In this episode of Under the Covers, Bill and James celebrate county fair week with a look back at their 4-H days: livestock projects, static exhibits, fair memories, and the lessons that stuck around long after the ribbons were handed out.
Growing up in the Greenbrier 4-H Club, the guys talk about the impact of long-time club leaders, how 4-H clubs changed over the years, and the shift from boys’ and girls’ clubs to co-ed groups, with a detour through some classic club names along the way.
From showing cattle and hogs to static exhibits like rebuilding a John Deere tractor, building toolboxes, and making wooden stilts, this episode walks through the full fair experience. Bill and James talk about beef pen of three, the responsibility of livestock projects, the emotional side of raising animals, and the strange mix of freedom, chaos, and community that made the fair feel like the center of the universe.
They also reflect on what 4-H taught them beyond the projects: record-keeping, public speaking, production agriculture, community service, responsibility, and how to function on very little sleep.
Whether you grew up in 4-H, raised 4-H kids, judged a project, hauled livestock to the fairgrounds, or just know the beautiful madness of fair week, this episode is for you.
