Growing up on the “wild side”
With the Boundary County Fair recently behind us for the year it is a good reminder of the accomplishments of our youth in raising and showing their animals. The value of chores growing up teaches and instills lifelong values of a work ethic, responsibility and many other positive traits.
Growing up as the youngest of three brothers and a sister where we all had chores to do before we went to school, went swimming or played with our friends. As a child I did not always see the positive side of having to do the chores before the fun but am thankful for the lessons and values that our parents passed along to us. Our farm had some of the “regular” animals over the years like horses, sheep, chickens and rabbits, but that was just the beginning. Our parents began taking in orphan and injured animals for the Idaho Fish and Game Department and it expanded from there with having the first game farm license in the state.
So you might say that my brothers and sister and I grew up on the “wild side” as our game farm expanded and included over the years several wild animals including black bear, cougars, badgers, porcupines, bobcats, elk, bighorn sheep, fox, raccoons, owls, pheasants, peacocks and an African lion to name a few of the “chores” that we cared for on a daily basis.
Looking back on those memories I wouldn’t change them for the world. It isn’t often that you can swim with a black bear cub or take a cougar for a walk on a leash. The school children from Bonner and Boundary counties would have field trips to the game farm every year to learn about the animals. My brother Charlie transported one of our cow elk to a location in Southern Idaho where she was filmed for the old television series Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.
Our granddaughter Shelby recently raised, showed and sold her pig at the Kootenai County Fair. She is learning the traits of doing “chores” which will carry on into her adult life that I am so thankful for. I encourage you to support programs like 4H and FFA, and to teach your children the importance of having chores, learning responsibility and a work ethic. If you don’t have animals there are always “chores” that your children can do to teach them the benefits of responsibility.
