Dakota County 4-H Fair Edition
August 5, 2022
Make sure to read this newsletter carefully as it contains valuable information for the county fair
Dakota County Fair
Monday, Aug 8, 2022, 10:00 AM
Dakota County Fairgrounds, 220th Street West, Farmington, MN, USA
Who to call for help during fair week?
If you have questions, please feel free to connect with:
- Taylor: 651-480-7755 (tjerde@umn.edu) Livestock
- Brad: 651-480-7758 (ruggx002@umn.edu) Livestock
- Abby: 651-480-7752 (torg0016@umn.edu) Static/General projects
- Rachel: 651-480-7754 (reza0027@umn.edu) Static/General projects
- Kirsten: 952-240-7947 (kapeders@umn.edu) Food/Malt stands, volunteering
- Dakota County Extension Office (Cherie): 651-480-7702
- Livestock Fair Office: 651-460-8471
Where do I find the fair schedule and rules for judging? In the Premium Book!
Premium Book- Review the Dakota County 4-H Premium book posted on the Dakota County 4-H webpage under the Fair participant information tab. This is where you will find project information plus rules and judging schedules. It is important that you know the rules and criteria for each project area before having your exhibit judged.
Website: https://extension.umn.edu/local/dakota#fair-participant-information-2452511
Fair week communication plan
Volunteer opportunities for 4-H members and families during the fair!
Sign up to help at the BIGGEST fundraiser of the year!
Please help keep them open by signing up for a shift! Volunteering is easy (and fun!) at the dining hall or malt stand. When you and your family volunteer for dining hall and malt stand shifts during the fair, you are supporting all the wonderful programs we offer year round.
There are still over 100 open shifts in the dining hall and six open shifts in the malt stand. Throughout the week, there are nine different timeframes in the dining hall where we do not have enough volunteers to remain open and serve the public. These are key times when the stand is very busy and fundraising is most successful.
We ask each family to fill 1 adult shift and 1 youth shift PER participating youth in the program. Remember admission on the grounds is free!
Sign up here: Dining Hall Sign Up Malt Stand Sign Up
NEW for 2022:
We'll be serving malts from the dining hall so we need malt makers there too! To claim a malt maker shift in the dining hall, see the dining hall sign-up.
The Federation will be utilizing malt and dining hall funds to support youth going to State Fair with a $125 gift towards fees. An additional $30 gift from the Auction Fund, for a total gift of $155, will significantly reduce the financial burden on families.
This is my first year showing at the fair! What should I expect?
Tell a story with a blue ribbon exhibit
Curious how you placed on Saturday, August 6 at Static Judging Day?
Did I win a champion? If so, now what?
Stop by the 4-H Building during the fair to see if you won a champion! Champion ribbons will be displayed on your exhibit.
Static (general exhibit and demonstration champions are invited (expected) to attend the 4-H Awards Program on Sunday, August 14 at 4:00 p.m. at the 4-H Building on the Dakota County Fairgrounds, where champion awards will be given out.
Champion recipients are required to write a thank you to their donor and have a picture taken at the Champion Awards Program. All 4-H champions at the Dakota County Fair will receive a champion shirt (after thank you is written). Shirts will only be given out at the Champion Program on Sunday. One shirt per member even if you’ve won more than one champion in static or livestock..
When are projects released from the county fair?
All 4-H static projects are released from the 4-H Building on Sunday, August 14 at 7 p.m. and not before! Any projects that are taken early from the 4-H building will forfeit all premiums. If you are not available to pick up your projects YOU MUST arrange for someone to come and collect them for you. The 4-H Building doors close at 8 p.m. on Sunday, August 14.
Important Information for 4-H members exhibiting animal projects at the fair!
4-H animal science pre-fair letter posted
The 4-H pre-fair animal science information letter is posted on the Dakota County 4-H website.
We suggest that you print this information as it will be helpful as you navigate through the 2022 Dakota County 4-H animal science programming leading up to and at the Dakota County Fair.
If you have questions, please feel free to connect with:
- Taylor: 651-480-7755 tjerde@umn.edu
- Brad: 651-480-7758 ruggx002@umn.edu
Livestock Demonstrations
Livestock demonstration judging is on Tuesday, Aug. 9 and Wed., Aug 10, depending on species.
First encampment demonstrations will be recorded on Tuesday, August 9, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Species included are: dairy, goat, rabbit, beef cow/calf or feeder calves. The location will be communicated as the date approaches and facilities are confirmed. Swine, sheep, poultry, market beef and horse demonstrations will be on Wednesday, August 10 from 1-3 p.m. in the Swine Barn Arena.
