By Brittany Hill
It’s been quite a busy time for us here at Hill Family Farms in West Milton as we ready ourselves for the 2024 Miami County Fair. There have been pigs to bathe, walk and condition, and a showman working hard to refine her showmanship skills. As you can imagine, life in general on a farm stays busy. With a hefty number of animals to care for, a garden to tend to, and three children to chase around, I find myself wondering if any farm family out there has mastered the ability to keep up with house chores while there is so much to be done outside. I am leaning more towards the conclusion every day that it’s either one or the other, the inside or outside. It can never be both. Add preparing for the fair into the mix, and my days really start to feel like they blur together.
Lately, on top of the normal farm chores, our days also consist of feeding the right sorts of feeds and supplements to our pigs, taking the time to keep them brushed and clean, endless hours of walking and whip training, and dinners at 9 p.m. Somedays it is like the pigs are living better than we are! Though this is a hectic time for us, it is also family time. You know how they say, “It takes a village?” Let me tell you…with four pigs to maintain this year, it’s all hands on deck. I know it sounds a bit overwhelming, and people often ask how we do it all. Sometimes I really don’t know, but I do know that the hard work is all worth it in the end as we are sitting in the bleachers watching our daughter in the show ring. The skills taught to a showman on how to care for an animal and how to respect the judge and another showman, no matter the outcome, are skills they will continue to use throughout the rest of their lives. Champion banner or not, it’s about trying your best and being able to accept constructive criticism to help you do better the next time. That is a lesson that can be applied to many different scenarios in life, and that is a lesson that showing at the Miami County Fair aids in teaching our kids.
That being said, all “hogwash” aside, you don’t have to be a showman or family member of a showman to enjoy the fair. Fair is for everyone. It’s for the kids who are finally tall enough to reach that mark, allowing them to experience the ride they were too small for the year before. It’s for the boyfriend who gets to show off on a first date by winning the giant stuffed teddy bear that everyone wants. It’s for the community coming together to support others and rally in the successes of the ones we love most. Whether it’s for the food, for the rides and games, or for the animals, the fair is guaranteed to be a great time for the whole family. As for me and my family, we’ll be in the hog barn, as usual. Don’t worry though, it’s not all work and no play. I’ll duck out when no one is watching to get a funnel cake! Hope to see you all there!
Sincerely,
A busy homestead Mama