Brandon Twp.-It’s a sunny afternoon and Luie Reo is struggling with an uncooperative steer.
The 11-year-old is trying to get the animal into the sunlight so visitors can get a better look, but the steer keeps backing up, tossing its head and making a commotion. Eventually, he leads the steer into the shade, where he and his cousins, Julia Reo, 17, and Joey Reo, 14, feed and groom the steer. Nearby are some pigs that Luie’s sister, Amanda, 10, has just hosed down.
In addition to steers and pigs, the Reo family also have ducks, chickens, and rabbits. This week, they will show these animals at the Oakland County 4-H Fair.
‘We got cows five years ago and thought it’d be fun to show in 4-H,? says Julia. ‘It’s fun because you get to spend a week with a bunch of other kids that raise animals.?
The kids work with the animals all year, feeding, watering, grooming and keeping cows and pigs cool by hosing them down when it is hot.
It has been educational. Julia says she has learned about the animals and how much work it is to take care of a living thing. Luie acknowledges that caring for the animals takes up a lot of time, but it is worth it.
‘You get to see the cow’s personality,? he says. ‘It’s fun at the fair to see other people’s animals.?
Although the 4-H fair is often known for being a showcase event for livestock animals shown by youth, the fair’s daily events chairman Terri Burnett emphasizes there are many other attractions at the fair, which averages 82,000 visitors per year for the week and about 650 exhibitors.
Hands-on activities include the Home Depot Build-It Days, in which kids use hammers and saws and have an opportunity to build something (in the past they have made birdhouses and plant hangers). There will also be the Meijer 4-H Farmer for a Day, which takes place in the new OAKS barn, where children can do farming activities such as cow milking and egg collecting, but without live animals. The barn also has a straw maze inside.
Besides the new OAKS barn, there is also a new goat barn and miracle-of-birth barn. Burnett says one of the biggest things taking place this year is the dedication of the three-story Ellis Barn, which was formerly located at Ingomar Farms on Dixie Highway and will be reconstructed by the Amish at the fairgrounds. The barn will be part of the new equestrian center, planned to be completed by 2007.
New this year is the Show-Me Safari Petting Zoo, which includes giraffes, large turtles and zebras. White tigers can also be seen at the fair, returning in a popular exhibit.
Other popular returning attractions include the lumberjack show, pig races and the bottomless cup of chocolate milk (for a quarter, fairgoers can refill a cup of milk as many times as they wish).
While some attractions have a charge (such as carnival rides and grandstand events, which includes a compact-car demolition derby and flat-track motorcycle racing this year), many are free. A variety of contests can be participated in, such as the watermelon-eating contest, pie-eating contest, spaghetti contest, water-balloon toss, egg toss, and hula-hoop contest, all with prizes. There will also be giveaways.
‘The fair is a family-oriented, fun, safe place to bring the family,? says Burnett. ‘It can be as inexpensive or expensive as you want it to be. I like to make it inexpensive so you can take the family out.?
The Oakland County 4-H Fair is July 26-31 at the Springfield Oaks County Park, 12451 Andersonville Road, Davisburg. Cost is $8 for car, bus or van and $4 person/walk-in. Carnival armband cost is $15 (no rides July 26). All evening grandstand events are $8 adults, $4 for children aged 5-12 and free for children under 5. For more information, call (248) 634-8830 or visit www.oakfair.org for a complete listing of each day’s events.