Published: September 09, 2008 05:48 pm            

4-H and FFA a one-two punch for Minnesota farm girl

Originally published in the September 5, 2008, print edition.

She’s 18 years old. She already has 10 years of 4-H experience including seven years of state fair competition. She was a State 4-H Ambassador in 2006-07. She had four years of high school FFA and currently serves as state FFA vice president. She’s enrolled in animal science at the University of Minnesota.

And she says agriculture is the most exciting profession in the world today.

The Land caught up with Katie Zenk of rural Danube at the Minnesota State Fair’s FFA Leadership Center.

“4-H is what got me started in agriculture. I was a third grader, lived on the farm. My first county fair experience was showing white market ducks. I really didn’t know much about showing anything, let alone a duck,” chuckled Zenk.

She also has done various garden projects including raising and showing potatoes, some “exploring animals” projects and seven years with dog projects where you train your dog in obedience, showmanship and agility.

Her poultry projects have brought her to the State Fair six consecutive years. This year she also qualified for State Fair with a photography exhibit.

Zenk’s certainly kept busy at the State Fair this year.

“I’m pulling double-duty this weekend,” she said. “It’s 4-H livestock weekend so I’m showing poultry. When I have off time I’m working at the Miracle of Birth Center. And as a state FFA officer I get to run around doing other things like today I wore a giant corn suit because it was Minnesota Corn Growers Day on the stage here at the Agricultural Leadership building.

“We work with the commodity groups so I get to tell the ag story to the public. Also I help out at the barnyard as needed.”

With experience in both 4-H and FFA, Zenk shared her thoughts on how the two groups compare.

“4-H does a really good job of giving you a taste of a lot of different areas. And you can start when you’re only 8 years old. FFA tends to bring your focus up to the next level of leadership development,” she said.

“Both are really great experiences. My last two summers have been mostly FFA so I’ve had lots of training in marketing and speech. But I have learned so much from both organizations and would strongly encourage any youth to experience both if they have the opportunity.”

Her State Fair activities top her 4-H achievement list. With FFA, leadership continues as a state officer which also included a summer trip to Washington, D.C., and a visit to the White House.

She jokingly confessed that her poultry exhibits at the State Fair don’t generate much revenue, but she has learned much about the poultry industry and now through FFA will be participating in entrepreneurial opportunities.

Besides her State Fair “show birds,” Zenk also raises special broilers, which she sells as processed birds. “These are money-making birds.”

Katie Zenk on ...

... the importance of Minnesota’s poultry industry.

“Minnesota is the No. 1 turkey-producing state. With Jennie-O, Gold’n Plump, Golden Oval, Sparboe, etc., there are a lot of opportunities in the poultry industry plus it meshes so well with our grain production. It takes less gas, less energy to move Minnesota corn and soybean meal to the turkey and broiler companies already in our state than to ship our grains elsewhere.”

... the Minnesota State Fair’s Miracle of Birth Center.

“You’re seeing the very start of life of our different farm animals and that’s a totally new experience for just about everyone. There are a lot of misconceptions about livestock. Most people don’t even know how livestock plug into the total food cycle. And when people see that farrowing crates are there to protect the newly born baby pigs they understand. Once you explain what’s happening, and why, people are really grateful. You can always tell when an actual birth is happening because the Center just gets packed. It’s a tremendous experience.”

        

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