<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4S26Su_0wDAgqwc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4S26Su_0wDAgqwc00" width="1125" height="844" ><figcaption>One-year-old Nora Carlson found a young goat kid a comfortable friend to cuddle with at the New River Valley G.O.A.T Festival as her mom, Beta Carlson, watches. (Photo by Jane W. Graham)</figcaption></figure>DUBLIN, Va. — One of the goals of the New River Valley Sheep and Goat Club is to educate consumers so they can, in turn, teach legislators about the economic importance of small farmers.Cecil King, founder of the group, said more than 2,000 people showed their support at the club’s fourth annual Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) Show on Sept. 28 when Tropical Storm Hellene was wrecking havoc nearby.He believes it is important to educate the public and legislators by letting them learn about small farms.“How can we fuss about them if they don’t know, don’t understand what we are going through,” he said. “How can we fuss at them because they don’t know?”He said he believes farmers have a responsibility to tell their story and was delighted the festival was a success on a day when many other events had been cancelled.At least one family who had lost power at home came to the show, he said. They were told power would be restored in three days.The barns housing member’s sheep and goats were the most popular places as parents with infants and toddlers among grade schoolers, high school and college students wandering by the pens of animals.“It’s so soft,” a college student said as she petted a goat.Educational tables with information about the sheep and goats were tucked among the animal plans providing answers to many of the guests’ questions.Demonstrations by two sectors of the sheep and goat industry have always been popular with festival goers. Some visitors said the working dog demonstration was the reason they attended. The sheep shearing always attract crowds.King said vendors on scene for the day offered many different products the sheep and goats contributed. Sheep wool and goat milk were the raw materials for vendors set up inside and outside the buildings.The club has grown since it was created to attract members from Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia and now has 300 member farms representing 900 people.</div></body>

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NewsBreak

More than 2,000-plus fans arrive to see GOAT show

DUBLIN, Va. — One of the goals of the New River Valley Sheep and Goat Club is to educate consumers so they can, in turn, teach legislators about the economic importance of small farmers. Cecil King, founder of the group, said more than 2,000 people showed their support at...