COVID-19 guarantees that the Summer of 2020 will be like none we have experienced. We will be exploring what that means in Indiana by telling the stories of Purdue Agriculture’s and Purdue Extension’s interactions with communities throughout the state. We invite you to follow our series on this Season of Change.
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ach year, youth from Indiana’s 92 counties learn and fulfill the 4-H pledge, vowing their hands to larger service and their health to better living from their club to their community. They participate in club meetings, community service activities, leadership events and more while completing a project of their choice. Each project is a collection of hard work and hands-on learning experiences, resulting in new skills that prepare youth to be leaders in their communities.
As COVID-19 turned the world upside down, Indiana 4-H adjusted its programming to meet the needs of the youth where they were – at home. All 4-H events were modified to meet social distancing guidelines or they became virtual. This summer, all 92 counties held virtual 4-H fair events and 56 counties held modified in-person fair events following social distancing and mandatory mask covering guidelines.
Logan, a two-year Bartholomew 4-Her, missed going to 4-H camp and the county fair, but he still enjoyed completing his 4-H projects and exhibiting them at the virtual Bartholomew County Fair.
“I missed talking to the judges, but I still did all my projects. My 4-H projects were fine arts, architecture models, farm and toy scene, show cattle, crops, food, food preservation and lawn and garden tractor,” said Logan. “I really missed livestock showmanship. Showmanship is a good learning experience for the market show or the next show.”
In Benton County, 4-H leadership worked closely with the Benton County Health Department to develop guidelines for a modified in-person county fair. They adapted a show-and-go policy where animals were brought in only for the day of the show. Poster and static projects were dropped off at the fairgrounds ahead of the fair.
Addison, a five-year Benton County 4-Her, explained that despite the uncertainties and changes this year, she still worked hard on her 4-H projects.
“I wasn’t sure if we were going to have a fair this year, but I still got up early in the morning to work with my animals. Because school has been online since March, I’ve actually had more time to work on my projects than in past years,” said Addison.
Bartholomew 4-H parent, Shelia, found creative ways to keep her sons engaged with 4-H after events went virtual.
“When in-person 4-H meetings were canceled and we couldn’t do as much community service, we found other things to do. We worked at a greenhouse for community service and found other things to do at home. Through it all, it was important that I kept a positive attitude so my kids would also have a positive attitude,” Shelia said.
“We still worked on record sheets. We learned about typing, good records and even how lighting affects pictures and presentation of projects. We learned new vocabulary and how that is important,” added Shelia. “I appreciate how hard our county extension educator and everyone worked to still give us a 4-H experience this year.”
Managing Mental Health in a Summer of Change
Angie Frost had been hearing from youth and adults that they needed more mental health resources. So the Healthy Living Extension Specialist for Indiana 4-H Youth Development trained a group of Teens as Teachers early this year to lead other youth in practicing social and emotional wellness. “We focused on that in February, without at all knowing what we’d be going through a month later.”
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Agritourism offers safe summer fun during COVID-19
By day, Marshall Martin is a professor of agricultural economics, the senior associate director of agricultural research and graduate education and assistant dean in the College of Agriculture. In the evenings, he’s known to many customers as just the “blueberry man.”
While much at Martin Acres LLC, the West Lafayette farm he manages with his wife, Berdine, remains the same this year, they are taking precautions due to COVID-19. Martin is basing these necessary safety adjustments on guidelines for U-pick operations published by Purdue Extension.
Read Full Story >>>
How Hoosier farmers markets are coping with COVID-19
Farmers markets in Indiana are organized at the local level, subject to county health authorities and regulations. Under normal circumstances, these rules don’t differ much from town to town, Tamara Benjamin, assistant program leader for diversified farming and food systems for Purdue Extension, said.
In the era of COVID-19, however, the regulations dictating safety standards to vendors and visitors can vary drastically.
Read Full Story >>>
Managing Mental Health in a Summer of Change
Angie Frost had been hearing from youth and adults that they needed more mental health resources. So the Healthy Living Extension Specialist for Indiana 4-H Youth Development trained a group of Teens as Teachers early this year to lead other youth in practicing social and emotional wellness. “We focused on that in February, without at all knowing what we’d be going through a month later.”
Read Full Story >>>
Agritourism offers safe summer fun during COVID-19
By day, Marshall Martin is a professor of agricultural economics, the senior associate director of agricultural research and graduate education and assistant dean in the College of Agriculture. In the evenings, he’s known to many customers as just the “blueberry man.”
While much at Martin Acres LLC, the West Lafayette farm he manages with his wife, Berdine, remains the same this year, they are taking precautions due to COVID-19. Martin is basing these necessary safety adjustments on guidelines for U-pick operations published by Purdue Extension.
Read Full Story >>>
How Hoosier farmers markets are coping with COVID-19
Farmers markets in Indiana are organized at the local level, subject to county health authorities and regulations. Under normal circumstances, these rules don’t differ much from town to town, Tamara Benjamin, assistant program leader for diversified farming and food systems for Purdue Extension, said.
In the era of COVID-19, however, the regulations dictating safety standards to vendors and visitors can vary drastically.
Read Full Story >>>