Raystown Rabbit Ranchers 4-H Club Presentation

Saturday afternoon I was invited to the Raystown Rabbit Ranchers 4-H Club meeting to give my presentation.  The club participated in the various 'Minute To Win It' games that I had and enjoyed them!  Thank you for inviting me to your meeting and for participating in the Farm Safety 4 Just Kids presentation!

Mr. Mykut's 4th Grade Class at Juniata Valley Elementary School Presentation

Monday afternoon, December 21st, I was invited to Mr. Mykut's 4th grade classroom to teach the kids farm safety.  These active students participated in a germ safety activity along with playing some minute to win it games!  We even had Mrs. Beck and Mrs. Johnson try the 'Face the Cookie' game which the kids enjoyed the most.  Thank you Mr. Mykut and students for having me come to your classroom, I had a great time!

Christmas Article

The playing of music, aroma of fresh baked Christmas cookies and the look on children’s faces as they see Santa are some of the many joys of Christmas!  The hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping and various musical events can be very stressful but this is the time of year that you need to step back and remember the reason for the season.

                This is the time that adults can become children again and remember the joy that Christmas always brought them. During this season, love, care and remembering the old times are the greatest gifts that can be received.  My most fond memories of Christmas is the Christmas Eve party with my family, going to see the Lights on the Lake with my mom and siblings and putting up the Christmas tree the Saturday after every Thanksgiving.    My favorite memory of all was always baking Christmas cookies with my great-grandmother and listening to her talk about what the true reason of the season.  She always said that the most important thing during the holidays is to be with family and continue your traditions no matter what the situation was.  This past year of not having my grandmother here, I took her words of wisdom to heart.  I learned that being with others and bringing joy to others during the holidays is the best gift of all.  The gift of giving is an endless cycle that can’t be broken even giving someone a friendly hello or a warm smile can make their holidays the best knowing someone cares.

                So this Christmas, remember your memories of Christmas with a smile and maybe relive them.  Continue your traditions whether it’s the Elf on the Shelf sneaking around your house, baking a birthday cake for Jesus, throwing reindeer food in your drive or waiting up to see Santa come down the chimney.  Most of all, remember to be a child again and give the gift that keeps giving.  I hope that all of you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Southern Huntingdon Ag Classes- Farm Safety Presentation

Yesterday, I was able to spend my day at the Southern Huntingdon Agriculture Room teaching about farm safety! These students learned about farm safety, the background history of the Farm Safety 4 Just Kids program and some fair history. They participated in "Minute to Win It" games that included putting a puzzle together, moving a cookie from their forehead to their mouth, transporting cotton balls from one bowl to another using only their noses, keeping 3 balloons in the air along with the famous Junk in the Trunk game! Thank you to Mrs. Sellers and the Southern Huntingdon County FFA for inviting me to your classroom for the day!

Standing Stone Elementary School Farm Safety Presentation

This afternoon, I got the opportunity to visit Mrs. Metz's 1st grade at Standing Stone Elementary School.  These 18 students learned about Sun, Water, Chemical, Fire, Equipment, Animal, Tick and Germ Safety!  We participated in an activity that involved lotion, soap, water and lots of glitter to show how germs spread on your hands.  The kids enjoyed this activity very much and learned that germs can spread to other people and objects as they touch everything in the room!  I am so glad that I was able to interact with these children and spread awareness of safety on the farm or at home and promoting our great fair!  This presentation reminded me of the true reason of why I wanted to become the Huntingdon County Fair Queen; it was to promote the fair that gave so much to me and educate our next generation while enjoying time with them!  Thank you Mrs. Metz's 1st grade class for allowing me to come and visit!  Stay in tune for my next blog as I will be traveling to Southern Huntingdon County High School to give my Farm Safety Presentation!

Huntingdon County Christmas Parade

On December 6th, Mandy, Nadine, Lauren, Katie and myself participated in the Huntingdon Christmas Parade!  The rain stopped long enough for a successful parade and an enjoyable evening!  Thank you to Huntingdon Regional Fire and Rescue as well as the Huntingdon Moose for sponsoring this parade!

It's Buck Fever Time!

If you are showing signs of ungroomed facial hair, early morning rising, dressing in orange and camo, scoping out the best tree stand location and preparing the gun for opening day, it’s safe to say that you have a serious case of Buck Fever!  Buck Fever effects all hunters during the months of November and December.  There are two treatments for this case, opening day of Deer season and Hunting Safely!

