Barns, Farms, and Fair Section B 2023

Geauga County Youth Ready 4-H Projects For The Fair

By Allison Wilson editor@kArlovecmediA com

When The Great Geauga County Fair began 201 years ago, 4-H did not exist.

Today, it’s both an integral part of the fair and a foundational childhood experience for many kids and teens.

Poultry

Katie Schuler, 18, who raises market turkeys and chickens, has been involved in 4-H for six years, citing the auction process as having helped build her confidence.

“Going through it, I have seen myself become more confident and that’s the whole auction idea,” she said. “Like the first year … you walk back and forth and you wave and you smile, and then the following year, you start interacting with the crowd and calling, ‘Oh come on, I know you can go higher.’”

Schuler first became involved in 4-H somewhat incidentally. She had already been raising egg laying chickens and was encouraged to join by her mother’s friend.

This year, Schuler has five market turkeys and eight market chickens. Each year, she excitedly anticipates the arrival of her animals.

“I count down the days until I get them,” Schuler said. “I go from August to April with no animals and it’s such a change. I have so much more free time.”

The animals’ arrival also marks the countdown to the fair, a time Schuler loves.

“Fair is when I can express myself, and like, not get judged on wearing jeans and boots walking around. I definitely look forward to fair every year,” she said.

Showing animals in auction is Schuler’s favorite part of the fair.

“They’ll call up your number and you wait in a line, and then once it’s your turn, you get to basically prance in front of everyone and the bigger the fool you make of yourself, the more money you’ll get because it shows that you’re more confident and not worried about humiliating yourself,” Schuler said.

The money made off Schuler’s animals is split between a college fund and needs for next year’s project, such as feed or repairs

to the coop. She described financial skills as something both important to and strengthened by 4-H involvement.

“4-H is a business, basically, because you put in time and effort and money into your projects, and granted, it’s not all about money, but you still want to be able to make a profit off of it,” she said.

Anna and Luke Chongris, 12 and 10, respectively, also raise market turkeys, and like Schuler, entered 4-H with experience, having raised chickens and ducks previously.

They’ve been in 4-H for two years and despite their experience with other kinds of poultry, this is the first time they’ve raised a turkey.

“Really what surprises me is, they act like dogs,” Anna said. “So, they wanna sit on your lap, they wanna please people, they’re not the brightest things, but they’re funny.”

Anna and Luke decided to become involved in 4-H because, after having chickens for so long, it just seemed like another fun thing to do.

“The nice thing about 4-H is doing market animals. If we like the turkeys, we can do them market first and if we don’t like them,

we get them butchered,” Anna said. “And if we do like them, we can go back and get ones that we can breed.”

However, the process of getting market birds ready for the fair can be stressful, she said.

“Last year, we did market chickens and that was kind of stressful because you have to give them a bath and this time with turkeys, it might be harder because they don’t like water at all,” Anna said.

Research is also necessary in 4-H, she said.

“They don’t teach you how to raise turkeys, they expect you to read books and stuff, and that’s what I do,” Anna said. “I read a lot of farm books.”

One thing she was surprised by was the breeds used for meat chickens. While in some 4-H clubs, like beef cattle, participants can pick their own breeds, turkey and chicken breeds are pre-chosen.

“I like this breed of turkey, it’s the commercial one. They’re so big, they can’t naturally reproduce. With the chickens, though, I don’t like the breed that they picked,” Anna said. “There’s other meat breeds out there.

The meat chickens we had last year, we would worry all the time that they would break a leg, they were so fragile.”

The 4-H community service projects are another aspect Anna enjoys.

“We do a lot of tying blankets for elderly people, we sew stuffed animals, carwashes. A couple months ago, we went to the fairgrounds under the grandstand and we were building bunk beds for kids who don’t have beds here in Geauga,” Anna said, adding they built about 40 beds.

“That was really fun, to get to use all the power tools,” she said.

Pigs

Christopher Boehnlein, 9, has been involved in 4-H since he was 5 through the Cloverbud Program and has previously been Fair Prince for a day.

This is his first year doing his own project and he has raised a breeding sow named Penelope, as well as market turkeys.

