4-H Update by Amy Wadding

Amy Wadding is the 4-H program coordinator for Freeborn County.

Freeborn County 4-Hers are in the know with the Project Bowl. The event is the second most-attended event all year in Minnesota 4-H.

The Project Bowl competition is patterned after the golden-oldie television show “College Bowl.” It challenges teams of three to six youths on their knowledge of 4-H project areas: dairy, dog, general livestock, horse, llama, poultry, rabbit and wildlife.

There are four regional Project Bowls that are held throughout Minnesota and teams must attend one of them. Following the regional Project Bowl is the state Project Bowl. Each Project Bowl has two divisions. The junior division is for those from third to eighth grade and the senior division is for those in high school. Regional winners advance to the state Project Bowl and state winners in dairy, general livestock, horse, poultry and wildlife go on to national contests.

Freeborn County was extremely lucky in 2017. We had three teams that competed in two species. We had a junior rabbit team, a senior rabbit team and a senior dairy team. All three teams did amazing at their regional Project Bowls, earning them all an entry to the state Project Bowl.

During the state Project Bowl our senior dairy team — which was compiled of four Freeborn County youths and one Steele County youth — competed and earned the title of reserve champion. Our senior rabbit team —which was compiled of four Freeborn County youths and one Mower County youth — competed and earned the title of grand champion.

Both teams met for weeks on end to study material, look at animals, quiz each other, come up with new questions that they had not yet studied, and got together to learn and have fun with each other.

There are plaques in our office hanging on the wall of past teams that have done very well in Project Bowls. Our county has had a long-standing history of having a lot of knowledge to go with our project areas. We now have the privilege of adding an additional plaque to our wall.

To learn more about Project Bowl or 4-H, give the Freeborn County Extension Office a call at 507-377-5660 or visit the Minnesota 4-H website at www.extension.umn.edu/youth/mn4-H/events/project- bowl/.