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Friday Funday – Down on the Farm

There’s nothing better than a night at the county fair, and while in other parts of the county, you typically see them over the summer, here in Florida, our fair season runs from early October through mid-November, and then again from mid-January through early April.

Where we are, the first Thursday through the second Sunday of November is county fair time, with our very own Volusia County Fair & Youth Show taking place in DeLand, Florida, from now until next Sunday.

An 85 year tradition, barring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our county fair annually includes all of the fun fair traditions that everybody loves, including rides, food and fair fun, plus many activities for youth and youth at heart in the community to take part in as part of the show, including baking, craft, photography and horticulture exhibits, school and community organization booths, and of course, youth livestock shows.

The latter being the favorite of Abby, our Marketing Manager, and the inspiration for this week’s blog!

Many folks — including our very own Richard, Erik, Lars, Abby and maybe a few others around Albin’s — remember fondly of their days in 4-H and FFA youth programs, showing livestock, raising plants and participating in a variety of agricultural activities near and far, just as the youth taking part in this year’s fair will do when they are grown with careers of their own.

Albin Hagstrom & Son has been a proud supporter of the annual youth livestock auction during the county fair for many years, where over 150 youth raise a steer, hog or lamb to be auctioned off for the highest dollar to bidders in the community, who receive the meat just in time to enjoy for the holidays.

(If you’re ever in the office, check out all of the plaques hanging on the walls in our lobby.)

The holiday season might be “The Best Time of the Year” here at Albin’s, but we’re pretty fond of the county fair, too. To celebrate its arrival this year, join us down on the farm in this week’s blog, while we admire some livestock-inspired floral designs from throughout the year! 🐂🐖🐑🐓🐇

Many love to “pig out” on some tasty fair foods, but lots of folks in the livestock barn “pig out” a little differently each year, with all of the perfect piggies on display for the livestock shows

Though here at Albin’s, we love our flowers – and greens – and loved this design that takes “pigging out” a little differently, with a pig made of fresh pink Carnations, sitting atop a bed of fresh Variegated Pittosporum!

This perfectly unique little piggy comes to us from Forever Friends Floral in Indiana.

(Fun Fact: While the most common is a light pinkish color, pigs actually come in a variety of colors, including black, brown, white and even some with spots!)

Flowers: Carnations
Greenery: Variegated Pittosporum

At the fair each year, small animals, aka chickens and ducks, turkeys and geese, and rabbits and guinea pigs, are also very popular every year!

In floral design, chicks, chickens, ducks and bunnies are always popular in the springtime, but in our farm fresh showcase this week, let’s take a look at some from earlier this year.

Brought to us by CJ Lilly and Company, a florist in Tennessee, these bunnies were a delight for the Easter season earlier this year, just as all of the bunnies are in the exhibit at this year’s county fair.

The bunny-inspired containers are filled with fun flowers and greenery, such as Roses, Daisies and Tulips, and fresh Green and Variegated Pittosporum.

(Fun Fact: Did you know that there are over 50 different breeds of rabbits found around the world?)

Flowers: Roses, Tulips, Daisies, Hydrangea, Stock, Mums
Greenery: Variegated Pittosporum, Green Pittosporum

Who wouldn’t love a cute little cow, especially when it’s made of flowers!?

Cows are usually a little bigger than you would think if you’ve never been up close to one, but this one is a little smaller, as it’s made from some fresh florals, by the ladies at Blooming Girls Flower Shop in Georgia!

Our cow friend is made up of Chrysanthemums and Carnations, surrounded by some “hay,” made up of Sunflowers, Roses and Goldenrod. Don’t forget the greenery, though, including our favorite Leatherleaf Fern, and tiny touches of Silver Dollar Eucalyptus.

(Fun Fact: Did you know that while their motto is “Eat More Chicken,” the Chick-Fil-A cows are actually a breed of dairy cow, as in they are usually used to produce milk vs. being harvested for meat? The ubiquitous Holstein breed, similar to the cow design here, was chosen for the job as it is easily recognizable by the public.)

Flowers: Chrysanthemums, Carnations, Sunflowers, Roses, Goldenrod
Greenery: Leatherleaf Fern, Silver Dollar Eucalyptus

We’ve seen cows, pigs and small animals, but if you’re counting, we can’t forget the sheep!

If you ask anyone that’s raised them, they’d probably tell you that sheep aren’t always cuddly and friendly, but this little lamb certainly is, and this gal looks even cuter next to her mate, with a collar made of flowers and greenery, at 1818 Farms, a sheep and flower farm in Alabama.

The little ewe (female) lamb’s collar is made of fresh flowers, grown right on their farm

While this breed of sheep isn’t traditionally shown, at least in Florida, so they don’t look quite like the ones on display at the fair, they’re still cute enough to round out our livestock-inspired showcase this week.

(Fun Fact: Meat, aka lamb or mutton, isn’t the only product we get from sheep, they also can produce wool and milk, and products such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, oils and much more from their byproducts!)

Flowers: Assorted, Locally Grown Blooms
Greenery: Assorted Eucalyptus

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If you are local to our area, the 2022 Volusia County Fair & Youth Show runs now through Sunday, November 13 at the Volusia County Fairgrounds, at I-4 Exit 118 in DeLand. 🎡

(Are you part of our Albin’s Family? Post your florals to Instagram and follow us at @albinhagstrom_son for the chance to be featured in an upcoming edition of the blog!)