On Wednesday, July 23, 2014, I had the opportunity to attend the Ann Sobrato High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) Show Day at the student club’s farm at 401 Burnett Avenue in Morgan Hill. With approximately 500 students in the local chapter, we watched 30 students with their animals practice for the big livestock show next week at the Santa Clara County Fair. As they described it, it was truly a “fun-filled, farm-packed, and admission-free day for the whole family.” Sobrato FFA Chapter President Zuha Aslam was quoted by the Morgan Hill Times stating “This year, we wanted to open it up to the community so that the people in our town can learn more about what we as FFA members learn about and experience.”
The agriculture teachers at Sobrato High School, Tanya Calabretta, Joe Martin, Adie Amador and Kirsti Whitmyre, are demonstrating how to manage and care for the animals and ultimately prepare the animals for showmanship at the fair. With about 50 animals to showcase, the students are meeting their teachers’ challenge and certainly made an audience full of parents and media representatives proud. They held a goats, lambs, and pigs show. Awards were given alongside a celebration with all afterwards.
It was so special to see the kids work so well with the animals. One is almost rendered speechless when you see a 600 lb mama pig with her five one-week old piglets. Apparently, the piglets are expected to travel and make an appearance at next week’s fair but mama will stay at home to rest. What a fun opportunity to see them in action!
For more details about the Animals show at the Santa Clara county Fair, see http://www.thefair.org/schedule.cfm
-Cheryl Ellemberg
Comments are closed.