The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1926-11-10
County Agent Lynn Sheldon
Talks On Poultry Shows

Poultry shows and fairs have serv-
ed great function in an educational
program for better poultry breeding,
better housing, better feeding, and
more profits from the largest farm
enterprise connected with agriculture
today-poultry. A hen may be high
ly productive, credit to the breed
and make profits for her owner, or
she may be anything but productive,
a discredit to the breed and yet a
credit to her owner in that she is pro-
ducing something in spite of the con-
ditions she may be given. But, thanks
to the poultry shows and other agen-
cies constantly at work, more farm
poultry flocks are being placed on
the profit side of the ledger instead
of the red.
Our poultry at the County Fair this
fall was an eye opener for many hun
dreds of poultry men, or would be's"
if looked at in the right way. An in
terested poultryman overheard the
following statements and exclama-
tons in the poultry aisles at the
Fair: isn't it horrid that the Fair
Association will allow an outsider to
come in and gobble up all the prize
money like that? I've got just as
good poultry at home, but l won't
show if they allow this sort of thing"
THE local people don't have a chance
with all this copetition-" ETC., etc.
The Fair Association is fully justi-
fled in securing creditable exhibits
such as were made by our Wisconsin
friend when the local people who have
good creditable stock do not exhibit
and fill up the fine show room that
has been provided at great expense
for the poultry industry of the Coun-
ty. How do people know how to pro-
duce better stock unless they know
what better stock is like? Where
can better comparisons be made than
in the poultry show with competent
Judge?
The main trouble with folks seems
to be that they hate to get beat"
They think they have got the best
there is and are peeved if the judge,
who is unbiased, competent, and re-
solute, happens to hang the ribbon
on any other bird than theirs. They
stand off and say, "He is wrong.
Mine is best and I know it," instead
of stepping up like real sportsman
and inquiring the reasons for the plac-
ing, "Why is this one better than
mine or better than another" "How
Y L T. L.,
words, be a good sportsman. A poor
sportsman never gets anything out of
contest or any competitive effort
unless he learns to be a good sports
man. No one loves a crab.
The Redwood County Poultry Show
dates are announced and every live,
up-and-coming, red-blooded man, wo-
man or child who has good poultry,
and who is interested in how to get
better ones and to learn something,
should exhibit some poultry at the
Show, and come with an open mind.
Everyone who raises poultry should
plan to attend the Show. Keep your
eyes and ears open, ask questions and
see if you cannot learn something.
No one knows it all even though
some claim to have that infinite
knowledge. If they would compare it
honestly with their neighbor, they
would find that they could still learn
something worth while.
Come to the Poultry Show, show
for sportsmen, show for amateurs,
a show that will set you thinking.
Then, if good judgment follows, much
benefit will come to Redwood County
as whole instead of to only a few.