Dodge County Fairgrounds - Beaver Dam, WI

What a summer! I can’t believe it’s already time to go back to school. I had a great summer here with Dodge County 4-H.   Even after my third summer, I’m still learning things about our program and youth, and I’m very happy that I was able to help out again this year.   As I say every summer, 4-H is such an amazing opportunity for our youth to learn life skills. There really is no other place where a child can have fun while learning by doing and helping our community to make the best better. Thank you so much to all of our amazing volunteers who help make our program successful. In August I will return to work and school at Marquette University.   I will graduate in May 2013 with my Masters of Education in College Student Personnel Administration and plan to work with students through their college careers. In the years to come I hope to continue my involvement with Dodge County 4-H through volunteer opportunities. Thanks again to everyone for an awesome experie...

Did you miss the traditional livestock shows on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday? This is your opportunity to see youth and their livestock projects in action! Livestock project youth have put in many hours preparing their animal projects for the fair. Don't miss your opportunity to witness this newer contest showcasing the top livestock youth. The Farm Progress Arena will host the 3rd annual Supreme Showmanship Contest on Saturday, August 18th at 7 p.m. The top junior and senior showmen of the beef, sheep and swine projects will compete against each other in showing their own animal, and then going on to show animals in the other two species. For more information on the Dodge County Fair http://dodgecountyfairgrounds.com

The Family Farm Adventure Tent is celebrating the Dodge County Fair's 125th Anniversary and will help you "remember the past" through the addition of a restored 1919 Dunbar Popcorn Wagon. After you experience the hands-on learning opportunities including a daily coloring contest, agricultural crafts, and visits from agricultural royalty, step back in time and enjoy delicious air-popped popcorn. The popcorn wagon, owned and restored by Jack A. Rhodes, is a piece of agricultural history and will be at the Family Farm Adventure Tent, open at 10AM each day of the Dodge County Fair, August 15-19. Original buttered popcorn will be for sale along with Real Bacon Popcorn. Don't miss the FREE Family Farm Adventure Activities! Stop by and try your hand at ice cream making at 1 pm and 3 pm every day! Pose for a Farm Scene Photo and create a make-and-take frame! Photos will be taken at 11 am, 2 pm, and 5 pm daily. The Family Farm Adventure Tent is located next to the Yo...

As we look forward to the 2012 Dodge County Fair, and the 125th Anniversary Celebration, it's important to review the value of fairs and benefits to youth exhibitors.  Are the benefits worth the many months of time and energy spent getting ready?           Most people feel county fairs are fun (and they are), but a study done by the Department of Rural Sociology at UW-Madison indicates that fairs do indeed play an educational role.  The study compared the fair to the classroom.  County Board members indicated they thought youth learned a great deal at fairs.  They also said they thought the educational value of five days at the fair was equal to that of five days in the classroom.           The obvious questions still remain:  "What did the exhibitor learn?"  Fair competition provides youth with a chance to develop specific skills such as animal showmanship, ...

The County Fair is an exciting time for 4-H members. It is an opportunity to display to the public the handiwork they have made and show animals they have worked with. The 4-H motto is "learn by doing" and the fair is an excellent example of this. 4-H members work on a variety of projects and share these results with the general public at the fair. Through doing this, 4-H'ers learn about working with others, making decisions, and responsibility. An important aspect of the fair is judging. 4-H projects are judged on their quality of workmanship. Although competition is an important part of the fair, the real courage for 4-H members lies in competing to better their own skills, not to "beat" out somebody else. It's exciting for 4-H members to win ribbons and trophies, but sometimes it's the one who comes in last who really wins. They win by learning important things about their projects and themselves. They learn to be good "sports" and grow ...

The public is invited to take a look at what nearly 650 4-H and FFA members in Dodge County have been doing during the year at this year’s county fair. More than 4,500 will be on display at the Dodge County Fair August 15-19 at the fairgrounds near Beaver Dam. For more information contact the Dodge County UW-Extension office, 386-3790. For more information on the Dodge County Fair http://dodgecountyfairgrounds.com

Fair competition provides youth with a chance to develop specific skills such as animal showmanship, demonstration techniques, home economic skills, a variety of craft talents, as well as many others. In many cases, qualified judges meet face-to-face with youth exhibitors and give them suggestions on improvement. In addition, fairs provide an opportunity to learn about people, human nature and cooperation. We cannot overlook the contributions of the many youth and adult volunteers. Without these valuable people, the fair could never happen. For more information on the Dodge County Fair http://dodgecountyfairgrounds.com