Regardless of encampment, sign up here for livestock demonstrations. Visit page 52 of the premium book for specific information for each presentation type.
Contact Rachel at reza0027@umn.edu if you have questions.
Are you showing a horse at the fair this year? What you need to know!
HORSE CLASS JUDGING UPDATE
Note judging dates and times:
For more details see the horse section in the premium book, pages 25-28
- Horse Demonstration – judging Wednesday, August 10 (note new judging date and time); sign-up for a judging time
- Horse Speech - judging Wednesday, August 10 (note new judging date and time); sign-up for a judging time
HORSE VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP
2022 Dakota County 4-H Horse Show Volunteer Sign-up
It is the expectation that all families volunteer at the 4-H horse shows. Please sign-up early for shifts that work with your families fair schedule.
Minnesota State Fair Information Section
How do I find out if I won an opportunity to the MN State Fair with my static exhibit?
Visit https://z.umn.edu/2022StateFairDakota or scan this QR code to see if you are eligible to take your project to the MN State Fair! Youth who have completed 6th grade, who enrolled and registered for the fair by the respective deadlines, can be eligible.
State Fair Encampment Dates: Saturday, September 3 through Monday, September 5. The full Encampment Judging Schedule can be found at: https://z.umn.edu/7vvf
There will be both in-person and virtual opportunities for the 2022 Minnesota State Fair. For general projects, you may participate in person at the county level and advance to either in-person or virtual state opportunities.
You MUST notify 4-H staff that you plan to accept (or decline) your trip no later than noon on Thursday, August 11 by emailing Abby at torg0016@umn.edu and Rachel at reza0027@umn.edu.
All youth who earned a trip must decide whether or not they would like to participate in the Minnesota State Fair judging experiences. Youth who are 6th grade and above can accept 1 static/general project, 1 livestock, and participate in demonstrations.
In the State Fair Trip Qualifiers spreadsheet, names can be highlighted in three different colors.
Highlighted in Green- This means the youth are within the quota limit and are accepting the state trip for that particular project area.
Highlighted in Yellow- This means the youth is not within the quota limit, but would be interested in a State Fair trip if youth higher on the list decline or accept other trips. Please check back following the deadline to see if you will have the option to officially claim the trip.
Highlighted in Red- This means the youth is declining the trip for this particular project area.
If there are still unclaimed state fair trips following the deadline AND no one has indicated their interest in claiming the trip, anyone still listed on the state fair line-up may claim the available trip(s).
State Fair Trips for grade 6+
Youth who have completed grade 6 and above and have been awarded a trip at the 2022 Dakota County Fair are eligible to participate in the 2022 MN 4-H State Fair experience! State Fair trip winners will be posted to the Dakota County 4-H website throughout the week of the fair and all youth eligible for a trip will be notified via email. It is the responsibility of the 4-H member to accept/decline state fair trips by the deadline. State fair trip winners are required to complete and submit state fair paperwork by the deadline. Paperwork collection times will be announced closer to the fair.
State Fair encampment dates:
- Livestock Encampment: August 24-28
- Static/General Encampment: September 3-5, static judging schedule
4-H at the MN State Fair exhibitor page
Registering for the State Fair-
To register for the State Fair, 4-H members along with parents/guardians must complete Form 1 and turn in at one of the paperwork collection times listed below along with payment.
New this year, Dakota County 4-H will be giving each youth a $155 scholarship to use towards any state event showcase opportunity.
State Fair paperwork collection and ticket distribution
Gate passes, meal tickets, and exhibitor buttons will be handed out and paperwork and payment collected at specified times throughout the week of the Dakota County Fair.
• Thursday, August 11: 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Extension Office)
• Friday, August 12: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. (4-H Building on the Fairgrounds)
• Monday, August 15: 8 - 9 a.m. (Extension Office)
All state fair paperwork is due to the Extension Office by 9 a.m. on Monday, August 15.
Virtual State Fair Meetings
• Tuesday, August 16: 6:30 p.m., General/Static exhibitors/Public presentations
• Tuesday, August 16: 7:30 p.m., Livestock exhibitors
A Zoom link will be sent to all participants. If you wish to exhibit at the state fair, it is expected that you (and a parent/guardian) attend the state fair meeting. The purpose of these meetings is to learn more about the state fair experience and to get all your state fair questions answered. Livestock exhibitors will be discussing equipment needs and animal transportation to and from the state fair.
County Fair premium checks
4-H County fair premium checks will be mailed from the Dakota County Fair office after the completion of the fair. Premiums are generously donated by the Dakota County Ag Society.
Please cash your check as soon as you receive it.