No guidance from 4H

[RunsonTea]

4H just doesn’t help at all. I had wanted to join 4H when I had just started with my sheep but they literally laughed at me over the phone and in person at a convention where I didn’t actually think I would run into them. They also posted about how much of a joke I was on there Instagram/facebook wanting to join with sheep that did not go to shows or anything. I don’t want pity but I am so happy I can finally say this with others to share their story’s to.

My son still wants to do it this year. We just paied. I am not looking forward to it. It was so morbid. Lets clean, brush and show the sheep, to send it away to be buchred. Its one thing to raise something for food. Another to have a pet. These sheep are pets!

The fair was a joke. They made us camp out on the fair gorunds. Us the only ones with a tent! I could not stay. Horse allergy and all. My car was broken so I could not go on the last day. My husband said it was so sad. All the kids currled up in pens with the animals crying!

The buddy sheep we had, we could not sell it. No one wanted him. He is in our freezer, kids wont eat him. Both kids love lamb, just wont eat buddy. I could buy lamb they will eat it. Just not Buddy.

I have no idea how we are going to do this again.

 

[Margali]

Does Canada have breeding sheep and "wether dam" shows? That is what Cassandra does since she isn't emotionally ready for slaughtering either. The trade off is limited showing opportunities.

 

[RunsonTea]

Does Canada have breeding sheep and "wether dam" shows? That is what Cassandra does since she isn't emotionally ready for slaughtering either. The trade off is limited showing opportunities.

I am in a small town, northren Canada. We just have the fall fair. They show the sheep, then action them off. No shows that I know of..... Unless I missed somthing last year. I would not be suprised.

 

[Ridgetop]

We were in 4-H for 18 years with our kids. I say we because DH and I were project leaders for many projects as well as other positions eventually. I am so sorry that you had a bad experience with 4-H. I don't know how it is run in Canada.

4-H in many states in the U.S. is much more regulated and you should have had much more help. The original purpose of 4-H was to teach farm kids how to be better farmers than their parents. It is primarily a learning organization for youth teaching them modern farming methods. Here in the U.S. 4-H is run through the County Extension office. County Extension is a governmental organization to help farmers and ranchers. They assist with crop problems, pests, soil testing, etc.

First, 4-H in the U.S. is organized in local areas by state, county, and local area clubs depending on where you are.

Second, at the base level your son would have joined a local club. That club would have had a club leader, and each project area would have to have a project leader. Your son was in the Sheep Project. There are 2 areas of focus in the sheep project:

1. Market animals which are purchased to be raised by the child for eventual showing at the fair or agricultural show, then go for auction sale at that fair or ag show, with the aim being to sell to buyers for slaughter. While the sheep may become a pet, that is not the purpose of this project. The purpose is for the child to learn how to properly raise, shear (if necessary), groom, and present the animal at the show in a market class. The aim is to raise an animal that will be of good carcass type when butchered. The auctioning of the animal is to teach the child how to make a profit on his work and investment in the animal and feed. The price paid by the youth auction buyer is usually higher than standard market price and any price in excess of standard market price can be deducted by the buyer as a donation. The Youth auctions are often run through a 501C3 booster organization.

2. Breeding sheep is a different focus in the same project. In the breeding animal portion the child breeds and raises sheep. Here the focus is on raising healthlearning on the part of the child. y animals, vaccinations, health and feeding, care of the ewe during pregnancy, birth and lactation with the end result being a healthy lamb being raised to sale age. This portion of the project requires more investment in housing, fencing, adult sheep, etc. It is a much more labor intensive project that requires more learning and dedication on the part of the child and parents.

For any project there must be a project leader. The project leader should have project meetings at least once a month and should be teaching the project members about the aspect of the project they are involved in (market or breeding). I the market animal project this will include lessons in handling the animal, grooming or shearing, and of course showmanship. Showmanshi is the art of shwing an animal to its best advantage and being able to control the animal in the ring as you place it in the proper position for the judge to evaluate it.

It sounds as though you did not have a project leader for sheep in your club. The "Rally" you referred to sounds like one of our Judging Days. Your club leader should have explained everything to you about what it entailed.

In California each chid had to submit a Record Book. That Record Book and its forms showed in which 4-H activities the child participated (Judging Day, Field Day, etc.), how many Demonstrations in their project areas they gave, any special activities like community service, newspaper interviews, school demonstrations, parades, etc. There were certan requirements to progress from basic level through Gold Star, County All Star, State Diamond Star, and competitions to attain other honors. The record books also had a section where the child would write about their eperience with their project, and would show the financial pages for the project.

I am so sorry that you had such a depressing and horrible experience. It sounds like you did not have good leaders in your club. Most leaders are really wonderful and love to see new kids join and do projects. They are usually super helpful. My children had a wonderful time in 4-H, we also received a lot of guidance in the beginning from wonderful project leaders since we had ni experience in most of the projects. When my two older chdren decided to show market lambs we had to drive 45 miles to a neighboring club to learn Showmanship since we did not have a leader in our club. Other leaders in other counties also helped our kids to learn more about their projects and do well.

Alathough your son wanted to do a livestock project, with your allergies I would suggest that he choose another project area to start in. Are you only allergic to horses or are you allergic to most animals? If most animals, maybe he could do a Rocket Science project. In that project kids learn about model rockets and can shoot them off.

If you are not allergic to birds, how about the Poultry Project? There are areas in that project for show birds and poultry showmanship, egg production, raising meat pens, etc. There are a lot of different breeds of chickens some of which are very ornamental.

Whatever project he pursues, I suggest you have a talk with the club leader about your experience. I would also consider transferring to a different club.