The 4-H Country Ham Project is one of the most unique 4-H activities offered through Kentucky 4-H.   Youth are taught a heritage skill that is a tradition in our state.  They are also required to give a speech about a related topic at the Kentucky State Fair. This creates an opportunity to enhance their communication skills.  Over 1000 youth enrolled in the project in 2024, including 28 youth in Shelby County.

The Shelby County 4-H Agent serves on the Country Ham Committee which oversees the project, including the contest at the Kentucky State Fair.  The contest receives support from a University of Kentucky Extension Specialist and the Kentucky Country Ham Producers.   Over 900 hams and speeches were judged and scored on the contest day.  This is a huge undertaking that requires many hours of work from Extension staff and volunteers.  In total over 100 workers invested approximately 625 hours of time to conduct the contest.  As a result, over 900 4-Hers gave speeches about country hams using the knowledge they gained from participating in the project.

The support for the Country Ham Project across the state continues to grow.  Youth are learning a skill that has passed through many generations of Kentuckians.  They are also practicing and learning new communications skills that they will continue to use throughout their lives.  Using the hands on knowledge they gained from the project, youth practiced their communication skills to complete the project. The combination of the learning outcomes is one of the reasons that the project is so successful and one of the most popular 4-H projects in the state.