Sunshine Fair opens with a large crowd
Aug. 9—The Schoharie County Sunshine Fair opened Tuesday, Aug. 9, with several people watching a variety of entertainment.
The grandstand had people of all ages sitting and standing in it to watch the harness racing, which was being announced by Douglas Cater, president of the fair board. Between two and six horses and their drivers competed in a race.
People walked through the Hall of Agriculture building looking at exhibits, including one from the Valley Beekeeper's Association. Member John DeMiss said he has had "bees off and on since 1977" and decided to volunteer to man the booth at the fair to help out the organization.
Live bees behind glass showed honeybees working in a hive and people could search for the queen. Information about the association and the important pollinator was also available, he said.
In the nearby showring, 4-H'ers were waiting in line to show their rabbits. Judge Rebecca Coombe asked each participant about the breed they were showing and about their rabbits.
It was Mackenzie Cook's first year showing, her father Tommy Cook said. Tommy, who is also the rabbit superintendent at the fair, said the number of rabbits entered at the fair has increased over last year. "There are 89 total this year," he said.
Tommy said he won the grand showmanship award in 1998 while he was in 4-H at the fair and his family raises Netherland Dwarf and Holland lop rabbits.
He said he and his mother painted the inside of the barn four weeks ago to update the building. "It took 10 coats of paint," he said.
This year, the poultry and rabbit cages are in the middle of the barn's walkway to ensure better airflow, which is important on hot days. Every morning exhibitors clean their cages and the floor is swept, he said. The section of the barn also holds the seven swine 4-h'ers are exhibiting during the week.
One of the children exhibiting a pig is Mollie Goblet-Schubert, who is a fourth generation exhibitor at the fair, her mother Elizabeth Goblet-Schubert said. "My father Jim and his parents started the farm," she said. "I am the third generation and my daughter is the fourth generation."
The four generations live on the Hessian Hill Farm, a 350-acre farm in Berne, Elizabeth said. The family raises sheep, pigs, beef and chickens for meat and raises red and white border collies, which they train as herding dogs on the farm, she said.
The fair will run through Sunday, Aug. 14.
For more information, visit the fair's website at sunshinefair.org.
Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.
