A 4-H family includes not only the immediate members – mom, dad, and siblings – but also extends to the family’s relatives, fellow 4-H club members and their families and the community.
Meet the Horihan family of Hokah, Minn.: dad Nick, mom Holly, 14-year-old Evan, who will be entering the ninth grade, and 12-year-old Carson who will be starting sixth grade.
Holly, originally from Prairie du Chein, Wis., explained that she and Nick, who grew up on the family farm overlooking Hokah, did not participate in 4-H. Despite not having been in 4-H themselves and their full-time jobs off the farm, Nick and Holly are very active in their sons’ clubs. Holly serves as a co-leader of the Hokah Chiefs, while Nick shares his farming and cattle knowledge with the boys.
The extended family plays an important role in 4-H families. Aunt Carolyn, Nick’s sister, helps her nephews with their 4-H projects, like washing the cattle. Holly’s father and brothers attend the county fair to support the boys. Additionally, Amanda (Horihan) Hinze, a family member, serves as the other leader of the Hokah Chiefs. Throughout the summer they get together with cousins a couple of times a week.
Holly highlighted the importance of the 4-H community, noting that the boys eagerly anticipate seeing their friends at the fair. There is one family that they see only at the fair, and according to Nick they are “best buds at the fair.” The friendships formed with the other kids in their club and from other clubs are special.
Nick shared that the boys have a lot of fun at the fair when their non-farm friends come to the fair. The boys enjoy showing them their animals, and the large ones often intimidate their friends who aren’t used to being around such large animals. The boys aren’t intimidated, as they have been working with their animals since they were born, putting a halter on when they are one week old.
Due to encouragement from aunts and uncles, both boys have been 4-H members since kindergarten. Evan is a member of the Hokah Chiefs, a traditional 4-H club. Carson is a Houston County Sharp Shooters 4-H club member, a special interest club focused on shooting sports. Carson is not old enough to do trapshooting so he does archery. Although there are not any shooting sports events at the Houston County Fair, the kids do all their training and hours in Houston County and participate in regional and state events.
Holly explained that kids in the Hokah Chiefs club show every kind of animal – cattle, pigs, sheep and chickens, except horse at the county fair.
In past years, the boys have taken various other projects to the fair. Evan did a quilting project and Carson did a diamond art project. This year, the boys and Amanda’s son, Robbie Hinze, are showing three calves, a cow and two steers at the 2024 Houston County Fair. The family sets up their camper at the fairgrounds so they can spend some nights at the fair.
Evan proudly shared that he has earned several purple, a couple of pink, and lots of blue ribbons in the past. He has also shown at the Minnesota State Fair, where he stayed overnight at the fair on his own and was solely responsible for this animal.
Carson and Robbie are each selling a steer at the county fair this year. Last year, Carson sold a steer, and that money went straight into a savings account.
Carson likes 4-H because “you get to spend your time outside.” He shared a story about being stepped on by his calf last year. “We were walking around checking its muscle fat and I was waiting in line and it stepped on me.” Carson confirmed that it hurt and that he was not wearing steel-toed shoes. He recommends that kids wear steel-toed shoes when showing their animals.
Evan likes being in 4-H, because he has always liked cows and he enjoys working with them. He had a plan for his cow when she was born. He planned on bringing her to the fair as a little calf, a breeding heifer, and as a cow-calf project. This year she is going as a cow-calf. This is his fourth year showing her at the fair – she has gotten grand champion cow-calf, reserve champion overall cross-bred calf, blue ribbon, and grand champion market heifer.
Stop by the beef barn at the Houston County Fair and say to Evan and Carson.
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