Perry County 4-H members showcased various projects work and what they have learned and accomplished this past year at the annual Perry County 4-H Fair. A record-breaking crowd of more than 1,120 people were served the chicken dinner, according to Dianna Koenig, 4-H Youth Development Program Associate.
Champion purple ribbon winners were selected for the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, Mo. County 4-H members exhibited more than 700 items, animals and demonstrations at this year’s fair, which is over a 50 percent increase over 2020 when private exhibit judging was held with no dinner. New this year, the exhibits were on display inside the Colonnade Room on Wednesday July 28. Animals were on the grounds around the “Quonset” building.
Perry County 4-H beef members showed their animals at the Altenburg Invitational Youth Beef Show on Saturday, July 24. Through the exhibits, 4-H members demonstrate the knowledge, skills and work ethic they have gained for the specific project, or interest area they explored.
Youth exhibited items representing a wide assortment of 40 project areas. They were judged Wednesday and then placed on display.
For more than 40 years, the American Legion Post No. 133 has sponsored this sizable event as a youth project.
All proceeds from the Chicken Dinner are paid to the 4-H members for the ribbons earned at the fair on their project work.
The annual “Friend of 4-H” award was presented by Natalie Fritsche-Kasten, Perry County 4-H Council President, to Kevin Barron, Pastor of United Methodist Church.
The church has provided a large meeting space for 4-H youth programs this past year. The “Friend of 4-H” is presented annually in recognition of support provided to Perry County 4-H by an individual, business or organization.
Special “Best of Show” Handmade Green & White Rosette 4-H ribbons were awarded to exhibits judged as “Overall Champions.” These projects demonstrate outstanding quality work and effort relative to standards. Only the following 13 projects were selected for this top honor from various areas of 4-H project work: Henry Lohmann, Farrar Hawthorne 4-H Club, Air Pistol Sand Bag in Shooting Sports; Israel Melchior, Friendly Valley 4-H Club,-“Milk Bowl Meditation” photo in Photography; Katelyn Burns, Farrar Hawthorne 4-H Club-“Crochet Angel” in Crochet; Abigail Haley, Farrar 4-H Club-“Elderberry Jelly” in Food Preservation; Makayla Burns, Farrar 4-H Club-“Cross Stitch Paper Dolls” in Arts & Crafts Ages 14 & Older; Josie Angle, Friendly Valley 4-H Club-“Rabbit” in Arts & Crafts Ages 11-13; Abigail Haley, Farrar 4-H Club – “Flower Cake” in Cake Decorating; Dalton Lohmann, Farrar 4-H Club-Egg Plants in Horticulture; Gretchen Asselmeier, Friendly Valley 4-H Club-Blue Shirt in Sewing; Engel Lohmann, Farrar 4-H Club -“Siblings Page” in Scrapbooking; Allyson Burns, Farrar 4-H Club -“Barn Quilt” in Painting, Printing & Graphic Design; Israel Melchior, Friendly Valley, Cedar Chest in Woodwork; Madeleine Brown, Robotics Demonstration in Robotics.
The Purple Champion ribbon is awarded only to those exhibits that are of blue ribbon quality and demonstrate high quality, relative to standards of the project area.
Most Purple ribbon exhibits are eligible to represent Perry County at the Missouri State Fair. Perry County 4-H members earning Champion Purple ribbons are listed below.
Aerospace-Rocketry:
Lucas Fritsche
Agronomy-Field Crops:
Clayton Lohmann, 2 Champions to Bryce Schmidt, Lucas Fritsche.
Animals
(Educational Displays):
Dogs-Alaina Seiler, Mylee Geringer;
Horseless Horse/Horse Knowledge-Arlie Basler, Peyton Coffey;
Poultry-Anna Rehagen;
Rabbits-Sydney Moran;
Swine-2 to Joe Haley
Beekeeping Champions – 2 to Landon Zahner, Merrick Zahner
Arts & Crafts Ages 8-10:
Jason Miesner, Isabella Blackard, Autumn Petzoldt, Mackenzie Southard, Henry Lohmann, Sydney Moran, Aubrie Dobbelare; Ages 11-13-Faith Buchheit (2), Josie Angle; Mylee Geringer, Allyson Burns (2); Ages 14 & Older-Katelyn Burns, MaKayla Burns (2)Claire Melchior-Arts–Drawing,
Fiber Arts & Sculpture:
Adiel Melchior
Arts-Painting, Printing & Graphics Design:
Taylor Northdurft (2); Katherine Brown, Makayla Burns, Allyson Burns.
Scrapbooking:
Cake Decorating:
Champions were:
Violet Miesner, Adeline Buchheit, Paula Sticht, Halie Fritsche, Abigail Haley
Creative Crochet:
Leah Grantham, Luke Asselmieer, Engel Lohmann, Lydia Miesner (2), Faith Buchheit, 3 to Katelyn Burns
Electricity:
Henry Lohmann (2), Lucas Fritsche
Exploring 4-H:
Henry Lohmann
First Aid:
Lydia Miesner
Foods/Nutrition-Cooking:
Willow Sutterer, Aubrie Dobbelare, Landon Zahner
Foods Preservation: Boiling Water Canning:
Clayton Lohmann, Abigail Haley, Makayla Burns, Dalton Lohmann (2), Lydia Miesner
Horticulture-Flowers-
Annie Buchheit, Mylee Geringer (3), Halie Fritsche
Horticulture-Gardening-
Dalton Lohmann (3), Jason Miesner, Gavin Ruehling, Merrick Zahner, Landon Zahner
Interior Design-
Engel Lohmann, Makayla Burns
Photography:
State Fair Eligible Champions: Novice: Cara Winningham, Danta Fillingham, Leah Grantham, Autumn Petzoldt; Intermediate: 2 to Israel Melchior, Lydia Miesner, Adiel Melchior; Advanced: Makayla Burns, Heidi Asselmeier.
Other Champion Purples to: Adeline Buchheit, Katelyn Burns, Heidi Asselmieier
Quilting:
Gretchen Asselmeier
Sewing:
Novice: 2 to Violet Miesner, Anna Grantham, Sydney Moran, Aubrie Dobbelare, Luke Asselmeier, Engel Lohmann, Leah Grantham; Intermediate: Bella Asselmeier;
Advanced: 3 to Heidi Asselmeier and Gretchen Asselmeier
Robotics:
Champion Robot to Team of: John Grantham, Israel Melchior, Victor Brown, Sam Brockman; Champion Robotics Demonstration to: Madeleine Brown