                Always be SMART when out in the woods conquering the beast of the season.  S-safe direction, M-make sure, A-always check, R- respect firearms, and T-trigger caution are five of the MOST important safety rules of hunting. When carrying or holding a gun, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe position away from people.  Before aiming, always identify your target and the surroundings around your target.  Always treat your firearm as if it were loaded, this will ensure your own safety and anyone that might be around you.  Also no fingers on the trigger until you are absolutely ready to shoot.

                  When in the woods, you must wear fluorescent orange so other hunters can identify you clearly.  With the use of tree stands, wear a safety harness or restraint to ensure that if you do lose your balance you will not fall to the ground.  Never shoot the gun directly upwards or at a high angle because the bullet will have enough energy to travel another 1 ½ miles.

                For the other half of the population, that may not have Buck Fever but dread driving during deer season for the fear of deer crossing the road, follow these safety tips.  Throughout the fall months, deer cross roads more often to find a mate during “rut”.  Last year, there were 124,000 deer-vehicle accidents reported.  This statistic put Pennsylvania second in the nation for deer-vehicle collisions resulting in a 1 in 76 chance of hitting a deer.  Remember, that deer travel in packs so if one crosses the road, watch for others.  Deer are more active from sunset to sunrise so if traveling during those hours keep an eye out.  When a deer crosses in front of you, the first instinct for some is to swerve, that is actually the worst thing that you could do.  If you swerve, you have a greater chance of losing control of your car and flipping or hitting another vehicle. 

                So if you will be traveling on the road or in the woods this deer season, use caution and remember these safety tips!  To all safe travels and to those of you that have caught BUCK FEVER, good luck!

Huntingdon County Agriculture Association Banquet

Thursday evening, I was honored to be at my county's Agriculture Association Banquet!  During the banquet, we relived the past year of the Huntingdon County Fair and honored Kayla Wright and Megan Forgy who received the Msgr. John Mignot Scholarship.  Congratulations to Marra Aurand and Katie Anderson for being chosen to be this year's Junior Fair Board members!  I was able to deliver a speech thanking the association for allowing me to represent the bigger and better Huntingdon County Fair!  I got to spend the evening with our fair, my fair queen moms, my mom and four of our past fair queens.  It was a great evening!!

Huntingdon County 4-H Banquet

This evening I was invited to the Huntingdon County 4-H Banquet to recognize our county's 4-H members on their year's outstanding achievements!  Congratulations to all of our members who were nominated and showed this past year at the fair!  I was honored to have received the 4-H Development Fund Scholarship!  I can't wait to see what these members have in store from us for the 2015 Huntingdon County Fair! Once thank you 4-H members, their parents and leaders for a great year!


Below is my speech that I gave at the beginning of the banquet:

"Good evening!  It’s hard to believe that 3 months have passed since fair!  I’m sure each and every one of you made memories that will last a lifetime, I know I made plenty!  Here we are tonight celebrating your year’s accomplishments and reliving memories.  Without your participation in the fair each year, we wouldn’t have Johnson Hall or the Livestock and Horse Barns, so thank you for not only showing but displaying your passion of agriculture for all to see.  To think that there are only 9 months until the 2015 fair so get your creative juices flowing for new and exciting projects.  Your leaders have been planning a fun year for all of you but remember to thank them for all their dedication to our 4H program!  Without them, we wouldn’t have 17 4H clubs in our county!  Over the next 9 months, learn new techniques for projects you have already taken, take a leadership role in your club and plan fun presentation such as Farm Safety 4 Just Kids.  Whatever you do, remember all of you are winners just like you are tonight!  On behalf of the fair board, your leaders, your parents and myself, I would like to say we are all so very proud of you and can’t wait to see what you have in store for the 2015 Huntingdon County Fair!"  

Spooktacular Safety Tips

It’s that time of year again to put on the scariest costumes, visit haunted houses, carving pumpkins and the kids’ favorite trick or treating!  Every kid looks forward to dressing up like their favorite character, their favorite witch or ghost.  Before you travel with your kids and friends, this upcoming week keep these safety tips in mind.

                The costume for the night gives the residents excitement of guessing who the child dressed up like.  All costumes should be short enough that they don’t drag on the ground and cause the child to fall.  Masks and props always bring the costume together but make sure the masks has enough ventilation and eye sight while the props should be flexible and plastic to prevent injury.  Since trick or treating is normally during the hours of 5 and 9 at night, your child should have a reflective strip on their costume or bag and carry a flashlight or glow stick so drivers can see you on those not so well lighted streets.  Wear the most comfortable shoes, you don’t want to be sore after walking a short distance!  Once you have met all these tips, it’s time to go get candy!!

