A young 4-H member starts talking about their big project and suddenly the conversation has gone from an animal or a competition to future plans, career goals and where agriculture might take them next.
That is exactly the kind of conversation Dalhousie’s Faculty of Agriculture is looking for this exhibition season.
Staff are travelling to agricultural exhibitions across Nova Scotia, bringing a branded booth and creating a place for 4-H members, families, alumni, leaders, and industry members to stop, chat and connect. The journey continues with the 4-H Provincial Show on Oct. 2-4 before heading to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Ontario.
For Community Education Manager Jessica Fogarty, who is helping organize the initiative and attending the exhibitions, being there is about so much more than promoting the university.
“For me, being at the exhibitions is about being part of the agricultural community, not just talking to the agricultural community,” she says.
Listening and learning
That means listening as much as talking. At each exhibition, the team hears what people enjoy about 4-H, what they have learned and where they see those experiences taking them. Some youth are interested in dairy farming, while others are considering careers such as milk testing or fish farming.
Each answer may be different, but many of the skills behind them are the same. Through 4-H, young people are building their confidence, learning to be successful communicators, assuming great responsibility and becoming helping hands in their communities. Those are skills they can carry with them long after they leave the exhibition grounds.
“I think there is a really natural connection,” Jessica says of the relationship between 4-H and Dal AC. Rather than telling young people what their future should look like, the main goal of Dal AC’s presence is to help them see what is possible.
That can mean showing them a career in agriculture does not have to mean owning a farm. The industry also needs veterinarians, engineers, researchers, technology specialists, business professionals, educators and many others.
Finding their voice
Going into the exhibition season, Jessica expected it might be difficult to get young 4-H members interested in doing interviews at the exhibitions. Instead, many have been eager to share what they do and what they love about the club.
A conversation about their animal, project, or new skill can quickly turn into a young person proudly explaining what they know and sharing their knowledge.
“Sometimes they’ll start a little shy and a few minutes later, they’re giving you their best vocal impressions of different farm animals,” she explains. Those moments are a reminder the value of 4-H reaches beyond agriculture itself.
“4-H isn’t just teaching young people about agriculture. It’s giving them opportunities to find their voice,” Jessica adds.
As the exhibition season continues, Dal AC will keep showing up, listening and learning from the communities it serves. The initiative is a pilot, with its future to be shaped by what the team learns along the way and conversations with 4-H leaders after the Royal.
For now, the next generation of agriculture is already out there, putting the work in, talking about what they love, what they have learned, and where they want to go. Dal AC is there to hear them and support them.
Want to hear directly from the 4-H members, alumni and community members we’re meeting along the way? Follow along on our social channels to hear their stories and see where the journey takes the AC next!