Walt Mares File Photo/Gila Herald: In this file photo a carnival ride with a mushroom-shaped umbrella gives riders a thrill. There will be plenty of such thrills at the Greenlee County Fair that began Thursday and wraps up Sunday.
Auction barn is key place to be
By Walt Mares
DUNCAN – Oh, yes. There will much buzzing at the Greenlee County Fair this Saturday, Sept. 21. Hopefully, it won’t be like the county fair of 2017, however, when bees buzzed and buzzed and were a major nuisance for fairgoers.
This Saturday, the Greenlee County Fairgrounds will be buzzing with human activity. There is, after all, plenty to do, see and eat. The major attraction, as always, will be the big animal livestock auction.
Every year, the auction barn attracts a capacity crowd. It is a matter of being there early enough to grab a seat. The only alternative is standing-room-only. The auction begins in mid-afternoon.
The animals are raised by Future Farmers of America or Greenlee 4-H members. The critters represent a year of diligence, commitment, and hard work. Among those who are known to buy an animal every year is Tom Powers, a longtime FFA, and 4-H supporter.
Powers buys a hog, then sends it off to Willcox to be processed into some pretty darn good pork. The following Spring the pork is barbecued in a deep pit, shredded and used for burros sold at the annual Lions Club Baseball Tournament in Morenci. Other animals are bought by non-profit organizations but some will also wind up in a freezer in someone’s home.
Powers said the meat from the auctioned animals is some of the best a person will find anywhere. “They’re great to have on hand for a barbecue and events such as family reunions,” he said. “What you buy at the fair is well worth the money. That, and you are rewarding these young people in FFA and 4-H for being responsible, committed and working hard to raise their animals. Doing so is a really good education. You got to appreciate and tip your hat to them.” Education? Powers is the Greenlee County Superintendent of Schools.
Also in the auction barn will be smaller animals, such as roosters, chickens, and rabbits. Those animals also represent a long commitment, caring and following through with the care of each and every small critter.
The Exhibition Hall is a must with many booths providing much information. Key parts of the exhibitions are canned preserves, local art photography, and quilt-making. What the exhibitions exemplify is talent, diligence and again, hard work.
The Great Northen Carnival will give folks of all ages some thrills with its fun rides. There will also be live music and at 2 p.m. there will be two rodeos, The Grand Canyon and the Slack. There are so many events to be held this Saturday it is difficult to list them all. Obviously, the best way to find out is to attend Greenlee’s biggest show of the year.