                When out and about on the streets visiting neighbors, travel in a group with a responsible adult.  Your chaperone and you should only visit houses with the lights on but never enter them!  Although you may think you can see all the decorations in the yard, you shouldn’t cross it because you may not see a decoration or trip over a cord.  Trick or treating is meant to be fun memorable night, not a night to be sent to the ER for an injury.

                This year make your experience enjoyable, memorable and even cost-efficient!  When thinking of your costumes, come up with something creative and something you could make yourself.  Way back to when I was little, my mom made most of mine and my siblings’ costumes!  One year, I was a bag of groceries, my brother was a basket of laundry while my sister was Dora the Explorer, like she was every year.  Those costumes were all from household items and created the most memorable costumes we ever had!  Plus if you have younger children, they can help you make the costume making it more fun for them and give them something to brag about!  So this Halloween try something new, and follow these tips to guarantee your family a spooktacular Halloween!    

Hartslog Day 2014

Sorry I'm so late posting this, I've been a little busy!  Last Saturday (October 11th), myself and Alison (Queen Ambassador) participated in the annual Hartslog Day Parade!  Although it was quite cold and drizzled a little, we had a great time seeing the face of children light up and smelling all the wonderful food!  Before the parade, Polly (a family friend) was standing beside this little girl who wanted to meet the "princess" aka the Fair Queen!  I soon found out this little girl's name was Marissa and someday wanted to become a princess and wear a crown just like me.  Meeting this little girl reminded me of myself when I was her age wanting to become a princess and do the princess wave.  Not only did I make Marissa's day, she also made mine so much better!  A special thank goes out to my friend, Eric for driving me around in his father's restored '87 Ford F150!  It was a great time to spend with him and Alison!

Happy National 4H Week!

“What is 4-H?”  That is a question that many have been asking since 1902.   A.B. Graham of Clark County, Ohio, started one of the first 4-H clubs.  Graham called it the “Tomato Club” or “Corn Growing Club” to attract the farming community.  Studies had shown that farmers weren’t growing with technology and not accepting the new ways so Graham and many others reached out to the children to teach their parents.  In 1912, these clubs were named “4-H clubs” after Jessie Shambaugh developed the four leaf clover pin. 

 Since 1902 4-H has changed in many ways.  The main idea of 4-H is simple: help young people and their families gain skills needed to be active in their communities to create an innovative economy.  Through these clubs, members gain communication skills, life skills and leadership skills from ages 8 - 18.  Members can also participate in many conferences where they develop some of these qualities and make friends from all over the state of Pennsylvania.

Many think that 4-H is made for kids that live in the countryside and all you do is raise animals.  There are two assumptions in that last statement that are wrong!  Did you know that Jackie Kennedy, former US First Lady, was a 4-H member along with Faith Hill, David Letterman and even former Vice President Al Gore?  They took the skills that they developed through 4-H and used it to their abilities to help make a better life for themselves!  As for only raising livestock, that is one of the more than 150 projects that members can choose from!  Members can learn to quilt, to sew, to make ceramics, and even grow their favorite vegetable in their backyard.

I have recently finished my last year of 4-H and developed so much from it that I still use today.  I started with my projects of quilt, glass etching, tye-dye, cake decorating, flower arranging and public speaking. Over the years, I learned to sew many things and even sewed 4 of my 6 homecoming dresses for my high school homecoming dances!  Through public speaking, I’ve gained many friends and the confidence to speak in front of people.  Doing these projects gave me qualities to fix simple things such as a tear in my jeans, liven up my apartment with some artificial flowers and even quilt a t-shirt quilt that represents my high school years.  4-H has taught me so much more than just agriculture so why not get your child involved.  If they are between the ages of 8 and 18, contact the Huntingdon County 4-H Extension Office at 814-643-1660 to learn more and get the contact information for the leaders of our 19 4-H clubs in Huntingdon County!

"Not Just For Farmers Anymore"

In 1944, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the proclamation declaring the third week of September to be National Farm Safety and Health Week!  The agriculture industry is the most dangerous in the United States having a death rate of 3.2%!  As you are reading this, I’m sure you’re thinking I don’t live on a farm so why should I learn farm safety.  Well my answer is as clear as the title of the article!

