There are no goats going to the fair this year for the Kleins, but they’ll have plenty of other wares for judging.
For this year’s Monroe County Fair, five of the seven Klein boys will be exhibiting their vegetables, crafts, and other creative projects. Most will be representing Jolly Joiners – the Cashton-based 4-H club, while the youngest is still a Cloverbud.
In year’s past, the family would bring animals, but they’re taking a break this year in lieu of other summer activities that conflict with the county fair, which runs from Wednesday, July 24 through Sunday, July 28 in Tomah’s Recreation Park.
“Our goats never do well at the fair, but it’s not because we don’t have nice goats, it’s because we’re doing something a little different,” explained Franz, the head of the Klein’s farm operations. In addition to goats, the Kleins raise chickens, pigs, and turkeys, and grow enough vegetables to feed their family, with a little extra for the farmer's market.
Franz and Rosemary Klein serve as patriarch and matriarch of the Klein nine. They’ve spent years cultivating their 40-acre parcel into a nearly self-sustaining homestead to raise their seven boys, whose ages range from 15 to less than a year old.
All seven will someday participate in 4-H and bring exhibit entries to the fair, but at the moment, the two youngest members of the family are simply not old enough.
Even without the animals, they still have plenty of projects and vegetables to showcase – most notable of all is garlic.
The Klein family farm - also known as Kleinshire - grow an acre of various garlic types every year. This year is a bumper crop, giving the boys plenty of options to pick from for the fair.
“We sell to seed companies,” said Franz, while pointing out the varieties in the field. “So [the piles of garlic] have to be kept very, very distinct between here, curing, and being sent off.”
The oldest of the seven siblings, Cyprian, age 15, tends to his own row of garlic, which is a variety known as Chesnok Red. He’s the former reporter for his 4-H club, and last year he won a merit for his garlic entry, as well as his video project. Cyprian plays the PC videogame Minecraft and records his gameplay and edits into short video for fair judging. However, with the fair less than a week away, he’s had a little hitch in his video project this year.
“I haven’t been able to get good scenes, yet,” said Cyprian.
Clement, the second oldest at 13 years old and historian for the Jolly Joiners club, is bringing garlic – but he is also an artist. He has a slew of paintings and pencil drawings ready to show.
The third oldest, Cletus, 11, will be bringing the most entries this year, with a heavy focus on his garden harvests. His entries total up to 35.
“I’m showing, like, 20 vegetables,” said Cletus.
In addition to the myriad of sliced and pickled vegetables, Cletus’s submissions include chicken eggs, photography, educational posters, and baked goods. But he’s all about vegetables, and tends to his own modest garden.
The youngest of the 4-Hers, Chrysogonus (9) and Cornelius (6) put together a couple crafts and building block projects. Cornelius is the lone Cloverbud so far – which are kids who are in 5K through 2nd grade.
Goat showing may still be in the boys’ future for next year, but like Franz said, they generally don’t score very high. Their animal husbandry practices may look different in comparison to a conventional farm, but the pros greatly outweigh the cons.
“These goats get no grain, there’s no medical interevention, no vet bill, no wormers, and no chemicals,” said Franz.
Kleinshire’s fresh and pickled vegetables, maple syrup, eggs, garlic powders and tinctures are available for purchase at the Sparta Farmer’s Market on Water St. on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
