{"id":4369,"date":"2020-05-12T09:11:23","date_gmt":"2020-05-12T13:11:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whitefire-publishing.com\/read\/?p=4369"},"modified":"2022-08-10T13:57:00","modified_gmt":"2022-08-10T17:57:00","slug":"benjy-and-the-county-fair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whitefire-publishing.com\/read\/benjy-and-the-county-fair\/","title":{"rendered":"Benjy and the County Fair"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>
\n

Benjy and the County Fair<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By Bonnie <\/a><\/a>Swinehart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The county fair could be Benjy\u2019s ticket to a new bike\u2026if only his ornery goats will cooperate!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being a twelve-year-old boy in 1930s farm country means a lot of hard work\u2026and plenty of mischief. Benjy is determined to earn enough money for a shiny new bicycle over the summer, but he\u2019s not sure how he\u2019ll have the time when his father presents him with three new responsibilities\u2014a passel of ornery goats determined to make his life miserable. Then his mother mentions the money she earned at the county fair, and suddenly those goats and his garden patch become challenges Benjy\u2019s determined to conquer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when his rival, local bully Bruce, shows up, Benjy might just lose everything he\u2019s been working for. He knows he shouldn\u2019t want revenge\u2026but resisting it\u2019s even harder than taming the cantankerous goats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t

Chapter 1<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Late May, 1935<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pennsylvania, Dutch town of Landisburg<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every student stared at the clock in the single room of the red brick schoolhouse. Benjy had trouble hanging onto his seat\u2014he was ready to tear out of the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miss Nettie, the schoolmarm, finally got up from her chair. Even her short, plump figure<\/a> didn\u2019t keep her from her own excitement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChildren, thank you for a wonderful school year,\u201d Miss Nettie said. \u201cI wish all of you a great summer vacation, and I\u2019ll see you in September.\u201d She slowly and deliberately walked to the rope, where she rang the school bell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ding dong! Ding dong!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children plowed out of their seats like a herd of wild horses. Tall and lanky<\/a>, Benjy had no trouble keeping up with the rest of his classmates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFreedom!\u201d Benjy yelled. <\/em>Now he had the whole summer ahead of him to go fishing with his buddy, Old Albert, and to spend time with friends\u2014especially Sarah. <\/em>And he could work on his plan to buy a new bicycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, Benjy,\u201d Sarah said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy joined Sarah and beamed a smile at the sight of her blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair. <\/a>She sure is pretty<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy ma was going to visit your ma today and meet me there after school,\u201d Sarah said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI smell some chocolate chip cookies coming our way,\u201d Benjy said. \u201cMaybe we should hurry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNah, let\u2019s just enjoy this moment of freedom from the classroom,\u201d Sarah said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd, homework!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they reached the point where they could see Benjy\u2019s house and barn, he wrinkled his brows as he studied his father on the front porch. His tall, lean frame was decked out as always in his straw hat, red plaid shirt, and overalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomething ain\u2019t right,\u201d Benjy said. \u201cPop\u2019s pacing back and forth on the front porch as though he\u2019s waiting for something or someone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go see what\u2019s happening,\u201d Sarah said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou gotta be kidding, Pop. You want me to do what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No sooner did Benjy get the words out of his mouth than an old, rundown red pickup came shaking and rattling over every bump in the lane. The truck\u2019s tires spewed out a dusty cloud that followed the truck and covered its wood-slatted truck bed. It stopped beside the Clemmons\u2019 yard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s Mr. Haney with our new goats,\u201d Pop said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGoats! We\u2019re getting goats?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSure are,\u201d Pop said. \u201cThey\u2019re special Saanen milk goats, Benjy, and it\u2019s your job to take care of them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy stared at his pop. \u201cI don\u2019t know anything about goats.\u201d He turned toward the house and shouted. \u201cMa! Ma! Come quick!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh Benjy, you can do it,\u201d Sarah said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ma and Mrs. Perkins, Sarah\u2019s mother, dashed out the front door of the farmhouse one after the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s all the commotion about?\u201d Ma asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, what?