Preparing for the Fair!

If you like excitement, come to the Garrard County Extension office in June! I've done a little bit of everything so far this month and I think this has been the very best learning experience. From crafting with kids, to crafting with adults, cooking classes and everything in between there hasn't been a moments rest but that's all part of the fun.

So the very first day of June , I was charged with leading the monthly cooking class. We prepared six different summer drinks. I'll admit , I was a little out of my element. I have never done anything like that before in my life. So with 14 pairs of eyes on me, I clumsily measured out tablespoons of honey, added a little too much lemon juice and served up a rather sour lemonade. It's a different kind of pressure preparing food or beverages in front of an audience. Luckily, there was an evening class, and I decided mid day to let my inner Rachael Ray out to redeem myself. And by 7 o'clock , I had learned a thing or two about keeping my nerves in check and preparing a proper smoothie. Everyone seemed to enjoy the drinks and I enjoyed getting to know some of the Homemakers. I'm very thankful for their patience!

This was my favorite :
Try It!

Fresh and Fruity Party Punch

2 cans frozen cranberry/raspberry juice concentrate

2/3 the water called for on the juice concentrate

3 ( 6oz) cans pineapple juice

2 liter bottle of lemon lime soda – chilled

1 cup frozen raspberries

1 cup frozen blueberries

Mix frozen juice concentrate and water ( only 2/3 of what is called for) until completely combined. Add pineapple juice and stir. Make sure lemon lime soda is chilled and add it to the punch. Add as much ice as you want and frozen berries.

Makes 1 Gallon.

 

In the same week, the 4H Agent and I participated in the ROAR program at the Middle School that helps incoming sixth graders get acclimated to life as a middle-schooler and get to know kids from the other elementary schools in the county. We spent the first part of the week building bird houses with them. Luckily, I only came away with minor bruising. We had a good time though and did a little recruiting for 4-H camp. It also allowed me to get to know some of the students I would be spending the upcoming weeks with.

At the end of that week, I traveled the long and winding road to Jabez for Craft Camp. Garrard County was the host this year so I was proud to represent my county. The camp consisted of about 20 different classes, some for the the more experienced crafters ( quilting, needle tatting...stuff I have no clue about) and then there were a couple classes the more novice attendees like myself could enjoy. I was able to craft a Scrabble piece necklace and a coat hanger made from bent spoons. The spoon class was lead by a lovely lady from Garrard County, Sue, and myself. For weeks, we prepared for this class, beating spoons flat with a hammer and bending them around a pipe so that things could be hung from them. We showed the ladies how to use self-drilling screws and attach the spoons directly to a piece of barn wood. The result was beautiful! The drive to Jabez was sketchy but completely beautiful and it was a great trip!

The following week, I took a much needed vacation so unfortunately, I had to miss out on Teen Conference but the day I returned, I had to hit the ground running. For my personal project this summer, I elected myself to organize Day Camps for 4-H. Day 1 was a painting class and a woman from the art council in Lancaster came and helped each child paint their own acrylic masterpiece. She was wonderful and took her time  letting them create a unique and colorful fair-worthy painting. She even let me in on the action and helped me paint a beach scene.

Day 2 was Photography Day and Thank God for Eric Comley, our 4H agent. He's a photography nerd but the kids love him and he knows his stuff. We took the kids to Shaker Village in Harrodsburg and let them loose with their cameras and creativity. The kids had the best day and I learned some things about photography I hadn't known either.

Day 3 was a little more laid back, we did a scrapbooking day. The kids brought pictures from home and created pages they could enter into the fair. They had a good time and created some pretty pages but I may have over shot the time it takes for a 10 year old to get bored and my 4 Hour Scrapbooking class turned into 2 Hours of Scrapbooking and 2 hours of "Ships and Sailors", a game I had to bring from the depths of my memory to entertain 12 little girls for two hours. It worked and they had a blast!

Day 4 was the busiest by far! Dirt Day! A couple ladies from town came and for 6 hours we planted and decorated and watered and dug . The kids were able to create Fair-Entry worthy terrariums, Annual Container gardens, Vegetable Container gardens, a small potted tomato plant, and decorate clay pots with paint and pebbles for use as folk art! And of course, we had another round of "Ships and Sailors" once it was all said and done. They have filled up the fair pavilion with plants so I would call Dirt Day a success.

This week we are having the Garrard County Fair! Yesterday we spent the day taking entries and it was great to see all the kids bring in their projects from Day Camp. That's rewarding. And Last Night I got to witness my first Goat Show. This should be an exciting week!