Cows and a new scholarship at Orleans County Fair

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KNOWLESVILLE — Zach Welker takes his duties as leader of the Orleans County 4-H Dairy Club very seriously.

He was enjoying his time at the fair on Tuesday, watching youth give a demonstration on calf feeding.

The demonstrations are scheduled at noon and 7 p.m. daily in the cattle barn on the south side of the fairgrounds.

Calves on display — some in new pens built by 4-H'er Justin Robinson — are not only there for the feeding demonstrations, but are the start of a new scholarship program for the Orleans County Dairy Club, Welker said.

"I created a scholarship application, on which youth have to fill out basic information and answer a series of questions in essay form," Welker said. "Then a committee will select two winners — one from the beef club and one from the dairy club.

"The winner from the beef club will get a bull calf to raise for next year's meat auction," he continued. "The winner from the dairy club will get a Jersey calf which they can show at the 2017 fair, and have the opportunity to go on to the State Fair."

The scholarship program is a way to build interest and get the numbers up in the dairy club, Welker said.

"A lot of kids come from farm families, but have been removed from the farm atmosphere for one reason or another," Welker said. "This is a way for them to become involved again and to draw in new members."

Louise Henderson was also patrolling the cattle barn, saying the kids made their own signs for the pens this year out of old barn wood. Her daughter Sarah Basinait then undertook the job of making lattice frames for them to hang over their pens.

"A lot of hard work goes into the fair, but the kids learn a lot from it," Henderson said.

Henderson is also one of the storytellers in the Trolley Building daily.

Tuesday's librarian was from Lyndonville's library, Wednesday's is from Holley, Thursday will be Henderson from Hoag Library in Albion, and Friday will feature the Lee-Whedon Library in Medina.

The fair is off to a great start, with good crowds on opening day, in spite of early rains, according to 4-H educator Robert Batt.

Source: Cows and a new scholarship at Orleans County Fair