“It’s exciting to be part of it, not as a Cloverbud, but as, I guess, officially part of it,” he said.

See Projects • Page B3

SUBMITTED

Pictured is Cloverbud Griffin Lehman, 7, last year wearing his sash after winning Fair Prince at The Great Geauga County Fair.

From left, the Chongris siblings, Anna, Nina and Luke, are pictured here with their poultry.

Projects from page B2

Through the Cloverbuds, Christopher has previously helped his siblings with their proj ects and learned a good deal about what goes into raising animals, such as reading medi cine bottles, the parts of an animal and what goes into good meat.

“We did this game, this cupcake thing, and it was like the meat,” Christopher said. “The first one was perfectly good meat, the second one was I think a little too salty, third one was too fat, the next one was overdone. One of them had mustard as a disease.”

Christopher described his projects as hard but exciting.

“You get to observe how they grow and what they need,” he said.

While projects like his can be difficult, Christopher enjoys the atmosphere at the fair.

“It’s fun seeing what place you got in showing the pigs and people auctioning them off,” he said. “It’s exciting to see how much money you get, see who wants the pig.”

Penelope recently surprised Christopher with how many piglets she had. While six to eight are common for a sow’s first litter, his pig had 12.

While he has learned a lot about animal care and husbandry from 4-H, he also believes it has improved his social skills.

“When you go to fair, you have to talk to the people to get your tickets that you don’t know. You get to like, meet them,” he said.

Archery & Sewing

While animals are a predominant part of 4-H at the fair, they are far from the only thing the organization has to offer.

Luke Chongris, 10, is involved in archery and Allie Johnson, 9, does sewing.

Luke signed up for the archery club after

he went to the shooting barn at last year’s fair and found it interesting. His archery project was a poster showcasing his knowledge, such as labeling parts of a bow. The club teaches beginners how to shoot and visits different ranges throughout the year depending on the weather.

“The first ones, it was more of learning about how to shoot than actually shooting,” Luke said.

At the fair, the archery club takes hourly

4-H Spotlight: Pygmy Connection

shifts in the shooting barn to teach interested visitors how to shoot a bow and arrow.

Allie was involved in Cloverbuds for three years — this being her first year in 4-H proper — and has previously been Fair Princess for a day.

While the animal-focused Cloverbuds as-

sist with the older kids’ projects, Allie was able to make her own projects as a sewing Cloverbud. She has previously worked on slippers, a drawstring bag and a pillowcase.

Her interest in sewing stems from a prac-

“I wanted to learn how to sew my own clothes,” she said, adding her project this year is a blue skirt patterned with peaches and oranges. An estimated six hours went into making the skirt using a sewing machine.

Sewing projects are exhibited in the Junior Fair Building and judged before the fair.

The Cloverbud Program is 4-H’s youth program, open to kids ages 5-8. Cloverbud fair exhibitions are noncompetitive and involve children learning about social skills and personal development, expressive subjects such as the arts, and plant- and animal-based Griffin Lehman, 7, has been involved with the program for two years. Last year, he assisted with a beef cow, Donna.

Griffin had a number of responsibilities as an assistant, including waking up in the morning to help feed the cow and brushing her coat. During the fair, Griffin helped show off Donna to the judges in the ring.

Outside helping with the animals, Griffin said he has learned about internal parasites, beef breeds and cuts of meat through the Cloverbuds.

He has also had to give a verbal project on kindness. His favorite part of 4-H was when he was Fair Prince for a day.

Griffin aspires to show beef cattle and hogs when he’s old enough to have his own projects, and is excited to do piglet showmanship at this year’s fair.

are the Pygmy Connection. We work together and learn respect. And through hard work and dedication, we learn responsibility with the care we provide our animals. We are committed, but the struggle is real. Another hard lesson of raising farm animals, they can be stubborn and seldom agree to

We

photo opportunities. Pictured is Alissa Miller.

- Submitted by Jada Jones, Pygmy Connection photography officer

SUBMITTED

Katie Schuler pictured with one of this year’s market turkeys sitting on her lap.

