Spring is Busy for 4-H

It’s no surprise that spring is one of the most hectic times of the year for the Ag industry, and that applies just as well to 4-H and FFA kids.  

Weigh-ins

It was a busy afternoon in Grace for weigh-in.

 The first weigh-in of the year took place at the end of last month, when Beef Weigh-In was held at the Fairgrounds on Saturday the 28th.  The minimum weight for Fair time is 1,000 pounds for the sale, and most of the cattle weighed averaged between 800 and 900 pounds at the time of weighing.  A few were at the required weight already, and others had some more work to do before they got there.  

It was a steady streams of trucks and trailers throughout the bitterly cold and windy afternoon, with dozens of cows having established their initial weight by the end of it.  Darryl Wadsworth of Grace High School was again on hand for the weighing, though he noted that this would most likely be his last year doing it.  We will be talking to Wadsworth before the end of the school year to get his perspective on Ag in Grace, and Caribou County as a whole.

Justin Hatch, Rachel Hamilton and Taylor Simmons of the Extension Office were joined by Darryl Wadsworth and Shane Hamilton, as well as Royce Hatch of the Chesterfield 4-H program for the weighing.  While somewhat stubbornly, the beef all eventually got their numbers. 

Darryl Wadsworth, Justin Hatch, Taylor Simmons, Hudsyn (very cold), and Rachel Hamilton.

Remaining Weigh-ins are Swine (April 11 10am), Sheep *May 30 10am), and goats (May 30 11am).  

Info Night

March 12 6 p.m.

An informational night of Horse 4-H, which is a mandatory meeting for all Horse 4-H members (and counts as a club meeting) will be held this coming Thursday. 

They will be going over a lot of information that pertains to this year's program, and everyone who plans to participate is asked to attend.

If Horse 4-H is something you are interested in but want more info before committing, this is the place to be.  March 12th, 2026 Caribou County Event Center in Grace.

Animal Workshop

On Saturday, March 28, 4-H and FFA chapters in the county will be joined by Soda Springs Animal Clinic at the Event Center in Grace for a “Livestock Animal Husbandry Workshop.”  The event is open to FFA students, local 4-H members, and livestock producers.  The event is education focused, and will provide participants information about the proper care and management of their project animals for the upcoming Fair season.  Topics will include dairy and husbandry practices, nutrition and feeding basics, disease prevention, responsible antibiotic use, and preparing for show season.  The schedule will be as follows: Swine 1-2 p.m.; Sheep 2-3 p.m.; Goats 3-4 p.m., Beef 4-5 p.m.  

Royce Hatch was the intake specialist for the weigh-in. Hatch is part of the Chesterfield 4-H program, which is a small but robust chapter that we are looking forward to learning more about as Fair season gets closer.

Baby Farm Animal Day

Fairgrounds, April 24 1-3 p.m.

Join the University of Idaho Extension office for the Baby Farm Animal Day at the Caribou County Fairgrounds to learn more about 4-H animal science projects.  Participants will have a chance to see and meet baby ducks, chicks, goats, lambs, rabbits, puppies, kittens, and more.  The hands-on event provides a great opportunity to interact with animals and the youth who raise them for 4-H projects.  

The event is free and no registration is required.  

For these and other events, please contact the Caribou County Extension Office at 208-547-3205 or email [email protected].  The Extension Office is housed inside the Caribou County Event Center in Grace, right across from the Fairgrounds.