Preppinig her sheep, Heather, for showing, Tsippora Ani, of Pikesville, closely trims the lamb's wool during the Baltimore County 4-H fair.
Want to learn the difference between a heifer and a steer? Or try your hand at milking a cow? All you have to do is head to the Maryland State Fair Aug. 22 to Sept. 1.
If you have a lot of questions about Maryland’s agriculture, but no one to ask, make sure to take the Agricultural Fair Tour hosted daily by representatives from the University of Maryland. Professors and students dressed in red coveralls will lead fairgoers through the fair barns and introduce them to exhibitors who will answer specific questions regarding their animals or exhibits.
“While many people understand the vital role of Maryland’s food and fiber industries to its economy, we would also like to make them aware of the increasing impact of our ‘fun’ or recreational agriculture such as turf grass and horses,” said University of Maryland Associate Professor Emeritus Tom Hartsock.
The free tours depart daily from the Birthing Center (where calves and piglets will be born and chicks hatched) in the Cow Palace beginning at 10 a.m. with the last tour scheduled for 9 p.m.
As for milking a cow, the Maryland Guernsey Youth Association will teach fairgoers how to hand milk cows during their Guernsey Milk Clinic, Aug. 22 to 24 and Aug. 30 to Sept. 1, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Cow Palace.
The clinic will provide educational information about Maryland’s dairy industry and, for $1, fairgoers can take a lesson and try their hand at milking a cow.
“When the general consumer picks up a gallon of milk from their grocery store, they rarely stop to think about how it got there. Our cow-milking lessons will give fairgoers first hand knowledge of our particular breed, how to properly milk a cow and the importance of milk in their diet,” said Jo-Ann Chason, Maryland Cooperative Guernsey Breeders Association representative and the director of the milk clinic.
Proceeds will go toward the association’s youth programs, scholarships and more.
For details on the fair, call 410-252-0200, Ext. 227, or visit www.marylandstatefair.com.