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4-H And-Or FFA?

C

Cody-n-Nancy

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I was and really enjoyed it. A neighbor farmer of mine, who raised both hogs and beef cattle also had fields of corn. Both of their sons, who graduated high school the year after I did (1969) were involved in both. Actually, where our farm was, we were surrounded by farmers when I was in high school. Don't hear the word "ranch" in Indiana and the word "rodeo" is there, but not much.

Oh, how I still remember those years at the County Fair! Way to far to go to the State Fair, for any of us.
 
Nobody here was involved in either? Ranch kids do go to elementary and high school. I figured someone would've been involved with 4H and/or FFA. Then again, FFA isn't ranching, it's farming.
 
I was in FFA in HS. I never showed anything. Well I take that back. Our adviser was after my buddy (chapter president) and me (VP) because we never showed anything. He had 10 acres of cucumbers contracted to a local pickle factory and I had 35 head of commercial cattle. But he thought we should show something. His sister had a rabbit that he hijacked. I borrowed a rabbit. We were the only 2 FFA rabbits. He won grand champion and I was reserve champ. So started and ended my FFA showing career.
 
Our daughter was active in 4H and FFA. She also was one of the first girls in Vo-Ag in Montana back in about 1978. She showed steers, heifers and horses, but it was just a little fair in a small town. She rodeo'd in Youth Rodeos and then in High School Rodeo, went on to college on a Rodeo and Music scholarship. She liked riding better than leading. 😉 She took her fat steer to the fair and rode him all around the fairgrounds. She even let the other kids ride him. Selling him wasn't much fun for her.

OOPS, didn't mean to hijack your thread.
 
Faster horses said:
Our daughter was active in 4H and FFA. She also was one of the first girls in Vo-Ag in Montana back in about 1978. She showed steers, heifers and horses, but it was just a little fair in a small town. She rodeo'd in Youth Rodeos and then in High School Rodeo, went on to college on a Rodeo and Music scholarship. She liked riding better than leading. 😉 She took her fat steer to the fair and rode him all around the fairgrounds. She even let the other kids ride him. Selling him wasn't much fun for her.

OOPS, didn't mean to hijack your thread.
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Yeah I don't like the part where you sell the animals but it's fun to build a bond with your animals
 
I was in both 4H and FFA and my wife was as well. I showed steers and was chairman of the state winning parliamentary procedure team for Utah and we got to go to the national convention in KC. Lots of good memories judging livestock and range management. Our kids have been active members of both as well. I happily support our little valley's 4H club where my Mom has been the leader for 48 years. And we support our high school's FFA chapter as sponsors. They just got their chapter up and running and its fun to see the kids do great. From welding to horticulture, its been a great investment in the next generation. Even if kids decide to pursue a non agricultural career path, they have experiences and memories that enrich their life.
 
In 1998, I was on the Livestock Staff for the Los Angeles County Fair for three weeks. Myself, and another guy, had to wear our black felt hat, shirt/tie and sport coat. Also, wore my Wrangler jeans and Roper boots. Since I had prior experience working for PRCA Stock Contractors at some rodeos, I was hired immediately. Part of the time I sat at the Judging table and helped him/her and the other part was standing by the arena entrance, checking in livestock being shown. I absolutely loved it and got a nice (big) lunch out of it for free. When a Show wasn't going on, both of us would sometimes go over to an old rodeo announcer we knew that had his own booth set up for PRCA rodeos. Had a few ropes and a dummy there to rope. Other times, we stick around in the office and make announcements over the PA System that covered all of the Fair.

On Auction Day, unloading/loading, the staff was at the fairgrounds until 2AM. That was one long, long day! But, the ending paycheck was well worth the time. An absolutely beautiful Grand Champion Charolais Bull was sold.
 
I was in 4 H, but girls weren't allowed in FFA until 1969. I graduated in 1968. I did a lot of showing at 4 H shows and the county fair and one year went to state to show for my great uncle. His heifers did well and I got first in the showmanship class. I loved showing heifers best as I knew they had a future as a brood cow back on the ranch. A blue-ribbon heifer bought attention to the ranch and helped bull sales.
 
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Mountain Cowgirl said:
I was in 4 H, but girls weren't allowed in FFA until 1969. I graduated in 1968. I did a lot of showing at 4 H shows and the county fair and one year went to state to show for my great uncle. His heifers did well and I got first in the showmanship class. I loved showing heifers best as I knew they had a future as a brood cow back on the ranch. A blue-ribbon heifer bought attention to the ranch and helped bull sales.
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I graduated in 1969. There were never girls in FFA. In fact in my annual from my senior year there is a comment written by our "chapter sweetheart" about attending a meeting with all the boys. I wanted to get in touch with her. Before I retired I worked with the FFA kids some. Now days there are more girls in FFA than boys. I went to KC for the national convention in the fall of 1967. Thousands of boys. Not a girl in sight anywhere.
 

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