"It's a good start," said Jim Bailey, OCF's special projects director, in describing the launching of the Fair's new community service activity, The Ranch.

Twenty-five Davis Elementary School fifth graders are in the inaugural class of The Ranch, which could be the forerunner of a major OCF community undertaking if an off-site location is obtained.

Divided into three groups, the youngsters spend three hours a day after school tending to individual garden plots, caring for horses, or taking care of farm animals such as pigs, goats, sheep, etc. The Ranch is located at the Equestrian Center.

Bailey also said that the cooperation among the Fair, the City of Costa Mesa and the school district was helping The Ranch to succeed.

The current group of children will be in the program until the end of the school term. Bailey said a decision had not been made on whether to have a summer program before the fall school term begins.