The 4-H Country Ham Project has grown in LaRue County since it was started in 2014.  Twenty-nine 4-Hers participated in 2017.  This was a 50% increase from 2016.  In just four years, the project participation grew from 5 participants to 29 participants.  With interest in the country ham project, grant money was secured in the amount of $1000 from the Kentucky 4-H Foundation and $2500 from Agriculture Development Funds to build a ham house in LaRue County for the project participants to use.  New in 2017, all participants were required to present their ham speech at the county level for competition.  This helped them prepare and practice for their State Fair speech.  The practice paid off, as two participants placed in the top five for their age groups at the State Fair.  For many participants, the county contest was the first speech they ever presented.  An auction is held at the conclusion of the project at the annual Lincoln Days festival.  The third annual auction was held in October with a record setting highest bid of $600.  Twenty-six youth sold one of their hams.  This year's auction brought in $4280.  Over the past three years that the auction has been held, $9,485 has been raised with $7,588 going directly to the youth and $1,897 going to help with expenses for the ham project.  Eighty percent of the auction bid went back to the child and 20% went to the 4-H ham project.  Youth can use the money to pay for their project fee for next year.  Many participants say they put their proceeds in a college savings fund.  The LaRue County Farm Bureau Federation has given a total of $1420 over the past three years to help with country ham registration fees for participants.  One country ham participant stated, "I enjoy learning how to cure country hams and about the history because my grandparents and great-grandparents cured hams back in their time."