HARRISBURG, PA — The 2024 PA Farm Show was held January 6 through 13. This farm show celebrates our state’s rich agricultural roots every year. 

Each year, our club enters our current-year scrapbook and a re-design of our county fair display to help promote 4-H in the county and state. 

Individual members of the club are encouraged to enter both livestock and non-livestock projects at the state level.

This year our club repurposed our Geared for Greatness display from the Wayne County Fair and created a new promotional display titled “How Has 4-H Geared You for Greatness?” 

Members were asked how 4-H has geared them for greatness and their responses were attached to a gear with their photos. The 4-Hs (head, heart, hands and health) were front and center on each of the steampunk-inspired wooden gears. 

We were thrilled to learn that we earned first place with this display effort—and even more delighted when we learned that our display earned Best of Show status. This was the club’s first Best of Show.

Our scrapbook, titled “Geared for Greatness” and dedicated in memory of our club’s founder, Robert (Bob) Hellmers, earned an Honorable Mention award.

Club member and treasurer Channing Rutledge represented the club at the farm show with many non-livestock entries this year. She entered a homemade pop-up card in the Cutting and Pasting Art (Palette of Fun) category, and an education display poster about biosecurity (in Veterinary Science). Both earned second place. 

Educational displays for drying and preserving vegetables and food safety each earned third place. Her educational display for Major Poultry Diseases earned first place, and her level 3 color photography landscape picture earned Honorable Mention. 

She also exhibited educational displays on how cats communicate (Pet Care) and handling conflict (Leadership).

If you are interested in joining 4-H in Wayne County, call the Penn State Extension Office in Honesdale at 570/253-5970 ext. 4110.