4-H Supplies Valuable Life Lessons

In the mid 1940s, 4-H came to Bedford County. A very young John Holbert was the Penn State Extension agent. There were activities for both genders but males predominated the showing of animals at the fair. The girls did more tedious things like sewing or knitting.

There was much excitement in the small town of New Enterprise when a cow/calf show was announced. It was held in the schoolyard at Replogle and, for a first-time event, there was a good participation My brother took a Holstein calf. He did his best with no experience. Mr. Holbert marked him down because the young bovine had dirty ears.

Meanwhile, I joined a 4-H club for girls that emphasized sewing with some games and food thrown in. I was most interested in the games and food and was thrilled to be named the game leader. My aunt, one of the 4-H leaders, was disturbed that my buttons were sewn on crooked and my hemming wasn't the best. To make matters worse, I could not get the hang of learning to knit. It is an art form I never have conquered.

However, as an adult, I did win a best-of-show at the Bedford Fair one year for a set of handmade "Winnie the Pooh" animals. It was that 4-H training that spiked an interest in sewing.

4-H history

4-H history goes back to A.B. Graham in Clark County, Ohio, in 1902. Today there are 6.5 million 4-H members in the United States. Members are ages 5 to 19 and there are approximately 90,000 clubs.

The seed of the 4-H clubs came from the desire to make public school education more connected to country life. It was also discovered that adults in the farming communities do not readily accept new agricultural discoveries. 4-H clubs were a way to sneak them in through the back door. The symbols of head, heart, hands, and health soon was adopted as the 4-H emblem.

In Bedford and Blair counties, 4-H is alive and well with clubs encouraging endeavors in everything from square dancing to raising rabbits. Some of the clubs encompass numerous interests while others zero in on one specific animal.

I am always impressed with these 4-H kids. They are so much more ready for the real world than those who spend 90 percent of their time with their thumbs on a cell phone. Most of the 4-H kids I know don't have much time for foolishness and I seriously doubt that any of them get into real trouble.

4-H valuable to

Martinsburg family

One of the most impressive 4-H families I have met are the Heltzels, who live near Martinsburg. They are a family of four children, three daughters and a son. Their names are Dana, 17; Darcy, 15; Danielle, 13; and Drew, 9. All four are members of the Kids for Kids Cove Community 4-H Club with their Boer goats.

Jen and Andrew Heltzel have every right to be proud of their family. Their 140-dairy-cow operation is enough to keep everyone busy, but they still encouraged the children to become involved with 4-H with whatever project they might want. Collectively, they chose goats.

While they had help with their initial purchases, the four now financially maintain their own herd. They put their heads together regarding breeding and feeding. They work together during birthing season and show their animals at the Blair County Livestock Show and Sale and the Pennsylvania Farm Show. The Farm Show is like a vacation for them. The Heltzel kids have found good markets for their goat meat and the profits go into one account to be used for school activities.

Mom Jen says it is not so important what they win at their showings but rather they learn how to improve their own herd

"They started out at the bottom and have worked their way to the middle and are encouraged to keep going," she said.

The family has learned to deal with good times and bad with their goats. They have loved them, and they have dealt with death. These are lessons most young people never have the opportunity to experience.

Raising goats keeps them busy, but Dana still has time for her flute and plays in the National FFA Band. Darcy plays soccer and the French horn. Danielle also plays soccer and the sax. Drew, who loves farm life and four wheeling, toots the French horn. The girls have been involved with the dairy princess program. They are all active in their church.

Everyone helps to keep the house as tidy as possible with their hectic farm life. They can all cook and fix a meal when necessary.

All four help to feed the calves and they cooperate with each other's schedule. If someone is ill or busy, another pitches in to help.

The Heltzels are indeed an all American 4-H family. What valuable lessons they are learning and what employees they will be in the paths they endeavor to travel through life. With the skills they are learning, they will most probably skip from employees to employers.