Future looks bright for 4-H'ers

PONTIAC – The future looks promising for participation in the Livingston County Ag Fair.

While last year’s fair was the final one for some families, others are just getting started. Several new participants entered this year’s swine show and that makes fair board members like Phil Kiefer pretty happy.

“We always offer the pee-wee showmanship class which is after the barrow show and we always have a ton of people turn out,” Kiefer said.

Kiefer believes the fair is worth it if everyone is having fun while feeling a sense of accomplishment at the same time. Kiefer serves as a swine show superintendent each year.

Samantha Johns from the Pontiac Power Rockets 4-H Club was among those showing in the swine show Thursday. She especially enjoys time spent with family and friends and life lessons learned along the way.

“I’ve been in 4-H for five years now and both of my older siblings that are done with 4-H did it other years,” Johns explained.

Hannah Miller with the Tractor Wheels 4-H Club has several projects on display in the Humiston Building and has six pigs at the fair. Miller enjoys her pigs the most, saying they are enjoyable.

“Me and my two brothers have 18 pigs total. I got up this morning and I washed them all and fed them.”

Payson Bauman belongs to the Rooks Creek Pioneers club and has two horses at this week’s fair: Hot Rod and Ben.

“It’s just really fun,” the 13-year-old admits.

Bauman was passing the time with friends playing card games in the horse barn on Monday afternoon. She enjoys taking in some of the shows that happen during fair week and getting to ride her horses.

The Livingston County Ag Fair runs through Saturday at 4-H Park near Pontiac and is part of the Central Illinois Farm Network’s 2018 “Fair Central” tour. Other upcoming fairs include the McLean County Fair, Fairbury Fair and Illinois State Fair in August. Count on the CIFN for complete coverage.