Ready for the big Show!

The Bailey sisters got off to an early start when it came to 4-H.Chelsi, Holly and Kaytie Bailey all began their 4-H careers in kindergarten when they joined the Clover Kids Program, and they couldn’t wait to be fourth-graders, when they could officially be 4-H members.Still, those Clover Kid days were a great starting point for the rural Nashua family as they were able to take part in the program that features hands-on activities to build lots of different life skills.“They could take bottle animals and pets to the 4-H fair as Clover Kids,” said Cindy Bailey, the mother to the three girls, “but they couldn’t wait to be able to do everything.”Once they became fourth graders, the Bailey sisters became 4-H members and joined the Bradford Eager Beavers.And they’ve never looked back.Chelsi will be a senior at Nashua-Plainfield this fall, and plans to show 12 animals — two cattle, six sheep and four pigs — at the Chickasaw County 4-H and Achievement Show that kicks off its six-day run on Wednesday.Holly will be a sophomore and will have one entry in the beef show and six in the sheep show.The youngest sister, Kaytie will be an eighth-grader and has 13 entries — four pigs, three goats, four sheep and two cows — ready for the fair.For their mother, 4-H has taught the sisters valuable life lessons.The sisters have all had to open an account at the bank so they can buy feed.After they sell their animals at the auction that ends the fair, they pay their bank notes off.“Some years they make out better than others,” Cindy said.The girls buy their cattle in September and start working with them right away.“It’s kind of like a rodeo when they first start out,” their mother said. “These animals weigh 600 to 800 pounds when they get them.”When spring arrives, the girls get a lead rope on them and as the weather warms up, they start bathing them every day, and those baths take approximately three hours a day.Mom, of course, keeps a watchful eye.For the complete story see the 7/7/2016 Nashua Reporter.