\u201d Sarah\u2019s mom asked. Dressed in a plain grey dress and dark green apron<\/a>, she was ready for the rest of the day\u2019s work when she would return home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sarah stayed by Benjy\u2019s side and stared at the goats right along with Benjy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Mr. Haney turned off the ignition, the goats bellowed and stomped their hooves against the wooden planks of the truck bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M-a-a! M-a-a!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThose goats make as much noise as a thousand claps of thunder.\u201d Benjy turned to Sarah, who stood wide-eyed and just plain speechless. \u201cOh Sarah, what am I gonna do? Pop wants me to care for these\u2026these wild critters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pop just folded his arms and grinned. \u201cNow, Benjy, it\u2019s not going to be that bad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaybe not, Benjy,\u201d Sarah said, her blue eyes flashing. \u201cThey might even be cute.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCute!\u201d Benjy spurted. \u201cJust listen to them hammering their hooves against the wood and bawling like a couple of little babies. And they\u2019re stinky.\u201d He turned toward his father. \u201cWhat are we gonna to do with these critters?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor now we\u2019ll keep them in the barn, and this afternoon we\u2019ll start building them a shelter.\u201d He took off his straw hat and wiped his sweaty brow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy frowned as he and Sarah moved closer to the pickup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Haney, a stout man with a beard and clad in torn denim overalls and a blue plaid shirt<\/a>, jumped out of the driver\u2019s seat and headed toward Pop. They exchanged some words, then Pop pulled some dollar bills from his wallet and handed them to Mr. Haney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEverything will be fine,\u201d said Ma. She and Mrs. Perkins headed back to the house and sat on the porch swing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBenjy, let\u2019s see if we can get a better look at those goats,\u201d Sarah said. \u201cLet\u2019s crack open that tailgate just a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNooooo!\u201d Pop shouted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Too late!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy and Sarah had already opened the tailgate, and the three white goats, all different sizes with fire in their eyes, leapt one by one onto the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy grabbed Sarah\u2019s hand and pulled her to the side. \u201cRun!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He and Sarah took off like a streak of lightning as the goats chased them across the barnyard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, now look what you\u2019ve done!\u201d Pop shouted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThem goats are fast!\u201d Benjy yelled as one of them bit onto the tail of his shirt and another bit onto the back ribbon dangling from Sarah\u2019s dress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sarah stopped and pulled on the ribbon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goat tugged back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy came to a screeching halt and yanked at his shirt, trying to get the goat to let go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sarah screamed, and her face turned white. Benjy\u2019s shirt ripped as he tried to push Sarah\u2019s goat away from her. But both goats refused to let go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeehaw!\u201d someone shouted from the nearby field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy glanced over and saw someone on a bicycle. \u201cOh, no. What\u2019sBruce Yeager doing here? And the big bully showed up on his shiny new bike.\u201d Bruce laughed so hard his jelly belly shook. His freckled face<\/a> turned beet red as he just laughed and laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook who\u2019s gonna be a goat farmer. Looks like you\u2019re doing a mighty fine job of controlling them goats.\u201d Bruce parked his bike and keeled over as another big chuckle roared up from his belly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGet off of me, you feisty goat,\u201d Benjy sneered, but his shirt was already torn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sarah yanked her frayed ribbon and sobbed. \u201cThis is my favorite dress. Let go!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a tug of war, Pop and Mr. Haney rushed to help get the biggest goat to release Sarah, who then ran toward her mother standing on the porch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Haney grabbed the goat around her neck until she settled down and stopped kicking and biting. Meanwhile, Pop reached Benjy just in time to tackle the goat that now had a piece of Benjy\u2019s plaid shirt hanging from its mouth. That left the smallest goat, still running wild and free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy chased it, grabbed it around the neck, and held on with an arm lock as the goat struggled and then finally calmed down. \u201cI got \u2019em, Pop, I got \u2019em!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two men and Benjy circled, waved their arms, and shooed the goats into a fenced-in area of the barnyard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThem goats sure got some spunk,\u201d Benjy said, his face dripping with sweat. \u201cLook at my shirt. It\u2019s ruined, and now I gotta go settle the score with Bruce.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy looked toward the field and saw Bruce riding away as fast as his bicycle wheels could turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll get even with him.