 Sheena (FAS) With 4H Award |
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Sheena (FAS) was an active 4H member while we lived in Montana, for 4 years, she tried every thing... Sewing, cooking, bread making ( what a mess that was!) etc... What I like about 4H is every child is judged individually on their own merit, so even if it was complicated, she could still get a ribbon. Unfortunately Sheena's ribbon was never higher than a red... White being the lowest, red, then blue ( very good) and then purple ( very rare).
Then I owned a handmade chocolate factory, and was the 4H leader for the candy making kids in 4H. This was a new, we had 36 kids in it, one of the largest joined projects in the county. Well, in 1999, Sheena decided for her fair project would be handmade microwave fudge. I am a firm believer that I can not stand in the way of the children doing their own project, and all though I was a coach and a source of guidance, I refuse to do a Childs project for them. In this case, Sheena was even more on her own, because my specialty was truffles and cordials. I did not sell fudge, or make it, mine always flopped! Sheena entered it in the fair, and out of 36 kids, took grand champion for it. I was absolutely floored. Even more I was so excited for her, because for her previous years, she always seemed so disappointed in red ribbons. I started to believe her own merit was not being judged, but in a small town, you try not to make a stink. So when she walked out with 2 purple ribbons and a grand champion ribbon, she was in glee. I cried for her. Come the second year of candy making , Sheena worked very hard. She made a chocolate Easter basket (the entire basket it's self was chocolate), filled with hand made little rabbits and chocolate eggs. It took her three weeks. This was going to be her fair entry. Come time to pack and leave I get out the ice chest and fill it with ice, to keep all the kids chocolates from melting and I go frantic, because I can't find Sheena's fair project. I finally get Sheena and say, "Sheena, we have to leave, where's your fair project?" She looks at me with a smile on her face, and with out any remorse says, " Mom, I ate it!" Almost like "DUH!" *GACK* Good grief, with a near panic " ATE IT?" I reply! "Yep and it was Gooooood too!" Winning once was enough!!!! LOL Nanette PS: If your FAS chid ever decides they want to make bread. Be sure the instructions read "in a large bowl mix". In Sheena's first year of bread making. The instructions only read "mix together" ( nothing about using a bowl) I'm sure you can imagine what my counter looked like :) |
