Intense heat melts attendance totals at Sussex County Farm and Horse Show

Rhiannon Conover, 12, handles Snow Blossom, one of the heifers she showed, winning several ribbons along the way. (Photo by Jane Primerano)

AUGUSTA — The Sussex County Farm and Horse show is also known as the New Jersey State Fair and it’s also known for an enormous midway, but it’s still a county fair with 4-H kids and their animals, dairy and beef cattle, goats, sheep, poultry and small animals.
The intense heat kept the number of visitors down during the beginning of the week, according to comments from vendors and volunteers.
The customary lines that start at the 4-H ice cream barn didn’t extend to the paved road and even the usually long lines at the food tent — normally packed with folks waiting for their sauerkraut and noodles — weren’t unmanageable.
One place the lack of visitors wasn’t obvious was the Quilts of Valor table where people were writing notes to veterans on quilt squares.
Visitors were also voting for their favorite quilts and photos.
The veterans in their tent noted turnout was low but were optimistic it would improve as temperatures dropped in the evening.
The Snook Museum was unusually quiet since children weren’t lining up to crack corn.
The heat didn’t dampen the usual enthusiasm for the animal shows as teens and pre-teens honed their showing skills.