This is the weekend of the local Saanich agricultural fair. For once, Ali and I visited on our own. We gave it a miss last year but have gone every other year since moving here. We like to mooch around looking at the animals, the crafts, and some of the entertainment. The kids used to love doing that also when they were younger. Now, not so much.
This time, we really noticed the dwindling numbers of livestock on show. Here’s a couple of photos from 5 years ago.
This year the shed with the goats in only had about half the number of animals. As for the draft horses, I can count 7 rigs in the arena in that old photo compared with only 3 when we watched this weekend. The same pattern was repeated in many of the animal sections around the fair - pigs, sheep, cattle, geese - all down in numbers.
Other sections thankfully are still going strong - all the arts and crafts, and the farm market, and the place was still buzzing with activity.
Megan invited some school friends over to spend the afternoon and evening on the rides, followed by late night pizza and a sleepover at our house. Thankfully we've had today to recover before back to work and school tomorrow.
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9 comments:
Hi Ian - glad you got down there ... we had some farming cousins over from VI .. and their daughter shows cows! She wins ... and they've shown somewhere at a large agricultural show in Washington State! She's 18 shortly!!! Tremendous propensity with animals ... thankfully they were staying with my SIL who has Riding for the Disabled horses and a carriage ...
Glad you and Ali had a day to yourselves though - despite the pizza party! Good luck with the return to school and work - cheers Hilary
It still looks like it was a great fair and I'm glad you had a good time.
I wonder why there were fewer animals? Usually that's one of the things we look at when we attend our county fair.
Hilary, luckily we timed it so we went on the Saturday and had a quiet day to ourselves, then Megan's friends went on the Sunday. It all worked out well in the end.
Stephen, it's still a great fair, lots to see.
Alex, we've noticed a steady decline over the years, probably reflects fewer people in the neighborhood in the farming business. It just came home when I looked back on pics from 5 years ago.
I had to work; but did not mind it. I haven't been to a fair type event in several years. Looks like a lot of fun.
Sounds like a fun day, but a shame there are so many fewer animals. Our Labour Day in Queensland is in March. It's actually different times in most states.
What fun! We spent the whole day...laboring. Yup. On book stuff. Yay. Well it had to get done some time, eh?
Hi Ian,
There certainly is a dwindling amount of livestock. I've noticed the same thing over here at the Leek fair.
It does seem you all had a marvellous time. Happy belated Labour Day, eh!
Gary
Donna, it was a pleasant end to the summer.
Denise, odd that it's different days there. Here it's one of those holidays that's the same across the whole of Canada and US.
Crystal, surely the book stuff is love, not labor :) You must be busy with your bog cover reveal coming up...
Gary, I guess it's just a sign of changing times and tastes.
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