C-M-R Farm Show gets started today

Organizers of the Culpeper-Madison-Rappahannock Farm Show say familiarity and fun will mark this year’s 61st annual event, which returns today.

The familiar comes in the form of cattle, swine, sheep, goat and poultry shows, while the fun includes lots of hands-on activities for kids like a butterfly tent, worm composting bin, the opportunity to watch baby chicks hatch, a petting zoo and a moon bounce.

Andy Anderson, one of the organizers, promised plenty to do and see for everyone, especially younger kids.

He said the activities — dubbed the Cloverbud Corral — are primarily aimed at the younger kids, but he added that everyone will likely find something enjoyable.

For the bigger kids and kids at heart, Anderson said they’ll probably enjoy Saturday’s draft horse and mule show, which begins at 10 a.m. or the antique tractor pull, which begins at 1 p.m. Sunday. Nearly all activities this week are free and open to the public, except for the tractor pull, which has a $5 admission fee.

“They’re all unmodified,” Anderson said. “Just pretty much stock tractors the farmer would be using in the field, not monster machines built for show.”

He also said horse lovers will enjoy seeing the massive equines showcase their skills. “It shows the draft horses actually working and actually doing what draft horses were meant to do.”

Anderson said all activities are scheduled to go on rain or shine, except in the case of very severe weather. He suggests the best days for younger kids to visit are Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The farm show wraps up Monday evening with an awards ceremony and buyers dinner. For more information, visit cmrfair.com.

2010 CMR Farm Show highlights
Today
8-10 a.m. — Weigh-in and ultrasound for market steers
2 p.m. — Watermelon party in sale ring
7 p.m. — Swine show in sale ring
Friday
9-11 a.m. — Poultry check-in
9 a.m. — Dairy goat show in sale barn
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. — Cloverbud Corral kids activities including the butterfly tent, worm composting bin, scavenger hunt, insect display, chick hatching, baby ducks and the petting zoo
1 p.m. — Stick horse and sack race in lower barn
3 p.m. — Sheep showmanship
6:30 p.m. — Market lamb show
8 p.m. — Dance in sale barn
Saturday
9 a.m. — Beef showmanship and beef and heifer show in lower barn
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. — Cloverbud Corral kids activities including petting zoo
10 a.m. — Draft horse and mule show
Noon — Stick horse and sack race in lower barn
1 p.m. — Pet show in lower barn
8 p.m. — Karaoke in sale barn
Sunday
Noon to 5 p.m. — Cloverbud Corral kids activities including petting zoo
Noon — Pound cake contest in homemaker’s building
12:30 p.m. — Apple pie contest
1 p.m. — Antique tractor pull
1 p.m. — Little Mr. and Miss CMR contest in sale barn
11 p.m. — Grounds close
Monday
4 p.m. — Awards ceremony
5:30 p.m. — Buyers dinner
* For more information, visit cmrfair.com