The Baltimore County Center for Maryland Agriculture is broadening its horizons when it hosts a pair of events, one old and one new, at its Shawan Road site Aug 10.
Considering the array of interests — beef cattle, goats, worms, vegetable gardens, rabbit-jumping contest, heirloom tomato tasting and scavenger hunt — involved, one might even describe the festival as eclectic.
Everything listed, and a whole lot more, can be found at the Ag Center that day after both groups decided to hold their events on the same day in hopes of attracting more visitors.
-
Where to find Prigel’s ice cream
-
Towson woman has been fashioning flowers for more than 50 years
-
From floats to farm exhibits, Monkton man has worked 50 years at state fair
The day features the 68th Hereford Junior Farm Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the east side of the Ag Center buildings. And the first-ever Baltimore County Master Gardeners’ Garden Fest from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. is on the west side of the complex.
All events are free and family-friendly.
Hereford Junior Farm Fair
Maintaining a tradition that began in 1945 on the grounds of Sparks High School, the Hereford Junior Farm Fair is open to Baltimore County residents under age 21, with no requirement to belong to a 4-H club.
The event moved to Hereford High School grounds in 1954 and then to Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center in 2010. This is its third year at the Ag Center.
Although the fair officially begins Aug. 10, there is a pet show on Aug. 9 at 6:30 p.m. Since all indoor exhibits are due by then, the idea is to give kids delivering their exhibits something fun to do. Awards are given for categories, such as best dressed, prettiest, best performance. There is no pre-registration and the pet show is open to all.
The following morning will bring a procession of trucks, cars and trailers onto Shawan Road as families bring in their livestock for judging. Visitors can talk with animal owners as they spruce up everything from a 1,000-pound cow to a 2-pound rabbit in hopes of earning a blue ribbon.
“It’s amazing the pride you’ll see as kids get their animals ready and then exhibit them,” said Jo-Ann Chason, the fair’s secretary and dairy cattle judge chairperson. “This fair is all about trying to promote agriculture to the public.”
Like many adults who volunteer at the Fair, Chason participated in it as a child. She started showing her family’s Guernsey dairy cows when she was just 8.
And while the fair has the standard line-up of animals — swine, goats, sheep, cattle, rabbits and guinea pigs — to be judged, organizers have started adding something new each year.
Alpacas and poultry have recently joined the list and the first-ever rabbit-hopping competition will also be held.
That makes Katie Yoder, 9, a happy hare owner.
Her 1-year-old Holland Lop rabbit named Ginger has already competed at other hopping contests and has already been practicing for Hereford’s.
“Some of my rabbits don’t like to jump, but he really likes to,” she said as she set up three sets of wooden jumps her father, Lee Yoder, made for her at their Glen Arm home.
During the competition, Katie will put Ginger in a harness and keep him on a leash. As Katie runs along outside the course, Ginger will hop over a series of wooden posts and then return again. His score is based on the time it takes to complete the course. Points will be deducted for any faults he makes by knocking rails off their posts or straying off-course.
“It’s really a lot like horse-jumping,” said Katie’s mother, Kara. “When Ginger competed in Carroll County, people really got into it and were yelling and screaming for their rabbits.”
All of this is good practice for Ginger, since he will compete at the National American Rabbit Breeders Association convention in Harrisburg, Pa., in October.