4-H activities during the pandemic

Published: 2020
By Marc King

Due to the effects of COVID-19 restrictions, numerous 4-H events adapted to a virtual platform. One such event that was impacted was Montana 4-H Congress. Sweet Grass County MSU Extension took the lead in managing the state livestock judging contest. Ten high quality livestock classes were made available for 4-H members to evaluate. Six of the classes had thought provoking questions that members had to answer pertaining to specific criteria used to place the classes. Thirty-three members participated, representing five counties. Post-contest evaluations from members were positive with respondents saying that they appreciated the flexibility and that they were able to continue improving their livestock evaluation skills. While many counties held their county fairs virtually, Sweet Grass County worked with local officials to implement safety protocols and held an in-person fair. The Sweet Grass County Fair was altered in some respects, compared to our historically typical county fair, but members still were able to participate in most of the normal activities. All livestock shows were livestreamed online for community members to watch. Most other fun activities were still held for the members but were structured following safety guidelines. The Sweet Grass County Fair sale was held as a socially distanced in-person event that sold 204 lots with a gross of $340,126, ranking as the top grossing sale in Sweet Grass County Fair history.