Learning how to care for the animals exhibited at the annual Ozaukee County Fair has been an important lesson taught to generations of young 4-H members

Becca Smith, who graduated in June from Port Washington High School, was busy last weekend clipping the Holstein cow she will show at the Ozaukee County Fair.

She also helped younger members of Cloverleaf 4-H Club with their animals. She used to compete in the 4-H horse show, but enjoyed barn duty with friends who showed cows at the fair.

“They kept saying I should show one, too, and I finally decided to do it,” Smith said. “I love it. It’s one of my favorite projects. It’s the experience of working with such a big animal.”

This is her fourth year showing cows. She enjoys them so much that she wants to be a veterinarian technician who works with large animals. She will enter the vet technician program at Moraine Park Technical College in the fall.

“She’s been a big help with all the little kids we have this year. We have 13 in the dairy project and it’s the first or second year for several of them,” said Cloverleaf general leader Dorothy Parchim, who grew up on a dairy farm in Grafton.

Parchim loves introducing farm experiences to Cloverleaf members who know nothing about cows when they sign up for the dairy project she and her husband Ron lead.

“None of them live on farms. They’re all city kids who are showing cows,” Parchim said. “It’s fun seeing them transform from being afraid of these animals to walking them around like puppy dogs. They just really get into it.

“When one teenager was clipping the cow near its hooves, she looked up at me and said, ‘This has to be the scariest thing I’ve ever done.’ They learn to respect the animal and realize they have to gain the trust of the animal. If a calf is scared and doesn’t want to do what they want, they learn they can’t treat it badly. They have to be patient.”