South Dakota’s 4-H and FFA Families Prepare for 2023 State Fair

By Lura Roti

With 2023 State Fair approaching, South Dakota Farmers Union checked in with three 4-H and FFA families: the Eide family from Gettysburg and the Michalek and Rose families from Chamberlain. As the premier sponsor of the South Dakota State Fair, Farmers Union wanted to learn their stories. We wanted to learn, what do these families do to prepare for this annual event and what it is about 4-H, FFA and the State Fair that they appreciate?

The Eide Family

Bobbi Eide remembers counting down the days until her 8th birthday.

“I couldn’t wait to turn 8 so I could be in 4-H,” said the 15-year-old Gettysburg High School student. “My older brothers were in 4-H long before I was, and I loved helping them get their livestock ready for the fair.”

It’s midJuly and Bobbi is getting her own livestock ready for the State Fair. She is showing pigs like her older brothers, Hunter, now a senior pre-med student at South Dakota State University, and Tanner, a high school senior.

“I got my love of showing pigs from my brother, Hunter. He was the first to show pigs in our family,” Bobbi said. “I like getting the pigs used to me so they are calm in the show ring. A couple years ago, I trained one pig to fetch a stick like a dog and I taught another one to roll over so I could pet his belly. I think pigs are kind of like dogs – just a bit more smelly.”

In the show ring, Bobbi needs to be able to control her pigs as they walk around the judge. To prepare for this, throughout the summer she

The Michalek Family

Moving from the ranch to town as an 11-year-old was a life change Marty Michalek wasn’t too excited about. The move also meant he would be starting fifth grade at a new school where he didn’t have many friends.

Reflecting on this time in his life, the 47-year-old said joining 4-H made all the difference. “It got me acclimated to a new town and helped me make friends. I got involved in FFA and was fortunate enough to serve as a state FFA officer. That was a tremendous experience that opened a lot of doors and helped me make contacts throughout the years which absolutely helped me get to where I am today as a professional,” explained the Vice President of ag banking for First Dakota National Bank, Chamberlain.

Because of his experience, when he and his wife, Mandy, moved their young family back to his hometown of Chamberlain in 2004, they signed their children up for 4-H.

Their oldest son, Garrett, was a kindergartener at the time. Today, he is an electrician and works as Service Technician for Muth Electric,

The Rose Family

As a kid, Becky “Alexander” Rose loved being actively involved in 4-H and FFA because of the fun trips and the opportunity to leave her family’s Clark dairy farm to show at the State Fair where she got to know South Dakota youth from across the state.

Today, at 39, she reflects on these opportunities through the experienced eyes of a mom to four sons: Dusty, 17, Austin, 14, Ty, 11 and Lane, 6.

“I have a different perspective, and I am glad I was involved in these two organizations because they gave me lifelong skills,” Becky said. “As a kid, I didn’t realize I was learning skills I would use the rest of my life, but looking back I can see that obviously I was – things like public speaking and other career-orientated skills that you don’t gain from team sports.”

She is grateful her sons are gaining similar opportunities and skills today. Becky and her husband, Jesse, raise cattle on his family’s ranch near Chamberlain. Jesse was also involved in 4-H and FFA and when he reflects on the expe -

Rose Family

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