We were in Eastman, Wisconsin, a farming community in the southwest corner of the state for their 4^th of July Celebration when an event called the “Small Animal Catch” really grabbed my attention – all puns intended!

 

My brother Mark and nephew Garret had just completed a highly competitive 3-legged sack race, and now crate cages were surrounding the town’s lone baseball diamond.  “What

happens now?” I asked a mom standing next to me.  “They let go of kittens, chicks, ducks, and some piglets and we let go of the kids…they keep what they catch.”   This was really using resources at hand to: 1) Have a good time, 2) Provide for a quick livestock exchange and 3) Hone the young farmhand’s skill at catching critters!   I stepped up for a closer look.

 

 

Nephew Garret, a city boy, had already decided that this was the opportunity for the pet of his dreams, and he pushed his way to the front of the starting line. His sister, Marlana Jane, who had a heightened sense of impending danger, opted for a piggy-back-ride from Mom to allow her to watch the action from above the fray.  The starting signal brought the animals racing from their cages and the children racing from their mark.  Moments of pandemonium and laughter followed as animals scurried to evade hands and children worked together to corral their prize. Garret secured a plump chick, only to have it plucked out of his hands by a bigger farm boy.  Darn shame. But Mom and Dad were secretly tickled they did not have to pay freight on a chicken back to Huntington Beach, California!

 

 

Experience the BlueHighways by getting out and enjoying the community celebrations happening every weekend across our country this summer and fall.  Write and tell us about your adventure at #adventures@bluehighwaystv.com