The Kentucky 4-H Country Ham Project resumed normalcy in 2021 after being altered the previous year due to the global pandemic. In 2020, youth had to compose an essay as part of their project. This year, the youth once again travelled to Louisville and attended the Kentucky State Fair where they presented a speech. Over 700 youth entered hams into the contest in both the smoked and non-smoked categories. Bell County had four entrants in the project and came away with two blue ribbons and two red ribbons. The tradition of the Kentucky 4-H Country Ham Project originated in the late 1990’s and the first competition had less than 40 participants. The project has grown, as stated above, to over 800 entries from approximately 70 counties. The project begins with registration in December. In January, the hams (graciously donated by a local packing house) get salted and hung in a cooler for 5-6 weeks. The hams are then wrapped in socks and placed in a ham house for curing during the summer months. The youth will then clean the hams and present them at the Kentucky State Fair. All aspects of the project are overseen by the Bell County 4-H agent and a dedicated volunteer. At the end of the project, youth learn how to be self-sufficient by providing food for themselves and their families. They will also be able to describe the process of curing a country ham. The skills that they obtain during this project can be passed down for generations to come.