A 4-H club member shows off her prize-winning commercial steer at the Polk County Fair in Fertile, Minnesota, 2015. The steer was awarded a purple ribbon, which qualified it to advance to the competition at the Minnesota State Fair.
4-H club member Alyssa Schwede at the West Polk County Fair with her hydroponic vegetable garden exhibit, 2015. The exhibit was awarded a purple ribbon.
Since their origin in 1902, 4-H clubs have helped American youth explore various professional fields—many related to farming—while mastering practical skills. In Minnesota’s West Polk County, 4-H branches formed in the late 1920s to train and inspire the next generation of local farmers.