Young chicken farmers prep for fair

ROWLAND — The countdown for the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair has begun and with just a month away, children and families throughout the greater Robeson County region are preparing their project entries.

It’s the carnival rides that will draw most fairgoes during the week between Sept. 7 and Oct 5, but it’s the families in the county’s agriculture community that have been supporting the fair since it began shortly after World War II.

The event gives local farmers a chance to gather, see what’s new and show off their ag talents. A wide variety of categories allows fairgoers to see what their friends and neighbors have been up to during the last year.

Jackson and Addie Shooter of Rowland will be there with their best chickens to be judged. The brother and sister duo have been showing chickens for years as part of their association with 4-H. Last year they showed buff orpingtons. This year, they’ve been raising Rhode Island reds, as are most others in 4-H locally. Several weeks ago, kids in 4-H were all given the same breed of chickens at the same time to ensure a level playing field when the projects go before county fair judges.

From now until fair time, the Shooter kids will be evaluating their best birds to bring before judges, part of that means keeping their flock healthy — and alive; they’ve already had encounters with a family of foxes that have shown great interest in the reds.

To protect the birds, Jackson, 14, and Addie, 11, keep their chickens in a large chain link kennel that has a net stretch across the top to protect attacks from flying predators such as hawks and eagles, both of which the Shooters said have been eyeing their birds.

When the birds are judged, county fair judges look at more than the poultry; they’re also considering how each child presents their project based on the four Hs of 4-H: Head, Heart, Hands and Health.