Find out if a kid’ll eat ivy, too, at Goatalympics

Published 12:01 am Friday, July 8, 2011

Goatalympics 2011 is planned for Saturday at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds.

It’s modeled after a horse show, with lots of classes for different sorts of goats, says Ellen Felsenthal, owner of New Moon Farm Goat Rescue and Sanctuary in Arlington.

I wrote about her rescue operation Apr

il 27, “Arlington acreage becomes a sanctuary for rescued goats.” I learned there are many types of goats with funny personalities.

In the column I wrote that, “City Girl had no idea that goats burp. Oh my, at New Moon Farm Goat Rescue and Sanctuary, there were noises coming out both ends of the herd. Standing next to the immaculate corrals, I giggled like a fourth-grader. ‘You would be gassy, too, if you had four stomachs,’ said Ellen Felsenthal, who oversees the operation.”

See, and hear, for yourself from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at 14405 179th Ave. SE in Monroe.

Felsenthal says the day will be filled with a variety of goat events, goat contests, a mega-raffle and photographers. There will be three photographers: One roving, one shooting the events and one for studio portraits of folks and their goats. Photos will be available for purchase online after the event.

Activities include an obstacle course, various foot races, pole bending, egg and spoon, high jump and Simon Says. Also, Mr. and Mrs. Personality, look-a-like, loudest bleat, coolest beard, most talkative, smallest ears, best costume, most spots, longest horns, softest goat and more.

The purpose of the event is to raise money for the goat rescue and raise awareness of the New Moon Farm organization.

“This is also a chance for goat people to ‘show off’ their kids and have fun in an environment that’s less stressful than the fair and not based on food production,” Felsenthal says. “To date, New Moon Farm has taken in, rehabilitated and found loving homes for almost 800 goats.”

For more information, go to www.newmoonfarm.org.

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Volunteers are needed to help the National Park Service and Coupeville Lions Club preserve the Ferry House, circa 1856, and the Kineth Water Tower on Smith Prairie, circa 1896, within the Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve .

At the fourth Ebey’s Reserve Preservation Field School on Whidbey Island there will be work opportunities, evening programs, field trips and lectures.

Reserve Manager Mark Preiss says this is a great opportunity to learn and practice historic preservation techniques with your neighbors and preservation experts from across the region.

The Kineth Water Tower is located on Highway 20 at Salmagundi Farms. It’s one of two complete remaining water towers on Ebey’s Reserve. Work this summer includes siding repairs, fixing gutters, window rehabilitation and porch reconstruction.

Work on the Ferry House on Ebey’s Prairie includes reconstructing the original front porch based on historic photos, repairing chimneys and more. The Ferry House was built in the mid-1850s as the original Port Townsend and Whidbey ferry landing and served as an inn, tavern and post office.

Volunteers are needed at both the water tower and the Ferry House on Mondays through Thursdays from July 18 through Aug. 11. To sign up, call or email your preferred dates to Allen Edwards at volunteerebeys@gmail.com or 360-678-4645.

A workshop is planned for 3 p.m. Thursday to learn about the volunteer projects.

For more information, call 360-678-6084 or go to the website for the Ebey’s Landing reserve at www.nps.gov/ebla.

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Saturday is the last day to register for the Stanwood Camano Community Fair Parade. The theme this year is March of Freedom: Honoring our Military Past, Present and Future.

It’s planned for 11 a.m. Aug. 6 downtown.

For more information, call 360-722-7811.

Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.