                You are driving down a road used by many farmers and you’re speeding because you are going to be late for a meeting, when suddenly you rear-end a tractor causing him to roll over.  Now what could you have done differently to have prevented this, it’s as simple as learning farm safety.  During harvest season, you will see more tractors on the road trying to get the job done before the winter snow falls. While driving on a rural roads, you should always look for signs of a farm or farm equipment.  All farm equipment should be labeled with an orange triangle displayed on the back warning you that it’s a slow moving vehicle.  I know many of you get impatient when following slow moving vehicles but always remain calm and have some patience; the driver will pull over when possible, they don’t drive on the road to torture you, they do it to feed you.  To ensure your safety, follow at a safe distance so the driver can see that you are behind them.  Do not honk because most likely they won’t hear you over the engine.  Also, set a good role model for the children in the car so when they start driving they know the correct way to drive.  Now with this knowledge you won’t become one of the many statistics, last year in Pennsylvania there were 87 accidents involving farm equipment with two being fatal.

                Throughout the week, don’t forget to learn other safety rules!  When outside in the woods preparing for archery season, remember to wear long pants and always check for ticks the moment you come back in.  Riding ATVs can always be fun until someone gets hurt so remember your protective gear!  Also label all chemicals because it can be difficult to determine which one is a chemical or a drink.  If you would like to know more about farm safety hop on farmsafetyforjustkids.org and if you would like to have a presentation for your organization email me at sarah15.jefferis@gmail.com. 

Happy Shroomtember!!

I’m sure many of you were shocked and curious to read this especially after the title.  Well did you know that September is National Mushroom Month, also known as “Shroomtember”? This is a big deal for many Pennsylvanians’ since we are the leading producer in the United States thanks to a small town in Chester County!  Kennett Square is known as the Mushroom Capital of the World producing half of America’s mushrooms yearly.  This mushroom growing area was started by the Quakers when they brought over mushrooms to continue the growing industry.  In southeastern Pennsylvania, the soil is perfect, due to its dampness, that the mushrooms double their size daily.

                Mushrooms are extremely healthy for you as you may know they have great benefits for you!  These vegetables are low in calories, fat free, low in sodium, cholesterol free and naturally gluten free, along with many nutrients such as selenium (antioxidants), riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin D, and potassium.  “Shrooms” are used in various weight management diets with all of its rich nutrients and there are many studies being done stating that mushrooms decrease the likelihood of tumor growth.  Many folklores say that in ancient times, rulers actually decreed that no commoners could have mushrooms since they enjoyed them so much.  They also believed that mushrooms gave them super-human strength and led their soul to the realm of the gods.

                In celebration of Shroomtember, try a different mushroom dish for every day! I know this month, my family and I are trying “Meatball Stuffed Mushrooms”! You can find any recipe on Google, Facebook or my favorite, Pinterest, so step out of the box and try something new.  After enjoying a new favorite meal, share it on Facebook so many more can celebrate Shroomtember with you!  Happy Shroomtember and enjoy all your delicious mushrooms meals!

                                                                                                                                           Sarah Jefferis

                                                                                             2014-2015 Huntingdon County Fair Queen

Newspaper Article Published August 28, 2014

Hello everyone! I’m Sarah Jefferis, the 2014-2015 Huntingdon County Fair Queen! I am so blessed and honored to represent the bigger and better Huntingdon County Fair over this next year! Fair week was the kick-off to my year.  It was filled with handing out ribbons at the various livestock shows, riding in the Antique Tractor Parade, working the Little Red Schoolhouse, drawing the winning numbers at the final cash drawing and even getting to hand out the Best Appearance Trophy at the Demolition Derby! At the end of this crazy week, I got to judge the Annual Wing-off held by the Fair Queen Committee and for a wing lover like me, judging was the perfect place for me!  I would like to personally thank Woody’s Bar-B-Q and Fat Freddie’s for donating their prize money back to Fair Queen fund!  I would also like to thank my court and junior ambassadors for all your help and memories during the week! After fair week, I jumped right into my duties starting with riding in the Orbisonia-Rockhill Homecoming Parade.  Thanks to Price Motor Sales for the sweet ride!  I recently attended the Shaver’s Creek Grange Meeting to give a presentation of my Farm Safety Board and answer their questions about our program and the fair.  I’m catching a short break by starting my freshman year at Venango College of Clarion University this fall! Although I will be away, I would still love to visit schools, 4H clubs, FFA chapters and any other organization to give my Farm Safety 4 Just Kids presentation and promote the fair!  You can email me at sarah15.jefferis@gmail.com to set up a time so I can come visit!  If you want to keep up with my recent events and activities, hop on the Huntingdon County Fair website and read my blog; maybe even leave a comment of your most treasured memory of the 2014 Huntingdon County Fair!  Keep treasuring your memories!

