Counting Sheep

We enjoyed a ridiculously beautiful day yesterday at the NY State Sheep and Wool Festival at the Rhinebeck Fairgrounds. (I forgot my camera - the above photo is by Garret C. Lown.)

We hadn't been in a couple years and we entertained by the recent addition of Punkin Chuckin. Local school teams built giant catapults that hurled pumpkins (and water jugs in a warm up) at targets set up to 300 (?) feet away. They were awarded points for distance and accuracy.

My favorite vendor is Brooks Farm - the colors and quality they products is stunning.


The dog trials are great - amazing how focused those border collies are - make our dogs, 3 yr old rescued cock-a-poo litter mates, seem like toys in comparison because of how untrained and goofy they are.

The sheep competitions are educational - there's an ongoing commentary during the judging followed by a thoughtful explanation of placement by the judge. The paddocks are great for listening to the constant bleating and observing the range of breed in attendance.

That's really the tip of the iceberg - there's so much more - llamas, spinning, cooking, winetasting...check out the site for all the info. The festival is held on the 3rd weekend in October - mark your calendar for next year.