by 4-H press reporter Lily Verboom
The Manitoulin 4-H Farm Safety and Goat Clubs have enjoyed and learned a lot during 2018.
Farm Safety Club: Our first meeting was at the Jansen farm. We learned about safety around animals, especially that they have a flight or fight zone which is like personal space and that we need to walk quietly and be calm around them.
We judged proper footwear to use on the farm. We then nominated and elected our executive for the clubs. A fun activity for our next meeting was a scavenger hunt looking for safe and unsafe areas and machinery on the farm. Another time, members brought containers with hazardous signs and we noted the types and degree of danger. Also, we watched a movie on farm safety for kids.
For fire safety instruction, we visited the Mindemoya Fire Hall. Chief Reid showed us around and we talked about fires that have happened on our farms and how to call 911. Sitting in the fire truck and hearing the very loud siren was fun. The Reids gave us booklets and other fire safety items. We thank them for the tour.
The Cloverbuds joined us for some of the activities at the farm and the fire hall.
Goat Club: All the meetings were at the Jansen farm. Our first time, we practiced our quiet approach to choose, catch, cuddle and calm our baby goats. The next time, we put collars and leads on them and started teaching them to lead and trust us.
In July, we spent a whole afternoon washing, brushing and training our goats to lead better and then we judged them. After a delicious lunch, we put on a show for our parents and friends. Sometimes our goats did not want to lead well but we were judged on our showmanship and care of our goat and we received our ribbons and prize money. Everyone loves the goats, including the younger Cloverbud members who joined us for most of the meetings.