2023 Junior Fair King and Queen Court Candidates

King Candidate:

Sutton Pikor

Sutton Pikor is the son of Joe and Lindsay Piko, of Rome, Ohio. He is a senior at Lake Cath olic High School, where he is in Nation al Honor Society and secretary of his class, as well as a member of the swim team, chess club and robotics club.

He is an active community volunteer and deep water lifeguard.

Sutton is a 10-year member of 4-H and belongs to Geauga Beef and Swine. He has brought hogs, lambs and chickens to this year’s fair and is proud to have won Reserve Market Hog.

Queen Candidates:

Ava Intelisano

Ava Intelisano is the daughter of Joseph and Shannon Intelisa no, of Middlefield. She is a senior at Kenston High School, where she is a mem ber of National Hon or Society, Science Olympiad and the tech crew of Kenston Cen ter Stage theater group. She also has played trumpet in the marching, concert and sym phonic band.

Ava is the current president of The Pyg my Connection 4-H club and a member of Junior Fair Board. She has shown pygmy goats along with fancy and market chickens.

Ava excels at showmanship and was proud to be named the 2022 Junior Fair Showmanship Sweepstakes Champion.

Erin Keener

Erin Keener is the daughter of Doug and Kim Keener, of Madison. She is at tending the Univer sity of Akron with a major in accounting.

While attending

Madison High School, she was a member of National Honor Society as well as the tennis team and marching band. She is a Leadership Lake County graduate and recently earned her Girl Scout Gold Award.

Erin is secretary of Buckeye Showman 4-H club and also secretary of Junior Fair Board. In 2022 she was named Rabbit Senior Showman and Showman of Showman.

Samantha Sunderhaft

Samantha Sunder haft is the daughter of Karen and Dave Sun derhaft, of Bainbridge Township.

She is a senior at Kenston High School, where she is a mem ber of National Honor Society, Bomber Bash Lead Crew, student council and participated in concert band. She also is an athletic trainer and mem ber of the basketball team. She was recently approved for the Girl Scout Gold Award.

Sammy is a member of Giggles N’ Stitch es 4-H club and is a past president of Geauga County Fashion Board. Beside sewing, she has entered baking and photography projects. She is a three-time qualifier for the Ohio State Fair.

Emily Tessean

Emily Tessean is the daughter of Shawn and Janine Tessean, of

She is a senior at Berkshire High School, where she is a member of both Na tional Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. She plays multi ple instruments in Berkshire’s bands and is a member of the combat robotics team and theater department.

She also enjoys competitive swimming on a team from Hiram College.

Emily is a past president of Giggles N’ Stitches 4-H club and current president of Geauga County Fashion Board. She enjoys competing in sewing and quilting projects and received two Outstanding awards at the Ohio State Fair.

Belle . This is my first year in 4-H and I am in the Flockmasters Club. I am raising a pen of chickens for my project

My name is Lola Bonner. This is my first year in 4-H and I am a Flockmaster. My project this year is a turkey.

Maggie Beorn, 14, will be in 9th grade at Chardon this year. She is a 9-year member of the Geauga Junior Genealogists and Memory Keepers Club and has focused her attention this year on cake decorating. She is also serving as the club president. Some of her favorite 4-H memories are working the milkshake booth at the Fair every year. She also enjoys shopping for the 4-H Food Drive to support the Geauga Hunger Task Force pantries!

Matt Canfield, Middlefield, is taking a pen of 3 market chickens to the fair this year. He is a first year member of Granny’s Kids. He is a sophomore at Cardinal

Cailey Christie (Munson Township) will be in 8th grade at Chardon High School this year. She has been a member of the Feathers and Fleece 4-H Club for 7 years. This year she will be showing some chickens and her 2 Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats, Penelope and Poppy. She will also be auctioning off her pen of three market chickens at THE Great Geauga County Fair. Come see her and all of her hard work!

Elora Crawford is a Cloverbud with Geauga’s Best 4-H Club. This is her first year as a 4-H member and she is excited to show her Call Ducks at The Great Geauga County Fair this year.