                                                                          

                                                                                             

Shaver's Creek Grange Meeting

So this is really late but I attended the Shaver's Creek Grange Meeting last Monday night.  Myself and Linda, my fair queen mom, went out and enjoyed a lovely dinner with the grange.  We had meatballs, fruit salad and macaroni salad. Can you say yum!!!! They also celebrated Jean's 90th (sorry if I'm wrong) Birthday with awesome cake and ice cream! The beginning of the meeting I got to present my Farm Safety 4 Just Kids safety board and gave them some safety tips while informing them of what my year will be full of. They were full of questions about the program and how the state pageant was laid out.  I had a great time speaking with the Grange and some even shared some stories about the fair in their day!  So thank you once again for inviting me and thank you for the awesome Grange cookbook, I'm using it in college!!!

Ag Progress Day

Yesterday I was invited to go attend Ag Progress Days up in Rock Springs, PA.  I was able to work the American Lamb Growers Association booth with a great group of people.  I got to meet the Pennsylvania Lamb and Wool Queen and Princess, who are both from Somerset County!  Throughout the day, I made gyros that used lamb meat instead of beef or chicken that many are used to.  At this booth, they also sold lamb sandwiches. Most of all, I got the chance to talk with sheep raisers and hear numerous facts of different things related to sheep.  I also got to hear Ken Soder's stories from when he lived in Montana and raised over 2000 sheep on one ranch.  Did you know that Montana sheep shearer's shear about 135 sheep a day leaving that to one lamb every 3 minutes?!?!  I also got the chance to walk around and look at the different vendor spots. Yesterday was a busy day but a day filled with fun! Thank you to Ken Soders for inviting me for the day!

Orbisonia-Rockhill Homecoming Parade

Tonight I traveled to Orbisonia with my mother and Tracey Bousum to ride in the Orbisonia- Rockhill Homecoming Parade.  Since I have no experience with the streets of Rockhill, you can say we got a little confused but found our spot....eventually!  Price Motors Sales was generous enough to send a driver and truck out for me to ride in.  Dale, my driver, and I watched a twirling group for 45 minutes and listened to the same two songs for the entire parade!!! Thanks a bunch Dale for driving me in the parade even though we didn't know where we were going at first! I had a blast! Good luck to all the Queen and Princess contestants this week! Another appearance in the books until tomorrow at Ag Progress Days!!!

Last Day of the Huntingdon County Fair

I can't believe that the fair is over already! It went by way too fast!! Sorry I didn't get to post yesterday it was a long and busy day! Amanda, Megan, Emily (Huntingdon County Dairy Princess)and I had to get up super early to attend the Grange Breakfast.  We got to enjoy a delicious meal of various casseroles, muffins, fruit and homemade cinnamon rolls.  The cinnamon rolls were the best! The Grange then held a ceremony to honor the recipients of the community service award.  This year's recipients are our rabbit superintendents, Donald and Helen Harnish Sr.  This couple have been involved with the fair for 42 years and have been a major part of the Huntingdon County Fair.  Congratulations Donald and Helen! I got to spend the afternoon with my fair queen moms, my court and the Junior Ambassadors at the wing-off.  I was lucky enough to judge the contest with Colette, Jamie Hicks, Logan Booher, and Jeff Metz and decide which business had the best hot, B-B-Q and specialty wings.  Cassville Country Store, Woody's BBQ, CC'S Wings and Things and Fat Freddie's were our four participants.  Congratulations to all the winners! I would like to send a major thank you out to Woody's and Fat Freddie's for donating their prize money back to the Fair Queen Program!  Megan and I got to attend the Demolition Derby and present the award for best appearance.  I got to spend the last hour at the fair office drawing for the cash prizes! Congratulations to all cash prize winners! Before I conclude my last post from the Huntingdon County Fair, I would like to say that this past week was amazing!  I have made many memories that will last a lifetime!  Like Saturday, I fell off the scale at weigh-in and fell in manure but oh well! Sunday, I was crowned the new queen and I still can't tell you how I exactly feel! I had a blast showing with all the other exhibitors and watching the Premier Showman Contest. Milking a cow is something that I won't forget since my cow didn't want milked and jumped every time I touched her. During the Public Speaking Contest, Tyler and I made the most of our last public speaking contest.  We made faces and tried making each other laugh or smile during the speeches! Little things like these memories make us who we are and is what brings us back together every year for the Huntingdon County Fair! So you do you come back every year? The memories that you made this year, I hope are what bring you back August 9-15 to the 2015 Huntingdon County Fair!

