Hay show reflects farming tradition
Rodney Merce listened in on the hay show judging and chatted with students who participated in the contest held Sept. 28 in the youth building at the fairgrounds. Beth Scott | Beacon
COSHOCTON – Siblings Michaela Greten and Ryan Greten got their first ribbons of the 2018 Coshocton County Fair at the hay show.
Michaela earned a second place ribbon in heavy mix and third place in the grass and light categories.
“We’ve always done the hay show because we make hay,” she said. “Our whole family is always out in the field.”
Her brother won first place in light mix and heavy mix and second in grass.
“I enjoy the hay show because making hay has always been a part of our family,” Ryan said.
Entries were a little down for the show this year, but it was a tough year for hay.
“Foxtail really got into it this year and the weather didn’t help,” Ryan said. “The humidity was terrible. You couldn’t get it to dry.”
The junior fair hay show is sponsored by the Coshocton Soil and Water Conservation District. Ryan Medley, district technician, said the winners are recognized each year at their annual meeting.
“This is a way to help us keep a connection with the agriculture community that we serve,” Medley said.
There are five classes to the contest: Alfalfa, clover, grass, light mix and heavy mix. The contest was judged by Kayla Finton from Heritage Cooperative who rated the entries on stage of harvest, leafiness, color, free of weeds and foreign material and condition.
The junior fair hay show is held in the youth building where Rodney Merce was set up selling raffle tickets for the Ridgewood High School FFA Alumni.
“We use the money we raise to help the kids,” he said. “That way when they do things like go to nationals they can have money to go out to a nice dinner.”
Merce never competed in the hay show when he was in FFA, but he enjoyed watching the judging and talking to the students who took part in it this year.
“It was pretty interesting,” he said. “A lot of people don’t do square bales anymore.”
Category: Arts & Entertainment
