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RALEIGH – Northampton County 4-H set up an educational booth and decorated a hay bale at this year’s North Carolina State Fair that represented 4-H and the county with the theme of “Digging Deeper into 4-H in Northampton County.”

The booth, which won the first place blue ribbon, is a representation of a typical view as you drive down a road in the county with local cotton, peanuts, and livestock animals. On the walls of the booth are photos of youth “Digging Deeper” into 4-H along with the backdrop picture of a local cotton farm. There are fun facts about Northampton County and local farmers sprinkled throughout the booth to provide education to the public about Northampton County.

Along with the educational element there was a guessing game of how many peanuts are in the jar. The booth was set up at the NC State Fair in the Educational building along with other county booths.

The hay bale was made to look like a flower pot with plants growing out of the top. A watering can and trowel to help the gardener work on “Digging Deeper into 4-H” sits on the square bale alongside the giant flower pot. The hay bale received 5th place and was located under the trees in front of the educational building at the fair.

The booth and hay bale were put together with the help of many people from the local community in Northampton County. 4-H Agent Sara Villwock and 4-H Program Associate Ann Lawrence want to thank many of the participants and donors who helped make this booth and hay bale a success.

This booth truly was digging deeper into 4-H and into Northampton County.

“It’s like we brought Northampton County to Raleigh,” said 4-H’ers Jadon Simmons and Hunter Martin.

“The 4-H motto is “to make the best better” and watching the 4-H’ers and community members come together to make this booth happen was amazing,” stated Villwock. “We had youth who learned how to use power tools; volunteers helping out getting gin trash, picking cotton and peanuts during the very busy harvest season, taking a picture for the backdrop and painting wood animals all to help put this booth together. Hearing everyone’s reaction to seeing the booth and cotton and peanuts on the vine at the fair was just what we were looking for when we created this booth. The education and awareness of Northampton County 4-H that this booth brought to Raleigh at the State fair was perceived well.”

The Northampton County 4-H Youth involved in the award-winning projects were Jadon Simmons, Hunter Martin, Hannah Greer, Ty Usalis and Hannah Roe.

4-H volunteers were Pauline Deloatch, Katie Roe, EB Odom, and Lloyd Lawrence.

Donations were from:

Cotton (by Boone Farms and 1108 Bryant Farms);

Peanuts (by Mike Belch);

Gin trash (by Jackson Cotton Gin);

Bees (by Northampton Beekeepers Association);

Wood animals were made by Craig Ellison, County Extension Director, and 4-H volunteers;

Hay bales and mums (by Adams Lawn and Landscape);

Hay bale supplies (by Wayne); and

Sign “Digging Deeper into 4-H” was from Lauren Morris of Health Matters used at the local 4-H community gardens.