‘The world series of 4-H’ Raising, showing animals at the fair runs deep for local family
by Kellen Olshefski CORRESPONDENT
W
hile many families in the area are preparing for days of funnel cakes, music and adventures on the midway at the Walworth County Fair, the Kynell family of Walworth took the final step after months of hard work showing their swine this past year. For the Kynell family, 4-H and the county fair runs generations deep, with mom, Angie Christenson-Kynell – who grew up on a beef farm – having shown swine from the age of 9 until she was 20. But the family 4-H lineage doesn’t end there. Angie said her passion for it grew from her parents while her mother was encouraged to get involved by Angie’s grandmother. “It’s very much a family thing for us. It goes back many generations, probably three or four. I was at the fair when I was 6 months old and I haven’t missed one
since,” she said. Angie said a large part of the family’s focus has been raising livestock – she raised both beef and swine as a child. Her children have taken on the challenge of raising and showing swine, as well as boer goats in the past. “When you raise livestock, it gives you a strong work ethic, it gives you compassion for animals and it also gives you a better understanding of where your food comes from,” she said. “That’s the purpose behind these market animals; it’s food on the table and it gives these guys a lesson that that’s how it works.” Having been raised around livestock, Angie said it was something that she wanted to continue with her children and she’s succeeded. Holly, 14, Brody, 13, and Clay, 10, are following in her footsteps. While the Kynells don’t live on a farm today, they’re fortunate enough to have a family friend with farm property, a place
where they’re able to keep and care for their animals. “I wanted them to still experience production agriculture, so this is at a level that they can still experience it without having a full-fledged farm,” she said. “We’re thankful that we have a friend who lets us keep our animals here.”
A family affair
In showing swine each year, Angie said it’s a team effort, with each taking turns to help out and accommodate work and extra-curricular activities schedules, such as softball and football. “Not every member of the family shows up for every single feeding. It’s definitely a team effort and we try to make it so it works for everyone,” she said. The family gets their swine in April and feeds them twice a day by hand from that 4-H • CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
Siblings Holly, 14, and Brody Kynell, 13, of Walworth, walk their pigs on a friend’s farm where the family is allowed to raise their animals. The two of them, along with their younger brother, Clay, showed swine at the Walworth County Fair. The family has been involved in 4-H for three or four generations. KELLEN OLSHEFSKI Elkhorn Our Town
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