Introduction Into 4H

The Trials and Tribulations of 4H

    4H is a positive youth development organization that is cultivating a growing number of America's youth. The 4 H's in 4H stand for head, heart, hands and health. With an expansive network reaching every corner of the country, 4-H is the nation’s largest youth development organization. More than 6 million 4-H youth in urban neighborhoods, suburban schoolyards and rural farming communities stand out among their peers: building revolutionary opportunities and implementing community-wide change at an early age. So, my research intention is to see how 4H impacts the lives of today's youth through agriculture. To get an insight into a way a life that seems so backwoods and foreign today.

    Most of the people that are in 4H have been in it all their lives. In fact, most of the children involved in 4H had parents that were involved in it too. This show that its a way of life handed down through generations. There are many ways to get involved in 4H. You can choose from one of the many still projects, which can be anything from weaving a basket to growing the tallest sun flower. There are many prizes to be one from still project and even money, however the majority of kids in 4H would rather show their animals. Showing animals is the primary "bread winner" so to speak. You can sell you animals to bring in revenue for the upcoming year or even college. Along with still projects and showing animals they're are even collage scholarships to be won.

   I was raised in a rural area of Ohio. I've been exposed to 4H and the way of life that comes with it. My perspective is that these people think that farming is in their blood. They wait all year for the fair, just to show their animals. Its just the way of life out here. When interviewing my 4H member, they said that "Everyone lives on a farm or wishes they did.". When I asked him why he didn't want to comment about that on camera, he replied "Not everyone gets how hard it is to work on a farm. The toll it takes on you emotionally and physically is beyond imaginable. However after you look back on all that you've accomplished being apart of 4H you suddenly realize why it was worth it.".

Emily a sophomore at Cloverleaf sold her  1,336 pound steer for $2.50 per pound which is about $3,350 total.

Rachel 17 rests with her dairy cows.

The Election

4H's View

     The majority of  people in 4H are agriculturalists with small family owned farms. Small farms are in jeopardy of losing everything. With taxes being high, the cost of crops have gone down dramatically leaving them practically bankrupt. This years election will have an impact on 4H no matter who becomes President. As conventional farming grows, organic farming withers. This has a big impact on family owned farms. The Columbus famliy owns a farm on my road and is activally involved in 4H. When asked how the upcoming election would affect them they replied, "Mitt says that farmers and ranchers are the backbone of America, and when he was governer of Massachutsetts he made wise decsions concerning agriculture. I hope that he will make better decions concering us if he is elected in the future." However, the Bower family also owns a farm on my road and also involoved in 4H. When asked how the upcoming election would affect them thye replied "Obama gave 170 million to farmers effected by drought and ordered the government to buy tons of pork, lamb, chicken, and catfish. This showed that he really cared about us and the quality of Amercian food." So how will the elecion effect 4H? We'll just have to wait and see.

Ethnographic Study Interview

 

The Culture of 4H