Ken S. has given me a couple things to work on, but here is the story:

I just got involved with a group of folks here who want to stage our first-ever county fair. We have to start from the ground up - including seeing if folks around here are truly interested, or just talking. We are putting out an info pack of 2 pages with an anonymous survey (what, if any livestock) type questions. But... We have a couple problems.

1) low cost method of building (pole barns????) public-safe exhibition buildings

2) A lot of our subdivisions out here have 5+ acre and bigger lots, but have restrictions on livestock... ie: no chickens, no calves, NO GOATS (that one is universal, it seems). We have asked a couple of the larger landholders about donating some space, or even renting it, but nothing back yet. I have some mining claims, and only use a tiny portion of the land. Does anyone else have claims? If so, are there any FS or BLM programs that would be amenable to letting me donate the unused land? Does anyone know of any public land programs we could look into?

Any and all help on these things - and on other things to consider - would be VERY VERY VERY appreciated!! None of us has done this before!

Also - thanks Ken, for the info you sent and your suggestion... As I said, none of us even thought about asking the other county orgs... Just goes to show how we can miss the obvious! Thank you!!!

Sue

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 26, 2001

Answers

Try your state land grant collage, they should be able to help. Here in Indiana that would be prudue. Ask your Ag agent, He (or she) works for the land grant collage. I am on the fair board, 4-H council and I am a 4-H leader. We use pole barns, we get a little money from the county to put on the fair. THere are a lot of things you can do first off get your county council. commisioners, Ag agents, FFA, Teachers and businessmen behind you. I know from experience. if you don't have the community fathers behind you, you might as well forget it because they like to play the game and they can make it hard on you...Believe me "We the fair board know." That is another thing form a board of like minded people to help you. IF I can help drop me a line organicgrange@yahoo.com Grant

-- grant (organicgrange@yahoo.com), March 26, 2001.

Grant -

Thanks!! And yeah... in talking to the 4H coordinator I got the feeling we will be in for a long road... Seems there are two counties that sponsor one fair, and one is this one. 4H and the two counties really like that idea - want very much to keep it that way. But, of the local commissioners (I live in the county seat) and town's people, we have tons of support.

I will definately contact my Ag officials - and see what's available. Been told that there is some State funding available, too, hope these folks know more! Also, contacted a couple other counties who's fair boards are willing to come up here and help us in person!!

Thanks!!

Sue

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 27, 2001.

Lots of counties who are city or suburbia have AG barns for the kids, usually tied with the schools AG programs. No reason why this couldn't be done at a nice breeders home. Bet if you hit up a boer goat breeder, you could have your first county meat goat show in no time! You could easily include homeschoolers through RH programs or better yet simply open youth shows, open to any youth in your county between the ages of 8 and 18. Peewee's can eaisly show their pets. You have to take over yourself, and accept responsiblity. I put the dairy goat show on in our county for several years, once I stepped down it folded. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 27, 2001.