Friday, July 4, 2008

4-H Clubs

This is a reminder that the Cayuga County Fair is going on this weekend, over in Weedsport. And on Saturday July 5th, there is a gathering there for any and all 4-H members at 5:00 p.m.
I have some old programs to share from when the Fair was known as "The Big 6," and held near Emerson Park. Can any blog readers remember what "Big 6" meant?
I also have a photo from the 4-H Congress at Cornell University in 1968, and a few blue and red ribbons. Any white ribbons were probably thrown out.
Hope to see you there!

2 comments:

Roger A. Post said...

Sandie, the "Big Six Picnic" stood for the number of sponsoring organizations. Once, before 1946, it was the "Big Five." Of course, I couldn't remember who they were. After some searching at http://www.fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html, I found the following.

"'BIG SIX' PICNIC ON JUNE 21st. . . . The 'Big Six' are the Cayuga County Farm and Home Bureaus, the 4-H Clubs, Dairymen's League, Pomona Grange and the Eastern Milk Producers Co-Operative Association, the new unit."
-- Union Springs News, King Ferry, Genoa, Cayuga Co., NY, Thursday, 20 May 1946

As I recall, the Big Six Picnic in the mid-1950s occupied both sides of the road at Emerson Park in the vicinity of the present-day Agricultural Museum on the east side and parking lot on the west side. On the west side, I recall a big tent with displays and a long row of new farm equipment that attracted most of my attention at the time. Maybe someone else can add their recollections to my vague memories!

Sandie Stoker Gilliland said...

Thanks for clearing that up, Roger! And yes, I recall the days when the Big 6 took up both sides of the road. And for those of us who were showing a dress or other clothing that we had sewn, which meant modelling it, we used the pavilion.
There was lots of farm equipment, and weren't there free small milkshakes from the Dairy Princess?