Corral your children and let them try their hand at showing a sheep at the Dodge County Fair.   This will be the ninth year of the Little Shepherds Showmanship Contest in which youth demonstrate their sheep showmanship abilities, while practicing for future participation in the sheep project or just having some fun.   This contest is open to anyone 4 years of age and older (up to grade 4).   Contestants will use a sheep that is already located at the fairgrounds and being exhibited by Sheep Project members.   Judging is based on proper showmanship techniques.   This event will take place in the sheep building around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 19 th .   Pre-registrations forms can be picked up at the Dodge County UW-Extension Office or through the Open Class Fair book.   Look for flyers, sign-up sheets and more information at this year’s Dodge County Fair. For more information on the Dodge County Fair http://dodgecountyfairgrounds.com

Junior Fair exhibitors are busy getting ready for the annual Dodge County Junior Fair, August 15-19.   Activities for the Junior Fair begin Saturday, August 11 with the 4-H Horse Show starting at 8:00 a.m. at the Dodge County Fairgrounds.   Premium judging for this show is followed by speed and game competition. Food and Food Preservation are judged on Monday, August 13, at 9:30 a.m. in the Youth Building at the Dodge County Fairgrounds. Tuesday is entry day. All exhibits must be in place at the fairgrounds by 7 p.m. that day.   Judging for Flowers, Houseplants, Plant Crafts and Home Grounds is in the Youth Building at 3 p.m. Tuesday, August 14. Check-in time for Dairy is from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Weigh-in times for animals are 9 a.m. to noon for Market Hogs, 1 to 4 p.m. for Market Beef and Lambs. All animals (unless otherwise specified) must be checked in by superintendents by 7 p.m. on Tuesday. A Dairy Fitting Contest will also be held Tuesday at 8:00 ...

The 2012 “Little Britches” Showmanship Contest will again make the crowd roar with laughter on Sunday, August 19 th at 1:30 pm. The wild and fun-filled event will take place in the Farm Progress Arena. The contest is open to anyone between grades 4K and up to and including 4 th grade, interested in showing a dairy calf. Beef breed cattle will not be allowed in the competition and there will be an orientation session for all participants prior to the contest. The contestants will demonstrate their showmanship abilities by leading their May or June dairy calf in front of the Judge.   Awards will be sponsored by Animart of Beaver Dam . For more information on the Dodge County Fair http://dodgecountyfairgrounds.com

The Dodge County Dairy Youth participating in the dairy project will again be recognized for their hard work at the 2012 Dodge County Dairy Youth Recognition Auction.   The auction will be held on Sunday, August 19 th at the Dodge County Fair in the Farm Progress Arena.   The pre-sale luncheon will begin promptly at 10:30 a.m., followed by the auction at 11:30 a.m. A maximum of 16 Dodge County Junior Dairy Show participants will be represented in the auction.   To qualify, the youth must have won at least one of 15 classes at the 2012 Dodge County Fair.   The 16 th lot at the 2012 auction will be filled by a random drawing from all dairy youth exhibitors who have turned in an educational card of at least 20 points. Live animals will NOT be sold, but rather a symbol of the sale participant’s achievements will be offered for this sale.   The auction items for the 2012 sale are several dairy farm designs embroidered into 60”x80” wool blankets from ...

Come to the Dodge County Fairgrounds in the Farm Progress Arena Tuesday, August 14 th at 8 p.m. for the 13 th Ann ual Dairy Fitting Contest. Fitters will compete in two categories: Junior Fitters, grades 4-8 and Senior Fitters, grades 9 and older. Fitters will have one hour total to fit their animal. Only the head of the animal may be clipped in advance or prior to the contest. One junior dairy project member can help restrain the animal, but not help clip the animal. One top Junior and Senior Fitter will be named by the judge. Trophies for this contest will be provided by TomLu Holstein’s of Horicon.   Runner-Up recognition plaques will be donated by the Jim Borchardt Family in Memory of their daughter, Ashley. The top Junior and Senior Fitters qualify to be in the Dairy Youth Recognition Auction on Sunday, August 19 th at 11:30 a.m. For more information on the Dodge County Fair http://dodgecountyfairgrounds.com

For a healthy experience, the importance of proper hand washing at this year's county fair can't be overstated, says Pattie Carroll, University of Wisconsin-Extension, Dodge County. Although one-on-one contact with farm animals serves as a rewarding and educational experience, precautions should be taken to reduce health risks such as E. coli O157:H7 that are sometimes associated with direct animal contact. "Children love to touch animals, but they often don't wash their hands properly afterwards. Rather than discourage families from enjoying traditional activities such as visits to fairs and petting zoos, we want them to be safe," Carroll says. Based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), visitors to county fairs should take simple steps such as washing their hands after touching animals or spending time in areas where animals are housed or exhibited. The following recommendations will help to minimize potentia...