Day Six of the Huntingdon County Fair

Well today was a huge day for our exhibitors, it's the day that the market animals leave! Our Junior Livestock Sale started at 9am in the Large Show Arena with the selling of the hogs.  We then continued to sheep, meat pens, goats, steers and dairy beef.  After the meat pens were sold, the Dairy Promotion auctioned off items for the dairy scholarship.  The biggest item sold for the scholarship was a red and white heifer that was bought by Kaleb Isenberg to start off his dairy farm.  Throughout the day, I helped run slips, talked with buyers, got pictures with the grand and reserve animals and sold my pen of rabbits along with my dairy beef, Yogi.  I would like to thank all the buyers from today's sale for supporting the 4H and FFA programs.  Personally I would like to thank World Marketing for buying my meat pen and Pamela Stern from Nationwide Insurance for purchasing my dairy beef!  There were tears shed from many members, young and old, as they walked into the show ring and even walking their animal onto the trailer to say their final goodbyes.  As you look back to the time you got raising your animal, you realize it was more than just a pet for many.  It was like having another member of the family that you will always have memories with!  With the sale ending at 5pm, we had sold 500 heads to various businesses, farmers, politicians, and families!  After the long day of selling, I finally got some time to relax and hang with friends.  My Fair Queen Moms (Amy, Billie and Linda) decided to ride the Ferris wheel which was a bad choice on our part!  After all the heart stopping, stomach dropping and sweaty palms we decided to never ride it again! At least we got some nice pictures from the top!!  After that I sat with my calf until 11pm for him to be loaded on the trailer.  My calf and several others were traveling to Everett last night to be loaded again this morning to head out West.  All in all, today was a day that will be "treasured" by many!  Come tomorrow to enjoy a day of food and entertainment. Tomorrow night, we have Chris Woodward on the Midway Stage, the Demo Derby at the Grandstand and the Central Pennsylvania Holstein Championship Show (Black and White Show).  If you like wings stop by Neary Hall at 2pm for the annual WingOff! We have four participants, Cassville Country Store, Woody's, Fat Freddie's, and CC'S Wings and Things!  Come and enjoy the last and final day here at the Huntingdon County Fair!

Day Five of the Huntingdon County Fair

Another crazy day is in the books!  This morning was the quiet no hassle morning where exhibitors got to sleep in since there were no morning shows!  I was able to relax and not rush because I wasn't needed until 11 to watch the Premier Showman Contest.  This contest featured seven exhibitors: Brooke Emery (rabbits), Chely Miller (goats), Cristina Kern (pigs), Katie Anderson (sheep), Michael Yoder (dairy beef), Valerie Coleman (steer), and Amanda Fisher (dairy).  These exhibitors were asked to show each species for two judges to become the Premier Showman.  After a long and hard decision, the Mac Trophy will be traveling back to Southern Huntingdon in honor of Cristina Kern winning! Congratulations Cristina and other exhibitors! The Clifford McElrath Scholarship were given to three showman for their further education. Congratulations Allie Miller, Kendra Semple and myself!  The Youth Public Speaking Contest was directly afterwards were I got to present my speech, "Why Should You Come to My Fair?".  I got to spend the afternoon with a long lost friend, Tyler Watkins, making faces at each other during our speeches!  Congrats to all public speaking participants its extremely brave to get up and speak in front of a crowd!  I got a break quick before going on WTAJ for an interview with John Clay.  Myself, Emily Davis (Huntingdon County Dairy Princess) and Danielle Varner (Pennsylvania Alternate Dairy Princess) were asked to bring our favorite fair food to showcase to the viewers.  Emily brought an ice cream cone, Danielle brought cheese pizza and I brought a snowball.  It was great to be able to show our viewing area what our favorite "treasure" at the fair was! I then rushed to the Little Red Schoolhouse where I was entertained with two ambassadors, Lissy and Katie.  At seven I was asked to be part of the Celebrity Milking Contest at Dairy Fun Night with Marra Aurand (Miss Altoona), Rufus Brenneman (Chief of Police), George Zanic (Huntingdon Judge), Mike Fleck (Representative) and John Clay (WTAJ broadcaster). I was put with the stubborn cow that didn't want to be milked whatsoever! After trying the cow done, I was given a cow that actually wanted to be milked.  Congratulations to Mike Fleck and Marra Aurand for winning!  My court and I stuck around to watch the ice cream eating contest, animal dress-up, milk chugging contest, and the wheelbarrow race.  It was a great evening celebrating with the Dairy Promotion Program! Well tomorrow is the Junior Livestock Sale so stop on by to support our 4H and FFA members.  Come and "treasure the memories" before the week is over!! Hope to see you here!!

