Hardin County, Iowa 4-H History

Brief History of Hardin County 4-H

The 4-H program in Hardin County continues to be a vibrant opportunity for youth and the development of their potential.

The Cooperative Farm Bureau and Iowa State Extension program was organized in Hardin County in 1922.  Hardin County clubs consisted of baby beef club, sow and litter club, gilt club, Holstein heifer club and nine girls clothing clubs.  Hardin County was very proud of their 9 active girls’ clubs and 120 girl club members.  The purpose of this club work was to develop every girl into a wholesome natural member of her neighbor-hood and to teach wholesome recreation. 

“Learning by doing” propelled Hardin County 4-H from the beginning.  In the early 1900’s, 4-H emphasized learning new methods for farming and home making.

From the 1924 records - Club work was the most important part of 4-H. In order to reach as many boys and girls as possible, it was necessary to have a variety of clubs. “Hardin County is largely a beef county; approximately 75% of the cattle raised are of the beef type. A baby beef club has been active for the past three or 4 years and the results have been very encouraging.”

In 1924 an exhibit was on display at the State Fair which won first premium in the north central district. The exhibit portrayed the three main crops of Hardin County in the form of three pillars on each side of the booth, and supported the arch of Hardin County. This design was copied from the main entrance to the Hardin County Courthouse.

This club booth from the Rosebud Club, Eldora Township was a prize winner at the Hardin County Fair in 1925.

In 1947 Hardin County 4-H girls were asked to help with the European Relief Auction.  They purchased the necessary supplies and carried out the sale of the sandwiches, doughnuts and coffee sold at the Auction to make a contribution of $200. 

In 1952, a small, but very successful older girl’s camp was held at the new State Club Camp south of Boone. Ten girls attended the camp from Hardin County. The camp had primitive accommodations, but was thoroughly enjoyed because of the camping experience.  

In 1956 a new Hardin County Youth Building was opened as the result of a fund drive in the county.  What started as a suggestion at a meeting turned into a very usable building that is still used today.  All static exhibits are displayed in it during the county fair.  Hardin County 4-H uses the building for their annual awards night in the fall. 

In 1957, 4-H Booster Committees were started on a trial basis to help the 4-H program and the leaders. It worked so well that all townships were organized and all committees were ready to begin their duties in the fall. Some townships in Hardin County still have a Booster Committee that works with the leader and the club.

Corn growing, animal husbandry and canning projects dominated the early years. Hardin County 4-H has grown to encompass a vast variety of activities and topics.  Today, 4-H’ers enroll in projects to learn, but they also learn at conferences, workshops, camps, special interest programs and fairs across the state, nation and world. 

In 1962 approximately 500 Hardin County 4-H’ers toured businesses in Eldora to become better acquainted with their products and it also exposed the county population to 4-H.  During the 1960’s Hardin County 4-H tried to provide an opportunity for 4-H’ers and the whole 4-H family for fun and recreation.  The purpose of was also to stimulate an interest in 4-H.  Family Fun Night was held during the spring and it consisted of square dancing and a skit by the county officers. 

In the 1970’s, programs of educational value were developed for 4-H’ers when they showed their livestock at the fair.   Carcass programs for all beef, swine and sheep were started.  In addition a rate of gain program for beef cattle was developed and 4-H members were required to wear rate of gain information around their neck and also weight information on the beef breeding projects.  The average rate of gain of market beef was increased to .3 of a pound over the last three years due to the educational efforts of the 4-H committee and the Hardin County Extension Service.

Also in the 1970’s, Hardin County held monthly roller skating parties for all 4-H members and prospective members.  This was a fund raising effort to help 4-H’ers with expenses to Conference, Camp, and Citizenship Short Course.   It also gave the 4-H’ers in the whole county an opportunity to become better acquainted.  Two tractor safety training schools were held in Hardin County with 51 youth enrolled.  The safety training was felt to be beneficial to youth in reducing their chances of being injured while performing farm chores or working for neighboring farmers.

The Hardin County 4-H program has benefited from profits of the food stand that operates during the Hardin County Fair.  In 1982 the net income amounted to over $2,000 with the 1981 profit totaling $2,400.  The Hardin County 4-H and Youth Committee has used this money to subsidize such things as State 4-H Conference, Junior Camp, Citizenship Washington Focus and paying adult chaperone fees.  The money is also used for county awards for project work, Intermediate Day Camp and other programs.  It was felt that the food stand profit was and still is very critical to the scope of 4-H programs in Hardin County.  The previous building that was used in the 1980’s belonged to the Eldora High School.  In the fall of 1981 it was decided to have a fund raiser for a new building.  On the first day of the 1982 Hardin County Fair the new food stand was ready and official opening ceremonies were conducted.  This major effort served not only to assure years of income to improve the quality and scope of Hardin County 4-H programs, it also taught the county’s youth leadership and organizational ability and the satisfaction that comes from a job well done.  The profit from the 1982 food stand was $3,386.  

