In touch with farm roots

For decades, Dave Leatherman has dedicated himself to agriculture and children.

Why?

“We all have to eat,” said Leatherman, 55, of Stanwood.

“It’s a joy. Kids are the future,” the agriculture teacher said Monday at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds, where students were decorating their animal pens for the fair, which opens tomorrow.

Leatherman is this year’s “fair honoree,” the fair’s top award to a volunteer. Leatherman has been on the fair’s volunteer advisory board since 1990.

“They couldn’t have chosen a better person,” said Russell Dean, who also is on the board and has known Leatherman for about 30 years.

Leatherman, who started showing animals at age 10 as a 4-H member, has helped generations of children with animal showing at the fair.

“He believes in youth,” said Dean, 56. “He believes in their potential. He believes basically that if you give them an opportunity, they’ll shine.”

Even though the fair has added numerous entertainment activities, it’s still primarily an educational event to help people understand agriculture, said Leatherman, who teaches agriculture at Arlington High School and Weston High School, an alternative high school in Arlington.

“Our population is so far away from agriculture,” he said.

Leatherman is easy to approach and willing to answer any questions, said Stephanie Newbre, 15, who will be a sophomore at Arlington High School this fall.

“To have someone who knows what he’s talking about kind of helps,” she said.

Leatherman said he has seen many students learn to be responsible and build self-esteem through their interaction with animals.

Dedicated volunteers such as Leatherman keep the fair’s agricultural roots alive, said Mark Campbell, the fair’s manager.

“From the fair’s perspective, the role of agriculture has never diminished,” Campbell said.

However, he was at something of a loss for words to explain Leatherman’s contribution to the fair.

“That’s hard,” he said. “How he has not contributed is a much shorter list.”

Leatherman, who has participated in the fair for more than 40 years, said the fair draws a diverse group of farmers and ranchers offering something for anyone – including himself – to learn.

Leatherman keeps about 50 head of sheep at his 22-acre ranch north of Stanwood. But Leatherman has never bragged about his volunteer experience at the fair, said his wife, Jan Leatherman.

“I’m really proud of him,” she said. “He’s such a behind-the-scenes kind of worker, he truly deserves some recognition for his lifework.”

Reporter Yoshiaki Nohara: 425-339-3029 or ynohara@heraldnet.com.

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