Ellis County Fair Update
While Ellis and Barton counties have come together to form the Cottonwood Extension District, their respective county fairs have taken on a very different look. Ellis Co. 4-H put together a plan that could be initiated differently given different COVID-19 situations.
At the writing of this newsletter, Ellis County 4-H is planning for as near normal a fair as is possible. We will be providing sanitizing stations, masks, and encouraging social distancing throughout the week. Major events will be Facebook Livestreamed to allow grandparents and other interested community members to see what’s happening without having to come to the fairgrounds.
Several events have been canceled for 2020. Those include the ever popular 4-H Healthy Food Challenge, Fun at the Fair tours and the 4-H BBQ. The 4-H Scholarship committee will not be holding a concession stand in the Deutschfest Hall this year.
The new Small Animal barn will be completed prior to the 2020 Ellis Co. Fair. The new structure will be a great gathering place for fairgoers and will provide additional shading for the poultry and rabbit exhibits. Thanks to all the donors who supported the fundraising efforts that made this project possible and to the Fairboard for all of their time and talents in making this new addition to the Ellis Co. Fair a reality.
We will have a Fair, it just will be a little or a lot different from years past, depending on the health of the community at fair time!
The Kansas Clover Classroom was born out of the COVID-19 crisis. Extension Agents in Northwest Kansas were looking for ways to help 4-H members, parents and project leaders connect with educational resources. Their initiative has grown into a statewide effort. We have been featuring the first few pilot lessons on the local 4-H facebook pages. The first lesson, written by our own, Lauren Fick featured how to create a butterfly garden. Other lessons are planned in a variety of project areas from photography to foods to communication skill building. Going forward, we plan for this resource to be a great tool for 4-H leaders, teachers and youth who are curious about the various projects 4-H has to offer.