A Fair to Remember

It was a great year at the 2012 Cambria County Fair. Throughout fair week, I am very busy and am responsible for a lot. I show multiple 4-H projects, compete in many events/competitions, and volunteer for many things, so I stay very involved all week long.

All of the animals that are brought into the fair, have to be there on the Saturday before the fair officially starts on Sunday. Being that I run cross country we always have an invitationals on Saturdays,  therefore, this makes it very difficult to transfer all of my animals from home to the fair. This year, we had an invite at Lock Haven on Saturday morning, so I had a three and a half hour bus ride to Lock Haven, had to run my race, and then come back home and get all of my animals to the fair with my dad before 5 o'clock! Talk about stress. But as always I got through it, my animals all made it happy and healthy to the fair and my team won the invite, so it was an awesome unofficial 1st day of the fair.

Then it was Sunday, the first day of the fair! I was so excited and already exhausted for the fair to begin. Sunday wasn't that exciting of a day other than the fact that one of my great friends won fair queen! On Sunday the only other activites that I am involved in are three stockman's test that I participate in. For those of you that don't know what a stockman's test is; it is a test on a certain species of animals, such as swine, the test includes parts of the animal, the skeleton of the animal, information of the animal, breeds of the animal, and meat cuts as well. On Sunday, I took the swine, goat, and beef tests.

Now, it was time for the pig show! Monday morning at 9 a.m. Preparing for the extremely long day ahead, my friends and I also get all of our pigs, and ourselves ready for the show and then go out and get breakfast on the midway. It's a tradition that we have not let down since we began showing so many years ago. Monday was a great day and out of all of my class, stockman's, and showmanship awards, I was the most proud of my Champion Purebred County Bred pig named Posie. The best part about Monday was Monday night though. On Monday night, there was a new contest that they brought back to the fair called the Hay Stacking Contest. It was a blast and our team did awesome! We ended up getting second place and our team name was the Triple Chuckers because you could only have three participating members.

It is now Tuesday and time for the goat show. Being that my family owns a beef and goat farm, this is usually the most exciting for my mother. A large number of the goats in the show as well are from out farm so she is always nervous and excited for all of the 4-Her's. This year at the fair was one of the best for Craft Farms Boer Goats. I won Grand Champion County Bred Goat with my 119 lb. Lamancha/ Boer Cross named Darrel. I was so excited, it was an awesome accomplishment. Along with this, the Reserve Champion and Reserve Champion County Bred goats were also both from my family's farm so my parents were estatatic! The day countinued on a good note, I placed very well in showmanship and also won Senior Goat Stockman and Overall Goat Stockman as well!

Now it was Wednesday and time for my final show and I will have to admit probably my favorite, the steer show. I usually show two steers but this year I only showed one and I wouldn't have changed a single thing. My steer this year was very special to me and he was truly a teddy bear. His name was Rocky and he was a 1,450 lb. Chiangus steer. He was one of the greatest steers I've ever had a by far had the nicest build of any steer that we had ever raised and in the past we won both Grand and Reserve Champion. The beef show itself was very disappointing and many people did not agree with the judge's final decision, but it was only one show. The day ended on a good note though, I again placed very well in showmanship and then again won Senior Beef Stockman and Overall Beef Stockman for the third year in a row.

My fair ended on a Thursday this year because I had State Council Training Friday- Sunday. Sadly though, this is one of the worst days of the fair because it's auction day. Even though this is a sad day my friends and  I always try to lighten the mood and keep things as happy as possible. So this year at the fair regardless of the shows and the auction and the contests was an amazing one that I wouldn't change anything about. Even though things might not always go the way you would like them to, you always learn important life lessons in those difficult decisions.

Until Later,
Dawn Craft

Cambria County
2012/2013 State Council Vice President of Operations

Ending of 4-H year ~ Beginning new

I am Stephanie McFall, from McKean County.

I can't believe that this 4-H year has come to an end. This 4-H year has been the best and I am very excited to see what the rest of my 4-H years will bring.

In McKean County, we had a meet and greet for the 100 year birthday. We did interviews with people. It was fun to learn how 4-H has changed over the years, and what hasn’t – friendship seems to be a common trend in 100 years of 4-H.  My county council club is in the midst of helping to plan our yearly Achievement Day dinner.

With State Council we had our T.O.W. weekend – I think we will have a great year together on State Council!  We learned quite a bit about each other.

On a personal note, I spent a day in Allentown, PA at the collegiate band festival, the bands performing were amazing!  I was excited to spend the day with fellow band members and friends.  Two of my friends that graduated last year were performing for their college.  My brother also drove up from Washington College and spent the day with our band group.

