That’s not to say you can’t eat funnel cakes and cotton candy at the Yuma County Fair. After all, there is a middle ground between rides, games, and all normal entertainment.

But that’s not the main story in this county, which boasts the state’s second-largest agricultural output. The center of gravity of the fair is truly the grandstand, the show ring where experts judge livestock raised by the children of Yuma County. And everyone’s eyes are on the county’s most important product: the next generation of farmers.

17-year-old Lee Richardson of Yuma, Colorado is one of the next generation.

She has exhibited pigs and cows at fairs for the last ten years and wants to continue the family tradition of agricultural production. “I grew up on a farm,” she said. “My father showed it to me when I was a kid, too.”

Dean Wingfield was once a beautiful kid himself. “This is her 70th fair since I was born and I think I’ve been to her 69th fair.

Wingfield has lived in Yuma County all his life and served as county commissioner for 24 years. He said the Yuma Fair will have a special focus. “Compared to some counties around Yuma County, it’s always been kind of youth-oriented,” he explained. And that’s to give the kids this year’s prize money so they can come to the fair and show what they’ve done.”

The end of summer is fair season across the country and in Colorado, and in the third summer of this pandemic, festivals are finally back to normal. It all stacks up for the state fair in Pueblo later this month. But in Yuma, the focus is on farms and future farmers.

The future farmer was busy with this year’s pig show, where Kathy Christianson showed up to support her grandson. I am,” she said.

Christianson’s grandchildren and all the other pig children have worked hard throughout the spring and summer to raise animals from piglets.

After all the ribbons have been awarded, children auction off the animals at public auctions, where supporters often bid prices up to multiples of market value. According to Christianson, “Yuma’s really, really good at putting it in their pocket and giving it to these kids. It’s pretty good college funding, so we’d love to see some sales there.” she said.

Last year, those kids made over $300,000 in sales. Officially, the numbers are still trickling in this year, but the kids are making her over $500,000 on track. Fair staff receive a small commission, but children get almost all of the proceeds.

More than college money, children are learning to keep agricultural production jobs. JoLynne Midcap is her 4H expansion agent in Yuma County, coordinating about 200 local children. “They are now being raised and trained to feed everyone listening to this,” she said.

Midcap says that by working on 4H projects and exhibiting them at the fair, the culture and skills of farm life are passed down from generation to generation. “4H is historically rooted in this community. Everyone’s grandparents and great-grandparents did,” she said.

Children raise livestock and crops. They learn leatherworking, baking, sewing, food preservation, and even robotics. Because someone has to be able to understand the circuitry of modern farm equipment. Then they come to the trade fair in his August to show off their developing skills and bathe in community-recognized brilliance.

“It’s a lifestyle,” explained Midcap. “Bring something from the ranch, or bring something from the field, and Grandpa taught you how to raise it. You’re actually showing and displaying a piece of your heart.” It’s all been passed down and now it’s being shown here in Yuma.”

Organizers say the county loses money at the fair each year. But if you listen to Dean Wingfield, a candid account would completely miss the true value of the Yuma County Fair. “What is it [that] It’s kind of in your blood,” he said, recalling county fairs past. It was the first time I’ve seen cows at the fair, and it was the first time for the country kids here.I really enjoyed it and can’t miss it.”

Rae Solomon produced this article as part of the America Amplified initiative, using community engagement to inform and enhance local, regional, and national journalism. America Amplified is a public media her initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.