Day Four of the Huntingdon County Fair

Can you believe that we are halfway through the Huntingdon County Fair?? I know I can't it's going way too fast!!  My hectic day started off with the lovely rain storm that hit the fairgrounds leaving it cold and damp. I tried waiting the storm out but no luck with that so my sister and I washed our calves in the rain.  We should of just washed them outside the barn instead of using the wash rack! Luckily the rain held off for the rest of the day to warm up just in time for Senior Citizens' Day!  I got the opportunity to welcome the senior citizens to the fair and watch some of the activities. They did sing-a-longs with Dan and Gala, a scavenger hunt of crazy things they carry and watched the Antique Tractor Parade!  The whole event brought a smile to my face seeing the generation before me coming back to something they attended when they were my age and have a great time was awesome!  I got the pleasure to ride with Clair Grove in his 1928 yellow car through the midway along with Huntingdon County Dairy Princess, Emily Davis, Megan Forgy, Amanda Fisher and the Junior Fair Ambassadors.  Although I had to jump ship at the fair office to run back and get ready for my dairy beef show, I had a great time as always with Clair! Thanks Clair for hauling all of us girls around for the afternoon! I finally got to have my time with showing even though I didn't do as great as I hoped, I'm proud of the how great the other exhibitors did!  Congratulations to all exhibitors whether you won or lost, you are still a winner at heart with all the hard work you put in throughout the summer! This evening Penn Valley Shows provided the fair board and myself a fabulous dinner!  Tonight is my night to relax so I'm stopping down at the talent show and grabbing a frozen cheesecake on a stick! YUMMMM!!!!! I can definitely say that today was my busiest day out of the week but it was wonderful.  Now tomorrow head on out to check out the Premier Showman Contest, the Truck Pulls or even join the fun at Dairy Fun Night!!  Come on out to "treasure the memories" with your family, friends or even friends that you will reunite with here at the Huntingdon County Fair!!

Day Three of the Huntingdon County Fair

Well another day of shows have hit the books! On this hot muggy then cold day, we held the market hog, market lamb, open dairy, and horse show! I started my day off at the market hog show handing out ribbons and watching exhibitors vie for the title of Grand Champion Market Hog.  I had a great time with pig volunteers and our 2009 fair queen, Kelsey Dysard.  There were many laughs and many "what was that number that just left the ring" and "how many pigs are in the ring".  I can definitely say that I learned a valuable lesson on how to "properly" count pigs because you know you need that in your everyday life!!  This afternoon, I got the opportunity to handle my calves to prepare him for show tomorrow afternoon.  I even got to meet our daily sponsor, Valley Rural Electric Cooperative and visit with them since my uncle is a big part of the company.  Not only did I get a chance to catch up with my uncle but I got a chance to talk with a group of people that donate to our fair to have the fair happen. So thank you Valley Rural!!  From 5-7pm, I was at the Little Red Schoolhouse at got to meet four children and got to talk with them.  Two of these children were from Maryland and came just for the fair! How wonderful is that knowing people from all over come to the Huntingdon County Fair!  This picture included is of the masterpiece of what Jayla and Summer created during their time in the schoolhouse! We would love to have more children stop by the schoolhouse so stop on by and check out our place!  I got the opportunity to watch the market lamb show and check out our midway and of course, food vendors!  Those CC's fries and Hewlett hot sausage sandwich definitely hit the spot! Well another day is in the books and I got a packed schedule tomorrow so I will turn in so I won't have to drink caffeine to keep awake, even though I will.  Tomorrow is Senior Citizen's Day with Dan and Gala at the Midway Stage, the Antique Tractor Parade at 1pm, the Talent Show at 7pm and Mini Tractor Pulls in the Grandstand! We have the market steer show at 8am, dairy beef show at 1:30pm, and horse speed events at 5pm! Come on down and check out the shows or the entertainment, I'm sure you will find something that catches your eye! I hope to see you and your family here to "treasure the memories"!