Last but not least, soccer is coming to an end for the season – it has been a great season and I look forward to many more.

Until next month, this is Stephanie McFall, McKean County, signing off J

Here We Go!

Hello Everyone!

My name is Cassidy Baker and I feel so honored and privileged to serve as your new 2012/2013 PA 4-H State Council President!  Throughout the year, my fellow council members and I will be keeping you updated as to what we are doing throughout the state.  Be sure to keep checking the blog regularly as each member will have something completely different to say.

Since this is the start of a new and exciting journey, I feel as though I should share several facts about my 4-H career in order for you to know me better…

I first joined 4-H when I was ten years old.  I started out as a member of the Wayne Buckaroos 4-H Equine Club in Lawrence County, PA.  Currently, I am the Club President.  I am also very involved with the Lawrence County 4-H Teen Council.  Since becoming a member over 7 years ago, I have actively engaged myself in the 4-H program beyond the county level.  For three years, I have attended the NW PA 4-H Intermediate Camp and now I am a camp counselor.  In addition, I participated in the PA 4-H State Leadership Conference, 4-H State Capital Days, and State Achievement Days.  Last but not least, I also was a member of the Pennsylvania Delegation for the 2010 National 4-H Congress and I also had the opportunity to attend the 2012 National 4-H Conference.

4-H is all about opportunities.  On August 9, 2012, eight eager and passionate 4-H members took advantage of a once in-a-lifetime opportunity as they were inducted in the PA 4-H State Council.  That day marked the start of a new era for us.  I knew that this year was going to be different.  I understood that it was going to be challenging at times but worth it in the end.  I must not have been the only one that felt that way because as a team, right there on that stage after everyone left; we came together into a huddle and expressed our excitement for our time ahead as a team.

That day we all parted, making our separate ways across the state, but knowing that we would be reunited soon.  Since the induction ceremony, the PA 4-H State Council has already made an appearance at Ag Progress Days and at the Penn State Extension/ 4-H Tailgate.  We also all came together for an amazing time at our Officer Training!  Keep looking out for your State Council as we make our way across Pennsylvania!

In finishing, I want to again express my excitement to serve on the State Council.  It has always been one of my ultimate goals and I can now say that I have achieved it.  I cannot wait for the opportunity to meet many of you at various events and functions – especially at the State Leadership Conference!  Maybe this year you will get to see a chocolate river or maybe even members dressed as Oompa Loompas (hint, hint)!

Until later,

Cassidy Baker

2012/2013 PA 4-H State Council President

“The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning”

Ivy Baker Priest

And The Winner Is...

 

                Lawrence County Teen Council’s Hunger Games Challenge retreat last weekend was a success! Nine different districts competed in a number of challenges and participated in workshops over the weekend, but only one participant could be the winner…

                September 21^st – 23^rd, my county’s Teen Council invited all of Pennsylvania 4-H and local non-members to participate in our second annual fall retreat. This year we used the theme, “Hunger Games Challenge,” and it was a great time! The districts (groups of five or six people) competed against each other in challenges such as fly-fishing and obstacle courses. Points were awarded to the districts in order of their placings in each challenge and the district with the most points at the end of the weekend had to go through the final challenge to find the winner. There was even a “would you rather” challenge, where one brave member of each district was blindfolded and offered two different food choices for either five or ten points. Their choices were things like a pig’s eye (grape) or tongue (apricot).

               I had a blast both planning and participating in the retreat! Although my district wasn’t the winning district, we all gained something. We were randomly placed into groups and immediately had to work as a team. We learned a lot about each other and various helpful skills in just a few short days. The workshops I got the most out of were the different ways to build fires and first aid skills.

                At the end of the weekend I had a few of the non-members ask me how to join 4-H! One of them is even going to join our Teen Council. I’m looking forward to seeing our new member at the next meeting! I was so proud to think that the weekend we planned had spurred that much interest in the 4-H program. Hopefully, we will keep opening up the retreat to non-members and keep 4-H growing.

                It was so great to see such an increase in interest in our retreat after just two years. Hopefully, next year we’ll have to move it to a location with more space for the participants! If you came this year, I hope to see you again next year! If you didn’t, look for the information in August next year! I’m sure you’ll make some wonderful memories.

   

DREAM

Dream
 

I began my adventure to breed and raise Dexter cattle on my eleventh birthday.  As a member of my county 4-H livestock club, I developed an interest in cattle.  I researched all of the possibilities after I received discouraging news from my mom who was convinced that we didn’t have enough room for a cow.  I soon discovered the Dexter breed!  They are a miniature version of a black angus and the best news of all, they are on the conservancy.  What’s the conservancy you might be asking?  Well, when a variety of a particular species of livestock is realized to be dwindling in numbers, they fall on the conservancy list.  My mom is always willing to help animals falling victim to this fate, so my quest for a Dexter now had a glimmer of hope.  I learned everything there was to know about them, but only had one problem.  I couldn’t find any that were available.  My glimmer of hope was fading fast. 

