Trimble County is a very rural county along the Ohio River about half way in-between Louisville and Cincinnati OH. With 95% of the residents residing in Trimble County considered rural and only 5% making up urban residents. The Trimble County 4-H program, being in a more rural county, has had programs focused mainly on Agriculture topics. However there has been less and less kids each year growing up on or around farms, Trimble County 4-H is attempting to shift some of that focus from Agriculture towards more Science, Education, and urban topics. However with Trimble County being 95% rural, we do not want to completely stray from our focus on Agriculture.
The Trimble County 4-H Livestock Club teaches children how to raise and show animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, and swine. This past summer, our club had 27 participants involved, with nine participants being in the Clover Bud (five to eight years old) program. The Trimble County Livestock Club has three Certified Livestock Volunteers leading this club.
Each 4-H Livestock Club member and Clover Bud member is required to attend a minimum of six hours of education in order to be eligible to show at the Trimble County Fair under the 4-H/FFA class. Within those six hours of education, each member learns valuable information on topics surrounding their animal project. Topics such as breed identification, skeletal and external parts, feed additives, nutrients, rations and feeding management, and disease recognition. Topics that are also covered are; grooming, judging, and showmanship.
Each summer culminating the 4-H members’ project, they are given the chance to show their project animal in the County Fair. 4-H members, who qualify, by having attended a minimum of six hours of education, and attending at least six County 4-H Livestock Club meetings, are eligible to auction off their animal at the end of the Trimble County Fair. Each member keeps possession of their animal, and the money donated by each auction buyer, goes directly to the 4-H member they bid on. The 4-H member can use the money they receive by auctioning off their animal however they would like. Some members use it to purchase their next animal project for the following year.  

Recently, one of our former county 4-H livestock club members, gave a testimony to the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation in Trimble County as to just how significant 4-H was to him throughout his career in 4-H. He saved his money from each summer’s county livestock auction, and when he graduated High School, he had saved enough money to purchase his own vehicle. He stated that he was very grateful for the skills and discipline he acquired during his participation in the 4-H program, and the life lessons he has learned during the 9 years involved in the Livestock program.