4-H at the Fair .................Pages

‘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.

day on. As it gets closer to the fair, they focus on working with and walking the swine.

“It’s definitely a time commitment, but the fair is like the grand finale, the world series of 4-H,” she said.

Holly, who’s been involved in 4-H for six years, said she loves working with the swine but the experience is as much about the lifelong friends she’s made and the lessons learned.

“They like to do the same things as you, and you all hang out at the fair all week long,” Holly said. “It also teaches a lot of responsibility and accountability, as well as leadership skills, which is awesome to have.”

Brody, who’s been involved for five years, agreed with his sister, and said his favorite part is having the pigs but overall, he enjoys the experience.

“Just being in a different environment… the fair is fun,” Brody said.

Clay, who’s been involved for two years now, said he likes the friends he’s made, but gets joy from the animals, too.

“Just being around pigs, it makes me happy,” Clay said.

Angie said their family has fun watching the pigs grow by weighing and tracking their weights.

“It’s fun to look at pictures from when we first bring the pigs home; they’re little, itty bitty things and it’s fun to see how much they’ve grown,” she said.

Be part of the fun

Holly said she encourages others to give 4-H a try because it’s a lot of fun and projects aren’t just limited to livestock – there are many ways to become involved.

“Anything you want to do, you could do for 4H,” Holly said.

Brody said there’s a lot more to it – and to get out of it – than many people think.

“I’m 99% positive that a lot of the kids who don’t get to do it would really enjoy it,” Brody said.

Angie said one of the great things about 4-H is the charitable efforts clubs take on, including working with the Salvation Army around Christmas time, helping out at the concession stands and service projects such as making blankets for Children’s Hospital, just to name a few.

“In this area, agriculture’s still very vital, but on the flip side of it, there’s still a lot of non-agriculture kids that end up being in 4-H and FFA, and that’s great,” she said.

While Angie admitted 4-H and fair projects are a lot of work – and can be expensive and stressful, especially leading up to the fair – it’s a very rewarding experience.

“It’s a feel-good feeling that you have. It’s like, ‘Hey, we made it, and here we go!’ I encourage any family that’s never experienced it to give it a try,” Angie said.

“It’s in my genetics, and I think it’s been passed down to these guys. It’s just how we

Clay Kynell, 10, of Walworth, said being around pigs “makes me happy.” He and his older sister and brother all showed swine at the Walworth County Fair this past year. Their mom, Angie, who got involved in 4-H when she was 9, said she encouraged her kids to get involved because of the fun but also the many lessons raising animals offers.

KELLEN OLSHEFSKI Elkhorn Our Town

are; it’s our way of life. Some people go to Mexico every spring break because that’s part of their life, and a part of our life is going to the Walworth County Fair every years for 7 days,” she added.

This week, the feeling of accomplishment paired with time spent with friends will likely be the most meaningful prize for the Kynell family.

“You spend six, seven, eight days with people you have a common interest with, and we honestly just have a great time,” Angie said.

Holly said the excitement has been building.

“It’s not even just the fair. It’s the two weeks leading up to the fair where we start seeing everyone and talking to everyone a lot more,” she said.

“It’s like our vacation,” Brody added.

Angie said while at the fair, the family rarely goes down to the midway, choosing instead to spend their time where it counts.

“I know there’s really great things that we probably miss out on seeing, but we hardly every make it down there because we just like hanging with our people back in the barns and in the campgrounds,” she said.