Coronavirus in rural America (Part LII): the loss of the county fair

The New York Times ran this lovely story a few weeks ago, but I'm just now getting to it on the blog. The headline is "A Heartbreak for Children:  When the County Fair is Canceled."  Of course, it isn't just county fairs being canceled in the era of coronavirus; many state fairs have been canceled as well.  And this isn't a heartbreak shared among kids regardless of geography:  this is a primarily rural heartbreak.  There is so much to this story, and the photos are remarkable so please read it all, and thanks to Dionne Searcey for reporting.  Bottom line:  This year, lots of youth who raise farm animals are showing them "virtually."  The story provides a sense of what that looks like.

Here, I'm just going to highlight what farm kids, often participating through programs like 4-H, gain from these undertakings.

Virtual livestock shows are not a perfect replacement, but officials say they help reward children for their hard work.

The story then quotes Jennifer Sirangelo, the chief executive of the National 4-H Council:

It’s not just the activity of raising an animal.  These shows are critical to developing outcomes for youth. That sense of belonging and recognition is really important.

This all reminds me of what Espenshade and Radford found regarding how elite college admissions officers viewed applicant participation in 4-H and Future Farmers of America--essentially as unintellectual and careerist, thus demonstrating the disconnect b/w rural and urban pursuits.  Read posts from nearly a decade ago, about the Princeton sociologists' work, here and here.