been after that farm for years. That dirt’s never seen red equipment on it.
2.
What’s that cow? Did Bob breed her or did he buy
her? I don’t remember her the last time I was at his place. Yeah, he probably bought her just for this
show, you know how he hates to lose to Jim. One of these days Jim’s gonna win
and Bob ain’t gonna like that. What’d he
pay for her?
3.
Got second cuttin’ done yet? I was gonna mow last week, but I knew all my
help would be out here to the fair, so I figured I’d wait until we got this
over with. I’ll be glad when these kids
outgrow 4-H.
4.
How much rain did you get? We got an inch and
two tenths. It was nice, but we sure could use a little shower. The corn on
that sandy ground is about to start rolling up….I don’t want to have to start
the irrigation, but I guess I’ll have to if we don’t get a little more rain
pretty soon.
5.
Is that John’s nephew? How is he old enough to
be in 4-H? It seems like they just got married yesterday. Whatever happened to Junior’s boy? He married
the youngest Smith girl, and didn’t they have kids right away? I always thought
she and the Jones boy would get married, but I guess they split right after
high school. That’s a shame, they
could’ve had the whole farm.
Tell me you haven’t heard those conversations. Or maybe you heard your own voice somewhere
in there. Whatever is said, and whoever is saying it, this kind of chatter is
the essence of people who have settled the land, carved out a living and love
their country. This little taste of Americana was raised on hard work, based on
deep values and continues to live by the moral compass instilled by our
Creator. And life doesn’t get any sweeter than that.
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