Miami County 4-H looks toward the Fair

Submitted by Paisley McCarroll

The Showin’ & Growin’ 4-H Club is preparing for their third year exhibiting livestock and still projects at the Miami County Fair. The club was established in 2023 and is currently made up of seven families. Projects for this year consisted of market chickens, market ducks, fancy poultry, call ducks, dairy beef feeders, market lambs, beef cattle, woodworking, and fishing. 

While the fair is August 14-20, the 4-H members begin preparing even before the clock strikes midnight on a new calendar year. 4-H begins on October 1st each year. The Showin’ & Growin’ 4-H Club kicked off the season with an educational encounter, visiting Select Sires in Plain City, Ohio, for hands-on experiences. The subjects covered were genetics, DNA, breeding, production, and the cattle industry. 

Around Christmas time, the club served the community by packing boxes of food to distribute to those who need it the most. The members tied fleece blankets to give to members of our local area that live outside. The 4-H Extension office attended a club meeting where they taught financial literacy, engaging the kids in discussing needs and wants when spending money. 

In addition to serving the community and immersing themselves in educational opportunities, the members attended and ran monthly business meetings. They hosted a flower bouquet sale at a dance recital and worked on the holiday lights display for Lost Creek. Both of these opportunities funded the club for the year. 

Through parliamentary procedure, the club members made motions and voted to purchase supplies for their community service projects as well as sponsor Junior Fair Banners. The Health and Safety Officer gave reports on barn and fair safety, which led to good discussions. 

Meetings always end with a sweet treat like homemade cookies or root beer floats. Games, ice breakers or water balloons help the kids form friendships along the way. 

Being in 4-H doesn’t just mean going to the fair and entering a show ring. It stands for something greater. Head, Heart, Health and Hands. All four of these Hs are at the forefront of our club’s goals each year. 

When someone says they are in 4-H, you can guarantee they are giving back to the community, investing in youth, helping younger kids, and have a work ethic that can’t be matched. eight

Stop by the Miami County Fair and show your support for hardworking kids in your hometown. 

Club Members Include:

Hayden and Hailie Clark

Landon, Braxton and Easton Marchal 

Paisley and Lola McCarroll

Lincoln Moran

Jerid, Silas and Ty Raines

Mason, Makayla, Maria, Mavrick and Mariam Weikert 

Cash Wheelock