Our 4-H year wraps up at the end of September, which means we get to reflect on the year we had and plan for next year.

In August, we held our La Plata County Fair. It was a wonderful week – full of excitement and energy. Our 4-H members did an outstanding job with their projects, and loved getting to share them with our community.

We were able to have most of our normally scheduled events, including our 4-H Community BBQ. I would like to thank our amazing BBQ teams, JAKD Solutions, Crossfire, IKAV and Aztec Well Services, for their hard work and for cooking 3,000 pounds of meat.

Junior Livestock Auction buyers

Basin Coop Inc., Agritek Fence, Ames Construction, Bank of Colorado, Basye Property Inspections, Bayfield Realty, Beaty Farm, Best Western Rio Grande, Billy T Trucking, Bonds, Brandon and Kara Pearson, Brenda Huffman, Buckskin Electric, C&J Gravel, C&J Redi Mix, CJ’s Diner, Coca Cola, Compton Cattle Co., Crossfire, Crossfire Aggregate Services LLC, CS Farms, Curtis and Mikie Valencia, Dan and Cheryl Lynn, Dan Selzer, DS Ranches, Durango Audiology, The Durango Herald, Eclipse Dot, Eleven Bar V Ranch, Energy Inspection Services, F&M Construction Inc., Farmers Fresh Market, FCI Constructor Inc., Four State Electric, Garrh’s Heating & Air Conditioning, Gurule Hogs, Hocker and Sons, Judd and Kari Jenkins, Karen Zink/Pam Patton, Kendall Asphalt, Kole Yeomans, Konisto Companies, Kroeger Ranches, Kroegers Ace Hardware, La Plata Electric, Lazy B J Cattle, Leeder Construction, Long Shot Concrete Pumping, M & R Plumbing, Manning Mechanical, Mathews Family, Montgomery Ranches, Morehart-Murphy Motors, Mountain West Insurance, Recla Metals, Red Cedar Gathering Co., Robert and Shanan Malone, Ron and Kathy Serabia, Sandra Wade, Scalva Electric, Snooks Concrete, Spriggs Excavation, Summit Supply, Sunnyside Meats, SW Ag and 4 Corners Trailers, TBK Bank, Thumper & Co. Racing, Triangle A Ranch, Vaughn Johnson Orthodontics.

I would also like to thank all of our Junior Livestock Auction buyers for believing in our 4-H members and supporting them, year after year. Our youths are so blessed to have such a loving and supportive community to help them get through the hard times and build on the good times.

We had 66 general projects qualify for the Colorado State Fair, and of those, we had nine reserve champions, six champions, two reserve grand champions and two grand champions!

Raymond Davis, a member of Mountaineers 4-H Club, made a large and magnificent cake in the shape of a lizard, which won him the grand champion ribbon in cake decorating.

Kenneth Kirkpatrick, a member of Mountain Shadows 4-H Club, had a case full of outstanding insects that he collected and preserved and won grand champion in entomology.

Most of our other members placed in the top 10 of their divisions, which is impressive because they were competing against the best of the best from the entire state.

We also had 20 4-H members take their livestock to the State Fair. Of those, 16 placed in their classes, and we had four members, Bristol Lesky, Cooper Hanhardt, Mackenzie Swanemyr and Taylor Jenkins, qualify to sell their animals at the State Fair Junior Livestock Auction.

Congratulations to all of our 4-H members and their successes throughout the year!

Our new 2021-22 4-H year starts Oct. 1, where we will be continuing our purpose to help youths acquire knowledge, develop life skills and form attitudes that will enable them to become self-directed, successful and productive members of society.

If you or your children are interested in joining as a volunteer or 4-H member, please contact me at the La Plata County Extension Office.

Angela Fountain is the La Plata County 4-H youth development agent. Reach her at [email protected] or 382-6460.