oksewglad

I can now check off 4,5, and 6!! County Awards Presentation today and kids are still "Learning by Doing" and having fun doing it.

Poodles

DianeMarie I remember the days of 4-H Club and showing SWINE too. I had to learn the looks and names of a lot of seeds to enter in a contest and public speaking which used to scare the fire out of me too get up and do. AH that was the good ole days.

MamaBear61

Many have commented on the record keeping that took place while doing 4-H projects. When I became a leader of a local dairy calf club I remember taking one of my record books that I had completed during my years as a member and the kids couldn't get over the fact that we were required to record our calf's feed intake and complete a growth chart for the duration of the project (approximately 6 months). The record keeping changed significantly when funding was reduced for staffing. Our record books were all reviewed by both club leaders and County Co-Ordinators at the end of the each project. Wow when I think about it there was alot of dedication to the 4-H program by not only the leader volunteers but by paid staff as well at the county OMAF (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture) offices.

My hat is off the Cloverbud and the numerous others who dedicated their career to keeping the 4-H program alive and well for so many years.

All Thumbs

First of all, THANK YOU cloverbud for all your dedicated service to your community. As you mentioned on page 8, the growing skills learned in 4-H are beneficial for a lifetime.

4-H was huge in my life, my sister’s life and our mother’s life. Mom was a leader and saw us girls through many years. Since my sis and I were 8 years apart, it was almost two generations of 4-Hers under her leadership. Then after we left for college, Mom remained a leader for several more years.

While I did not have some of the projects cloverbud mentioned (aerospace, animal science, nutrition, computers—good gravy it was the 1950s and 60s! lol), I did have those pertaining to sewing, style review, soil conservation, and cooking. I really wanted to have a large livestock project but Dad said no. He did let me take up rabbits; I started with two bucks and four doe and a few cages. Needless to say, by fall I had 100 rabbits and several rows of cages. That year, meat preparation and freezing became my focal point by the county fair.

Would you believe I still have my 4-H green-white pinstriped dress I wore during demonstrations and as a delegate to the State Fair, the beanie, plus all of my pins, ribbons and trophies. Not sure who will find them interesting in 50 more years, but to me they are still an achievement of which I am proud. It is ashamed more communities and young people do not become involved in something like 4-H. We as a nation so need that balance between basic and technical. So much for my soap box. Thank you for starting this link. I have enjoyed reading everything.

bjdemir

I was a 4-Her and Have been involved in 4-H as a leader and now a judge and consultant for the last 40 years. I am still learning a lot from 4-H and the 4-Hers!

kathidahl

I lived "in town" but still joined a 4H club..the 4H clubs were rural in those long ago days. I can't begin to say how much I learned there. A great start for my life as a working gal, wife, mother, grandmother.....

cloverbud

All thumbs - - a few years ago, Louisiana was celebrating 100 years of 4-H. Wish I knew you had a dress and beanie. I was looking for that pin stripe fabric to make a dress (I found the pattern.) just could not locate appropriate fabric. Louisiana build a State 4-H Museum in Avoyelles Parish (the place of our first 4-H club). I was going to make a dress for it, but instead I just donated the pattern since I couldn't find the fabric. If your family doesn't want your dress, your state might have a place that would like it. If not, our museum would probably love it.

cloverbud

Louisiana 4-H has a nice 4-H museum in Avoyelles Parish (La. name for county) that was built when we celebrated our 100 anniversary. I donated a 4-H pattern and looked hard for appropriate fabric to make a dress for the museum and never found something that I thought appropriate. If no one wants your dress and beanie - - I am sure they would love to preserve it and display it with the pattern. Items can be donated or loaned to the museum. (On each item they tag it with the name of the donor and other information). I loaned several items just because I was not sure if my daughters might ever want them. One item was a crochet jacket my Grandmother entered in the state fair. It still had the ribbon attached. When I retired, I made a quilt of my 20 years of 4-H camp t-shirts. I have told my girls that if they don't want it, I would like it donated. You could possibly Google Louisiana 4-H Museum to check it out.

ragqueen03

I too was in 4H for many years. Did some sewing projects - not a lot. Our leader made us take outdoor cookery every year. At the end of the year we would either camp out or have a fire at her family's farm. We had to cook everything! Looking back I know that I can make just about anything over a fire or a grill now. sure comes in handy when the power is out! One thing i really miss is making the pies with two slices of bread and putting pie filling between them, putting in a flat square thing and turning it over the fire til it was done - yummy! i suppose i could still find that utensil just never think to look for it when i am shopping But it did teach us an awful lot - being committed to a project to its completion probably stands out in my mind as the most important and getting along with everyone.
Brought back some good memories today! Thanks!