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4-H animals help teach youth responsibility and teamwork

There will be more than 500 4-H projects at the fair this year

Andrew Anspach (foreground), 12, and his brother, Austin, 9, brush their steers Bob (foreground) and Bandit on Tuesday, July 13, at their cousin's farm in Franklin Twp. The boys are competing in the 4-H feeder calf category at the Warren County Fair in Lebanon. Staff photo by Apryl Pilolli

Apryl Pilolli/Staff photographer Andrew Anspach (foreground), 12, and his brother, Austin, 9, brush their steers Bob (foreground) and Bandit on Tuesday, July 13, at their cousin's farm in Franklin Twp. The boys are competing in the 4-H feeder calf category at the Warren County Fair in Lebanon. Staff photo by Apryl Pilolli

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Tori Anspach, 18, washes her steer Doug Tuesday, July 13, 2010, at her farm in Franklin Twp. Anspach is competing in the 4-H market steer category at the Warren County Fair in Lebanon. Staff photo by Apryl Pilolli

Apryl Pilolli/Staff photographer Tori Anspach, 18, washes her steer Doug Tuesday, July 13, 2010, at her farm in Franklin Twp. Anspach is competing in the 4-H market steer category at the Warren County Fair in Lebanon. Staff photo by Apryl Pilolli

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By Richard Wilson, Staff Writer Updated 8:07 AM Thursday, July 15, 2010

LEBANON — For the past several months, the first and last things Andrew and Austin Anspach have experienced every day are the sights, sounds and smells of farm animals.

The Clearcreek Twp. brothers are raising feeder calves, Bob and Bandit, and four market hogs, Spot, Stripe, Belt and Paper, as 4-H projects for the Warren County Fair. They’ll transport their pampered livestock to the Warren County fairgrounds this weekend in preparation for the fair, which starts Monday, July 19.

This is Austin’s first year and Andrew’s third year participating in 4-H; they’re continuing a long family tradition of raising and showing animals at the fair. Their cousin, Tori Anspach, a recent Franklin High School graduate, will show her last market steers this year, after participating in 4-H for 13 years.

“It’s a lot more than showing an animal at the fair. It’s a year-long ordeal,” said the boys’ father, Andy Anspach.

Austin said the toughest aspect has been walking Bandit, who doesn’t like to be led by a harness.

“He’ll try to go back to the barn,” he said.

Andrew said there’s a fun factor to 4-H projects, and there’s an important purpose in raising a pig or calf for the market.

“It’s feeding people,” he said.

Tori’s father, Dale Anspach, of Franklin Twp. said his daughter has saved about $20,000 for college from selling her 4-H projects at the fair. Tori said she often gets attached to the animals she raises.

“I always leave before they go on the trailer so I don’t have to watch,” she said.

Raising a 4-H animal involves not only feeding, bathing and exercising the animal. Youths must document how much the animal is fed, monitor its weight, take photos and answer questions during a 10-minute interview before the fair, said Kara Colvin, 4-H advisor with the Ohio State University Warren County Extension Office.

“The big thing this time of year is making sure the hogs get to the right weight. Just like people, they don’t feel like eating because of the heat,” Colvin said. The hogs must weigh between 220 and 280 pounds.

Colvin said the animals are like tools that teach life lessons.

“The most important things they learn are not about the animals themselves,” she said. “They learn responsibility. They also learn sportsmanship and teamwork. The kids all pitch in. They help each other out.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4542 or rwilson@coxohio.com.