(Middlefield, OH)- If there was ever a time of agricultural need in today’s society, it would be now. According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture in 2021, there were 76,900 farms located in the state of Ohio. The average size of a farm had decreased in acreage, but the state increased in the number of farms listed.
Just to give a little background in numbers,
Farmers make up 2% of the U.S. population
25% of all farmers are beginners; their average age is 46 years old
86% of U.S. agricultural products are produced on family farms or ranches
Geauga County is the third largest in growing cattle and calves (10,500 were counted for in 2022)
(All stats are pulled from the American Farm Bureau Federation at https://www.fb.org/newsroom/fast-facts)
Similar numbers are also growing for those who have joined 4-H. This weekend Cardinal will have 48 kids that represent in 4-H. An increase since last year when there were just 37 kids participating. Overall, the growth of agricultural involvement has increased in kids in Geauga County. The number of participants in 4-H have made a noticeable jump, as of Monday August 28th, there were 753 4-H members. The total number of kids who took part in 4-H last year was 698.
So how do our children benefit from 4-H or other fair involvement? The program, 4-H prides itself on four core values; confidence, independence, resilience, and compassion. Those families who show interest in 4-H find themselves heavily involved with projects that relate to science, health, civic engagement, and of course agriculture. We can find a number of students involved in more than one activity at Cardinal Local Schools. Speaking from experience, being involved in your school and community has prepared me well for adulthood. Whether that was learning to manage my time properly, or learning how to be compassionate towards others, the ability to be involved prepared me well in life.
In a recent survey collected from a number of our parents and students at Cardinal, 46 out of 59 responses agreed to having some sort of relationship with the Geauga County Fair. That included members of 4-H, students submitting to the arts building, or those students participating in the Band-O-Rama. We have kids involved in dance and baking. There are families that represent family concession businesses, and who could forget about our athletic coaches and parents who assist in the famous fried Swiss Cheese on a stick booth. These are skills and life lessons that our children can learn outside of the classroom.
So, for this weekend, we wanted to celebrate and recognize all those students and families that spend an extended amount of time at the fairgrounds. We want to recognize those students who have prepped and prepared for the shortest walk of their life in the arena. As they reflect back on the hottest days this summer, walking a pig in their front yard, or grooming their steer in their front yards that you will only find in Geauga County.