4-H is on full display at the Indiana State Fair that resumes Wednesday after taking Monday and Tuesday off. Dr. Casey Mull is assistant director of Purdue Extension and is the Indiana 4-H program leader. He says numbers this year for Indiana 4-H are strong.
“As we come out of the pandemic, we expect it to continue to increase and we’d encourage anybody to reach out to their local Purdue Extension office if they have questions. We are seeing a tremendous response from our community in support of 4-H since the pandemic.”
Mull mentioned one number in particular- 92. That is, all 92 counties this year got to celebrate with an in-person county fair, up from 56 a year ago.
There are plenty of 4-Hers showing livestock at the state fair and Mull encourages folks to check out those livestock shows.
“They can also head to the northwest part of the state fair complex and see our building exhibits in the 4-H complex and the 4-H Exhibit Hall Auditorium as well as Discovery Hall. We have over 10,000 projects from all 92 counties that are going to be there where they can see everything that these young people have learned over the course of the last year whether it’s in the computers project or whether it is in beef or sheep and meat goats.”
Another feature of this year’s state fair includes coding robots, 3D printers, laser cutters, and virtual reality goggles. The Purdue Extension Design and Innovation Studio is located in the Mac Reynolds Barn. The studio will host a variety of basic technology used throughout industry, allowing everyone to learn by doing. Mull says these studios are the next step for Indiana 4-H in preparing today’s youth for tomorrow’s workforce.
“It brings an opportunity for young people to see and experience the hi-tech agriculture and how we are combining technology with agriculture as well as highlighting another important industry in our state and that’s manufacturing.”
You can read more about the Design and Innovation Studio at hoosieragtoday.com. HAT will be at the fairgrounds Sunday evening to bring you coverage of the 4-H Grand Drive. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for results.