Cherry Hill Farm Duvall

Too busy to consistent fair updates this year. 🥴 But as always, it makes me so proud to see my kids participate in the fair competitions. Win or lose, it’s when people tell me how great they are as people that my heart swells the most. The Lord is using many things, including 4-H, to make my kids good people, who love people. They fight for what they care about, are willing to work hard, and love to help and encourage others.

Evergreen State Fair Snohomish County 4-H

Evergreen Youth Livestock Show update.
Thank you to the O’Malley family who bought Bethany’s rabbits and to Grace’s buyer also on Saturday night. Both girls are happy and thankful to the buyers and add in sponsors for making this a great project again this year.
Thanks again to Jacob Weaver Group eXp Luxury, Dill & Dahlia, Melanie Menge - your Exp Realty Broker, jackiephairowphotography, littlebearfarms duvalltv and so many friends and family.

The Reptile man never disappoints. Grace was excited to meet his friends at the evergreenfairpark the other day.

Let’s start the updates!

B&G will sell their rabbits in EYLS tomorrow night. They have both completed record books, posters, showmanship and type.
Grace grand champ peewee posted, roaster rabbit 4/17
Bethany gran champ intermediate showmanship, roaster rabbit 10/17

Bethany and Grace are thankful to their sponsors! Monroe Co-op, , Melanie Menge - your Exp Realty Broker .melanie, Dill & Dahlia, , Cherry Hill Farm Duvall and last year's buyer Les Schwab Tire Center (19134 Highway 2, Monroe)!

Still want to support their project with an add on? We can still add your logo to this cage sign to be on display at the fair and have your business announced during the sale! Please message me for more information or to ask the girls about their projects.

Buyers (and crowd hype-ers)- the Evergreen Youth Livestock Show is at the Evergreen State Fair on Saturday, 8/24, starting at 5 pm.

Hip hip (hippo) hurray for fair season!

Ain’t nothin moves faster than a show mom on a mission.

You know the scene. Who gets called up to fetch the boots we forgot in the truck, bee-line it to the show ring with another bucket of water, or summon that forgotten show stick in the trailer lot?

You guessed it. Mamacita.

These moms can peel out faster than a 17 year old in a muscle truck doin a burnout.

I’ve seen a state trooper yield to the left because he could feel the showmom on a mission coming up behind him. Smartly, he decided it was in his best interest to veer out of the way & let her pass ‘cause they ‘bout to risk it for the biscuit. That lady was walking faster than the speed of light through the steamy African heat of August in the Midwest. I was tempted to yell out to her in encouragement “Run like the wind, Bullseye!”

Just this week, an angelic state fair worker on a golf cart by the name of Richard saw the despair {read:demons} in my own eyes. He offered me a lift to my van - saving me the sacred 15 mins I did not have to spare - in order to fetch the banner for the backdrop pic.

On the way back from the van {hoofing it on my own now}, my phone dinged with the “you’re about to miss it” text. So…I tried jogging for a few feet… till I remembered that I am not, in fact, a jogger. I’m age 40 dang 4 people. An aged mare. I cannot risk rolling an ankle.

You’re with me now - the Chariots of Fire song is playing in your head as you’re nearing the handoff in slow motion. You’re sweatin like a hippo as you cross the finish line & look like you’ve just been lunged like a filly in the roundpen out back. Nothing sounds better to you at this point than to take a ranchy dip in a nearby watering hole. You’ve made it.

What happens next?

“What took you so long?”
somebody goin to die today

I mean, in theory, us showstock moms should all have bodies that resemble Olympian Athlete Simone Biles by now - am I right?

Fetching the forgotten items have worked my cardio enough for my phone to start firing off different health alarms everyday…”you’ve walked significantly more this week than 3 weeks ago…” Yes, Apple, well aware.

Logically, our arms SHOULD be as buff as our 15 year old sons from the massive amounts of tack & feed we’ve helped load & unload. Yet somehow, when I wave to my friend across the showpen, the undersides of my arms are flapping away like an American flag, slapping the face of the 10 year old sitting beside me. Sorry kid - this is the aging no one prepares you for. Consider yourself warned.

How we don’t all have the body of a long, lean gazelle is beyond me.
Maybe we just need to alter the feeding plan a little. Switch from full feed to hand feeding…maybe a little less Sumo, a little more Paylean. Add hydration…top dress with some Gut Bomb. Or - as the barrow judge said in the Chester class, maybe it’s just plain genetics & we’re all just “chubby made.”

Regardless, if power walking were an Olympic sport, you’d all be drippin in gold & Snoop would be doing your commentary instead of me.
Excuse me while I go stretch.

Check out Bethany and her home bred Rex Lilo! She is still looking for sponsors in addition to this one from Monroe Co-op.

Where’s the beef? He’s right here! Sofia and The Steer will be at the Evergreen Youth Livestock Show if you want to buy beef this year. Sofia has worked so hard all year long on this project. I know she has inspired Bethany to try a bigger animal next year (😳).
Come buy or cheer on all the EYLS kids on 8/24.

