Page 30 - Robeson Living Summer 2021

Not too Early to Plan for the Fair

By Shea Ann DeJarnette,
Summer is almost here. Students are getting ready for the final Extension 4-H Youth Development Agent
days of school, pools are filling with water, and the thermom-
eter has made it well over 90 degrees. Children are thinking green thumb. Did you know your sewing projects or the jam
about camp, outdoor fun, and anything they can eat on a stick. you learned how to make can be entered in the fair? Maybe the
Hmmmmmm...food on a stick also makes me think of our fa- painting you did with your friends turned out better than you
vorite fall activity, the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair. thought. Maybe you are particularly proud of the gourd you
Summer is a great time for youth and adults to start preparing grew this year. Well enter it in the fair.
those special home exhibit items.
If you examine the list, you will also notice there are items for
What can I do? How do I enter? What can I enter? How old adults (18 and up) and youth (under 18). This is particularly
do I have to be to enter? All are excellent questions! Let’s great because it means youth are competing against other youth
make this especially easy for everyone. There is actually a list who may have the same level of experience. The youth also
of items you can enter on the fair’s website (www.robeson- have a special place in the home exhibits building where all of
countyfair.com). The home exhibits list has everything: crops, their items are showcased. So, think about items they made
canned goods, plants, handicraft items, animals, and more. If during virtual camps last year, or think about Bible School
you don’t see your item there, that’s ok. Bring it in during projects, or the science project they made for school. There is
registration and our experts will see if they can find the cat- a place to enter all those items at the fair.
egory for it. They may even create a new one for you. You
might find something new to make this year. For example, Something to think about - since the fair did not happen in 2020
when quarantine hit, one crafter looked through the list and due to COVID, the home exhibits committee has decided to ac-
saw “Scherenschnitte”. What in the world is that? She looked cept items youth and adults made since the last fair in 2019.
it up online and found out it is the German for scissor cuts, and Essentially anything made from November of 2019 through
refers to paper-cutting design. A little more research and she September of 2021. Think about all the arts, crafts, and sewing
taught herself how to do it and is making the most amazing items accomplished in 2020 during our “safer at home” status.
paper creations, by hand, you have ever seen. However, you Those are all eligible. Before you load everything up, please
don’t have to make something new to you. Maybe you took remember it does not apply to things like canned items from
a class at our North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson 2020 that will be out of date by the time the fair takes place.
County Center, or took part in a painting class, or you have a Think and choose wisely when choosing your items to enter.

Page 30 Robeson Living ~ Summer 2021