Miles Crawford, of Geauga’s Best 4-H Club, will be showing his lamb, turkey and chickens at The Great Geauga County Fair. He enjoys visiting with all the different animals over the course of the fair.

My name is Joey Damiani This is my second year I am in the Geauga Jr. Genealogists & Memory Keepers 4-H Club. My project this year was Outdoor Adventurer: Intermediate cially liked fishing with my dad!

, a member of Auburn Swine 4-H Club for 5 years, will be taking her hog to the fair this year. She is

8, of Burton, is in her second year as a Cloverbud 4-H member. She will do showmanship for meat chickens and has made a pillowcase for her sewing club.

ate from Chardon projects this year

Sisters Etta & Alisz Fabian, both students at Madison’s South Elementary School, are members of the Buckey Showmen 4H Club. They are shown her with their bunnies taking part in the Costume Contest. They have each been involved in 4-H for two years.

Opal Deliere, 10, of Burton is a second year member of 4-H and will be showing market chickens. She is also in Sew Sew Sweet 4-H, and made a sundress.

Jaiden Freeman. is 9 years old and is in Auburn Swine club. He currently has 3 guinea pigs, a lot of chickens that lay eggs and 2 roosters. This is his 1st year in 4-H, he is so excited. The 1st year project is meat chickens. Jaiden would like to invite you to the small animal auction. He is going to put half of the money from the sale in savings and the other half is going to Claridon Community

She is an Honor Roll student, a member of Student Council and sings in the Ministry Choir. This is Piper’s fifth year in Auburn Swine and she holds the seat of treasurer in the club. Piper is excited to show off the hard work she has done with her hog, Whitney!

Aubrey Haefke from Munson Township. I attend Chardon High School as a freshman and am a part of the Feathers and Fleece 4-H club. This is my third year in 4-H, I will be taking four chickens to fair this year, as well as a pen of three market birds. You can see all that I do with my animals on Instagram by searching for @ahaefke0. I also compete in some of the baking contests. In this picture, I am holding one of my hens that will be going to the fair with me.

super excited to show

, age 12 of Burton, is taking a pen of 3 market chickens to The Great Geauga County Fair this year. She comes from a family of 4-Hers, including her mom and dad. She really enjoys being a part of the Flockmasters Group. This is Elin’s 4th year in 4-H. She will be in 7th grade this year at Berkshire Middle School. She invites you to join her for the auction on Friday at 2:30 p.m. to bid on her pen of three beautiful and delicious chickens. She’d like to thank Scott Mihalic for his support over the years. , age 12, is a member of Totally Dogs 4-H Club and is busy preparing his dog for the show ring at The Great Geauga County Fair. They are grateful for all they are learning from advisors Dalene & Sandy.

the Great Geauga County Fair this year. She attends Berkshire Middle School and will be in the 5th grade. This is Lillian’s 2nd year in 4H, she has a passion for ALL animals big and small.

the fair. She invites you to whether in the GHPA arena

barn and support the 4-H market projects.

This is my

Thomas Kartley and Buck. As a member of Auburn Swine Club, I look forward to showing my hog at The Geauga County Fair this year.

showing my own steer at the Geauga County Fair as a member of Feeders and Breeders Club.

market hog to the Geauga County Fair this year. She has been a member of Feathers and Fleece 4-H Club for the past seven years and has been showing hogs for six years. She is a student at Chardon High School.

This is Shelby and she is going to market on Saturday, Sept. 2! Hi, I’m Rylie Leichtman! I’m a junior at Cardinal High School. This will also be my first year at Auburn Career Center. This is my 9th year showing market hogs, my 3rd showing market chickens, and my 9th year in 4-H.

Hi, I’m , I’m taking my 2 market lambs to fair this year. (#304 & #306) They are Texel and Ile De France breeds. This is my third year showing lambs with Feathers and Fleece and my sixth year showing horses. I have a new horse project this year, a 6 year old Clydes-

4-H Club for three years.

Zeke Leshovsky is 12 years old and lives in Claridon. He is homeschooled, and has been a member of Granny’s Kids 4-H Club for three years. He is bringing a number of projects to the fair this year, including a pen of market chickens for a second year; his Nubian dairy goat, Marah; his pack goat, Reepicheep, for the third year in a row; and a market turkey. Marah won ‘Best Senior Doe in Show’ last year at the fair.