Unbeknownst to me, for my eleventh birthday, I was led on the scavenger hunt of a lifetime which ended in the barn.  I could hardly believe my eyes when I entered the stall housing the most beautiful, shiny, black heifer standing only as tall as my waist.  I knew right away the perfect name for the perfect little heifer, “Dream!”  We did everything together and formed a strong bond since I had to bottle feed her several times a day for quite some time, a task I was happy to do!  I walked her every day.  I’ll never forget the time my family was asked to bring some of our animals to a church.  They were holding an event for inner city children to share the story of Noah’s ark.  I couldn’t believe my eyes when we walked into the gym that was decorated with a huge cardboard replica of Noah’s ark.  We walked our animals:  sheep, goats, rabbits, miniature pigs, chickens, and of course Dream to the other side of the façade and waited for the children to arrive.  Needless to say, Dream was a huge success.  At one point, she laid down and allowed several young children to lie down with her.  It was just precious!  Imagine the taxi drivers faces as they watched us walk our animals down the city sidewalks!

Soon, Dream was old enough to be bred.  I struggled for the longest time to find a suitable bull.  Unsuccessful in my attempts, I turned to A.I. possibilities.  I ordered the samples for the North American Breeders Association after discovering a bull that had samples preserved there.  The tank came with the “necessary ingredients” and our vet arrived to complete the recipe. It failed.  In fact, it failed three times.  I was quite disgusted to say the least.  I felt defeated in my attempt to successfully breed my heifer.  Time was passing and Dream wasn’t getting any younger.  In fact, a number of people were suggesting that Dream was too old and wouldn’t be able to successfully have a baby. 

Fortunately for me, I met Gene Bowen, an avid breeder of Dexter cattle in Virginia.  He contacted us to share a very sad story.  He told us that Dream’s lines were dwindling because the farm she came from was eliminating their herd.  The owner had been in an accident and was forced to downsize.  Dream was one of the few remaining heifers.  In fact, people were so interested in her that we started getting calls from as far away as Colorado to offer to breed Dream.  I decided to take Mr. Bowen up on his offer to house Dream at his farm for a month so that she could be bred to one of his amazing bulls, a bull named Brenn.  To hear Mr. Bowen talk about Brenn was to hear a man boast about what he believes to be the greatest bull walking the face of the earth!  I missed Dream something terrible while she was away in Virginia, but I knew we had to try to keep her line going.

Every time we would receive an e-mail update from Virginia about Dream, it was as though we were receiving a present that we couldn’t wait to open.  Success!  She was finally bred.  Now all we had to do is wait for the baby to be born, and wait, and wait.  In fact, we waited nine, long months.  About a week before what we calculated Dream’s due date to be, I received an e-mail from Mr. Bowen reminding me that I really needed to start watching her because she was soon going to calve, like he really needed to remind me of that. 

Thursday, August 30, 2012, we noticed Dream was acting as though she was about to have her baby.  At 10:30 in the evening, my sister and I went to the barn to check on her.  Not expecting much, but our hopes were high as we entered the barn.  The baby was on his way as his hooves were sticking out!  I ran to the house to get my mom and my whole family raced to the barn.  Dream struggled for quite a while, but nothing was progressing.  Her age was working against her because she was obviously not going to be able to pass the baby without some intervention.  In fact, at one point Dream even looked at us as if she was begging us to help.  So, help we did.  My mom and I put on the gloves and went into her stall.  As Dream would push, my mom and I would pull.  We were so nervous at this point and were only hoping to at least save Dream.  After about 15 minutes of very scary struggling, the head was finally out and within a few seconds so was the rest of the baby!  The best part of all, he was alive and well! 

We laid in the stall with Dream and her baby rubbing her to make sure she was ok.  At one point, she even looked at my mom and licked my mom right across her forehead.  I guess that was Dream’s way of saying thank you.  We checked on Dream and “Little Man” around 3:00 am and found mom and son curled up together resting peacefully.  I now have the start of my own little herd.  Oh, forgot to mention one other thing.  While Dream was staying at Mr. Bowen’s in Virginia, a little bull calf named Macbeth fell in love with her.  So when we brought Dream home, Mac had to come too.  So we currently have a healthy family of three Dexter’s on our little farm, and mom said we didn’t have room for one cow.  My Dream come true!  Oh the adventures we have because of our involement in 4-H.