Day Two of the Huntingdon County Fair

Day two of the fair was filled with livestock shows and entertainment! Today we had the pig showmanship and fitting show, the 4H and FFA show, the halter classes of the horses and breeding sheep show! The livestock barns were filled with exhibitors all day and even this evening clipping and washing their animals.  I started my day off traveling with one of my "Fair Queen Moms", Amy Houck, to Hunny 106 station to speak with Rick Hamilton about our fabulous fair! After having my quality mom time, I went to the pig show with Junior Ambassador, Shayla, to hand out ribbons and to watch the exhibitors show off their knowledge in front of the judge in hopes of being named Master Showman! Luckily this afternoon, I was able to get a little break before my hustle and bustle evening.  I got the opportunity to watch the breeding sheep show as a spectator and even learned some things about the different breeds.  Did you know that there are more than 40 breeds of sheep just in the United States??!!  Our Little Red Schoolhouse, located by Johnson Hall, opened for the first time since last year!  We only had two children come in but they got to kick off what I like to call "Kids' Farmtastic Coloring Contest"!!!  I also got to meet a special person tonight, McKenzi was one of the children and it was her 4th birthday! What a better way to celebrate your birthday than at the Huntingdon County Fair!! Happy Birthday McKenzi! My court and I would love to have some more children come to our schoolhouse to spread our farm safety knowledge so stop on by and color a picture to put on the wall and get a goodie after learning something new! Day two is in the books and I'm tired beyond compare so time to turn before day number 3! We have many shows tomorrow also along with entertainment on the Midway stage and the Antique Tractor Pull in the Grandstand!! Stop by to hear about my exciting day! Come and check out the premier agricultural fair in Pennsylvania next to the state farm show! Hope you and your family come to "treasure the memories"!

Day One of the Huntingdon County Fair

Good afternoon everyone! I'm Sarah Jefferis, the newly crowned 2014-2015 Huntingdon County Fair Queen! Through this blog, I will be informing you of my daily events such as the fair, presentations, banquets, and radio station interviews. Well before the fair even started I was busy getting ready for all the excitement, nerves and good times that come with the Huntingdon County Fair. To prepare for this incredible pageant, that I've been lucky enough to be part of for six years, I had to write an essay, "What my fair means to my community", a 3-5 minute speech "Why you should come to my fair", create a Farm Safety display board, take the judges on a tour of the fairgrounds, and go through the
interview.  This year we had 4 contestants for fair queen, myself, Alison Conrad, Megan Forgy and Amanda Fisher.  From 11:45 to 7:00 on Sunday we spent the day with our three wonderful judges  giving tours (even in the rain), interviews in our Little Red Schoolhouse and even enjoyed time with each other trying to get in our big gowns without getting muddy or wet! We got started with the pageant just in time of the thunderstorm. While on stage, we were to give an introduction, our speech and answer an impromptu question of the judges' choice. As we listened to Katie's farewell speech, you could feel the nerves and anxiousness of our queen contestants! Alison Conrad and Amanda Fisher were named our Fair Ambassadors. It came down to me and Megan and of course Gala kept the suspense alive explaining what the 1st runner up was given. Megan Forgy was named the 2014-2015 Huntingdon County 1st Alternate Fair Queen! At that point, all feelings that you can think of came to me and I didn't know what to say!  As Katie crowned me
and Gala gave me the mic to speak, I wasn't sure what I wanted to say other than thank you! The pageant ended with press and family taking pictures, many hugs, interviews and meeting our special guest, Kelsey Koontz the Bedford County Fair Queen! I definitely can say that by the end of the night my face was hurting from smiling!! I was able to walk around the fairgrounds with Alison to greet guest to the fair and take more and more pictures! During the hectic fair week, we have 11 Junior Fair Ambassadors to help with livestock shows and the wing off Saturday afternoon! Also while I was taking part of this competition we had two livestock shows taking place, the rabbit and goat show along with judging in Johnson, Owens, and Neary Hall. Opening day was quite the big day for all exhibitors and guests! Stay in touch with my blog where I will be updating daily throughout the week! Come and experience a place where you can "treasure the memories"!