Kids showcase agricultural skills amid carnival fun at Sarasota County Fair

Merida Mckeehan had never shown an animal at the Sarasota County Fair before, and it's a step she didn't always feel like she would reach. 

However, when she wakes up at 6 a.m. on Tuesday for the trip to showcase her pig, Rusty, the Tatum Ridge Elementary third grader hopes to feel very different. 

"Hopefully on that ride, I'm going to feel like I came this far, and I'm very proud of myself for doing this," she said. "I'm proud of all the people who are doing it, and just everyone who's helped them. I'm happy for everyone who helped me and made me feel like I can do this."

The Sarasota County Fair is held March 13-22, and features carnival rides and entertainment amid showcases of local students' projects including livestock, gardening and artwork. 

When Mckeehan visited the fair in the past and saw older kids working with the animals, she was impressed by how mature and confident they appeared. She also found the animals "adorable," and says, "They just made me think, if I did this, it would make my confidence grow."

However, the road there wasn't always easy. While she found it fun raising Rusty at The Farm at McIntosh Middle School, there were times she wanted to give up. 

At one point, Rusty stopped walking correctly, but she continued to push ahead. She cites the support of Kate Traugott, farm manager at Sarasota County Schools, who she says showed up for her when she felt discouraged. 

Rusty improved at walking, and gained more weight, while Mckeehan also found herself forming a relationship that she thinks on Tuesday, will work in her favor. 

"All that hard work paid off," she said. "Before, I wasn't in control of him, but now that I think of it, I now am in control of him. And he understands that, and so do I."

She joins other students with a variety of experience, like Lydia Egolf, a fifth grader in Youth Leaders in Production Agriculture for whom it's the third year showing animals.

"It takes a lot of grit and hard work and responsibility, and I feel like it's really taught me a lot over the years, how much responsibility has to go into it," she said. "I feel like responsibility is like the word that describes it all, because, you were entrusted with that animal's life, basically. If they get sick, it's your job to take care of them. If they need to eat, it's your job to feed them."

She says agriculture is how she met her best friend, as well as a way to connect with those who have similar interests. 

"It's something that really just sets me apart from everybody else, because when I got older, I realized that I wasn't into the same stuff as some people," she said. "I wasn't being like, 'Oh my gosh, I can't wait to go to the mall this weekend.' I was more like, 'I'm going to go wash my cow outside this weekend.' I really love coming to the fair and stuff, and being around kids who share the same interests as me."