This past week has been an interesting one for me.
Midweek I was invited by a neighbour to go with him to the Arran Tara 156th Fall Fair. The town itself has a small population, but judging by their enthusiasm and number of exhibits, they draw from a far and wide area. “Country Scenes & Denim Jeans” was their well-named theme.
I didn’t know about its midweek operation, so I had no chance of showing any of my birds, but I could have filled quite a number of their empty cages had I known. Next year, I will challenge, as I have six attractive bantam breeds with which I am enjoying quite good success.
Having been at the fair all day Wednesday left me deprived of my usual noonday snooze, but I caught up with my loafing Thursday, as it rained lightly during most of the day. On doing my early morning check on Friday, I said to myself, “Barrie, you have a problem! Yesterday it rained and tomorrow you have a show!”
In the non-breeding season, my bantams “free-range” in a large predator-fenced area where they mingle, spar with each other as they sort out their pecking order, and scratch in the dust, doing exactly what chickens do. At this time of year, due to their rambunctious activity, the entire area is spotted with little self-made dust bowls where they scratch and bask in the sun. But it had definitely rained. Little puddles lingered, pooled in their dust bowls; the bulk of the area was entirely mud. It would take the sun’s evaporation most of the day to dry things out. The selected birds had to be caged at the show by 9:30 the next morning.
I had listed 28 birds to be entered, so quietly do the math: 28×2=56 tiny little feet had to be washed and dried. The clean-legged varieties (black rosecomb, black minorcas, and both silver and golden sebrights) were not really a problem, but the feather-footed breeds (gold-laced cochins and white silkies) were a horse of an entirely different colour. Exactly like a white horse having just rolled in the mud.
I thank my lucky stars that a large beach towel was available and a package of six clean sponges had been bought for such occasions. Some warm water, some Dawn soap, and with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, the fun began. Four hours later, with a totally wet shirt hanging on the fence to dry and fatigue knocking on my door, the job was completed.
With each and every bird tucked into a clean cage with a screen covered floor and fed and watered, I headed off to catch up with a much needed late afternoon snooze. When I awoke, darkness had fallen and the lights, on timers, were out. Early rising on the morrow would indicate how I made out. I must have done okay, ’cause at the Chatsworth 153rd Fall Fair, “Country Life at its Best,” I came home with seven firsts, 14 seconds, and two thirds. Not bad, don’t you think?
And, by the way, let me remind you to mark your calendar: the Saugeen Valley Fur and Feather Fanciers Association’s buy, sell, trade day is Oct. 6th at the Mount Forest fairgrounds.
Take care, ’cause we care.
barrie@barriehopkins.ca
519-986-4105