\u201d Benjy stomped his foot and clenched his fists. \u201cSomeday I\u2019ll have my own bike.\u201d He turned toward the house and noticed that Sarah, her mother, and Ma had disappeared into the house. But then Ma, in her everyday house dress and flowered apron<\/a>, came back on the porch and yelled, \u201cLunch is ready. Come and get it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy hurried into the house and bit his lip when he noticed the color still drained from Sarah\u2019s face. \u201cIt\u2019ll be okay, Sarah. Let\u2019s get ready for lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time everyone piled into the kitchen to wash for lunch, Sarah seemed to have regained her composure. Benjy\u2019s family<\/a> with their friends, including Mr. Haney, all sat around the big oak table while Pop said the blessing. Benjy added a silent prayer of his own: \u201cDear God, help me with them wild and wiry goats \u2019cause I ain\u2019t got a clue of what to do with them. Amen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fine, homecooked meal of ham boiled with green beans and potatoes, homemade bread and apple butter, cherry pie, and chocolate chip cookies took thoughts away from those ornery goats. Benjy ate until he thought one more spoonful might cause his stomach to burst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Haney thanked Ma for a delicious meal then drove away in his rattling pickup truck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After helping to wash and dry the dishes, Mrs. Perkins and Sarah decided to go home to see if Sarah\u2019s dress could be mended with some new ribbon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Sad that Sarah had to leave, Benjy focused on doing his regular chores. With his faithful dog beside him, Benjy kicked the dirt with the tip of his shoe. \u201cGee whiz, Mutt. Can you believe I\u2019m gonna have to care for them goats? I\u2019m even gonna have to milk them. Sounds yucky to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ruff! Ruff! <\/em>Mutt, with his big brown eyes, floppy ears, and long, shaggy tan and white <\/a>hair, barked as though he agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hoped to get a part-time job somewhere so I could earn money to buy a bike. Heard they were hiring a few boys over at the mill for the summer. Now my plans are all ruined.\u201d He kicked the dirt again only this time much harder. How am I ever gonna get a new bike now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A short while later Pop announced that he and Benjy would start on the goat shelter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m counting on you, Benjy.\u201d Pop handed him a book on goats to learn more about taking care of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy knew his father meant business and prepared himself for some intense work. Over the next several days Benjy measured, cut lumber for stakes, uncoiled fencing, and staked it in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ouch!<\/em> One day he pounded his thumb instead of a stake. With his thumb bright red and throbbing, he continued to use his hand anyway until he and Pop finished the shelter, mangers, and a milking platform. Trying to ignore the pain, Benjy gathered sweet-smelling alfalfa hay and rode along with Pop to buy grain pellets as small as peas for the goats\u2019 food. They also sawed boards to build a wooden trough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In three afternoons, Pop and Benjy finished the goat shelter. Then they tied a rope to each of the goats and led them to their fenced-in yard and welcomed them to their new home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis type of goats with their stand-up ears were originally from Switzerland,\u201d said Pop. \u201cThey\u2019re among the top milk producers, and tonight you get to milk them for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eww, I\u2019m gonna have to touch them teats. <\/em>He\u2019d think about that later. Right now, his stomach was growling. <\/em>\u201cHey, Mutt, let\u2019s go find Ma.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ma was making sandwiches when Benjy sped into the kitchen and plopped into his chair. Pop followed, hung up his hat, and washed his hands. With one look from Pop, Benjy washed his hands too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ma opened a jar of her pickled red beets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy rubbed his belly. \u201cYou make the best red beets, Ma.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is my last jar from the batch that won the blue ribbon at the county fair last year.\u201d Ma handed the jar to Benjy, his mouth watering for a bite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPop and I cheered when you won first place,\u201d Benjy said. \u201cWhere\u2019s your ribbon now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s in the parlor buffet, along with the seventy-five cents I won for having the best red beets in the county.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWow, I forgot you won money too.\u201d Benjy\u2019s mind started spinning dollar signs. \u201cYou reckon I could grow some things to enter in the fair this year?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy, sure. You always help with the garden anyway. I could set aside a patch where you can grow your own vegetables, if you\u2019d like. I have lots of nice tomato plants I started indoors. You\u2019re welcome to some of them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow many things can you enter in the fair?\u201d Benjy asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs many as you want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou take good care of them goats and you just might have a good show goat too,\u201d Pop said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wow, I could really make myself some money. Even if I have to take care of some yucky goats.