Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


As the Fowlerville Family Fair approaches next week, Livingston County residents are reminded that it’s more than just fair food and carnival rides.

A big part of the fair is Livingston County’s 4H program, which is centered around youth development.

The Livingston County 4H Council is the countywide governing body for 4H programming. Jen Esch serves on the Council and says while many believe it aligns to agriculture, it’s a lot more than that. She said there is agriculture programming but it’s also an organization that helps develop civic duty, community service, leadership, and development skills among youth.

The Council is essentially an umbrella for the more than 30-some 4H clubs located across the county that work through 4H programming managed through the Michigan State University Extension Office.

Each club is different with a variety of projects, membership size, activity involvement, and location. Projects can include raising animals for the fair or developing skills in craft areas such as woodworking, fine arts, food, photography and others. Esch noted the opportunities are pretty limitless, so long as someone is part of a club.

As part of the Fair, the Fowlerville Youth Show gives youth an opportunity to showcase their art, crafts, animals, and abilities in an environment where they can build relationships, and develop leadership skills. It includes members of the Junior Ag Society, Livingston County 4-H, and Livingston County FFA. The judging of projects is done the Saturday before the fair with organized judges.

The 4H building features items from youth projects that are judged and go home with them. The still exhibit auction barn is anything made for the purpose of selling that has been judged and is a learning project.

While the Fair is hosted in Fowlerville, 4H Clubs come from all over. The Fair is managed by a board and project area superintendents. Esch serves as the superintendent that oversees for the peewee class of 5 to 7-year-olds participating in the youth show. With the young ages in that class, she says it’s less about critiquing projects and more about exposing them to what it’s like to take on a project, see it through, present it in a judging environment, and “learn through doing”. As youth mature through different classes, projects face more critiquing.

Esch said not all animals are for sale but a large number have been raised to sell at auction at the end of fair week and will go through several classes of showings. She noted the judges are very conscientious about providing feedback that helps build a person up to become a better version of themselves the next time around and “there’s a lot of benefit in every aspect of the experience”. Esch added that there are some really creative projects and she still has a gorgeous picnic table she purchased through the auction at the fair. Last year, she says a youth member made a bunk bed and another made brats using meat from their farm and a family recipe.

Esch additionally serves as the administrative leader of Muddy Buddies – which is a small club with six families that meet once a month and hold formal meetings. Her 9-year-old son is also raising pigs for the auction at the fair this year, which have a short life cycle. Esch says it’s the first time in his life he’s really understood true, hard work and had to show up with some grit and get sweaty while making sure the animals are healthy and well cared for.

A self-proclaimed “farm kid”, Esch grew up as one of six kids on a hardworking dairy farm. Now as a senior business program manager for Microsoft, she told WHMI looking back she’s grateful for the work ethic instilled and various opportunities through 4H programs. Esch said she likes to give back and one big reason is 4H - which helped shape the person she is now and led to many successes she’s experienced. She said she feels she owes it to the community to not only give back but also, bring others along.

Esch said that 4H programming is accessible to all and participants get to control their level of commitment. There are background check requirements and a leadership training program for anyone who wants to be a club leader. Other than that, Esch said there’s not a lot of criteria involved, people just need to be willing to show up. She stressed it’s about building community relationships and growth – adding projects don’t have to be agricultural and “if there’s an interest in something, then there’s a way”.

There’s also a 4H pledge involved that’s recited at meetings: “I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living for my club, my community, my country, and my world”.

The full interview with Esch was recently featured on WHMI’s Viewpoint program, which can be found in the “Podcast” section of our website. More information about local 4H clubs is available in the provided link.

The Fowlerville Family Fair runs from next Monday, July 24th through Saturday the 29th. A link to the fair schedule is also provided.