City slickers would say that some Lakeside mothers have an unusual way of spending Mother’s Day.
City slickers would say that some Lakeside mothers have an unusual way of spending Mother’s Day.
But not so to some country at heart gals who wouldn’t have it any other way. They’re up at the crack of dawn to help their 4-H and Future Farmers of America kids load prize animals into trailers to take them to the Eastern San Diego County Jr. Fair held at the Lakeside Rodeo grounds. It will be held from May 12 to 17 and all are welcome to come to see that country spirit is alive and well in East County. It is open to the public free from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m.
Mothers dutifully load the animals in horse trailers, haul them to the rodeo grounds, then sit in long lines waiting for their child’s animals to be signed in, weighed, tagged, and then mothers and kids take a class to learn the rules for the contestants. Following that they help the kids with the animals into a pen that will be it’s home for the week. Now the decorating of the pens takes place, especially by the girls who want theirs to look the prettiest.
Animals being shown and judged at the fair are pigs, goats, sheep, beef, chickens, rabbits, dairy, boer goats and guinea pigs. In the Home Arts department show there are plants and flowers, sewing, cooking, crops, agriculture mechanics, woodworking and robotics.
Cathy Quick, the smiling face behind the counter at Carters Feed Store, said, “Lets admit it. Not all mothers are happy about spending their Mother’s Day morning doing this job. Some still have dreams of grandeur, laying in bed, having breakfast served, hair combed, nails manicured. But this is not reality for 4-H mothers with kids.”
According to Lennie Meyer, who is Swine Leader for Sagebrush 4-H, her grandmother, Fay Mundy, started this whole thing 35 years ago and it has stayed the same. She wants to start up a new tradition and have the men and boys cook a meal for the mothers, but so far the idea has been a hard sell.
Some of the 4-H and Future Farmers of America families from out of town, such as Japatul, Alpine, Mt. Empire and Jamul come prepared to camp on the rodeo grounds so they can be up close and personal to their beloved animals because the kids have to feed them at 7 a.m. before they go off to school every day and then again at evening, plus it is their responsibility to keep the animals pens clean.
The various 4-H Clubs in the dining hall prepare dinners each evening at 5 p.m. and the public is welcome to join in the fun of eating there too. Meals cost $6. On Friday evening there will be a special $12 steak dinner prepared by the Cow Bells and the proceeds go toward Investment For Youth scholarships.
Animals are shown by the youth every day beginning at 1 p.m. and the public is welcome to watch the excitement. Monday pigs will be shown, Tuesday sheep, goats and dairy, Wednesday, beef, Thursday, swine Showmanship and Friday Master Showmanship. Saturday is the award ceremony and the big animal auction and anyone can join in the fun of bidding for an animal. Bob Jones will be the auctioneer.
Quick, who was the chairman of the Jr. Fair BBQ Dinner and auction fundraiser for many years added her sentiments about the Jr. Fair, “This is one of the last of it’s kind in all of California, it is not carnival rides or vendors, it is strictly for kids and their animals.”
