The Desert Hills FFA Group recently made its annual appearance at the Maricopa County Fair, and the students had a great time showing their animals and competing for prizes.
Here are a few notes from FFA adviser Randall Kirby’s journal of the event:
“Yesterday was check-in day. We are showing two pigs, one goat and three pygmy goats. All of them made weight and are resting comfortably in their new (temporary) homes. The pigs are usually a headache at check-in, but not this year. We had no problem unloading, weighing and walking them to their pens.
“Daniel’s goat was another story. He might have been the only student at the fair carrying around his 80 pound goat. We’ve discovered that this a very social animal. She does not like to be left along or leave her new found friends next to her pen. It took Daniel an hour to get his goat from the pen to the scale. He did have to carry her, and she got even by head-butting him. These goats today!!
“ The pygmys have a different kind of excitement going on. It looks like we showed up at the fair with three goats, and we’ll be leaving with five. Alexis found out after registering for the fair that her goat is pregnant. Apparently the male got out one night, and now we know where he went.
“Today, Austin and Bree have their first show with the pigs. Austin has done this a time or two, but this is Bree’s first time showing a pig. Keep your fingers crossed!”
Students in Desert Hills’ FFA program raise a variety of animals and show them at fairs throughout the year. For more information about our Future Farmers of American chapter, contact the school offices at 480-813-1151.