Lesniak-Harper

- This is my first year in the Bunny Bunch. I am a Clover Bud. My family and I show at ARBA shows. I have a Netherland Dwarf and Jersey Woolys. My favorite thing at the fair is the rides and the animals.

I will be in 1st grade this year.

Hi, my name is Penelope Lisk I am 11 years old and this is my second year in 4-H, but my first year in the Bunny Bunch. This year for the first time I will be showing my bunny Snowflake. I am excited about going to the Geauga County Fair!

- This is my first year in the Bunny Bunch. I have Jersey Wooly rabbits and show at

, age 8, of Chardon, has just started hergists & Memory Keepers. She’s working on a cooking project and is excited to attend fair next year! She’s a student at Park Elementary.

My name is Charlie , and I am 10 years old. I have 7 brothers and two sisters. I am homeschooled. I am a member of the Feathers and Fleece 4H Club. This is my first year attending The Great Geauga County Fair and I am showing Cornish Cross chickens. I like playing basketball for Saint Helens, and I also like playing football and baseball with my siblings.

My name is Hannah , and I am eleven years old. I have eight brothers and one sister. I am in the sixth grade, and I am homeschooled. This year, I will be bringing a pen of three Cornish Cross chickens to The Great Geauga County Fair. This is my second year attending and showing market chickens at fair. I belong to the Feathers and Fleece 4H Club.

Chris . I am 16 years old, and I have eight brothers and one sister. I am a junior in high school

This year I will be bringing a pen of three Cornish Cross chickens to The Great Geauga County Fair. This is my eighth year showing market chickens at the fair. I am a member of the Feathers and

James , and I am 10 years old. I have seven brothers and two sisters. I am

I am excited because this is my first year attending and showing market chickens at The Great Geauga County Fair. I will be bringing a pen of three Cornish Cross chickens to the fair. I belong to the Feathers and Fleece 4H Club. I also like playing piano and playing basketball.

David , and I am 13 years old. I have 7 brothers and 2 sisters. I am in 8th grade at the Lyceum. This year I will be bringing a pen of three Cornish Cross Great Geauga County Fair. This is my third year showing market chickens at the fair. I belong to the Feathers and Fleece 4H Club. I also enjoy

My name is John Paul McIlroy, and I am 18 years old. I have seven brothers and two sisters. I graduated this past year from the Lyceum. I have been attending The Great Geauga County Fair and showing market chickens for the past ten years. This year, I will be bringing a pen of three Cornish Cross chickens to the fair. I belong to the Feathers and Fleece 4H Club.

My name is Matthew McIlroy, and I am 15 years old. I have seven brothers and two sisters. I am a sophomore in high school at the Lyceum. This year, I will be bringing a pen of three Cornish Cross chickens to The Great Geauga County Fair. I have been showing market chickens at the fair for the past six years. I am a member of the Feathers and Fleece 4H Club.

Matthew Michelson 12) is taking a hog, chickens, and tur keys to The Great Geauga County Fair this year. He is a member of the Flockmaster’s 4-H Club and he is homeschooled. Matthew is an all-American young man who loves anything patriotic, vintage trucks, baseball, and horseback riding.

Adah Michelson (age 12) is taking a hog and a turkey

The Great Geauga County fair this year. She is also entering cookies, cupcakes, photography, and a drawing. Adah is a member of the Flock master’s 4-H Club and she is homes chooled. Adah enjoys children, horseback riding, and taking care of her animals.

Montville resident Audrey Morgan-Ard is entering her junior year at Perry High School. She has raised rabbits, pigs and chickens as 4-H projects for the past fairs as part of the Buckeye Showmen (formerly Buckeye Bunnies) 4-H Club. She has been involved in 4-H for eight years Pictured right, her black & white bunny is entering the costume contest as an Oreo cookie.

Ayana Michel(age 12) is taking a hog and chickens to the market at The Great Geauga County fair this year. She is also entering a cake, photography, and sunflowers. Ayana is a member of the Flockmaster’s 4-H Club and she is homeschooled. Ayana loves baking, piano, soccer, and farming.

