Our first stop at the Clay County Fair was in the swine barn, naturally.  Our friends’ daughter is showing pigs this year, so we stopped in to see Maddie and her hogs.

Being a show pig is a rough life, let me tell you.

Apparently boots and shorts are a thing now.

Maddie also had some hogs entered in the carcass, or Derby, competition.  She was rocking a Crystal Spring feeder in her pigs’ pen.  So proud!

Next we wandered into the cattle barn.  Cows amuse me.  I’m not sure the feeling was mutual with this guy.

This was the champion in one of the categories that I forgot the details of.  Whoops.  This lady was shown by the daughter of a customer of ours, who was also a champion cattle showman back in his 4H days.

After their baths, the cows are all clean and fluffy.  Fans help keep them cool in the barns.

Milking still has to happen.  I always cringe at first at how bony the dairy cows look, but it’s totally normal and totally okay.  Check out Dairy Carrie’s post here for more.

The Innovation Pavilion was next.

Chad learned all about precision farming and seed dropping technology.

Baaaaaaaaaaa.  This sheep is super glam in her Lambie Jammies, designed to keep her warm and comfortable after shearing.

Spandex is another popular version of the Lambie Jammies.  Not as stylish in my book.

I like looking at horses.  They did not like looking at me.

Some 4H kid got out of giving his horse a bath today.  That’s a nice Dad right there.

We ducked into “Grandpa’s Barn” to see all the babies.

The baby alpaca wins for Most Fluffy.

There were baby chicks to look at.

And baby chicks to hold.  Don’t squeeze!

And goats playing king of the mountain.

These little guys were practicing their milking skills.  Future farmers, right there.

I’m glad we got to visit the Clay County Fair, and I’m thankful for the agriculture exposure that fairs bring to people who are a little more removed from the origins of their food.

And, I get to cross that one off my list!