Exhibition cancellations disappointing, but 4-H carries on

There may be no crowds gathering this summer to celebrate the hard work of P.E.I.'s 4-H members but the work itself, and the learning, continue.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the cancellation of the agricultural exhibitions where 4-H members typically show off their projects.

Brenda Larsen, president of the P.E.I. 4-H council board of directors, said the group saw those cancellations coming, and moved quickly to make new online projects available to members. Projects in the 4-H at Home program were ready at the end of March, and more than 100 local members have signed up for them.

"Most of it was created by our 4-H specialists here," said Larsen.

"Some things are very much made in P.E.I.So some of the animal projects, they're actually videoing some 4-H members or resource people or 4-H leaders in the province, and then accessing maybe videos from other sources as well online."

Projects include gardening, animal husbandry from cattle to horses to rabbits, home economics from foods to scrapbooking, as well as photography, great outdoorsand introduction to STEM.

4-H member Danielle MacPherson of Wheatley River has signed up for dairy, cake decoratingand sustainable living.

MacPherson said cake decorating and sustainable living are not that different online, because they had always focused on at-home learning and practice.

"For dairy it's very different. Most of it's just videos and, like, tips and tricks so when we get back out there we know all of our stuff," she said.

She hopes to get to the barn and her uncle's calf as soon as she can so she can get some practice with a real animal.

The virtual projects are open to everyone, not just members. Just go to the website and sign up. Larsen hopes some non-members will sign up, and maybe develop enough of an interest to sign up as members in the fall.

More from CBC P.E.I.