Nearly 650 4-H and FFA members, grades 1-13, from Dodge County will exhibit more than 4,500 projects this year at the fair.   Exhibits from woodworking and animals to aerospace and recycling to cultural arts and photography are on display in the Youth Building .   Take a look at what young people are doing in our community.   For more information, call the County UW-Extension at 386-3790. For more information on the Dodge County Fair http://dodgecountyfairgrounds.com

The Dodge County 4-H Family Cookbook, “Recipes from the Heart of 4-H” will be available for sale at the Dodge County Fair in the Youth Building Office. The cost of the cookbook is $10.   This is a collection of recipes shared by Dodge County 4-H Families and alumni.   The book also features the history of Dodge County 4-H along with historic photos.   Pictures of the current Dodge County 4-H Clubs are also included.   The cookbook was part of the Dodge County 4-H Special Emphasis program, “Families are the Heart of 4-H.” The cookbook is also available by mail.   Send a check for $14 made payable to the Dodge County 4-H Leader’s Association to Dodge County 4-H, UW-Extension, 127 East Oak Street , Juneau WI   53039 .   If you have any questions, call 920-386-3790. There will also be Fish Fry tickets available at the fair for the Dodge County 4-H Fish Fry on Friday, November 9 at the Juneau Community Center.   They...

The WBEV Radio Park stage will be transformed into a fashion runway as the 4-H style show is presented on Sunday, August 19 at 1:00pm at the Dodge County Fair. But that’s not all! The fun will continue as the Style Show is presented for a second time at the WTKM Stage at 2:15pm. Don’t miss the latest fashion trends constructed and modeled by Dodge County 4-H members. From pajamas to formal attire, these 4-H members really know how to sew! The 4-H members participating in the style show also took part in the Clothing Revue on June 20th. The Style Show is an opportunity for our youth to showcase their talents and for us to thank and encourage them in their sewing projects. Among the youth will be Allison and Emily Schulz, the Dodge County State Fair Clothing Revue delegates. For more information on the Dodge County Fair http://dodgecountyfairgrounds.com

Wouldn’t it be funny to watch your friend, mom, dad, or even a coworker show an animal? Who would you like to see show swine or sheep? Dodge County Fair brings back Spectacular Showmanship once again.   Anyone can nominate a person to show either a sheep or swine for just $5.   This event raises money for the Dodge County Livestock Judging teams.   The money will be used to cover expenses such as registration fees and meals for the participants at various judging events.   Come to see personalities not familiar to the show ring try their hands at showing sheep and swine.   This event will be held Saturday, August 18 th at 2:30 p.m. in the sheep building.   Look for flyers and more information at this year’s Dodge County Fair. For more information on the Dodge County Fair http://dodgecountyfairgrounds.com

The Dodge County 4-H Leader’s Association will be holding a Silent Auction to raise money for fairgrounds improvement and the NEW Small Animal Building. The auction runs throughout the fair, August 15-19, and closes at 4PM on Sunday. Auction items are donated by the 4-H clubs and friends of 4-H. Included in the list of items are Milwaukee Bucks tickets, autographed Bucks and Packers memorabilia, handmade crafts, and season tickets for the 2013 Dodge County Fair. Check out the selection of items at the Youth Building at the Dodge County Fair. For more information on the Dodge County Fair http://dodgecountyfairgrounds.com

What is 4-H all about? Why are so many people excited about 4-H? Well jump in your car, and join us on a journey to Discover Dodge County 4-H! You’ll learn all about the trip of a lifetime when you visit the 4-H Promotion Booth in the Youth Building at the Dodge County Fair August 15-19, 1-4PM. The interactive station will tell you all about the fantastic programs that Dodge County 4-H has to offer such as demonstration and speech contests, summer camp and counselor opportunities, plus state, national, and even international travel! Your journey begins at the 4-H Promotion Booth in the Youth Building.   See the many learning activities that are offered to Dodge County 4-H members! Youth will have the opportunity to make a take-home craft and participate in some awesome activities for FREE. Promotional materials will be available to anyone interested in learning more about Dodge County 4-H. And don’t forget to check out the projects in the Youth Building showcasing the learni...

The Family Farm Adventure Tent will again be a feature at the Dodge County Fair, August 15 – 19. The Family Farm Adventure Tent is filled with hands-on learning opportunities for kids of all ages. Activities will include a daily coloring contest, agricultural crafts, and visits from agricultural royalty. Also, be sure to test your knowledge with our Wisconsin agriculture trivia for a chance to win fun prizes. Games include Wheel-of-Farming, Adventure Tent Plinko, and Pick My Grain.   Stop by and try your hand at ice cream making at 1 pm and 3 pm every day! Pose for a Farm Scene Photo and create a make-and-take frame! Photos will be taken at 11 am, 2 pm, and 5 pm daily. Each day will focus on a specific aspect of Wisconsin agriculture with visits from live farm animals. Wednesday, August 15 th will feature dairy cattle and products. This will include an opportunity to try your hand at milking a cow. Thursday will focus on beef, sheep, and swine with visits from e...