Agriculture takes centerstage at Saratoga County Fair

BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- To local farmers, the Saratoga County Fair means more than fair food, rides, and fun, it's a chance for them to show the public an inside look into their work and life.

“Some of our 4-H youth are working with their animals year round just for this moment to showcase all the hard work they’ve done," Greg Stevens, 4-H Issue Leader, said.

Some farmers set up as early as three weeks before the big event, with prep work beginning months ahead. 15-year-old Colin Anderson has been preparing for this year's fair since March, raising lambs and bringing them across the country to different showcases -- continuing the tradition of working on the farm started by his grandfather.

“Agriculture is the root of all society, without agriculture, no one can eat and it’s really special in our community," Anderson said.

Other farmers showcased their cows, giving us a closer look at daily care and how they're keeping their livestock cool in record-breaking heat.

“The heat is an added stress on everyone but it’s especially an added stress on the cows," Zane Swatling, with Swat-Team Dairy, said. "Luckily we all have fans and when it gets too hot we bring our cows to the wash rack. Our animals were washed three to four times yesterday and luckily enough they’re letting us bring our milking cows home because even though it’s a lot of stress on all the animals, our milking cows have a lot of extra stress.” 

All of this work contributed to the fair's big comeback after it was held in a limited capacity in 2021 and canceled for the first time since the Civil War in 2020.

“It went well after being gone for two years, coming back and getting everything together all those little bugs you didn’t think about at the time," Jennifer Flint, President of the Saratoga County Agricultural Society, said. "Tuesday we were super excited to set up and get things moving.”