Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Alyssa King canít wait to catch up with her friends, try out some carnival rides and enjoy her favorite ice cream treat, Dippiní Dots. Alexandra King is anxiously awaiting her first go at showing beef cattle and going after ribbons in the hog show.

All across Washington County this week, youth involved in 4-H are putting the final touches on their projects and moving animal exhibits to the County Fair Grounds near Lake Elmo. By the time the fair wraps up on Sunday, more than 1000 county youth will have tested their talents and skills in some form of 4-H project.

For the King sisters of Hugo, itís all about learning but also having fun with friends from across the county.

ìI like being with my friends at the fair,î said Alyssa, 10, a Scandia Elementary School student who is entering her second county fair.

It is much the same for her sister. Alexandra, 13, a student at Century Junior High School in Forest Lake, plans to expand her animal projects this year but will work hard with her pigs at her third county fair. ìPig showing is my favorite part of the fair,î she says.

The King sisters are the daughters of Gary and Lisa King who moved to their acreage in Hugo 10 years ago. It was a place where Lisa could keep her horse, Sundown, and a stage for their daughters to learn.

ìThese are opportunities I never had,î Lisa King said of the programs Alyssa and Alexandra have found through 4-H and as members of the Town of May 4-H Club. She grew up in Shoreview and her husband in Roseville. Now, as parents, they have adopted 4-H and continue to learn with their kids.

ìThatís why we came out here to Hugo,î she adds.

Neighbors help

That the Kings are in 4-H shouldnít come as a surprise, not when they have neighbors with deep 4-H experience. Just a mile south from the Kings on Jeffrey Ave is the home of Byron and Helen Anderson.

The Andersons are lifelong 4-H converts, saw their children go through 4-H programs and now help their grandchildren with projects and exhibits. Their passion for 4-H quickly spread to the Kings and their two kids.

ìWe talked to Byron (about 4-H) and learned he was one of the leaders.î

Now, the Andersons have found mentors in the Anderson clan. Along with inspiration and expertise, hogs and steers born on the Anderson farm have been purchased by the Kings for their 4-H projects.

The two families share barn space for their beef exhibits at the Anderson farm but have maintained separate hog pens on their respective properties.

A busy week

It will be a busy week for the Kings in Lake Elmo.

Thursday will be consumed with the hog show followed by the beef show on Friday.

Both girls will enter three hogs in barrow and gilt 4-H classes, including showmanship competition. While Alyssa is still too young for a State Fair trip, Alexandra has hopes on earning a second State Fair bid.

Alyssa, a budding prize quilt maker, already has a grand championship ribbon to her credit from last year. She is entering another quilt this year and hopes it scores well.

She has already won a blue ribbon for her demonstration project (a four-patch quilting block) and will enter the quilt and a cross-stitch project to go with her pigs.

Alexandra is also taking three hogs to the county fair, will enter a cross-stitch project and will show cattle for the first time, the latter being another activity inspired by the Andersons.

Last November saw the purchase of two steers, an Angus-Limousin cross and an Angus-Maine Anjou cross. As a 13-year-old, Alexandra is learning the ropes of raising and handling critters that weigh between 1300 and 1400 pounds.

This fair is just the start for the King sisters.

With Alexandraís interests expanding this year to cattle, Alyssa is thinking about a horse project next summer. Along with Sundown, the family has had Muffin, a miniature horse the past seven years and at Christmas, Alyssa welcomed Khara, a five-year-old Arabian, to the King stable.

By next year, she hopes to improve her riding skills and enter competition.

For now, the Kings, as Town of May members, have plenty on their plate with projects and fair duties. There will be time for fun but many hours will be consumed with the animal projects, pulling a club shift in the Hooley Hall dining room and taking part in the fair parade.

Itís all part of the learning process. ìThe kids are learning from each other,î Lisa King said.

For a complete list of activities and schedule of events, go to: www.washingtoncountyfair.org. The fair grounds is on TH-5, one mile south of TH-36, just west of Stillwater.

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