Nevada County Fair officials have scheduled a livestock meeting for Tuesday, September 11, to review the 2018 Fair’s livestock exhibits and to plan for the 2019 Fair.
The meeting will be held at 6 pm in Ponderosa Hall at the Nevada County Fairgrounds (Gate 2) on McCourtney Road. FFA advisors, 4-H leaders, Grange leaders, exhibitors and others interested in the Nevada County Fair livestock exhibits are invited to participate. While no specific timing is assigned to each species, the critique order is small animals, goats, beef, sheep and swine.
The livestock meeting is set each year following the Fair so that those involved in the Fair’s livestock exhibits can review and discuss what worked, as well as recommend improvements for the following year.
The 2019 Nevada County Fair is August 7 – 11. For more information about the Fair and the Nevada County Fairgrounds, visit http://www.NevadaCountyFair.com.
Help support this blog
Call John O’Dell, Real Estate Broker
For all your real estate needs
RE # 00669941
On Thursday night, John Paye, former San Francisco 49er and Super Bowl Chamption, spoke to local 4H and FFA students as part of the Fairgrounds Foundation’s speaker series. This monthly series provides business advice, tips and leadership experience to local high school students.
“Be passionate about what you are doing, put in the extra work, and be consistent.” This is the message of success that John Paye, a former NFL player for the 49ers and Super Bowl champion, shared with local youth on Thursday evening.
Paye addressed FFA and 4H students from Bear River, Nevada Union and Placer high schools, as part of the Nevada County Fairgrounds Foundation’s Speaker Series, which brings business education – through access to business leaders, life experiences, and leadership tips – to high school students. Paye served as the fifth speaker in the series.
During high school, Paye was voted USA Today’s High School Football Player of the Year. He found a home at Stanford, and was a four-year starter for the Cardinals. He was named All-Pac Ten and All-American while also playing as a starter on Stanford’s basketball team for three years. After his college career, Paye was acquired by the San Francisco 49ers, where he played for three seasons serving as backup to Joe Montana from 1987-1988. Paye was part of the 49ers offense during their 1988 Championship Season, ultimately going on to win Super Bowl XIX.
Paye shared with students his experience in sports, including playing baseball with Barry Bonds, basketball with Michael Jordan, and football with Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. He also shared his childhood memories of the Nevada County Fair, which he continues to visit each year.
Beyond the field for the past 15 years, Paye has worked throughout the west coast educating youth on the importance self-empowerment, saying no to drugs and alcohol, and staying in school. He reminded the students the importance of staying focused. “Stay on task and don’t get distracted. Staying focus will help you succeed.”
The Fairgrounds Foundation’s speaker series continues through May. Students have an opportunity to hear about the speaker’s career path, how they achieved their goals, insight regarding their area of expertise, and an opportunity for questions. The final speaker in this series will be Tom Browning, retired Fire Battalion Chief and current Fairgrounds Board member. The series is sponsored by Sandy Ballou of California Outdoor Properties.
About the Nevada County Fairgrounds Foundation: The Nevada County Fairgrounds Foundation’s mission is to support and improve the community’s Fairgrounds, and to support youth in agriculture. For more information about the Fairgrounds Foundation, or to become a member, visit NevadaCountyFair.com/foundation/.
Help keep this blog going
Contact John O’Dell Real Estate broker
For all your real estate needs
Event part of Halloween Fun at the Fairgrounds on October 29 from 2-5 pm
As part of the Halloween Fun at the Fairgrounds on Saturday, October 29, Nevada Union and Bear River High School FFA students will compete in a Pumpkin Chuckin’ competition, as well as host several interactive booths throughout the afternoon event.
The Pumpkin Chuckin’ competition will involve catapulting pumpkins across the Fairgrounds grass area. Each hour from 2 – 5 pm, students will launch pumpkins and compete in accuracy contests, a funniest pumpkin contest, and a watermelon toss. Additionally, the final “chuck” at 5 pm will be a distance competition.
The public is invited to come out and watch the fun contest between the two schools. The crowd will be able to vote on their favorite chucker, with the winner being determined by the crowd vote, the different tosses, and the distance contest. Agriculture students from both schools will also have a booth set up to educate the public about the industry.
