THE ROOSTERKANSAS STATE FAIR

September 16, 2015 | Volume 4 | Issue 1

Farmers educate about

wool Alison JohnsonKansas State Fair

Ever wonder how to shear a sheep, or turn wool into thread? For six years, Sheila Corn and Warren Finder have given dem-onstrations at the fair. They give daily demonstrations every two hours. Finder shows people how to shear a sheep and Corn teaches them about how the wool is used.

Spectators gather around to watch the sheep get its first hair-cut. Finder can shear the sheep in two minutes, but at the fair he slows down to demonstrate. Af-ter the shearing, the spectators can feel the wool. “It’s wild how they put it on it’s backside and twist it and it doesn’t mind,” spec-tator Dale McClowen said.

Finder shears the sheep using the Australian long blow method. Starting at a hairless section of the belly, Finder shears the sheep by taking long strokes across the stomach. Working his way around the sheep, he continues in that method. The most diffi-cult part of the sheep to shear is the neck, due to the limited sight and build-up of wool.

The speedy shearing abil-ity comes from years of practice. Finder has been shearing since age 14. Now he raises sheep on his farm in Kingman, Kansas. Finder said, “We raise almost 200 sheep and shear them ourselves.”

After Finder demonstrates how to shear the wool, Corn show how to spin the wool into yarn. “I prefer to spin with clean yarn,” Corn said. Two ounces of

clean yarn can make about one spool of thread. She uses yarn to make rugs, socks, sweaters and crafts for kids.

Corn started spinning wool at a state fair demonstration about wool making, like the one she gives now. The instructor told her that the only way to learn is to try, and had Corn come spin for the first time in front of the crowd.

Corn is the Fiber Arts leader for her 4-H club, and raises sheep on her farm near Hutchinson. She gives lessons to teach oth-ers how to spin wool and how to weave it into a finished product.

Watching demonstrations like Corn and Finder’s is a great way for people to learn about agricul-ture and where products they use every day come from.

SHEAR BRILLIANCE

Above: Finder shears the sheep. This ewe is 7 months old and is getting sheared for the first time. Top Left: Corn spins the clean wool into yarn. Her spinning wheel has been dated back to WWII. Top Right: Brothers Chris and Michael Torriz feel the wool from the sheep. The wool contains lanolin, which is a type of oil. Lanolin is extracted and used to make lip balm, lotions and moisturizing creams. Photos by Hannah Peacock.

SHEEP FACTS: • Sheep wool can be dyed with Kool-Aid and is color-fast.• Sheep are sheared yearly.• Sheep eat leaves and weeds.

September 16, 2016 page 2THE ROOSTER

Lauren Brovont, Abigail AndersonKansas State Fair

Agriland provides a kid-friendly way to experience agriculture and learn how it affects everyday life.

The exhibit partners agriculture or-ganizations in Kansas hoping to branch out and educate young students. “It’s not about boasting, it’s about coming to-gether for the kids,” said Stephanie Royer, Rush County Conservation District Manager.

In the Pride of Kansas building, Agriland provides a fenced off area where chil-dren can go crazy and have fun learning. At the start there is an area that teach-ers can sign up for nine free lesson plans to receive from the Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Class-room. Every station within Agriland has an adult who shows the students what to do, how to do it and why it’s important.

Beginning the path, children have the

chance to milk a fake cow named Blos-som. “Milking the cow was fun and hard,” said Mackenzie Macias, first grader from Harper Elementary. Her teacher Mrs. Lance said she hopes that this will help the students to better understand their community. This experience gives them an opportunity to learn about the dairy process. They also get to see the different foods animals eat and compare them to their own meals. There are two virtual

activities in which, children get to “herd” cattle and “drive” a com-bine.

The final portion of the ex-hibit is “The Soil Tunnel Trailer of Western Kansas.” According to the pamphlet about the trailer it states, “Everyday you walk on soil, but you cannot really see what is in

the soil beneath your feet and understand the value of it.” Royer said she wants the children to understand the importance of soil conservation. The trailer itself is an interactive experience that shows the im-pact toxic waste has and the water flow.

AGRILAND GRANDRex Friesen, a crop consultant for Kan-

sas Cotton, brought a cotton gin as a

demonstration to show students that

clothes don’t just come from the store.

Friesen, a biologist at heart with no agri-cultural background,

found his passion through summer

jobs in the cotton industry. “I want the kids to have a better

understanding of agriculture,” Friesen

said.Photo by Abigail

Anderson.

Exhibit provides educational fun

Brody, a first grader from Harper Elementary tests his milking skills out on Blossom. He also learned that milk promotes healthy bone growth. Photo by Hannah Peacock.

