About 250 youth will be exhibiting projects and showing livestock at this year’s DeKalb County 4-H Fair.
The General Projects Show is set for July 16 and 17 at the DeKalb County Farm Bureau Center for Agriculture, Sycamore. The Livestock Show will be held Aug. 1-3 at the Sandwich Fairgrounds (see fair schedule).
Morgan Johnson showing her beef cow at last year’s fair.
New this year to the General Projects Show are two projects – cake decorating and scrapbooking, according to Nicole Groezinger, Extension program coordinator, 4-H & Youth Development. Also new, members may show more than one food item in a foods project class at the fair.
Regarding the livestock show, Groezinger says dairy numbers continue to decline but other animals remain steady. Pig numbers may be slightly lower this year due to the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus.
The 2014 fair has very few changes in its venue from previous years, notes Johnna Jennings, Extension unit educator, 4-H Youth Development. “When you have something that seems to be working well, it seems silly to make unnecessary changes. Our 4-H Fair superintendents tell us when they feel a show or class needs to be changed or adjusted and we certainly make those changes when needed, but for this year nothing major is changing” she said.
Livestock Auction Aug. 3
The Blue Ribbon 4-H Livestock Auction will be similar to the past in offering 4-H members an opportunity to sell their livestock at a premium. The auction is set for Sunday, Aug. 3 at the Sandwich Fairgrounds.
Bill Kuhn, auction chairman, expects about 300 animals to be auctioned off. This is the 24th year for the auction.
At this venture Kuhn says 4-H members with livestock should be contacting prospective buyers to bid on their animals. Donations are also being accepted through the “Friends of 4-H”, a fund which provides financial support to 4-H members and helps with the expenses of the auction.
For additional information about the auction and 4-H Fair contact the Extension office, 815-758-8194.
Article from July’s DeKalb County Farm Bureau’s Connections publication
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