4Hers put their skills to the test

August 21, 2018

Caleb Nickerson

caleb@theequity.ca

There were both beef and dairy cows on hand for the 4Hers to assess during their practice judging session on Aug. 17.

One of the stations required participants to rank bugs in order and give reasons for their judgment.

From left: Bradley Dubeau, Rebecca Hamilton, Ben Judd, Tyler Tubman, Liam Dowe, Dan Egan and Kayla McCann pore over the customer service station on Aug. 17.

CALEB NICKERSON
SHAWVILLE Aug. 17, 2018
On Aug. 17, members of the Shawville 4H Club met at the Steer Barn on the Fairgrounds for an evening of agricultural knowledge and judgment.
Hosted in partnership with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy (MAMOT) the event serves as a way to promote farming amongst the younger generation and teach them to have a discerning eye when it comes to a variety of farm produce.
The approximately 50 4Hers were divided into groups and tasked with a different station where they had to rate everything from cattle to dead moths and sweet corn.
Kayla McCann, the 4H Director for the fair and Small Animal Director for the 4H Club, said that this judging practice used to take place during the fair, but was moved several years ago.
“It teaches them to have an opinion,” she said, noting that the participants have to give a detailed explanation for their rankings. “They have to speak their reasons out loud to other people.”

One of the stations featured customer service problems, as each club member has to take a turn in working in the 4H booth over the fair weekend. Another had a short quiz on various agricultural knowledge, where participants had to name different cattle breeds and plant species as well as test their knowledge of the 4H creed.
Out behind the barn, the youngsters got up close and personal with the cattle, noting their assements on small cards before giving a verbal rundown to a volunteer helper.
McCann said that the livestock are supplied by community people that really appreciate the work that the club does. The Shawville 4H serves all the communities between Chapeau and Aylmer, and has about 50 members.
The day brought back memories of McCann’s own time in 4H.
“[This] was not a strong suit of mine,” she said with a laugh. “But it’s a life-skill to be able to do it.”
Another 4H alumnus, Cheryl Stanley, explained that the exercise is a great way to foster critical thinking skills.
“The oral portion has a format that they have to follow,” she said. “It’s really neat to see the kids growing in confidence [through the years].”
Stanley grew up on a dairy farm and has spent many years watching and guiding the future generation of farmers, along with a team of other volunteers.
“It’s a nice way to help out and give back,” she said.

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