Also at the event, Nevada Union students will also host several interactive booths, including face painting and a fun tractor booth. Additionally, chickens, cattle, lambs, goats, pigs, and horses will be on display in the mock farm setting; and the farm scarecrow will welcome children to a California agriculture experience. Interactive activities and prizes will be awarded to participants.
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. There are more than 500 students involved in FFA in the Nevada Joint Union High School district, with successful programs at Bear River and Nevada Union High Schools.
Halloween Fun at the Fairgrounds is a family-friendly event hosted by the Nevada County Fairgrounds Foundation. The event takes place from 2 – 5 pm on Saturday, October 29 at the Fairgrounds. The cost is $5 and includes a hamburger or hot dog, treats, lots of games, live entertainment and a cupcake walk. Plus, you don’t want to miss the costume contests and a chance to win some great prizes!
Tickets can be purchased on the day of the event at the Fairgrounds. Visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com for information or call (530) 273-6217.
The Granholm Family – (from left to right) Kaycee, Danny, Katie and Ben – will be recognized at the Nevada County Fair as the Family of the Year. Credit: Photo provided by Shaffers Originals
By Wendy Oaks
The Danny Granholm Family of Grass Valley has been named the 2011 Family of the Year by the Nevada County Fair’s Board of Directors. The Board chose the Granholm Family because of their ongoing participation in the Nevada County Fair and their commitment and efforts in supporting Nevada County agricultural youth programs.
Danny and Katie Granholm, who were both raised in Grass Valley, have been attending the Fair since they were children. As a teenager, Katie worked at the concerts hosted at the Fairgrounds, and grew up watching her grandparents square dance each year at the Fair. Danny also attended the Fair as a child, and remembers “being unable to sleep the night before the Fair because it felt like it was Christmas Day.”
Most recently, for the past eight years, Katie and Danny have been active in youth agriculture programs. In addition to showing animals with their own children, Danny is currently the President of the Nevada County Ag Youth Boosters and Katie is a past director of the Nevada County Livestock Producers.
As owners of BK Powder Coating, which they started in the garage of Danny’s parent’s home in 1996, Danny and Katie volunteer to donate the powder coating on all Ag Mechanic projects for students from both Bear River and Nevada Union High school.
“It is such a pleasure to work with these students,” said Katie. “They work so hard all year on their Fair projects, and it’s great to be able to come alongside these kids and help them and encourage them.”
Their children, Ben and Kaycee, have also been actively involved in the Fair for many years. Both began exhibiting animals about eight years ago. At the 2011 Fair, Kaycee will show sheep, and Ben will exhibit a hog.
Both Ben and Kaycee have gone on to pursue agricultural education. Ben, 19, graduated from Nevada Union in 2010. He recently completed a year of service to the FFA, where he served as the California FFA State Treasurer. In this role, Ben recently testified at the Senate’s Joint Fairs Committee on behalf of the network of California Fairs. In August, Ben will begin his studies at Fresno State, majoring in Agriculture Business. Kaycee, 17, is a senior at Nevada Union and involved in FFA. She is currently serving as the Superior Region President for FFA, and is preparing for college, where she will major in agriculture.
“Year after year, Danny and Katie dedicate countless hours to the Fair and the agricultural community,” said Sandy Woods, CEO of the Fairgrounds. “They are such a gracious and humble family, with a selfless attitude, and a willingness to give – and they do it all with kindness. They are a nice family and so deserving of being the Family of the Year!”
About being named the Fair’s Family of the Year, Katie says, “We are thrilled and so surprised. It’s a huge honor and we are humbled because there are so many other families who also deserve this recognition. We love being part of the Fair and seeing the community come together to support our community’s youth – and we are honored to be part of that.”
The Granhom Family will be honored at opening ceremonies of the Nevada County Fair, which runs August 10 – 14. They will receive a Fair package of tickets, as well a family portrait created by Shaffers Originals of Grass Valley.
For more information about the Nevada County Fair, visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com or call (530) 273-6217.