“It’s not about boasting, it’s about coming together for

the kids.”— Stephanie

Royer

is

September 16, 2016 page 3THE ROOSTER

Katie MayerKansas State Fair

Since 2001, the Hutchinson Correctional Facility (HCF) and the Bureau of Land Man-agement (BLM) have been sav-ing wild horses in the western United States and giving them a home.

Training man-ager Dion Pope has been in the pro-gram for 13 years. “The BLM supplies us the horses and we then train them to ride and adopt them back out to the public,” Pope said. “I do this because I love horses and people. If I can contribute to helping horses and humans then I’m happy.”

To adopt a horse, customers must be 18 or older with $125 in hand, more for a fully trained horse.

The program has stopped taking requests because it is one

year behind and is trying to fill orders.

Before releasing the horses, the program trains them for 90 days. The horses get sensitized and desensitized to all sorts of objects and get introduced to

the saddle. The horses get taken to places like parades and fairs, where they can get use to human interac-tion. The owner must also ride their horse first be-fore they can take it home. “We try to get the horses used

to just about everything,” Pope said.

Without the help of the BLM, these wild horses would continue to multiply over the allowed number on the land and potentially suffer from star-vation. These men have brought happiness to their own lives as well as others.

Watch me neigh neigh

MUSTANGS MOVE

“I do this because I love horses and people. If I can

contribute to help-ing horses and

humans then I’m happy.”

— Dion Pope

on the

Fairgoers enjoy the wild horses recently res-cued by BLM. These wild horses were brought back from the west-ern parts of the United States and trained to be adopted by loving families. Training the horses is a 90-day process before the owner can take it home. It costs $125 and up to adopt one of these beautiful creatures. Pho-tos by Hannah Peacock.

Above: Bullet and Rasco are shown as examples of horses that can be adopted. Top Left: Cody Blare holds Rasco still so fairgoers can pet him. Top Right: Worker Bob Eaton shows potential owners how to mount a horse.

Abigail Anderson, Lauren BrovontKansas State Fair

After 25 years Kansas Specialty Dog Service (KSDS) comes to the state fair with hope of more support for their organization. KSDS, a non-profit organization promotes the independence and inclusion of people with disabilities. This is the organization’s first year here and they want everybody to learn how big of a difference a trained service dog can make in a person’s life.

KSDS has three types of assistance dogs: ser-vice dogs, guide dogs and facility dogs. The dogs are evaluated by their trainers and may change career paths when seen fit. KSDS trains mainly yellow and black labs, and golden retrievers. These service dogs are trained to retrieve items, assist in dressing and undressing, pull wheel-chairs, brace for balance or transfers, turn lights on, and open and close a variety of doors.

Tammy Gano, a para in the Washington County school district and supporter of the KSDS organization, and her facility dog Shel-by have been working with students for three years.“When the kids are having a bad day they see Shelby and their faces light up,” Gano said.

Randy Tesky, from Pratt was 30 when he fig-ured out something was wrong with his vision. He was told many different things that could be

wrong but none of the doctors knew for sure. Three years ago Tesky officially retired because he became completely blind and unable to do any-thing. That’s when he received a golden retriever service dog to help him in his daily life.

“Marco is my eyes,” Tesky said. Marco takes him wherever he needs to go. While they are out and about, Marco wears a harness so people know he is working. “I have had time to come to terms with being blind but it still frustrates me sometimes,” Tesky said.

September 16, 2016 page 4THE ROOSTER

HELPFUL HOUNDSRandy Tesky

standing by the KSDS organiza-tion while pet-ting his service

dog Marco. Tesky needs the service

dog because he became officially blind 3 years ago

due to a medi-cal condition.

Photo by Abigail Anderson.

Below: Another KSDS applicant sits

with his dog while helping

the organization bring new people

to the booth. Photo by Hannah

Peacock.

Dog program serves Kansas for 25 years

FACES AT THE FAIR

Susan Fullmer, Non-Fair Assistant. Q: What does your job con-sist of?A: My job has two parts, non-fair time and fair time. During non-fair time I han-dle rental of our buildings and coordinate events for the rest of the year. During fair time, my department works with the marching bands, RV park, Kansas’ largest classroom and run-ning our offices. Q: How did you come across this job?A: I applied, it’s always been a dream of mine to work for the State Fair! This is my 6th fair I have worked.

Susan Fullmer and Anthea Bryant

Joan Brown, Lair White House Exhibit CoordinatorQ: How long have you been working at the fair?A: So far 35 fairs. I retired from full-time fair work two years ago and started work-ing in the Lair White House coordinating the exhibits with my friend Charlotte. Q: What brought you to the fair?A: I stopped teaching and transferred to civil work and found my way to the ac-counting offices. After that I took tickets for 13 years but then wanted to slow down, so I started in the Lair White House.

Joan Brown