By Garret Akers

Becoming a 4-H member is a special privilege and requires year-round dedication. There are a lot of responsibilities when taking care of the animals you show like pigs, cows, or sheep. Sophomore Lizzy Niehaus has done them every day since sixth grade. She shows cows, pigs, and is starting this year to show sheep.

She has to thaw out the water lines so the animals can get water. She also lays down straw for the cows, pigs, and sheep to lay on.

4-H is not easy, it requires year round dedication and in the winter a lot of extra work. Niehaus has do extra chores in the winter time to keep the animals healthy. And she herself has to stay warm by dressing up in extra layers while doing the necessary chores for the animals. The winter brings lots of snow and freezing temperatures and this to the animals can be harmful if not fully taken care of. 

One of Niehaus stories is that one year a boy got dragged around in gravel by his cow that he was showing.

One piece of advice Niehaus said is, “Stay confident,” Niehaus said, “don’t be scared just relax.” Niehaus enjoys 4-H a lot and she has been in it for 4 years. ” Showing is really fun and I’ve done it since a young age so I’m used to the stress and it has gotten easier”, said Niehaus. 

For most of Niehaus 4-H career she has showed cows and pigs but this year she said that she started to show sheep. That is a lot of work to do to take care of more than one animal from each species. 4-H requires lots of dedication and responsibility and Niehaus clearly shows that.