By Taylor Wooten
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Late couple made swine pens possible
The old swine pens at the Johnson County 4-H and Agricultural Fair had been used for nearly 40 years.
Mike Pruitt, a fair board member, said his father helped install the previous pens four decades ago.
The pens were all different sizes and in bad shape. The fair board began fundraising for new pens three years ago. The group hosted swine shows in the offseason, collecting enough to redo half the swine barn, Pruitt said.
Eugene and Revae Morris, a couple in their 90s who always enjoyed the shows and had family still involved in 4-H, passed away recently.
The family decided to donate money the couple left behind to the fair.
“When they did that, we were able to purchase (new swine pens), have them built and installed just about a week ago,” Pruitt said Monday.
The 305 metal pens were $375 each for a total of about $114,000.
Previously, there were issues with the pen gates latching, and pigs often had to share pens, which was unsafe for the 4-H-ers and the swine, because the paired pigs would fight, Pruitt said.
“Those folks that have been here for a long time, they understand how nice it was to get these new pens and not have to deal with the old ones,” he said.
Now, the large pigs rest comfortably and safely on beds of wood shavings in the newly-named Eugene and Revae Morris Swine Pavilion.
Honor Group gives office fresh look
The idea to redo the fair office started as a joke.
While brainstorming ideas for this year’s senior project, someone said jokingly the office needed a back door so fair board members could easily avoid anyone unpleasant who entered through the front door, said Paul Gentry, a fair board member who oversees the buildings.
“I guess that was the joke of the day or something and we got to talking about it like, ‘maybe that should be one of our ideas,’” Gentry said. “And the kids loved it.”
The Honor Group is made up of senior 4-H members. Each year, the group completes a project that leaves a lasting impact on the fair before beginning their college or adult careers. There are 18 members in this year’s group.
“The kids thought, ‘how can we help the fair board?’” Gentry said. “They decided one way they could help … was give them a better place to work — a nicer, cleaner place.”
So the 4-H-ers got to work. Every week starting in February and for about two months, the group fundraised, repainted and refurbished the small building. They hung photos, built a bar top in the breakroom, received donated accompanying barstools and replaced the fireplace mantle.
The mantle is now made of a repurposed barn beam, which Gentry estimated is about 150 years old.
The teens also installed cabinets, new lighting fixtures and built a new flower bed.
The updated office has much more of a fair feel to it. The work the honor group put in was tremendous, but highlighted the work of one individual: Emma McCarty, Gentry said.
“She was here for every work day, every meeting, worked her butt off,” he said.
“She did a really good job.”
The honor group raised $4,000 for the project. The fair office is used year-round for fairground campers and as the groundskeeper’s office.
Dog show teaches 4-H’ers patience
At the Johnson County 4-H Dog Show Sunday, it was clear working with the dogs taught the 4-H’ers an important skill: patience.
At least two unleashed dogs disobeyed their handlers on the colorful agility obstacle course, likely leaving the 4-Hers in distress. But they didn’t show it.
The time the handlers put in with their dogs is awarded — eventually.
Mila Owens, 16, has been showing dogs since she was in third grade. She and her dog, Marvin, were fierce competitors at the show.
Owens and Marvin were the only pair competing in many of the high-ranking categories.
Marvin impressed judges and a crowd that gathered outside Fitzpatrick Hall as he completed his trick: acting sad while lying on his bed, and then packing himself into Owens’ suitcase, which won him the advanced tricks category.
The pair also won grand champion in agility and reserve grand champion in showmanship.