Silvana Community Fair last weekend is one of our favorites every year. Grace participated as a primary, Bethany won intermediate showmanship reserve overall. Her home grow Creme d’Argent doe won Creme best of breed.
Foot raced and potato sack races were raced, faces were painted, ice cream was eaten, a school friend was played with and I even saw a college professor.

Definitely a great day.

One of the joys and frustrations of farming is the farm and animals may not care what you have planned today.

Stoa was sent home early from summer camp because she seemed to be in the family way. She had miscarried last summer, but it seems she was rebred when I wasn’t paying attending. 🤣

Today she gifted us with one beautiful doeling. Kinder/ Kiko cross.

So despite what I had planned this afternoon, I made a summer birthing jug in the front yard. ❤️❤️❤️

Hey Snohomish County, want to take a pound puppy for a test drive?

🐾 Introducing Wandering Rover 🐾

We are so excited to announce the launch of our new program, Wandering Rover!

Wandering Rover launches on Wednesday, July 17th and was created to give our dogs a break from the shelter and to help give them more visibility in the community. A shelter pup can be checked out for the day and taken for a walk, a hike, to a dog-friendly restaurant or for a pup-cup at a cafe! These outings will allow the dog to 'advertise' themselves while also providing valuable insight to shelter staff on how they interact in a public setting.

LEARN MORE: https://www.everettwa.gov/3212/Wandering-Rover

Wandering Rover is available Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 10am starting Wednesday, July 17th. We welcome you to learn more and participate!

Dodger embarked on a cross country adventure this week to meet his new family in Minnesota. Despite never leaving the farm before he mastered the kennel, truck travel, motel, elevator, being “leash trained” by the 6 year old, and meeting his new farm and family. I was so impressed by how he did! Good boy Dodger!
We still have 3 dogs left looking for new farms.

Note the changes if you plan to show rabbits at EYLS this year. ❤️

My internet is all screwed up because I had to move my dish so that the can “mow” my front yard. 🤦🏼‍♀️

In other news, Red Velvet looks very happy with meeting her new family. She is off to protect a herd of Kiko goats on 50 acres! Ironically, there are very few breeder in WA, and now my pups are guarding two of those precious herds besides mine here.

Who wants free fair tickets? Here are the details. Then you can come see our rabbits! :)

🎉 FREE WEEKDAY TICKETS!! We are so excited to continue our partnership with Lee Johnson Auto Family for the Evergreen State Fair Food Drive! From June 24-July 11, at various Lee Johnson Auto Family locations (see website for locations), you can donate 5+ non-perishable/unexpired items and receive 1 Weekday Gate Admission Ticket to the 2024 Evergreen State Fair (limit 5 tickets per visit)! Or join us on July 13 at the Evergreen Fair Park for the drive-thru food drive!

✅ Find out more: https://evergreenfair.org/279/Fair-Food-Drive

🎡 Limit 5 (five) tickets per visit (ticket quantities are limited and will be first come, first served)
🌭 Tickets are good any weekday (Mon-Fri) of the 2024 Evergreen State Fair
🐮 Tickets may not be redeemed for cash
🤠 Tickets cannot be resold
🎵 No tickets will be given for monetary donations
🌞 Lee Johnson Auto Family and The Evergreen State Fair are not responsible for lost or stolen tickets
🙏 Items donated will benefit the Snohomish County Food Bank Coalition
🍞 For a list of needed items and more details, visit our webpage: https://evergreenfair.org/279/Fair-Food-Drive

Thank you to Lee Johnson Auto Family for helping support our community and Fair Family!

In Western WA, but transport available by me next week between here and eastern MN!
(N Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota or Minnesota!)

Working AKC Anatolian Shepherds. Health tested parents. 11 months old and well started and ready to take on new positions.

They are familiar with sheep, goats and pigs.

Micah and Bethany are trying the Puget Sound Junior Livestock Sale & Show this week! Tomorrow the kids and animals will be judged, and then all the animals will be auctioned on Saturday morning at 10 am at the Skagit County Fairgrounds in Mount Vernon.

Bethany is selling a Creme D’Argent rabbit she bred herself and Micah has a New Zealand he got from a fabulous breeder in the area.

They would both love your support in one of two ways. 1) Come on Saturday and bid on their rabbits. Or 2) Support them with and “add on” donation of any amount.
Donations can be cash, check or Venmo to Melanie

Please ask us questions if you have any.

Spring on the farm.

Time to go get this lovely lady.

Anyone want a new fleecey stud?

More Greensleeves 4-H Spring Small Animal Show fun!!

The Greensleeves 4-H Spring Small Animal Show is underway! Come check out our rabbits, cavys, and chickens! We also have a bake sale, raffle and silent auction! Come cheer on these kids.
Thank you to our purple level, Grand Champion sponsor Melanie Menge - your Exp Realty Broker!

Leap day lambs! Puppies are getting exposure to their new little charges. ❤️❤️

These 6 month old pups are doing great with their on the farm training with sheep, goats, and pigs. Mom and dad have been great trainers. AKC Anatolian, health tested parents. In Duvall, WA.