The Dairy Blog

Growing up Mayfield meant summers at the barn working with the “show cows,” preparing them for the county, regional and state fairs in the fall.  Most summer mornings would find me and others at the barn before 6:00 a.m.  We would feed the cows, clean the stalls, brush the cows and then lead them on a leash, as if we were in the show ring.  By September, we hoped the show calves and cows would know how to walk around the ring calmly on a leash.

Proper attire for youth showing cows was white – white pants and white dress shirts.  Girls could wear white pants or skirts but, whether a girl or a boy at ages 12-15, there is no way to wear white around cows and stay clean!  We showed our cows in McMinn County first, then Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis.  While I never personally attended the Ohio State Fair in Columbus, that show was considered the National Championship for Jersey cows.  I remember Scottie’s sister, Elaine, winning there, and how proud we all were to have a National Grand Champion Jersey from the Mayfield Farm.

I only showed junior and senior yearling calves.  Even though I had worked all summer teaching them to lead, it seems every time we entered the show ring my heifer would run!  I would hang on for dear life, flying through the sawdust in my clean white clothes.  The judge and others would help get my calf under control – many times leading her was forgotten and we just stood in the ring until the judging was over.  Then, it was back to the stall area, where we put blankets over our heifers.  I loved the blanket that had the following message on it, “My Mother Works for Mayfield’s.”

Rob