Hi, my name is Braelyn McNally and I am a member of the Melvern Jr. Highline 4-H Club, where I am serving as our club’s vice president. This was my third year in 4-H and again this year I wanted to do five projects. They were: Beef, swine, clothing, foods and nutrition and visual arts. In my beef project I bought two steers, Cubby, my club calf, and Sharley, my Charolais. I got Reserve Grand Champion with Sharley at the Osage City fair, and Reserve Grand Champion with Cubby at the Overbrook fair! For the Melvern Stockman competition, I got champion junior with my Charolais. For my pigs, I had two that I was able to show at the Osage City and Overbrook fairs. I had so much fun showing all of my animals and hanging out with my friends in the barns.

For cooking I made one of my favorites, lemon poppy seed bread, and I entered it in two of our fairs. For clothing, I bought an outfit that I have got a lot of use out of this past summer. For visual arts, I made a spinning painting art project and I painted a gourd that I entered at all three fairs.

Besides the fairs, I enjoyed 4-H Camp at Rock Springs, as well as our district wide judging day, where I learned a lot about 4-H and different project areas such as FCS, horticulture, photography, as well as a Skill-a-thon contest! That same day, I also participated in our favorite foods contest, where I received first place by making my favorite fruit smoothie that I like to make at home for my family. I created a cute centerpiece that coordinated with my smoothie theme.

A few other activities I attended were our district’s officers training, County Club Days, Regional Club Days and also our club events. When I went to the to the SE Area contests, in Emporia, I was able to participate in the favorite foods contest, and horticulture, FCS and crops! I have also had the opportunity to attend the livestock judging contests that were offered in the Frontier Extension District. I was really excited when I got first place in the junior division at the Osage City contest.

I also participated in my club’s local activities such as our annual East Egg hunt, making Christmas packages for local men and women who are deployed overseas, and helping with the annual Melvern Thanksgiving dinner and our local Trunk or Treat. My third year in 4-H did not disappoint and I can’t wait to start the next!

Celebrating National 4-H Week, Oct. 6-12, 2019