CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 03/04/04

Freezing in a barn a learning time in 4-H, FFA

By Mike Isbell
University of Georgia

I don't drink coffee at night. But I did at the State Livestock Show at the Georgia National Fairground in Perry, Ga.

That was the night north Georgia got snow, west Georgia got mixed snow and sleet and Perry got ice-cold rain. Even with thermal underwear, sweater, insulated coat, rain parka and a hat on, I thought I was going to freeze to death.

But I wasn't the only one freezing.

Almost 2,000 4-H Club and FFA members from all over Georgia were at the livestock show from Wednesday through Sunday. They were showing some beautiful cattle, sheep and, if you can call a hog beautiful, hogs.

And they were all cold.

Chilly job

My job Wednesday night was helping check in more than 600 breeding heifers. I spent about 3 hours sitting in a huge metal barn, checking the registration papers and ear tattoos of black Angus, red Angus, Charolais and Hereford show cattle. Other cattle breeds were checked in the same way.

If the tattoo number on the registration paper matched the number in the heifer's ear and the registration paper and entry form matched, the 4-H or FFA member owning that heifer got a contestant number to compete in the breeding heifer show on Thursday and Friday.

In all, 279 steers, 221 dairy heifers, 77 breeding ewes, and 1,300 hogs were checked into the show on Wednesday and Thursday.

In spite of the cold rain, these 4-H and FFA members kept giving their animals the best of care through the weekend. Even the rain and mud didn't stop them from looking after them.

Valuable lessons

That kind of responsibility is part of the learning process in this project. Kids learn to faithfully provide for the animals in their care, even when conditions make that hard. Training animals for the show teaches them the value of consistency and persistence, too. And the fact that the kids have to look after another living creature teaches them that we, as humans, are responsible for this world we live in. They learn to be good stewards of the earth.

Kids learn to get along with each other, too. They pitch in and help each other out, partly because they learn that getting beat is part of growing up. Their time to win will come, even if it isn't in the show ring.

Livestock projects teach kids the kinds of things that will help keep this world a nice place for their kids to live.

My hat's off to all of these young people in the livestock project. Well, except for that Wednesday night in that cold barn.

(Mike Isbell is the Heard County Extension Coordinator with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)

Mike Isbell is the Heard County extension coordinator with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Mike Isbell
Mark Williams
After a hearty climb, Connect Abroad Italy students pose in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. (Photo by Angel Bhardwaj) CAES News
UGA ranks as leading doctoral institution for study abroad 12/20/24 Angel Bhardwaj
The University of Georgia remains among the top 10 U.S. universities for study abroad participation, according to the 2024 Open Doors Report released by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State. UGA boasts the highest study abroad participation to enrollment ratio of the top 7 ranked doctoral institutions, earning the No. 7 spot in overall participation and No. 3 in short-term study abroad programs.
HurricaneHeleneGreenhouseDamageCropped CAES News
UGA Extension supports resilience in Georgia farm communities after Hurricane Helene 12/19/24 Emily Cabrera
Hurricane Helene wrought sweeping devastation across Georgia’s agricultural sector in late September, leaving an indelible mark on both the land and the people who tend it, bringing focus to vulnerabilities in Georgia’s farming industry and the need for more robust safety nets. In addition to the physical destruction, the hurricane took an emotional toll on Georgia’s farmers. In response, UGA Extension has prioritized mental health support.
From left, CAES Associate Professor Abigail Borron and Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars Mihai Suteu, Daniyar Memedemin, Alina Zaharia, Andreea Ona and Daniel Chiciudean stand in front of an image of the Romanian flag projected onto a barn at UGArden. CAES News
Fulbright Scholars unite with UGA Extension to envision ag outreach model in Romania 12/18/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Arriving on the Athens campus of the University of Georgia in August 2023, five Romanian scholars experienced the same anticipation, excitement and apprehension as many first-year students.  Chosen as Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars, each serves on the faculty at one of three Romanian universities, specializing in fields from economics and engineering to plant breeding and biotechnology. The five scholars comprised the first cohort of the Romanian Extension Education Development Program, an ambitious three-year pilot effort to facilitate planning and implementation of extension services in Romania. 
Janiver in sunflower field AI web CAES News
A larger-than-life legacy: CAES student’s contagious enthusiasm inspired others 12/17/24 Jordan Powers
When Miriam Edelkind-Vealey applied for a summer role at a University of Georgia pollinator biodiversity lab in 2020, the junior undergrad didn’t quite know what to expect. After being told she got the position, Edelkind-Vealy didn’t hear anything for a few weeks. It was only then that she learned a collaborator on the project, second-year master’s degree student Amy Joy Janvier, had passed away.
In developing markets where making staple foods is a daily task and warmer climates where food spoilage is common, foods that have more longevity and are easily preserved can enhance economic opportunities by reducing food preparation tasks and lower environmental impact. CAES News
CAES researchers look to reduce food waste by extending shelf life 12/16/24 Lillian Sosbee
“Use by,” “Sell by” and “Best by” dates on food packaging can be helpful indicators of how long a consumer can store a food item before eating, but often these dates lead to high quantities of wasted food. About one-fifth of food produced for human consumption is discarded before it can be eaten, equating to 1 billion meals a day and contributing to global food insecurity.
Recognizing the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates CAES News
UGA celebrates 15 years of Bulldog 100 12/13/24 Rachael Andrews
The University of Georgia Alumni Association released the 2025 Bulldog 100, a list of the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates. The program, organized by the Division of Development & Alumni Relations, celebrates 15 years of honoring alumni and their entrepreneurial endeavors. Among this year’s class, businesses are headquartered in a total of eight states, with 87 of the businesses located in Georgia. In total, 142 alumni representing over two dozen industries are being recognized as a part of this year’s list.