Summer is prime time for livestock kids. Not only are there jack pots and national shows to go to every weekend, but there are also county fairs and state fairs. While fair is usually the best time of the year for any stockshow kid, there is one thing that comes with fairs that gets on everyone's last nerves: tourists. You know, those people who stop their strollers in the dead center of the aisle when you are frantically trying to get to your class and the ones who ask a million of questions about things stockshow kids frankly find quite obvious. "What's your cows name?" "What's wrong with your pigs ears?" "Why aren't the sheep fluffy?" and the list goes on and on. While these questions lead to many eye rolls and finding creative ways to avoid a heavy flow of tourists by your pen (admit it you have purposefully kept the shavings and manure in the aisle to prevent people from passing through), we really shouldn't be avoiding these situations. As stockshow kids we should be embracing these chances to tell our story and what our industry is all about.
The average American is 3 generations removed from the farm. This means that fairs are basically the only time many people get to see pigs or cattle or sheep or any animals really up close and in person. They don't know some of the "obvious" things that we do. Many people think that all cattle are Holsteins, and that all "cows" are black and white. They don't get why the sheep at fair aren't all fluffy. They have no idea that pigs are ear notched for identification purposes and they don't have some crazy ear eating disease. Take this opportunity to clear up any confusion. Avoid rolling your eyes, even if there is a big sign pointing to where the big boar is at or where to find the closest bathroom. I'm not saying you should tell your every life detail to them, but I am saying be open to answering a couple questions. If they don't get the information from you, there is a good chance they will get the wrong information from social media. It's easy to just read something on the internet and accept that it's the truth. These people are taking the initiative to ask what is the real truth, and we have an obligation as an industry to show them.
Besides answering a couple questions, there are also things show kids can do within the barn to help ease the tense relationship with tourists. Stockshow kids: be polite. I know how irritating it is when some double wide stroller cuts off your barrow and you end up chasing him halfway across the barn minutes before your class is about to go in. Instead of getting angry with the tourists, simply say, "Excuse me". Tone also makes a huge difference in this situation. People can tell when you are annoyed, so try to keep it as cool and collected as possible. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. It's easy to get frustrated with your animals especially at fair, but how we treat our animals at fair is how the public thinks farmers treat their animals on the farm. It only takes one picture or video at the wrong time to tarnish an industry's reputation.
There are also things tourists can do to help keep the peace in the barns. First, get a map once you enter the fairgrounds. The exhibitors in the barns are not the workers of the fair so it's not their job to know where every single event or booth is on the fairgrounds. Also, be aware of YOUR surroundings. If a pig is coming right at you and your family, move off to the side of the aisle. If you're standing or stopping to look at something, make sure you aren't in the middle of an aisle or directly in front of a wash rack. And most importantly, ask before you touch an animal. Humans can pass diseases onto animals without being sick themselves. It's not that we think you are going to hurt them on purpose but we do want to be cautious for biosecurity reasons. It is also hard to predict how an animal will react to some stimulates. Safety for you and our animals are top priority, so please respect our boundaries.
I completely understand the frustration stockshow kids have with tourists. One year at state fair my family and I were fortunate enough to be penned right between the bathrooms and the big boar display with all our pigs coming in on a Saturday during fair. However, during that experience I was able to see an 8 year old boy penned next to us give multiple lectures to about 20 people at a time about his pigs and what he does on his farm. If an 8 year old can make an effort to educate somebody, any stockshow kid can. These tourists WANT to be there and see your projects. They LOVE to hear your stories from back home. They YEARN to see if what they read in the New York Times about livestock shows are true or not. Take advantage of this opportunity. We are an industry that focuses solely on committing our time to the care and well-being of our stock. Fairs are our time to showcase just that to the pubic.
The average American is 3 generations removed from the farm. This means that fairs are basically the only time many people get to see pigs or cattle or sheep or any animals really up close and in person. They don't know some of the "obvious" things that we do. Many people think that all cattle are Holsteins, and that all "cows" are black and white. They don't get why the sheep at fair aren't all fluffy. They have no idea that pigs are ear notched for identification purposes and they don't have some crazy ear eating disease. Take this opportunity to clear up any confusion. Avoid rolling your eyes, even if there is a big sign pointing to where the big boar is at or where to find the closest bathroom. I'm not saying you should tell your every life detail to them, but I am saying be open to answering a couple questions. If they don't get the information from you, there is a good chance they will get the wrong information from social media. It's easy to just read something on the internet and accept that it's the truth. These people are taking the initiative to ask what is the real truth, and we have an obligation as an industry to show them.
Besides answering a couple questions, there are also things show kids can do within the barn to help ease the tense relationship with tourists. Stockshow kids: be polite. I know how irritating it is when some double wide stroller cuts off your barrow and you end up chasing him halfway across the barn minutes before your class is about to go in. Instead of getting angry with the tourists, simply say, "Excuse me". Tone also makes a huge difference in this situation. People can tell when you are annoyed, so try to keep it as cool and collected as possible. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. It's easy to get frustrated with your animals especially at fair, but how we treat our animals at fair is how the public thinks farmers treat their animals on the farm. It only takes one picture or video at the wrong time to tarnish an industry's reputation.
There are also things tourists can do to help keep the peace in the barns. First, get a map once you enter the fairgrounds. The exhibitors in the barns are not the workers of the fair so it's not their job to know where every single event or booth is on the fairgrounds. Also, be aware of YOUR surroundings. If a pig is coming right at you and your family, move off to the side of the aisle. If you're standing or stopping to look at something, make sure you aren't in the middle of an aisle or directly in front of a wash rack. And most importantly, ask before you touch an animal. Humans can pass diseases onto animals without being sick themselves. It's not that we think you are going to hurt them on purpose but we do want to be cautious for biosecurity reasons. It is also hard to predict how an animal will react to some stimulates. Safety for you and our animals are top priority, so please respect our boundaries.
I completely understand the frustration stockshow kids have with tourists. One year at state fair my family and I were fortunate enough to be penned right between the bathrooms and the big boar display with all our pigs coming in on a Saturday during fair. However, during that experience I was able to see an 8 year old boy penned next to us give multiple lectures to about 20 people at a time about his pigs and what he does on his farm. If an 8 year old can make an effort to educate somebody, any stockshow kid can. These tourists WANT to be there and see your projects. They LOVE to hear your stories from back home. They YEARN to see if what they read in the New York Times about livestock shows are true or not. Take advantage of this opportunity. We are an industry that focuses solely on committing our time to the care and well-being of our stock. Fairs are our time to showcase just that to the pubic.