Getting Ready for County Fair!
- The year of COVID-19 may have decreased the number of projects Karla and Darla Nichols plan on bringing to the Custer County Fair but it hasn’t slowed them down or diminished their enthusiasm for 4-H.
“We’re still trying to do all the projects we do,” Darla said. Each of them is planning 15 to 20 projects this year. Last year, Darla had 21 projects, not including livestock. Karla said she was pretty close to that, saying, “The most I’ve had is 30 but I’ve narrowed it down over the years.”
Karla and Darla are twins, with Karla older by two minutes. They turned 18 in the later part of June, about the time they both were able to participate in the postponed graduation ceremony at Ansley High School. Their 4-H projects are based on the family farm about 20 miles south of Ansley
They are the fourth generation to participate in 4-H on their mother’s side. Their three older sisters - Dasie, Dawnae and Annabelle - were also in 4-H. Mom Tamara is a leader of the Thumbs Up 4-H club and Dad Douglas helps out.
It’s no secret the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on 4-H. Local clubs weren’t allowed to meet in person until June 15. Group projects are still not allowed. The uncertainty of whether or not there would even be a Custer County Fair was stressful.
“When I think of 4-H, I think of people working together,” Darla said. “It’s really different this year. Motivation was hard at first because we weren’t sure we’d have a fair. We put off doing some things.”
Karla agreed. “It’s more fun when the club gets together to do things like community projects,” she said. “This year we can’t do club projects.”
She added that meeting online was OK but that meeting with someone over the computer is not like seeing them in person.
Now that meetings are allowed, it’s with social distancing measures in place. “You can’t give people a hug. People don’t want to shake hands,” Karla said. “They wear face masks and you lose the expression. They’re sometimes hard to understand.”
Despite the challenges, both of them recognize the importance of following guidelines. “I do it personally for the well-being of 4-H members” Darla said. “It’s important for the health of our community too, to make it the best for everyone.”
This is their 11th year in 4-H. Before that, they were Clover Kids. Darla listed out the many areas they have had projects: cooking, cake decorating, sewing, photography, citizenship, leadership, wildlife, archery, veterinary science, wood working, horticulture, welding, rabbits and poultry, sheep, goats and swine. They don’t show swine anymore and will not be showing rabbits or poultry this year. They decided to not show rabbits this year because of Hemorrhagic Disease, a highly contagious viral disease in rabbits. And there are no chickens because their cousins, who keep the chickens, decided to not do 4-H this year
Many of their projects do so well at the Custer County Fair that the next stop is the Nebraska State Fair. Karla says she enjoys all her projects but woodworking is a favorite. Her entries in this category have made it to State every year except for one. But there’s another reason she likes woodworking. “My grandpa (Dennis Kennedy) helps me. He’s a retired carpenter. We use his tools and he shows me how to use them. It’s bonding time,” she said.
One of Darla’s favorite project categories is Design
Decisions. Projects can become things for her dorm room, things that she can hang on the wall and enjoy. Projects like wildlife are educational, she explained, but it’s not used as decor. She had four projects in Design Decisions go to the State Fair last year.
State Fair, though, isn’t all about the exhibits. They also volunteer in the Exhibit building, setting things up and helping visitors to the fair find exhibits they are looking for. Darla also is on the Presentation Committee. And Karla was the first person in their club to wear the costume for “Little Green,” the 4-H mascot at the State Fair.
Will the Nichols twins go to the Nebraska State Fair this year? Like many things, it depends how events unfold, what is allowed and what is the status of the coronavirus. “I’m not sure,” Darla said. “It depends on how they open it up.”
This year, in addition to static exhibits, the two are taking 21 head of sheep and three goats to the Custer County Fair. They have a favorite memory of a year they took five times that many. “All five of us were still in 4-H and FFA, Darla said. “We brought 111 animals to the Fair.”
“We had two rigs,” Karla added. “We loaded them up and went in and unloaded and left people to take care of livestock and went back home. We had to make two trips.” That same year, the five Nichols girls entered 167 static exhibits!
No matter the number of animals and projects, any proceeds from the Fair and livestock auction are earmarked. “We make sure we cover our expenses,” Darla said. “You take care of expenses first.” The family’s summer schedule takes care of the Fair first, too. There are other activities like FFA Camp and youth trips but family vacation waits until after Custer County Fair.
This is not the last year
of 4-H for Karla and Darla. They are planning to finish next year. By that time, they will both have a year of college in the books. Darla is planning to attend the University of Nebraska - Kearney for pre-nursing, then attend University of Nebraska Medical Center at Kearney to earn her nursing degree. Future plans include going to Lincoln to study anesthesiology.
Karla is planning to attend Southeast Community College in Beatrice to study agriculture management and production. Her career path could take her onto UNL or she may return to the family farm Both of them know 4-H has played a big role in getting them ready for their futures.
“It definitely taught me so many skills. I plan to stay active with 4-H, as a leader,” Darla said.
“It helped me learn how to manage my time,” Karla said, “And to be persistent.”
They are excited to go to the Custer County Fair this year even though it will be different than other years. They are ready to compete and show the results of their hard work in this different kind of year. While some people have expressed concern about the livestock auction, for example, Karla is optimistic and her words sum up well their faith in the Fair.
“I believe our community and county supporters will do their best to reward us for our works and will support our 4-H members,” she said.