Kent 4H'er seeks coveted Diamond Clover Award By MAEGAN CLEARWOOD Student intern | Posted: Thursday, June 14, 2012 1:00 am STILL POND Cassidy Schirmer smiled as Prancer, one of her 14 cows, nuzzled her velvety nose against her owner's hand. It was a milking day, but for this Kent County High School rising senior, playtime with her animals can be just as important as chores. "Most people think they just eat and sleep, but they have their own personality," Shirmer said June 4, as she waved hello to a jealous cow one pen away. "I like being around the animals. Every time I work in the show ring, even if the animal isn't doing her best, we still have fun." Schirmer's passion for cows was ignited seven years ago when a friend introduced her to a calf and encouraged her to try showing. She got her first cow through the 4H lease program and before she knew it, her bedroom was overflowing with ribbons and medals.
Schirmer Cassidy Schirmer says hello to Prancer, her 18monthold Brown Swiss. Schirmer's mentor, the late Ed "Pop" Fry, gave her the cow to raise as an FFA project.
In the past year alone, her accomplishments include: outshining 106 others in the senior division of the Youth Showmanship Contest at the AllAmerican Dairy Show; being crowned as the Eastern Shore Dairy Princess; and working in tandem with her star cow Misty, also known as "The Princess," to win second in the junior show at the World Dairy Expo and earn the title of Grand Champion Brown Swiss at the Maryland State Fair Open Show. "You really have to work at it. You can just walk in a circle, but you have to want to make your cow look its best," she said. "If you don't want to do it, the judges can tell." Schirmer lives in Galena, but spends most of her afterschool hours at Pine Crest Farms in Still Pond, where she cares for her animals and works for farm owner Bob Payne. Now, she's adding another load to her busy schedule; she's about to become the first Kent County student to complete the Level Six 4H Diamond Clover Award. The Diamond Clover is the culmination of years of projects and achievements through 4H, the completion of which is comparable to earning an Eagle Scout award in Boy Scouts. To fulfill the award's required 75 hours of community service, Schirmer is going to extend the roof on the dairy barn at the Kent Agricultural Center, providing extra storage room for animals and supplies. Over her many years of participation in the Kent County Fair, Schirmer said she has "struggled and watched other 4H'ers struggle to find room to keep their dairy animals and also have adequate storage for the supplies." As is, the barn is overflowing, making it a cramped and uncomfortable environment for the cows. Her completed project will widen the roof by 7 feet on each side and add kneehigh walls, creating extra storage room and more space for the animals to move and breathe. Schirmer hopes to complete her project in time for the fair this July. "This is a big project to take on and it really takes somebody on the upper level of her 4H career. It takes a lot of maturity and a lot of dedication," said Kent County 4H Extension educator Beth Hill. "It didn't have to be at the Ag Center, but that's where her heart is." Before Schirmer can get started on construction, she needs to raise about $11,000 in donations. So far, she's amassed around $1,500 through a bake sale and cakeoff. She's also sending letters to about 100
local business asking for donations, planning a car wash and selling raffle tickets for three prizes at the Kent County Fair. Raising funds is a daunting task, but the accomplished showman is no stranger to hard work. Along with her daily activities on the farm, Schirmer is president of the Junior Dairy Associates, vice president of the 4H Puppy Pals Club, rising treasurer for Kent County FFA and a member of the National Honor Society and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program at KCHS. "She's very dedicated. She's doing about everything you can to immerse yourself in a project," Hill said. "That's one of the things we love to see: she tried something out in our program, found out this is what she wanted, and she just jumped in with both feet. You don't see that very often, especially with a kid who started with the lease program and didn't grow up on a farm." Over her years of community service and leadership with 4H, Schirmer hasn't just honed her showmanship skills; her self confidence and public speaking abilities have blossomed as well. "I used to be really shy, but it's definitely brought me out," she said. "I would have never known I wanted to be a dairy farmer without 4H." "She used to not even be able to order for herself in restaurants. Now, she's participating in public speaking contests," said mom and supporter Belinda Schirmer. "We're proud of her." After graduation from KCHS, Schirmer hopes to major in dairy science and eventually own her very own dairy farm. Although she'll be leaving her high school 4H program in a year, the renovated Ag Center barn will serve as a legacy to all her hard work. "We're very excited about the project," Hill said. "I think it will encourage other students to do this kind of project." "I can't wait until it's done," Schirmer said. "I want to see what it looks like." Raffle tickets for a shotgun, duck hunt and duck decoys are $50 each and the winning ticket will be drawn on July 21 at the Kent County Fair. Anyone interested in donating to Schirmer's project or purchasing a raffle ticket can contact he at 4106485425 or Hill at 4107781661. Checks made out to Kent County EAC and tagged Diamond Clover Project can be mailed to the Kent County 4H office, 709 Morgnec Road, Suite 202, Chestertown, MD 21620.