Milo will be an eighth-grader at Berkshire Middle School this year. He is a member of the Buckeye Showmen and Totally Dogs 4-H Clubs and has been involved with 4-H for six years. Milo’s 4-H projects include chickens, turkeys and dogs. He is shown here with his dog, Annabelle, and the awards they won at last year’s fair.

Sonja, age 11, from Russell, is in her first year of 4-H and has loved working with her goat, Tuesday! She is a student at West G Middle School.

Calvin Prosser of Montville. This is his 4th year in the Feathers and Fleece Club participating in the Market Chicken project. 4-H has become a second family and they all have fun while helping each other. He enjoys watching how fast the chickens grow. He is a student at Berkshire Middle School. Thank you to all the Junior Fair supporters and previous buyers, See you at The Great Geauga County Fair!!!!

entered market chickens, this year he added swine to his projects. He has enjoyed working with the pigs this year. He is a junior at Berkshire School and Auburn Career Center Welding program. Thank you to all the Junior Fair supporters and previous years buyers.

to the fair this year. He is in his first year as a member of Breeders and Feeders. Seth attends Jordak Elementary school (Cardinal), and is in the 4th grade. In his spare time, Seth, enjoys being a team member of the Cardinal Youth Wrestling program and playing football with his friends.

My name is Vanessa S., 9 years old. This is my second year with the Bunny Bunch 4-H Club. I have a three year old rabbit named Oreo Cookie Icecream Cupcake. I call her Cookie for short!

lamb project for fair this

project for fair this year. He is a member of Flockmasters 4-H Club. This is his 2nd year in 4-H. He is a student at Berkshire Middle School.

Macey ’s second year in Bunny Bunch and she continues to look forward to the 4-H meetings and the interactions

ters 4-H Club. This is her third year in 4-H. She is a stu dent at St. Barnabas Catholic School.

Jenna Somrack, of Newbury, is a 5th grader at St. Helen School. This is her 2nd year showing market chickens and her 1st year showing her pet rabbit at fair. She has been in Feathers and Fleece Club for 2 years.

been a member of the Feathers and Fleece 4-H Club for many years. Anna says that 4-H has been a wonderful experience for her in which she has made many friends and has been given many opportunities to serve the Geauga Community.

Charlotte Tiber, 9, of Burton, is a first year member of 4-H Flockmasters and Sew Sew Sweet Clubs. Her projects this year will be showing a pen of 3 market chickens. She also sewed a skirt and modeled it for the Style Review.

Charlotte is a student at Agape Christian Academy and is loving her first year of 4-H!

18, is part of the Feathers and Fleece 4-H Club. He is taking a market turkey named Tom Brady to fair this year and is excited to see all of his hard work pay off at auction. He has been a member of Feathers and Fleece 4-H Club for over a decade and this will be his last year as he is leaving for college.

Samuel is a member of Feathers and Fleece 4H Club of Geauga County. He is taking a market turkey this year to fair. Sam has been in 4H since his cloverbud days. He says his favorite memory of the fair is the rooster crowing contest. He loves being a member of his club and participating in The Great Geauga County Fair.

Allie Wiseman is in her 6th year in 4-H and showing 7 separate market projects: 2 market goats, 3 market lambs, 1 market turkey and a pen of 3 chickens. I’m on the Junior Fair Board, and a member of two separate 4-H clubs where I hold positions as secretary and vice-president. Please consider bidding on any of my projects, the money I make is going towards my college education.

Carlie Wood has been a 4-H member with the Bunny Bunch 4-H Club 12 years and All About Dogs 4-H Club 1 year. This year she will be showing her Jersey Wooly and Rhinelander Rabbits, Cavy, Chicken, duck, goose, and Newfoundland Dog at the fair. She was the Small Animal Showman of Showman last year as well as Waterfowl Showman of Showman for the past two years. Carlie participated in the Showmanship sweepstakes last year and competes Nationally with her rabbits. She is a senior at Cardinal High School.

Good Luck to all the 4-H Clubs from