Hardin County has a 4-H Awards program in the fall to recognize the participation of its members. Some years it was a meal where you had to purchase tickets, some years the Eldora Chamber of Commerce provided meal as good will, some years it has been a potluck with families providing the food.  For several years there was always a 4-H Leader Banquet sponsored by the 4-H County Council where the leaders were honored and recognized.

Several members have achieved the highest honors by having their projects selected for state awards, going to National 4-H Congress, or on the Citizenship Washington Focus Trip.  The Hardin County Bankers Association has sponsored a senior 4-H’ers trip to Chicago for deserving members.

The 4-H program is vital to the youth of our county and continues to grow and respond to the needs of the residents.

 

With the passage of the Smith-Lever Act in 1914 and the setting up of the county agent system, 4-H club work began in Hardin County May 1, 1916. In that year a series of 13 township picnic meetings were held in cooperation with the county superintendent of school. The rural schools of each township were dismissed for the day on which the meeting was to be held in that particular township. At these meetings the Junior club work was explained to the boys and girls.

At first H.D.A. in Hardin county, as far as records show, was Grances Loffer in 1918. At that time, she worked with two counties. Hardin, with the county seat at Eldora, and Clark county at Osceola. Her project work included canning potatoes, wheat saving, sugar saving and wool conservation. These were timely topics relating to World War I.

In the period of years from 1916 to 1926 Junior Club work expanded through a system of special interest clubs organized on a county wide basis. There were pig clubs, baby beef clubs and corn clubs for boys.

Eighteen girls clubs were organized on the township and community basis in 1916. Canning clubs for girls spread in 1917 and 73 girls exhibited at the county fair. The general project system set up was two years of foods, one of canning, one of bread, two years of home furnishings, and two years of clothing. This type of project carried through until after 1935 when the three-year rotation plan was adopted. The plan called for one year of home furnishings, one year of clothing and one year of foods and nutrition.

Demonstration work by girls was developed as far back as 1927. Girls were sharing what they learned by demonstrating making bread to the public. And after these girls spent a year in a “Bread Making Club” you can guess they really knew how.

In 1917 there were 27 boys in Hardin county that were active in the baby beef club, pig club and corn club.

Transportation was difficult during those years. In 1921, Maurice Cook loaded his baby beef on to a railroad car at Lawn Hill, shipped it southeast to Gifford and then north to Eldora in order to show at the County Fair.

In 1926 boys clubs in Hardin County began to be organized on a community basis. By this time there were sheep clubs, horse clubs, dairy clubs, poultry clubs, and various other activities being carried on by the local groups. Boys and girls would often meet together to study culling principles and learn how to select the high producing birds from their flock of laying hens.

Next came the depression years and the big test for 4-H club work. By demonstrating efficient farming, quality of livestock, and homemaking methods the 4-H program proved itself through the training of young boys and girls to meet the problems of their time.

As the depression rolled away and agriculture once again began to thrive, the 4-H program began to expand its activities. It was during these years, 1936-1940, that livestock judging, and demonstration work grew into the program as we know it today. The first record of a boys demonstration team in Hardin County was in 1933. From that time on, there was a rapid growth of judging contests. Beef judging teams, horse judging teams, sheep judging teams, etc., were an important part of community and county wide activities.

During these hard times of the ‘30’s, the girls club work emphasized attaining and keeping good health. It was a great honor to be selected Health Champion at the annual county wide Rally Day each spring. These girls were selected by local doctors and dentists and then participated at the state contest in Ames during the State Convention which began in 1927.

Other similar county-wide activities were also being established such as the annual county Style Show, held at the county fair. Even in 1926 this was an important event as it was last year with girls modeling garments which they made themselves and were proud to display.

Next came the war. We have the familiar victory gardens, bond drives, scrap drives, and paper drives. Clubs organized special scrap drive campaigns and contests were held to see who could collect the most scrap iron. 4-H clubs played an important part in the war effort. Not only did they help to direct contributions through scrap drives, but their specialized training paid big dividends when agriculture was called upon to mobilize its manpower and expand to meet the crisis.

After the war, 4-H boys and girls began to express the pride and honor they felt for their organization by the adoption of distinguishing articles of identification. 4-H t-shirts, and jackets began to grow in popularity. The girls uniforms were changed. 4-H girls in Iowa, up until 1949, work the “Middy” type uniform that had been in use since the 1920’s, but in 1949 we saw a new attractive uniform introduced with much approval.

Membership in Hardin County 4-H exhibited a steady growth through the years. In 1916, there were 27 boys and girls belonging to 4-H clubs. In 1926, it grew to 178. In 1936 there were 231 members and in 1946 there were 235. By 1978, there were 600 boys and girls active in Hardin County 4-H. Today (2019), that number would change to 300 4-H and Clover Kids members.