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After lunch Benjy watched while the goats checked out their new home. He placed some alfalfa hay in the trough. Soon, one by one, they headed for the hay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chomp, chomp!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goats ended up with as much hay on the ground as in their mouths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook at that, Mutt.\u201d Benjy shook his head. \u201cThose messy goats are trampling all over their hay when they\u2019re supposed to be eating it. I gotta go get Pop.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy turned and saw his father approaching the pen. \u201cPop, what am I gonna do? These goats are messy and wasting all this hay!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pop looked at Benjy and started to laugh. \u201cI should have told you the trough is for their water. Each goat has its own manger. Remember the wooden stands we built with a hole cut out? The goat puts her head through the hole and eats her alfalfa hay and grain pellets from the wooden mangers we attached to the stands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShucks! You sure you want me taking care of these goats?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll get the hang of it,\u201d Pop said. \u201cIf you gave them food and water, you don\u2019t need to tend to them again until early evening.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know how to milk those stupid goats.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, son, you\u2019ll catch on. I\u2019ll show you later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy headed to his vegetable patch. He got busy digging up and turning over the ground with a shovel. He broke up the clumps of ground and raked the garden until it became fine, tillable soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After supper he headed back to the goat pen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He stroked the goats\u2019 warm, soft fur. \u201cDon\u2019t know who has the most to learn, the three of you or me, but I guess we\u2019re about to find out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy washed his hands at the pump. He grabbed a clean, stainless steel bucket, filled it with water, grabbed a wet rag, and headed for the goat shelter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI guess if we\u2019re gonna get well acquainted, ladies, I should give you some names.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He started with the biggest goat and named her Hazel. The smallest one he named Sadie, and the one in the middle he called Lucy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, Hazel, step up on the milking platform here and let\u2019s give this milking thing a try.\u201d Benjy thought how proud Pop would be that he read the book to learn about the milking process. Pop will see that I milked Hazel all on my own.<\/em> He sat on the milking stool, cleaned Hazel\u2019s udder with a wet rag, and placed the bucket beneath her teats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, here goes nothing.\u201d Benjy grabbed hold and pulled. Nothing happened. He tried again and again. Nothing happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazel started prancing, almost knocking over the bucket and stepping on Benjy\u2019s feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCome on, Hazel, you gotta cooperate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soon the goat bleated like a baby as Benjy tried and tried to get her milk to come out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re supposed to be a milking goat, aren\u2019t ya?\u201d No matter how hard he tried, Benjy couldn\u2019t get any milk from Hazel. Not one drop. He thought he could do this on this own but was glad when Pop entered the pen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cHow\u2019s it going, son?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAin\u2019t going at all. I don\u2019t think she has any milk to give.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pop came over and showed Benjy Hazel\u2019s udder. \u201cSee how swollen it is? She\u2019s full of milk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell then she just doesn\u2019t like me because she won\u2019t let it out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHere, let me try.\u201d He motioned for Benjy to give him the stool. One pull and out came a stream of milk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow\u2019d you do that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pop got up from the stool. \u201cI planned to teach you, son. Here, sit down and let me show you something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy watched as Pop placed one of Benjy\u2019s thumbs and the next finger at the top of the teat then told him to pull down and squeeze with the last three fingers. A stream of creamy, warm milk came out\u2026and squirted right in Pop\u2019s face!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhoa!\u201d Pop yelled. \u201cSlow down, son!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cI think I got it now.\u201d Benjy bit his lip, but the laughter burst out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI reckon you do.\u201d Pop laughed too and wiped away the creamy milk with his handkerchief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjy couldn\u2019t help himself\u2014he roared with laughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pop reached over, took Hazel\u2019s teat and gave it a squirt\u2026toward Benjy. Now Pop was the one laughing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n