10/22/12

One of the highlights for us at the fair has always been seeing the animals.  We got to take the above picture because Daddy works at the fair in the "cow building" managing the Milking Parlor for the dairy cows.  We are glad we have an "insider" because things have surely changed!!!

When Wesley and Mikayla were little they had the petting zoo and we were able to walk in among the animals and pet them. 

We just knew that the kids needed to wash their hands afterwards.

This year, we were more disappointed than ever.  Over the last few years things have increasingly become worse with seeing the animals because of lawsuits to NC over E. Coli outbreaks after the fair.

Don't get me wrong.... I hate that E. Coli happened to anyone, but blaming the state for your negligence is just another facet of the "sue happy" world we live in today.

How are kids going to understand about animals.... FARMING... where there food comes from if they are only seeing them through fences and far away from them at that? 

I realize we live in a non-agricultural society today.  Got that.

However, we are so "smart" in our society, yet do not take the precautions needed when around animals.  When we don't, we want to blame others.

Having lived on a farm and desiring for my children to have more access to animals and such, it makes me so sad to see what the fair has come to.  In our opinion it really isn't even worth it to go in the cow barn at the fair anymore because you are just herded around and out the door.  You can't even go up to the Milking Parlor (where Daddy works each year) to watch the cows because of the lawsuits.  Now kids can view cow milking by sitting on bleachers and watching them milk through a trailer with windows. 

That is realllllly close to agriculture.  (Can you feel the sarcasm dripping??)

Children today are going to grow up not understanding the importance of agriculture.

This summer I took an "AG in the Classroom" workshop that dealt with Agriculture.  It was awesome and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.  I now do "AG Facts" each day in my classroom to teach the children interesting facts and bring agriculture to the room.

I just wish we could get up close to them like I did living on the farm. 

I miss those days.

One day, people are going to wake up and realize where their food came from, but it just may be too late.