AUSTIN, MN - In a matter of months, Mower County's fairgrounds will fill up with kids, animals, and lots of excitement.
FFA Alum John Register commented, "a lot of these city kids, they don't have an idea of a pig or a goat or where they all come from!"
Register and fellow alum Dave Huinker know first-hand how fun the Future Farmers of America children's farmyard in Austin can be. After all, they were "future farmers" themselves - a few decades ago. Now-a-days, they keep their passion alive as FFA Alumni, volunteering at the Mower County Fair. But this year, they said the Fairboard President wants their advice, but doesn't want them to show up for the event in August.
Huinker explained, "we get a letter indicating they wanted our help with how to promote it, and then we get this other letter three months later saying they don't want anything from us."
The Fairboard President said, they just want to make the farmyard all about the kids. The Alumni said, that's great, but they still need supervision.
"We'd like to have the young ones do the work, but we feel there should be an adult supervisor around at some point during the fair each day," said Huinker.
The alumni work for free. Which raises an issue: why say no if it's not costing you a dime?
Huinker said, "we ask that same question, and we don't get a straight answer."
The Fairboard President said they'll find someone to watch over them. He wants to give the farmyard responsibilities back to the kids, and open it up to "future farmers" from all over Southern Minnesota.
Register and Huinker are hoping to reach a compromise with the board, and continue helping youngsters discover the joy of farming.
