News
People, displays, animals, and live music pulsing through the air. Douglas County youth enjoying many great opportunities for learning. It can only be the five days of the great Douglas County Fair. At the 2009 fair, 4-H will once again play a pivotal role in youth development and public education. More than 750 4-H youth will have the opportunity to interact with the public and educate fairgoers through 4-H exhibits, demonstrations and 4-H promotion.
The 4-H fair animal exhibits include: beef and dairy cattle, goats, sheep, swine, horses, dogs, and small animals (rabbits, cavies, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons). Other 4-H exhibits on display at the fair include projects in technology, natural science, engineering, horticulture, arts, photography, clothing, and food exhibits.
With the go, go, go of our modern lifestyle, some people may ask, “Do the county fair and local agriculture have a place in life today?” Well, my answer for those people would be a firm “yes.” What's happening with the 4-H projects at the Douglas County Fair directly relates to what's happening in the towns and on the farms within our communities. 4-H (and also FFA) are amazing programs for youth to learn leadership, communication, and to provide an opportunity for real, hands-on application of knowledge.
The fair itself is a wonderful educational activity and a showcase for all of the hard work and dedication that 4-H members have shown to their projects and clubs throughout the year. Someone could try to make a case that the 4-H fair exhibits don't relate to people as much as they did 40 years ago, but that's not true. What you see in 4-H projects directly reflects modern life.
For instance, people may have done more home cooking in the past. But even with the modern tendency to eat out or eat prepackaged foods, everybody is realizing the importance of knowing good nutrition, just as 4-H foods projects teach. Nutrition awareness also influences the livestock projects at the fair. The livestock industry follows consumer demand, which is for leaner, less fatty meat animals. The champion cattle of 40 years ago could never win at today's fair. For a 4-H livestock project to be successful, it has to stay current with today's industry standards.
Many of today's 4-H projects and educational efforts deal with “basic life skills”. A few include setting goals, following through and teaching youth how to make the correct choices in life. These are skills taught by the 4-H program that give youth a purpose and help them to be independent, successful adults.
Yes, even in this age, the young people involved in 4-H who exhibit livestock at the fair can go on to be farmers or pursue any number of careers in the agricultural industry. Many of the other 4-H projects can lead young people into areas they may never have imagined, such as photography, computer science, or cooking. Think of all the career possibilities.
We look forward to the 2009 Douglas County Fair, and can't wait to see you there!
Tracy Martz is the 4-H Youth Development agent for OSU Extension Service of Douglas County. Tracy can be reached by e-mail at tracy.martz@oregonstate.edu or by phone at 672-4461.
The 4-H fair animal exhibits include: beef and dairy cattle, goats, sheep, swine, horses, dogs, and small animals (rabbits, cavies, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons). Other 4-H exhibits on display at the fair include projects in technology, natural science, engineering, horticulture, arts, photography, clothing, and food exhibits.
With the go, go, go of our modern lifestyle, some people may ask, “Do the county fair and local agriculture have a place in life today?” Well, my answer for those people would be a firm “yes.” What's happening with the 4-H projects at the Douglas County Fair directly relates to what's happening in the towns and on the farms within our communities. 4-H (and also FFA) are amazing programs for youth to learn leadership, communication, and to provide an opportunity for real, hands-on application of knowledge.
The fair itself is a wonderful educational activity and a showcase for all of the hard work and dedication that 4-H members have shown to their projects and clubs throughout the year. Someone could try to make a case that the 4-H fair exhibits don't relate to people as much as they did 40 years ago, but that's not true. What you see in 4-H projects directly reflects modern life.
For instance, people may have done more home cooking in the past. But even with the modern tendency to eat out or eat prepackaged foods, everybody is realizing the importance of knowing good nutrition, just as 4-H foods projects teach. Nutrition awareness also influences the livestock projects at the fair. The livestock industry follows consumer demand, which is for leaner, less fatty meat animals. The champion cattle of 40 years ago could never win at today's fair. For a 4-H livestock project to be successful, it has to stay current with today's industry standards.
Many of today's 4-H projects and educational efforts deal with “basic life skills”. A few include setting goals, following through and teaching youth how to make the correct choices in life. These are skills taught by the 4-H program that give youth a purpose and help them to be independent, successful adults.
Yes, even in this age, the young people involved in 4-H who exhibit livestock at the fair can go on to be farmers or pursue any number of careers in the agricultural industry. Many of the other 4-H projects can lead young people into areas they may never have imagined, such as photography, computer science, or cooking. Think of all the career possibilities.
We look forward to the 2009 Douglas County Fair, and can't wait to see you there!
Tracy Martz is the 4-H Youth Development agent for OSU Extension Service of Douglas County. Tracy can be reached by e-mail at tracy.martz@oregonstate.edu or by phone at 672-4461.
